travail furnishes the first metaphor. _“He travaileth with iniquity.”_
He is full of it, pained until he can carry it out, he longs to work his
will, he is full of pangs until his evil intent is executed. _“He hath
conceived mischief.”_ This is the original of his base design. The devil
has had doings with him, and the virus of evil is in him. And now behold
the progeny of this unhallowed conception. The child is worthy of its
father, his name of old was “the father of lies,” and the birth doth not
belie the parent, for _he brought forth falsehood_. Thus, one figure is
carried out to perfection; the Psalmist now illustrates his meaning by
another taken from the stratagems of the hunter. _“He made a pit and
digged it.”_ He was cunning in his plans, and industrious in his
labours. He stooped to the dirty work of digging. He did not fear to
soil his own hands, he was willing to work in _a ditch_ if others might
fall therein. What mean things men will do to wreak revenge on the
godly. They hunt for good men, as if they were brute beasts; nay, they
will not give them the fair chase afforded to the hare or the fox, but
must secretly entrap them, because they can neither run them down nor
shoot them down. Our enemies will not meet us to the face, for they fear
us as much as they pretend to despise us. But let us look on to the end
of the scene. The verse says, he “_is fallen into the ditch which he
made_.” Ah! there he is, let us laugh at his disappointment. Lo! he is
himself the beast, he has hunted his own soul, and the chase has brought
him a goodly victim. Aha, aha, so should it ever be. Come hither and
make merry with this entrapped hunter, this biter who has bitten
himself. Give him no pity, for it will be wasted on such a wretch. He is
but rightly and richly rewarded by being paid in his own coin. He cast
forth evil from his mouth, and it has fallen into his bosom. He has set
his own house on fire with the torch which he lit to burn a neighbour.
He sent forth a foul bird, and it has come back to its nest. The rod
which he lifted on high, has smitten his own back. He shot an arrow
upward, and it has “_returned upon his own head_.” He hurled a stone at
another, and it has “_come down upon his own pate_.” Curses are like
young chickens, they always come home to roost. Ashes always fly back in
the face of him that throws them. “As he loved cursing, so let it come
unto him” (Ps. cix. 17.) How often has this been the case in the
histories of both ancient and modern times. Men have burned their own
fingers when they were hoping to brand their neighbour. And if this does
not happen now, it will hereafter. The Lord has caused dogs to lick the
blood of Ahab in the midst of the vineyard of Naboth. Sooner or later
the evil deeds of persecutors have always leaped back into their arms.
So will it be in the last great day, when Satan’s fiery darts shall all
be quivered in his own heart, and all his followers shall reap the
harvest which they themselves have sown.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will
sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
We conclude with the joyful contrast. In this all these Psalms are
agreed; they all exhibit the blessedness of the righteous, and make its
colours the more glowing by contrast with the miseries of the wicked.
The bright jewel sparkles in a black foil. _Praise_ is the occupation of
the godly, their eternal work, and their present pleasure. _Singing_ is
the fitting embodiment for praise, and therefore do the saints make
melody before the Lord Most High. The slandered one is now a singer: his
harp was unstrung for a very little season, and now we leave him
sweeping its harmonious chords, and flying on their music to the third
heaven of adoring praise.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.
_Title._—“Shiggaion,” though some have attempted to fix on it a
reference to the moral aspect of the world as depicted in this Psalm, is
in all probability to be taken as expressing the _nature of the
composition_. It conveys the idea of something _erratic_ (שָׁגָה, to
wander) in the style; something not so calm as other Psalms; and hence
_Ewald_ suggests that it might be rendered, “a confused ode,” a
Dithyramb. This characteristic of excitement in the style, and a kind of
disorder in the sense, suits Habakkuk iii. 1, the only other place where
the word occurs.—_Andrew A. Bonar._
_Whole Psalm._—Whatever might be the occasion of the Psalm, the real
subject seems to be the Messiah’s appeal to God against the false
accusations of his enemies; and the predictions which it contains of the
final conversion of the whole world, and of the future judgment, are
clear and explicit.—_Samuel Horsley, LL.D., 1733-1806._
_Verse 1.—“O Lord, my God, in thee do I put my trust.”_ This is the
first instance in the Psalms where David addresses the Almighty by the
united names Jehovah and my God. No more suitable words can be placed at
the beginning of any act of prayer or praise. These names show the
ground of the confidence afterwards expressed. They “denote at once
supreme reverence and the most endearing confidence. They convey a
recognition of God’s infinite perfections, and of his covenanted and
gracious relations.”—_William S. Plumer._
_Verse 2.—“Lest he tear my soul like a lion,”_ etc. It is reported of
tigers, that they enter into a rage upon the scent of fragrant spices;
so do ungodly men at the blessed savour of godliness. I have read of
some barbarous nations, who, when the sun shines hot upon them, they
shoot up their arrows against it; so do wicked men at the light and heat
of godliness. There is a natural antipathy between the spirits of godly
men and the wicked. Genesis iii. 15. “I will put enmity between thy seed
and her seed.”—_Jeremiah Burroughs, 1660._
_Verse 3.—“O Lord, my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in
my hands.”_ In the primitive times the people of God were then a people
under great reproach. What strange things does Tertullian tell us they
reproached them withal; as that in their meetings they made Thyestes
suppers, who invited his brother to a supper, and presented him with a
dish of his own flesh. They charged them with uncleanness because they
met in the night (for they durst not meet in the day), and said, they
blew out the candles when they were together, and committed filthiness.
They reproached them for ignorance, saying, they were all unlearned; and
therefore the heathens in Tertullian’s time used to paint the God of the
Christians with an ass’s head, and a book in his hand, to signify that
though they pretended learning, yet they were an unlearned, silly
people, rude and ignorant. Bishop Jewel in his sermon upon Luke xi. 5,
cites this out of Tertullian, and applies it to his time:—“Do not our
adversaries do the like,” saith he, “at this day, against all those that
profess the gospel of Christ? Oh, say they, who are they that favour
this way? they are none but shoemakers, tailors, weavers, and such as
were never at the university;” they are the bishop’s own words. He cites
likewise Tertullian a little after, saying, that the Christians were
accounted the public enemies of the State. And Josephus tells us of
Apollinaris, speaking concerning the Jews and Christians, that they are
more foolish than any barbarian. And Paulus Fagius reports a story of an
Egyptian, concerning the Christians, who said, “They were a gathering
together of a most filthy, lecherous people;” and for the keeping of the
Sabbath, he says, “they had a disease that was upon them, and they were
fain to rest the seventh day because of that disease.” And so in
Augustine’s time, he hath this expression, “Any one that begins to be
godly, presently he must prepare to suffer reproach from the tongues of
adversaries;” and this was their usual manner of reproach, “What shall
we have of you, an Elias? a Jeremy?” And Nazianzen in one of his
orations says, “It is ordinary to reproach, that I cannot think to go
free myself.” And so Athanasius, they called him Sathanasius, because he
was a special instrument against the Arians. And Cyprian, they called
him Coprian, one that gathers up dung, as if all the excellent things
that he had gathered in his works were but dung.—_Jeremiah Burroughs._
_Verse 3.—“If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands.”_ I
deny not but you may, and ought to be sensible of the wrong done to your
name, for as “a good name is a precious ointment” (Cant. i. 3), so to
have an evil name is a great judgment; and therefore you ought not to be
insensible of the wrong done to your name by slanders and reproaches,
saying, “Let men speak of me what they please, I care not, so long as I
know mine own innocency,” for though the testimony of your own innocency
be a ground of comfort unto you, yet your care must be not only to
approve yourselves unto God, but also unto men, to be as careful of your
good names as possibly ye can; but yet you are not to manifest any
distemper or passion upon the reproachful speeches of others against
you.—_Thomas Gouge, 1660._
_Verse 3._—It is a sign that there is some good in thee if a wicked
world abuse thee. “_Quid mali feci?_” said Socrates, what evil have I
done that this bad man commends me? The applause of the wicked usually
denotes some evil, and their censure imports some good.—_Thomas Watson._
_Verse 3.—“If there be iniquity in my hands.”_ Injustice is ascribed to
the _hand_, not because injustice is always, though usually it be, done
by the hand. With the hand men take away, and with that men detain the
right of others. David speaks thus (1 Chron. xii. 17), “Seeing there is
no wrong in mine hands;” that is, I have done no wrong.—_Joseph Caryl._
_Verses 3, 4._—A good conscience is a flowing spring of assurance. “For
our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in
simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more
abundantly to you-ward.” 2 Cor. i. 12. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us
not, then have we confidence towards God.” 1 John iii. 21. A good
conscience has sure confidence. He who has it sits in the midst of all
combustions and distractions, Noah-like, all sincerity and serenity,
uprightness and boldness. What the probationer disciple said to our
Saviour, “Master, I will follow thee whithersover thou goest,” that a
good conscience says to the believing soul; I will stand by thee; I will
strengthen thee; I will uphold thee; I will be a comfort to thee in
life, and a friend to thee in death. “Though all should leave thee, yet
will I never forsake thee.”—_Thomas Brooks._
_Verse 4.—“Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.”_
Meaning Saul, whose life he twice preserved, once in Engedi, and again
when he slept on the plain.—_John Gill._
_Verse 4.—“If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me.”_
To do evil for good, is human corruption; to do good for good, is civil
retribution; but to do good for evil, is Christian perfection. Though
this be not the grace of nature, yet it is the nature of grace.—_William
Seeker._
_Verse 4._—Then is grace victorious, and then hath a man a noble and
brave spirit, not when he is overcome by evil (for that argueth
weakness), but when he can overcome evil. And it is God’s way to shame
the party that did the wrong, and to overcome him too; it is the best
way to get the victory over him. When David had Saul at an advantage in
the cave, and cut off the lap of his garment, and did forbear any act of
revenge against him, Saul was melted, and said to David, “Thou art more
righteous than I.” 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Though he had such a hostile mind
against him, and chased and pursued him up and down, yet when David
forbore revenge when it was in his power it overcame him, and he falls
a-weeping.—_Thomas Manton._
_Verse 5.—“Let him tread down my life upon the earth.”_ The allusion
here is to the manner in which the vanquished were often treated in
battle, when they were rode over by horses, or trampled by men in the
dust. The idea of David is, that if he was guilty he would be willing
that his enemy should triumph over him, should subdue him, should treat
him with the utmost indignity and scorn.—_Albert Barnes, in loc._
_Verse 5.—“Mine honour in the dust.”_ When Achilles dragged the body of
Hector in the dust around the walls of Troy, he did but carry out the
usual manners of those barbarous ages. David dares in his conscious
innocence to imprecate such an ignominious fate upon himself if indeed
the accusation of the black Benjamite be true. He had need have a golden
character who dares to challenge such an ordeal.—_C. H. S._
_Verse 6.—“The judgment which thou hast ordained.”_ In the end of the
verse he shows that he asks nothing but what is according to the
appointment of God. And this is the rule which ought to be observed by
us in our prayers; we should in everything conform our requests to the
divine will, as John also instructs us. 1 John iv. 14. And, indeed, we
can never pray in faith unless we attend, in the first place, to what
God commands, that our minds may not rashly and at random start aside in
desiring more than we are permitted to desire and pray for. David,
therefore, in order to pray aright, reposes himself on the word and
promise of God; and the import of his exercise is this: Lord, I am not
led by ambition, or foolish head-strong passion, or depraved desire,
inconsiderately to ask from thee whatever is pleasing to my flesh; but
it is the clear light of thy word which directs me, and upon it I
securely depend.—_John Calvin._
_Verse 7.—“The congregation of the people:”_ either, 1. A great number
of all sorts of people, who shall observe thy justice, and holiness, and
goodness in pleading my righteous cause against my cruel and implacable
oppressor. Or rather, 2. The whole body of thy people Israel, by whom
both these Hebrew words are commonly ascribed in Holy Scripture.
“_Compass thee about_;” they will, and I, as their king and ruler in thy
stead, will take care that they shall come from all parts and meet
together to worship thee, which in Saul’s time they have grossly
neglected, and been permitted to neglect, and to offer to thee praises
and sacrifices for thy favour to me, and for the manifold benefits which
they shall enjoy by my means, and under my government. “_For their
sakes_;” or, _for its sake_, _i.e._, for the sake of thy congregation,
which now is woefully dissipated and oppressed, and has in a great
measure lost all administration of justice, and exercise of religion.
_“Return thou on high_,” or, _return to thy high place_, _i.e._ to thy
tribunal, to sit there and judge my cause. An allusion to earthly
tribunals, which generally are set up on high above the people. 1 Kings
x. 19.—_Matthew Pool, 1624-1679._
_Verse 8._—Believers! let not the terror of that day dispirit you when
you meditate upon it; let those who have slighted the Judge, and
continue enemies to him and the way of holiness, droop and hang down
their heads when they think of his coming; but lift ye up your heads
with joy, for the last day will be your best day. The Judge is your Head
and Husband, your Redeemer and your Advocate. Ye must appear before the
judgment-seat; but ye shall not come into condemnation. His coming will
not be against you, but for you. It is otherwise with unbelievers, _a
neglected Saviour_ will be a _severe Judge_.—_Thomas Boston, 1676-1732._
_Verse 9.—“The righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”_ As common
experience shows that the workings of the mind, particularly the
passions of joy, grief, and fear, have a very remarkable effect on the
_reins_ or _kidneys_ (see Prov. xxiii. 16; Psalm lxxiii. 21), so from
their retired situation in the body, and their being hid in fat, they
are often used to denote the most secret workings and affections of the
soul. And to “see or examine the _reins_,” is to see or examine those
most secret thoughts or desires of the soul.—_John Parkhurst, 1762._
_Verse 9 (last clause).—“The righteous God trieth the hearts and
reins.”_
“I that alone am infinite, can try
How deep within itself thine heart doth lie.
Thy seamen’s plummet can but reach the ground,
I find that which thine heart itself ne’er found.”
_Francis Quarles, 1592-1644._
_Verse 9.—“The heart”_ may signify the cogitations, and the “_reins_”
the affections.—_Henry Ainsworth._
_Verse 10.—“My defence is of God.”_ Literally, “_My shield is upon
God_,” like Psalm lxii. 8, “My salvation is _upon_ God.” The idea may be
taken from the armour-bearer, ever ready at hand to give the needed
weapon to the warrior.—_Andrew A. Bonar._
_Verse 11.—“God judgeth the righteous,”_ etc. Many learned disputes have
arisen as to the meaning of this verse; and it must be confessed that
its real import is by no means easily determined: without the words
written in italics, which are not in the original, it will read thus,
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry every day.” The question
still will be, is this a good rendering? To this question it may be
replied, that there is strong evidence for a contrary one. AINSWORTH
translates it, “God _is_ a just judge; and God angrily threateneth every
day.” With this corresponds the reading of COVERDALE’S Bible, “God is a
righteous judge, and God is ever threatening.” In King Edward’s Bible,
of 1549, the reading is the same. But there is another class of critics
who adopt quite a different view of the text, and apparently with much
colour of argument. BISHOP HORSLEY reads the verse, “God is a righteous
judge, although he is not angry every day.” In this rendering he seems
to have followed most of the ancient versions. The VULGATE reads it,
“God is a judge, righteous, strong, and patient; will he be angry every
day?” The SEPTUAGINT reads it, “God is a righteous judge, strong, and
longsuffering; not bringing forth his anger every day.” The SYRIAC has
it, “God is the judge of righteousness; he is not angry every day.” In
this view of the text Dr. A. Clarke agrees, and expresses it as his
opinion that the text was first corrupted by the CHALDEE. This learned
divine proposes to restore the text thus, “אֵל, _el_, with the vowel
point _tseri_, signifies God; אַל, _al_, the same letters, with the
point _pathach_, signifies _not_.” There is by this view of the original
no repetition of the divine name in the verse, so that it will simply
read, as thus restored, “God is a righteous judge, and is NOT angry
every day.” The text at large, as is intimated in the VULGATE,
SEPTUAGINT, and some other ancient versions, conveys a strong intimation
of the longsuffering of God, whose hatred of sin is unchangeable, but
whose anger against transgressors is marked by infinite patience, and
does not burst forth in vengeance every day.—_John Morison, in “An
Exposition of the Book of Psalms,” 1829._
_Verse 11.—“God is angry.”_ The original expression here is very
forcible. The true idea of it appears to be, to _froth_ or _foam at the
mouth_ with indignation.—_Richard Mant, D.D., 1824._
_Verses 11, 12._—God hath set up his royal standard in defiance of all
the sons and daughters of apostate Adam, who from his own mouth are
proclaimed rebels and traitors to his crown and dignity; and as against
such he hath taken the field, as with fire and sword, to be avenged on
them. Yea, he gives the world sufficient testimony of his incensed
wrath, by that of it which is revealed from heaven daily in the
judgments executed upon sinners, and those many but of a span long,
before they can show what nature they have by actual sin, yet crushed to
death by God’s righteous foot, only for the viperous kind of which they
come. At every door where sin sets its foot, there the wrath of God
meets us. Every faculty of soul, and member of body, are used as a
weapon of unrighteousness against God; so every one hath its portion of
wrath, even to the tip of the tongue. As man is sinful all over, so is
he cursed all over. Inside and outside, soul and body, is written all
with woes and curses, so close and full, that there is not room for
another to interline, or add to what God hath written.—_William
Gurnall._
_Verses 11-13._—The idea of God’s righteousness must have possessed
great vigour to render such a representation possible. There are some
excellent remarks upon the ground of it in Luther, who, however, too
much overlooks the fact, that the Psalmist presents before his eyes this
form of an angry and avenging God, primarily with the view of
strengthening by its consideration his own hope, and pays too little
regard to the distinction between the Psalmist, who only indirectly
teaches what he described as part of his own inward experience, and the
prophet: “The prophet takes a lesson from a coarse human similitude, in
order that he might inspire terror unto the ungodly. For he speaks
against stupid and hardened people, who would not apprehend the reality
of a divine judgment of which he had just spoken; but they might
possibly be brought to consider this by greater earnestness on the part
of man. Now, the prophet is not satisfied with thinking of the sword,
but he adds thereto the bow; even this does not satisfy him, but he
describes how it is already stretched, and aim is taken, and the arrows
are applied to it as here follows. So hard, stiff-necked, and unabashed
are the ungodly, that however many threatenings may be urged against
them, they will still remain unmoved. But in these words he forcibly
describes how God’s anger presses hard upon the ungodly, though they
will never understand this until they actually experience it. It is also
to be remarked here, that we have had so frightful a threatening and
indignation against the ungodly in no Psalm before this; neither has the
Spirit of God attacked them with so many words. Then in the following
verses, he also recounts their plans and purposes, shows how these shall
not be in vain, but shall return again upon their own head. So that it
clearly and manifestly appears to all those who suffer wrong and
reproach, as a matter of consolation, that God hates such revilers and
slanderers above all other characters.”—_E. W. Hengstenberg, in loc.,
1845._
_Verse 12.—“If he turn not,”_ etc. How few do believe what a quarrel God
hath with wicked men? And that not only with the loose, but the formal
and hypocritical also? If we did we would tremble as much as to be among
them as to be in a house that is falling; we would endeavour to “save”
ourselves “from this untoward generation.” The apostle would not so have
abjured them, so charged, so entreated them, had he not known the danger
of wicked company. “_God is angry with the wicked every day_;” _his bow
is bent, the arrows are on the string_; the instruments for their ruin
are all prepared. And is it safe to be there where the arrows of God are
ready to fly about our ears? How was the apostle afraid to be in the
bath with Cerinthus! “Depart,” saith God by Moses, “from the tents of
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” How
have the baskets of good figs suffered with the bad! Is it not
prejudicial to the gold to be with the dross? Lot had been ruined by his
neighbourhood to the Sodomites if God had not wrought wonderfully for
his deliverance. Will you put God to work miracles to save you from your
ungodly company? It is dangerous being in the road with thieves whilst
God’s hue and cry of vengeance is at their backs. “A companion of fools
shall be destroyed.” The very beasts may instruct you to consult better
for your security: the very deer are afraid of a wounded chased deer,
and therefore for their preservation thrust him out of their
company.—_Lewis Stuckley._
_Verse 12.—“If he turn not, he will whet his sword,”_ etc. The whetting
of the sword is but to give a keener edge that it may cut the deeper.
God is silent as long as the sinner will let him; but when the sword is
whet, it is to cut; and when the bow is bent, it is to kill; and woe be
to that man who is the butt.—_William Secker._