_David prayeth against the malice of his enemies, professing his
innocency.—By faith he seeth his defence, and the destruction of his
enemies._
Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words
of Cush the Benjamite.
O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that
persecute me, and deliver me;
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending _it_ in pieces, while _there
is_ none to deliver.
O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I
have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy;)
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take _it_; yea, let him tread
down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
Arise, O LORD, in thine anger; lift up thyself, because of the rage of
mine enemies; and awake for me _to_ the judgment _that_ thou hast
commanded.
So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their
sakes, therefore, return thou on high.
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my
righteousness, and according to mine integrity _that is_ in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the
just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
My defence _is_ of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry _with the wicked_ every
day.
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow and made
it ready.
He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth
his arrows against the persecutors.
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and
brought forth falsehood.
He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch _which_ he
made.
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing
shall come down upon his own pate.
I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing
praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
This is a prayer against that common and usual blasphemy with which
the world accuses the prophets, apostles, and all others who fear God,
as being seditious persons, who destroy the peace and general
tranquility of the state: as Shimei bitterly upbraided David, when
under that heavy affliction in the time of Absalom, calling him a
bloody man, and saying that he had invaded the kingdom of Saul, &c. In
the same way the Jews accused Christ before Pilate. And in the same
way also now do certain hypocrites,—bishops and other enemies, against
all conscience, brand the professors of the gospel with the
appellation of ‘seditious persons.’
Against all trials of this kind, which are indeed most bitter to bear,
the prophet fights by prayer unto God, calling upon God to bear
witness to his innocency. And then, to encourage and comfort all that
fear God, he shews, that all who thus pray are heard; and he sets
forth himself as an example.
Lastly, he threatens a horrid, sudden, and momentary judgment to those
hypocrites and tyrants, who thus rage against the godly with the most
bitter hatred: and he signifies that all such shall in the end perish
like Absalom, who was cut off and died in a new, sudden, and dreadful
way, in the midst of his furious career, before he could accomplish
that which he had planned.
This Psalm refers to the second precept in the Decalogue, and to the
first petition of the Lord’s Prayer.