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Psalm Thirty-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 35
cf15I A Psalm of David. This psalm seems to have been
written by David, when he was persecuted by Saul; and when many false charges
were brought against him by his courtiers; and when he was the scorn and
derision of the people; the subject of it is pretty much of the same kind with
the seventh psalm, and might be written about the same time that was, and on
the same occasion; and it may be applied to the church and people of God in
like cases. There is a passage in it, Psalm 35:19, which
our Lord seems to refer to and apply to himself, John 15:25; and
some interpret the whole of it concerning him. The Arabic version calls it a
prophecy of the incarnation; though there does not appear any thing in it
applicable to that.
Psalm 35:1 Plead
my cause, O Lord,
with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
YLT
1By David. Strive, Jehovah,
with my strivers, fight with my fighters,
Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me,.... Meaning
Saul and his courtiers; concerning whom he elsewhere desires that the Lord
would judge between them, plead his cause, and deliver him; as he accordingly
did, and maintained it, and the righteousness of it, 1 Samuel 24:12. So
Christ pleaded not his own cause as man, but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously; and his people leave their cause with him, who is their
advocate, and is able to plead it thoroughly; and does plead it against wicked
and ungodly men, who unrighteously charge them; against. Satan the accuser of
the brethren, who stands at their right hand to resist them; and against their
own hearts, and the sins of them, which lust and war against them, and condemn
them;
fight against them that fight against me: so the Lord
is sometimes represented as a man of war, and Christ as a warrior fighting for
the saints; and safe are they on whose side he is; but miserable all such who
are found fighters against him and his; for none ever opposed him and
prospered.
Psalm 35:2 2 Take hold of shield and
buckler, And stand up for my help.
YLT
2Take hold of shield and
buckler, and rise for my help,
Take hold of shield and buckler,.... Defensive weapons;
not that the Lord stands in need of any of these to defend himself with: but
the sense is, that he would be as these to David; as he was to him, and is to
all his people; namely, their shield and buckler: he gives unto them the shield
of salvation; he encompasses them about with his favour as with a shield, and
keeps them by his power safe from all their enemies;
and stand up for mine help; for which the Lord
arises, and stands by his people, and against their enemies, delivering them
out of their hands.
Psalm 35:3 3 Also draw out the spear, And
stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
YLT
3And draw out spear and
lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, `Thy salvation I [am].'
Draw out also the spear,.... An offensive weapon;
expressive of the vengeance which God sometimes takes of the enemies of his
people, when he bends his bow, shoots his arrows, whets his glittering sword,
and his hand takes hold of judgment;
and stop the way against them that persecute me; that they
might not overtake him; God can hinder, and he sometimes does hinder
persecutors from overtaking his people in their straits; and as he hedges up
their way with thorns, that they cannot proceed as they have begun, so he
hedges up the way of their enemies; interposes himself and his power, and is a
wall of fire about them; a wall for the defence and security of his saints, and
a wall of fire for the consumption of those that rise up against them. The
words may be rendered, "draw out the spear and sword, to meet those that
persecute me"F16So Grotius, Amama, Ainsworth, and some in
Mollerus. ; for סגיר is a noun, and signifies a sword
shut up in its scabbard; from whence "sagaris" comes, which is kind
of a sword;
say unto my soul, I am thy salvation; Christ is the
salvation of his people; he is the only person appointed, provided, promised,
and sent to be the Saviour; and he is the alone author of salvation it is
wrought out by him, and it is in him, and in him only; and therefore he is
called their salvation, and the salvation of God: and they are interested in
the salvation which is in him; it was designed, prepared, and wrought out for
them, and for them only; and is applied unto them by the Spirit, and they shall
perfectly enjoy it to all eternity: find yet sometimes they are at a loss about
their interest in it, and desire might be made known unto them, which was the
case of the psalmist here; they, as he, see their necessity it, and that there
is no comfort nor safety without it they are wonderfully delighted with the
excellency of it, that it is so great in itself, so suitable to them, so complete
and perfect, and of an everlasting duration yet, what through the hidings of
God's face, the temptations of Satan, the greatness of their sins, and the
prevalence of unbelief, they cannot tell how to believe their interest in it;
yet most earnestly desire the Lord would show it to them, and assure them of
it; which favour, when granted, is by the witnessings of the Spirit to their
spirits, that they are the children of God, and the redeemed of the Lamb: and
this is said particularly to them; it is not a discovery of salvation by Christ
in general; that they have before; but it is a saying to their souls, that it
is theirs; and when this is spoken bathe to the soul by the Spirit of God, it
is effectual; and removes unbelief at once, and fills with joy unspeakable and
full of glory.
Psalm 35:4 4 Let those be put to shame
and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and
brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.
YLT
4They are ashamed and blush,
those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.
Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul,.... This
petition, and what follows, which seem to be by way of imprecation, are to be
considered as prophecies of what would be, and as expressions of faith that so
it should be; and are not to be drawn into examples, and to be imitated by
private persons; nor are they contrary to those evangelical rules, which
require men to love their enemies, and pray for them; to give place to wrath,
and not meditate vengeance, nor take it: and so it was with David's enemies.
Saul, who hunted after his soul or life, to take it away, was filled with shame
and confusion, when David, having cut off the skirt of his garment, held it up
to him; by which he was convinced that his life was in his hands, and he did
not take it away, though he was seeking after his: and so it will fare with the
enemies of Christ, the Jews; who sought to take away his life and did take it
away, when they shall see him come in the clouds of heaven, whom they have
pierced; and in like manner will it be with the enemies of all his people, whom
nothing will content but their lives, when they shall see the lambs they have
worried and butchered on Christ's right hand, and they on the left; and to the
sheep said, Come, ye blessed; and to them, Go, ye cursed, Matthew 25:34;
let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my
hurt; as Saul did David's, even when he made the most specious show of
affection and respect unto him, as well as when he more openly persecuted him;
and more than once was he turned back with shame, and departed home; see 1 Samuel 24:22. The
Jews, that came to apprehend Christ, together with the Roman soldiers, and who
had devised and intended his hurt, went backward, and fell to the ground with
shame and confusion, when, having asked them who they sought, and they had
replied, told them he was the person; and how often has it been, that when
wicked men have devised, deceitful matters against the members of Christ, that
their counsel has been carried headlong, they have not been able to perform
their enterprises; a hook has been put into their nose, and a bridle in their
jaws, and they have been turned back the way they came, with shame and
disgrace.
Psalm 35:5 5 Let them be like chaff
before the wind, And let the angel[a] of the Lord chase them.
YLT
5They are as chaff before
wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.
Let them be as chaff before the wind,.... As they
are; see Psalm 1:4;
and let the angel of the Lord chase them; either a good
angel, who is the Lord's, his creature that ministers unto him, and is ready to
obey his orders; and who, as he encamps about the saints and protects them, so
he is able to destroy their enemies; as one angel in a night destroyed all the
firstborn in Egypt, and another the whole army of the Assyrians, Exodus 12:29; an
angel of the Lord, who is swift to fly, and so to chase and overtake, and able
to execute whatever is the will of the Lord; or else an evil angel, who is the
Lord's, being made by him, though not made evil by him; and who is under his
restraints, and can do nothing but by his permission; and who sometimes is
employed by the Lord, as the executioner of his wrath upon wicked men; is
suffered to distress and torture their consciences in this life, and hereafter
drag them into everlasting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Psalm 35:6 6 Let their way be dark and
slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
YLT
6Their way is darkness and
slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.
Let their way be dark and slippery,.... In which they run
before the angel, chasing and pursuing them; so that they know not where they
are, at what they stumble, whither to flee, nor how to stand; the ways of wicked
men are as darkness, they know not in what condition they are, and whither they
are going; and utter darkness, even blackness of darkness, is reserved for
them: but here it means a calamitous, uncomfortable, fickle, and unstable
situation in this life; see Jeremiah 23:11. The
allusion is to some of the valleys in the land of Palestine, which were dark,
and the roads in them very smooth and slippery, as travellers in those parts
have observedF17See Maundrell's Travel's, p. 7. ;
and let the angel of God persecute them; See Gill on Psalm 35:5.
Psalm 35:7 7 For without cause they
have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug
without cause for my life.
YLT
7For without cause they hid
for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.
For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit,.... This is
said in allusion to the custom of digging pits, and putting nets into them, for
the catching of wild beasts; and covering them with straw or dust, or such like
things, as Jarchi observes, that they might not be discerned; and which intends
the secret and crafty methods taken by David's enemies to ensnare him and
destroy him; though he had given them no cause to use him in such a manner;
which is an aggravation of their sins, and a reason of the above imprecations,
as well as of what follows: and in the same manner, and without any just cause,
Christ and his members have been treated by wicked men, and therefore their
damnation is just, and will be inevitable:
which without cause
they have digged for my soul; which is added for further explanation's
sake, and to aggravate their sin, and to show the justness of their punishment.
Psalm 35:8 8 Let destruction come upon
him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that
very destruction let him fall.
catcheth
him, For desolation he falleth into it.
Let destruction come upon him at unawares,.... Or a
"storm"F18שואה "tumultuosa
calamitas", Cocceius; so Ainsworth; "tumultus", Vatablus. , such
as is caused in the eastern countries by a south wind, very sudden, violent,
and destructiveF19See Thevenot, Tavernier, &c. : the singular
number being here used, some Jewish commentators, as Kimchi, have thought Saul
is particularly meant; and some Christian interpreters have been of opinion
that Judas is intended: the imprecations here may be compared with those which
respect him, Psalm 109:6. Though
this may regard every one of the enemies of David, or of Christ and his people,
whose ruin and destruction will come upon them unawares; see 1 Thessalonians 5:3;
and let his net that he hath laid catch himself; a figurative
expression, agreeable to the allusion before made, and which is explained in
the next clause;
into that very destruction let him fall, which he had
designed and contrived for others; so Haman was hanged on the same gallows he
had prepared for Mordecai; and so it often is in the course of Providence, that
the wicked fall into the same calamity they have intended and endeavoured to
bring others into; see Psalm 7:15.
Psalm 35:9 9 And my soul shall be
joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
YLT
9And my soul is joyful in
Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.
And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord,.... Not in
the destruction of his enemies, but in the God of his salvation; the Targum is,
"in the Word of the Lord"; the essential Word of God, the promised
Messiah, Saviour, and Redeemer. Christ is the object of a believer's joy; he
rejoices in his person, as he is the mighty God, able to save him, and to keep
what he has committed to him, and to preserve him from falling; as he is God
and man in one person, and so fit to be a Mediator between God and man; and as
he is a Prophet to instruct him, a Priest to expiate his sin and make
intercession for him, and as a King to rule over, protect, and defend him; and
as he stands in the relations of a father, husband, brother, and friend: he
rejoices in what he has done and is doing; in that this Word is made flesh, and
has obtained eternal redemption, and now appears in the presence of God, as an
advocate and intercessor: it follows,
it shall rejoice in his salvation; that which Jehovah the
Father has determined upon, provided for, and has formed the scheme of; that
which Jehovah the Son undertook to accomplish, and now has finished; and that
which Jehovah the Spirit had made a discovery and application of unto the
psalmist, in answer to his request in Psalm 35:3. This
filled him with so much joy, as it does every believer that has a view of
interest in it; seeing hereby the law is fulfilled, justice is satisfied, sin
is atoned for, the pardon of it is procured, an everlasting righteousness is
brought in, and a solid foundation laid for hope of eternal glory and
happiness.
Psalm 35:10 10 All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is
like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor
and the needy from him who plunders him?”
YLT
10All my bones say, `Jehovah,
who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor
and needy from his plunderer.'
All my bones shall say,.... So, in a figurative
sense, vexation and disquietude are ascribed to the bones, Psalm 6:2; and
sometimes joy and gladness, Psalm 51:8. His
soul is said to rejoice in Psalm 35:9; and
here his bones are said to show forth the praises of the Lord; and both
together design the whole man, as heart and flesh in Psalm 84:2; and the
bones being the strength of the body may denote his saying what follows, with
all his might, and with all his strength, and with the utmost fervency of
spirit:
Lord, who is like unto thee; on account of the
perfections of his nature, which appear in the salvation and deliverance of his
people: there is none like unto him for his wisdom, holiness, power, grace, and
mercy; for his foreknowledge, wisdom, and counsel, in forming the scheme of
salvation; for his holiness and justice, which are glorified by it; for his
might and power in effecting it; and for his grace, mercy, goodness, and
faithfulness shown in keeping covenant with his people, in pardoning and
passing by their iniquity and transgression, and in condescending to take
notice of his poor and needy, to deliver them, as follows; see Psalm 113:5;
which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him: yea,
the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? in which
words the psalmist doubtless respects himself and his own case, who was poor
and afflicted, and stood in need of help when he was persecuted by Saul, who
was his enemy, too strong for him, and who sought to spoil and ruin him, but
the Lord delivered him out of his hands; see Psalm 18:17. They
agree with the case of all the Lord's poor and needy, who are so not only in a
temporal sense, as they commonly be; and in such sense as all mankind are,
though everyone is not sensible of his spiritual poverty through sin; having
neither food nor raiment, nor anything to procure them with, and yet think
themselves rich and increased with goods; but in the best sense, being poor in
spirit and rich in faith; these have enemies stronger than they. Sin is
sometimes represented as a person, their antagonist that fights against them,
wars with them, prevails over them sometimes, and carries them captive: sin is
too strong for a man without the grace of God; nay, it was too strong for Adam
in innocence, and spoiled him of the image of God, stripped him of his
righteousness, and marred all the glory and honour in which he was; and it is
too strong for a man that has the grace of God, when left to himself: but the
Lord delivers his people from it; they; are redeemed from it, and saved from
punishment for it by the blood of Christ; and they are freed from the power and
dominion of it, by the Spirit and grace of Christ at conversion, and at death
they are delivered from the being of it. Satan is the strong man armed, and is
more than a match for the poor and needy; but Christ the mighty God is stronger
than he, and has ransomed them out of the hands of him that was stronger than
they; and the prey, or they that were made a spoil by him, are taken out of the
hands of the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered: they are, indeed,
assaulted by his temptations, in which he would be too many for them, but that
they are strengthened against him by the Lord, and are enabled to withstand
him; who, in the issue, flees from them; nor can he do as he pleases with them,
nor reassume his power over them he once had, nor lead them captive at his will
as he once did: God is on their side, Christ is their patron and defender, that
pleads their cause against him; the Spirit that is within them is greater than
he that is in the world; angels are all around them, and in a little while
these poor and needy will be in heaven, and out of his reach, and so of every
oppressor and persecutor; now they are the weak things of this world, and their
enemies are the mighty ones, and too strong for them, who spoil them of their
good name and character, and sometimes of their goods and property; but the
Lord does and will deliver them out of their hands, and enter them into rest,
where the wicked cease from troubling.
Psalm 35:11 11 Fierce witnesses rise up; They
ask me things that I do not know.
YLT
11Violent witnesses rise up,
That which I have not known they ask me.
False witnesses did rise up,.... Against David,
saying he sought the hurt of Saul, 1 Samuel 24:9, as
did against David's antitype, the Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 26:59; and
against his apostles, Acts 24:5; and very
frequently do they rise up and bear false witness against his people, which is
a very heinous crime;
they laid to my charge things that I knew not: such as David
was not conscious of, never thought of doing, much less attempted to do; as the
taking away of Saul's life, the contrary of which appeared by his cutting off
his skirt only when he was in his hands, and taking away his spear from his
bolster when he could have taken off his head; and such were the things laid to
the charge of the Messiah, David's son, who knew no sin, nor did any; and the
like are exhibited against his members, who go through good report and bad
report, and whose good conversation is falsely accused by malicious men.
Psalm 35:12 12 They reward me evil for
good, To the sorrow of my soul.
YLT
12They pay me evil for good,
bereaving my soul,
They rewarded me evil for good,.... For the good David
did in killing Goliath, and slaying his ten thousands of the Philistines, and
thereby saving his king and country, Saul and his courtiers envied him, and
sought to slay him: so our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the good he did to the
Jews, by healing their bodies of diseases, and preaching the Gospel to them for
the benefit of their souls, was rewarded with reproaches and persecutions, and
at last with the shameful death of the cross; and in like manner are his people
used; but this is an evil that shall not go unpunished; see Proverbs 17:13. It
is added,
to the spoiling of my soul; or "to
the bereaving of it"F20שכול
"orbitatem", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,
Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. ; causing it to be fatherless; that
is, to the bereaving it of its joy, peace, and comfort; so fatherless is put
for comfortless, John 14:18; or to
the taking away of his soul, which being separated from the body, its companion
is left alone, as one that is fatherless.
Psalm 35:13 13 But as for me, when they
were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And
my prayer would return to my own heart.
YLT
13And I -- in their sickness
my clothing [is] sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer
unto my bosom returneth.
But as for me, when they were sick,.... Or under any
disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended
them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted by them;
my clothing was sackcloth; that is, he was grieved,
and mourned for them, it being usual to put on sackcloth in time of mourning;
see Genesis 37:34;
I humbled my soul with fasting; on the account of them,
giving up himself to prayer for them, as follows:
and my prayer returned into mine own bosom; that is, he
prayed privately and heartily for them, as for himself; he was constant in it,
his heart was in it, and he took delight in it, and he was heard and answered;
unless the sense should be, that his prayer was slighted by them, and so
returned back to himself, as a present despised is returned; but however it was
not without its effect, the good for which he prayed for them was returned by
the Lord unto him.
Psalm 35:14 14 I paced about as though he
were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for
his mother.
YLT
14As [if] a friend, as [if]
my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have
bowed down.
I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or
brother,.... Meaning either Saul or Doeg the Edomite, or some such evil
man; somewhat like this he says of Ahithophel, Psalm 41:9; and
Arama thinks he is meant here; as Christ of Judas, whom he called friend, when
he came to betray him; and who not only ate with him at table of his bread, but
was steward of his family, and carried the bag, Matthew 26:50;
I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother; or as a
mother that mourneth for her son, as Jarchi interprets it, whose affections are
very strong; and thus Christ wept over Jerusalem, and had a tender concern for
and sympathy with the Jews, his implacable enemies, and wept over them, and prayed
for them, Luke 19:41.
Psalm 35:15 15 But in my adversity they
rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not
know it; They tore at me and did not cease;
YLT
15And -- in my halting they
have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the
smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;
But in mine adversity they rejoiced,.... Or "at my
halting"F21בצלעי "in
claudicatione mea", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so
Ainsworth. , either by means of falling into sin; good men are subject to slips
and falls, and that to the dislocating or breaking of their bones, which cause
them to go halting all their days; wicked men watch for their halting, as
Jeremiah's familiars did for his, Jeremiah 20:10; and
rejoice at it; see Psalm 38:16; or by
falling into some misfortune or calamity; hence we render it
"adversity", and may design some affliction or other, as in Micah 4:6, at which
wicked men rejoice; see Ezekiel 35:15; so
David's enemies rejoiced at his afflictions; and the enemies of his son and
antitype, the Lord Jesus Christ, were glad when Judas offered to betray him to
them; more so when they had got him into their hands; and most of all when he
was condemned and crucified: and so do the enemies of his people, as the Philistines
sported with Samson when he was in his adversity, and as the antichristian
party will rejoice and send gifts one to another when the two witnesses are
slain; but the saints have a gracious God, who knows their souls in adversity;
a sympathizing high priest, who is touched with a feeling of their infirmities;
and fellow saints that are afflicted with them in all their afflictions, and
bear a part of their burdens;
and gathered themselves together; not to pity him, but to
insult him; not to help him in his distress, but to add to it;
yea, the abjects gathered
themselves together against me; mean persons, the refuse and scum of the
earth; such as Job describes, Job 30:1; the word
may be rendered "smitten"F23נבים
"percussi", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius. , either in
spirit, as in Isaiah 66:2; they
pretending sorrow of heart for his troubles; or rather smitten in body, in
their feet, as Mephibosheth was; yet as lame as they were, and notwithstanding
their lameness, they got together to rejoice at David's halting: or it may be
best of all to understand it of their being smitten of God and afflicted; and
the sense may be, that though the hand of God was upon them, this did not deter
them from gathering together to insult David in his afflictions; some render
the word "smiters"F24So Ainsworth. , that is, with their
tongues, and so the Targum, "the wicked who smite with their words";
see Jeremiah 18:18; and
such sort of persons were they that gathered together against Christ: it is
true indeed that some of them were men of rank and figure, were the princes of
this world, as Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the Jewish rulers, Acts 4:27, compared
with Psalm 2:1; but the
greater part of them were the meaner sort of people; particularly the Roman
soldiers that gathered about him, and sported with him in Pilate's hall, and
that surrounded him with scoffs when upon the cross; these also were literally
"smiters" of him, both with words and with their hands, and are so
called, Isaiah 50:6;
and I knew it not; David knew his enemies,
or he could not have shown so much concern for them, as he did in the preceding
verses; but either he knew not of their gathering together against him; until
he saw them in great numbers about him; or he was not conscious to himself of
any evil he had done them, that should be the reason of it; and this was the
case of his son the Messiah, he who they were that gathered about him, even
those that blindfolded him, and bid him prophesy who smote him; but he knew no
sin he had done why he should be treated in the manner he was;
they did tear me, and ceased not; not their own
garments, as some supply it, pretending great grief of heart for him; nor their
mouth with laughing at him, as others; see Psalm 35:21; but
either his character and reputation, with hard sayings and reproachful words,
or his flesh with blows; and this they did incessantly; and which was literally
true of Christ, whose enemies tore his flesh, by plucking off the hair, by
buffeting and scourging him, and by piercing his hands and his feet with nails,
when they crucified him; and they ceased not, even after death, to pierce his
side with a spear.
Psalm 35:16 16 With ungodly mockers at
feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.
YLT
16With profane ones, mockers
in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.
With hypocritical mockers in feasts,.... That is, the abjects
gathered, themselves together with such; these may design Saul's courtiers, his
parasites and flatterers, and who were hypocrites in religion also, and made it
their business at Saul's table, and in their banquetings and revellings, to
mock at David; and who were "hypocritical mockers of" or "for a
piece of bread"F25לעגי מעוג "subsannatoribus subcineritii panis",
Vatablus; "subsanmantes propter placentam", Piscator; "scoffers
for a cake of bread", Ainsworth; hence a "parasite", a
"table companion", or "trencher friend", is used for a
"flatterer", vid. Suidam in voce παρασιτος. , as it may
be rendered; the same word is used for a pastry, or cake, and for flatterers;
and they used at their feasts to throw a pastry baked with honey to parasitesF26Weemse's
Christ. Synag. l. 1. c. 6. s. 8. p. 209. of the Moral Law, l. 2. c. 9. p. 310.
, for the word מעוג signifies a cake, or a piece of
bread, 1 Kings 17:12; and
the sense may be, that they mocked at David as wanting a piece of bread, and
that he had brought himself to one; or else those, and they that gathered with
them especially, mocked at David for the sake of a meal; or for a piece of
bread; see Proverbs 28:27; and
such sort of men were the enemies of Christ, the Scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites to God, flatterers of men, who loved feasts, and the uppermost
places there, and whose god was their belly; and who were mockers of Christ,
derided his doctrine, and scoffed at his person, especially when he hung upon
the cross;
they gnashed upon me with their teeth; in
indignation and contempt; as Stephen's enemies did on him, Acts 7:54.
Psalm 35:17 17 Lord, how long will You
look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the
lions.
YLT
17Lord, how long dost thou
behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.
Lord, how long wilt thou look on?.... And behold these
injuries and insults, and not arise to help and save? The psalmist firmly
believed the omniscience of God, and was well assured he saw all that was done;
but he was ready to consider him only as a spectator; or, however, seems
impatient until he arose and showed himself strong on his behalf; see Psalm 35:22;
rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions; his
"soul" and his "darling" mean the same; either his life,
than which nothing is dearer to a man; or his soul, his more noble part, and
which was now "alone", or solitary, as the wordF1יחידתי "solitariam meam", Piscator, Gejerus,
Schmidt, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. used signifies; being forsaken of God and
men, and was desolate and afflicted, as it is rendered Psalm 25:16; or his
whole person, which was among men comparable to lions, for their strength and
savageness, who breathed out nothing but cruelty and destruction; from which he
desires he might be rescued, or returned to the quiet possession of his own
house, and the house of God: the words are much the same with those of the
Messiah; see Gill on Psalm 22:20 and See
Gill on Psalm 22:21.
Psalm 35:18 18 I will give You thanks in
the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
YLT
18I thank Thee in a great
assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation,.... This is
the resolution the psalmist came unto; the promise he made, that should he be
delivered from his enemies, he would give God thanks in the most public manner;
that is, he would acknowledge God to be the author of the mercy, and himself
unworthy of it; and would ascribe glory, honour, blessing, and thanksgiving to
him, in the midst of the church and people of God; they joining with him in it,
when he should be restored to an attendance with them he before prays for;
I will praise thee among much people; meaning the
same as before, the people of God meeting together for solemn worship; the
great congregation of all, and the much people, will be the saints in heaven,
when they shall be gathered together, and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
The words will bear to be applied to the Messiah, see Psalm 22:22.
Psalm 35:19 19 Let them not rejoice over
me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me
without a cause.
YLT
19Mine enemies rejoice not
over me [with] falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me,.... The word
"wrongfully" is to be joined not to the word "rejoice", but
to the word "enemies"; and the sense is, that they were his enemies
wrongfully, for false reasons, unjust causes, or without any cause that was
just; as follows;
neither let them wink
with the eye that hate me without a cause; such were David's
enemies, particularly Saul, Psalm 7:4; and such
were the enemies of Christ: this last clause is thought to be referred to by
him, and applied to himself, John 15:25; and the
whole of this is said him and by him, Psalm 69:4; see
also Psalm 109:3. These
were the Jews, of whom he came, among whom he was, and who had no reason to be
his enemies, and to hate him; since he was harmless and inoffensive in his life
and conversation among them; went about doing a great deal of good to them,
both for soul and body, and always expressed the most tender concern for them:
they had reasons for their hatred and rejection of him, but not justifiable
ones; such as the meanness of his person and state in their view, the doctrines
he preached relating to his deity, divine sonship, and the distinguishing grace
of God; and his inveighing against the sins and vices which prevailed among them;
and such are the enemies of his people, who hate them, though they are the
quiet in the land, as is said in Psalm 35:20; and
are harmless and inoffensive in their behaviour towards men: these are hated
for Christ's sake; and because he has chosen and called them out of the world;
and because of their principles, which are distinguishing, and their practices,
which are good: now the psalmist entreats that such might not be suffered to go
on rejoicing over him, and at his calamities, but that he might be delivered
out of all troubles, and out of their hands; and that they might not have any
reason to wink with their eyes in a scornful and deriding way to him, and as
expressing their pleasure to one an other at his distresses; see Proverbs 1:12.
Psalm 35:20 20 For they do not speak
peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the
land.
YLT
20For they speak not peace,
And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,
For they speak not peace,.... Meaning to himself,
or any good man; as Joseph's brethren could not to him, Genesis 37:4; such
were the men David had to do with, Psalm 120:6; and
such were the enemies of Christ, who could not give him a good word, nor speak
one to him, John 10:20; and
such are the enemies of his people, who breathe out nothing but threatenings
and slaughter, and not anything that tends to peace, to promote and maintain
it. Some versions, as the Septuagint, and they that follow that, render it,
"they do speak peace to me"; but then it was in an hypocritical way,
as in Psalm 28:3; and as
the Jews did to Christ, Matthew 22:16; for
it follows:
but they devise deceitful matters against them that are
quiet in the land; meaning not the wicked, as Kimchi thinks; the rich, who live at
ease and in quietness, having as much as heart can wish, "with" whom,
as he renders it, David's enemies devised mischief in a deceitful way; but the
righteous of the earth, as the Targum; such as David and his men were, who
desired to live peaceable and quiet lives under Saul's government; and had no
intention to disturb his government, or wrest the crown from him; and as the Messiah,
David's son, was, "the humble one in the earth"; as the Arabic
version renders it in the singular number; a character that well agrees with
Christ, who showed great humility in coming into this world, and during his
stay in it; it was a state of humiliation with him, and in which he behaved in
the most lowly and humble manner; he was the quiet one in the land; he strove
not, nor cried, nor was his voice heard in the street; he was not noisy and
clamorous, quarrelsome and litigious; but all the reverse; he bore all insults,
reproaches, and sufferings, patiently and quietly: and such are his people, so
far as they are influenced by his grace and Spirit; they are quiet and
peaceable in kingdoms, cities, and neighbourhoods, and in the churches of God;
and yet the wicked are continually plotting against them, and devising things,
to their hurt.
Psalm 35:21 21 They also opened their
mouth wide against me, And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”
YLT
21And they enlarge against me
their mouth, They said, `Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'
Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me,.... In
laughter, scorn, and derision; see Psalm 22:7;
and said, Aha, aha: a word
expressive of joy; and the doubling it shows the greatness of it;
our eye hath seen it; what their heart wished
for; namely, the distress of him, whose enemies they were.
Psalm 35:22 22 This
You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.
YLT
22Thou hast seen, O Jehovah,
Be not silent, O Lord -- be not far from me,
This thou hast
seen, O Lord,.... The insults and derisions of these men, and the injuries
they did to him, whom they hated. God is omniscient, and sees all things, all
the evil wicked men do to him; and he will requite them in his own time; see Psalm 10:14;
keep not silence; meaning at his prayers; that he would not
be as one deaf and dumb, turning his ears from his cries, and giving no answer
to his requests; see Psalm 28:1;
O Lord, be not far from me; meaning not as to his
general presence, in which sense he is not far from any, Acts 17:07; but
with respect to his gracious presence and appearance to him for help and
deliverance; see Psalm 22:1.
Psalm 35:23 23 Stir up Yourself, and
awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.
YLT
23Stir up, and wake to my
judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.
Stir up thyself and awake,.... Who seemed to be
asleep in the apprehensions of the psalmist, and to take no notice of his
distresses, and the insults of his enemies; see Psalm 44:23; he
adds,
to my judgment, even to my cause; that is, to
plead it and maintain it, and avenge him of his enemies, as in Psalm 35:1; making
use of his covenant interest in him as a plea for it to engage him to do it,
saying,
my God, and my Lord; see Psalm 22:1.
Psalm 35:24 24 Vindicate me, O Lord my God,
according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
YLT
24Judge me according to Thy
righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.
Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness,.... Either
that righteousness of his, by which he justifies his people, which Christ has
wrought out, God has accepted of, and imputes; and which, though revealed in
the Gospel, was witnessed to by the law and prophets, and was known to the
saints under the Old Testament, and particularly to David; see Romans 4:6; or the
perfection of his justice, his essential righteousness displayed in all his
works and actions, and in the government of the world; according to this the
psalmist desired to be judged; not with respect to his person before God, but
with respect to his cause before men, by delivering him from his enemies, and
taking vengeance on them: thus Christ also was judged according to the strict
justice or righteousness of God; for as sin was righteously condemned in his
flesh, being imputed to him, and found upon him; so he was, according to the
justice of God, acquitted, discharged, and justified in the Spirit, when he arose
from the dead; and afterwards righteous judgment was executed on his enemies
the Jews, when wrath came upon them to the uttermost: and his people are also
dealt with according to the righteousness of God; who acts as a righteous God,
as just and faithful in forgiving their sins, on account of the blood of Christ
being shed for it; and in justifying their persons by his righteousness, and by
giving them the crown of righteousness laid up for them; and at last by
rendering tribulation to them that have troubled them;
and let them not rejoice over me; meaning his enemies, as
in Psalm 35:15; that
is, let them not go on to rejoice; let them have no occasion for it, but
deliver me out of their hands.
Psalm 35:25 25 Let them not say in their
hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him
up.”
YLT
25They do not say in their
heart, `Aha, our desire.' They do not say, `We swallowed him up.'
Let them not say in their
hearts, ah, so would we have it,.... Or we have what our souls wished for
and desired: the sense of the petition is the same with Psalm 27:12;
let them not say, we have swallowed him up; as roaring
lions swallow down their prey, to which he had compared them, Psalm 35:17; and as
wicked men eat up the Lord's people as they eat bread, Psalm 14:4.
Psalm 35:26 26 Let them be ashamed and
brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with
shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.
YLT
26They are ashamed and
confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and
confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.
Let them be ashamed and
brought to confusion together,.... In a body, as one man; as they gathered
together against him, Psalm 35:15; so he
entreats they might together be brought to shame and confusion, they not being
able to execute their designs; their schemes being broken, their counsels
defeated, and they exposed to contempt;
that rejoice at mine hurt; the same with his
adversity, or halting, Psalm 35:15;
let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves
against me; let them be covered with it, as a man is with a garment; who
magnified themselves, opened their mouths in great swelling words of vanity
against him, vaunted and bragged over him, as in their power, and at their
will.
Psalm 35:27 27 Let them shout for joy and
be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who
has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
YLT
27They sing and rejoice, who
are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified,
Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'
Let them shout for joy,
and be glad, that favour my righteous cause,.... The cause of David
was a righteous cause, he having done no iniquity, or anything criminal against
Saul his enemy, who persecuted him; and there were some that favoured his
cause, as Jonathan, Saul's son, and a few others of rank and figure; but the
greatest part were mean and despicable, 1 Samuel 22:2; and
so the cause of Christ and of his people, which is one, is a righteous cause,
which no one need to be ashamed of, and is worth suffering for; though those
that favour it are for the most part the poor and base and weak things of the
world: but when this cause prospers they rejoice and are glad, as they do at
the happiness of every particular saint; for if one member is honoured, all the
rest rejoice with it;
yea, let them say continually, the Lord be magnified; let them
continually ascribe greatness, give honour and glory, to him,
which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant; meaning
either himself, who was a servant of the Lord, not only by creation, but by
grace; and who had his times both of temporal and spiritual prosperity; which
were owing to the good will and pleasure of God, and to the delight and
complacency he had in him, being a man after his own heart, raised up to fulfil
his will; and since this prosperity did not arise from any desert of his, he
would have all the glory of it given to God: or else he intends the Messiah,
his antitype, who, as Mediator, is the servant of the Lord; of his choosing,
calling, and sending; whose commands he diligently and faithfully obeyed; from
whom he had his work, and also his reward: his prosperity lies in the work of
redemption succeeding in his hands; in his exaltation at the right hand of God;
and in the spread of his Gospel in the world, and the efficacy of it to the
conviction of sinners; and in the establishment and increase of his kingdom and
interest; on which account the Lord's name is to be magnified and glorified,
who delights in him as his servant, and in his prosperity; and the rather this
is to be done, since the saints have an interest in him as a Prince and a
Saviour: or anyone of the servants of the Lord may be understood; or however it
is applicable to anyone of them, who, through the power of divine grace upon
them, are made willing to serve the Lord with reverence and godly fear; who are
his Hephzibah, in whom is all his delight and pleasure, Isaiah 62:4; who
rejoices over them to do them good: and hence flows all the spiritual
prosperity they enjoy, on account of which glory is to be given to God by them
and all the saints that know it, Psalm 34:1.
Psalm 35:28 28 And my tongue shall speak
of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.
YLT
28And my tongue uttereth Thy
righteousness, All the day Thy praise!
And my tongue shall speak
of thy righteousness,.... In vindicating his cause, and bringing his enemies to shame
and confusion, as well as of the glory and excellency of that righteousness of
his, by which he was justified in his sight, and from whence his inward peace
and prosperity flowed:
and of thy praise all the day
long; for the many mercies, temporal and spiritual, he was every day
favoured with.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)