Bible Commentaries

"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David." Hold not thy peace, O God of my ^a praise;

(a) Though all the world condemn me, yet you will approve my innocence and that is sufficient praise to me.

For my love they are my adversaries: ^b but I [give myself unto] prayer.

(b) To declare that I had no other refuge, but you, in whom my conscience was at rest.

^c Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

(c) Whether it was Doeg or Saul, or some familiar friend that had betrayed him, he prays not for private affection, but moved by God's Spirit, that God would take vengeance on him.

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his ^d prayer become sin.

(d) As to the elect all things turn to their profit, so to the reprobate, even those things that are good, turn to their damnation.

Let his days be few; [and] let another take his ^e office.

(e) This was chiefly accomplished in Judas, (Acts 1:20).

Let ^f the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

(f) He declares that the curse of God lies on the extortioners, who thinking to enrich their children by their unlawfully gotten goods, are by God's just judgment deprived of all.

^g Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

(g) Thus the Lord punishes to the third and fourth generation the wickedness of the parents in their wicked children.

Because that ^h he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

(h) He shows that God plagues them in a strange way who show themselves cruel toward others.

As he loved cursing, ⁱ so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

(i) Thus the Lord gives to every man the thing in which he delights so that the reprobate cannot accuse God of wrong, when they are given up to their lusts and reprobate minds.

[Let] this [be] the reward of mine adversaries ^k from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

(k) For being destitute of man's help, he fully trusted in the Lord, that he would deliver him.

But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy ^l name's sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me.

(l) As you are named merciful, gracious and long suffering, so show yourself in effect.

I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the ^m locust.

(m) Meaning that he has no stay or assurance in this world.

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh ⁿ faileth of fatness.

(n) For hunger that came from sorrow, he was lean and his natural moisture failed him.

Help me, O LORD my God: O ^o save me according to thy mercy:

(o) The more grievously Satan assailed him, the more earnest and instant was he in prayer.

Let them ^p curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

(p) They will gain nothing by cursing me.

I will greatly praise the LORD with my ^q mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

(q) Not only in confessing it secretly in myself but also in declaring it before all the congregation.

For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save [him] from those that ^r condemn his soul.

(r) By this he shows that he had nothing to do with them who were of little power, but with the judges and princes of the world.