Bible Commentaries

"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David." Blessed [is] he that ^a considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

(a) Not condemning him as accused whom God visits, knowing that there are various reasons why God lays his hand on us, yea and afterwards he restores us.

The LORD will strengthen him upon the ^b bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his ^c bed in his sickness.

(b) When for sorrow and grief of mind he calls himself on his bed.

(c) You have restored him in his sick bed and sent him comfort.

Mine enemies ^d speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

(d) That is, curse me and cannot have their cruel hate quenched but with my shameful death.

And if he come to see [me], he speaketh ^e vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; [when] he goeth abroad, he telleth [it].

(e) For pretending to comfort me, he conspires my death in his heart, and brags of it.

^f An evil disease, [say they], cleaveth fast unto him: and [now] that he lieth he shall rise up no more.

(f) The enemies thought by his sharp punishments that God had become his mortal enemy.

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, ^g hath lifted up [his] heel against me.

(g) As David felt this falsehood, and as it was chiefly accomplished in Christ, (John 13:18) so shall his members continually prove the same.

And as for me, thou upholdest me ^h in mine integrity, and settest me before thy ⁱ face for ever.

(h) Meaning, either in prosperity of life or in the true fear of God against all temptation.

(i) Showing me evident signs of your fatherly providence.

Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. ^k Amen, and Amen.

(k) By this repetition he stirs up the faithful to praise God.