\<>\. This psalm was written about the same time, and upon the same occasion, as that going before and what follows after; even when David was persecuted by Saul, and when he was in great danger of his enemies, and snares were laid for his life.

Lord, I cry unto thee With great earnestness, importunity, and fervency, being in distress; and knowing vain was the help of man, and that none could deliver him but the Lord, and therefore continued crying unto him for help [[21]]; make haste unto me; which shows he was in a desperate condition;…

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense Which was offered every morning on the altar of incense, at which time the people were praying, (Ex. 30:1, Ex. 30:7, Ex.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth While praying, as Jarchi and Kimchi; that he might not utter any rash, unguarded, and unbecoming word; but take and use the words which God gives, even the taught words of the Holy Ghost; or lest, being under affliction and oppression, he should speak…

Incline not my heart to any evil thing Or “evil word” [[24]], as the Targum; since out of the abundance of that the mouth speaketh, (Matt. 12:34, Matt.

Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness Or, “smite me in kindness” [[0]]. In love; in a loving and friendly manner, which makes reproofs the more agreeable and effectual.

When their judges are overthrown in stony places The judges of David’s adversaries, the workers of iniquity; meaning Saul, Abner Arama refers this to Saul and his sons being slain on the mountains of Gilboa, (1 Sam. 31:1, 1 Sam. 31:8) ; which might be here prophetically spoken of.

Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth Into which they were not suffered to be put, but lay unburied; or from whence they were dug up, and lay scattered about; which is to be understood of such of David’s friends as fell into the hands of Saul and his men, and were slain: perhaps it may refer…

But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord Not only the eyes of his body, lifted up to God in prayer, this being a prayer gesture, ; but the eyes of his mind, or understanding, especially the eyes of faith and love; for it is expressive of his affection to God, his holy confidence in him, and…

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me Either Saul, who gave him a wife to be a snare to him, and set men to watch his house and take him; or the Ziphites, who proposed to Saul to deliver him into his hands; see (1 Sam. 23:19, 1 Sam. 23:20) .

Let the wicked fall into their own nets Which they have laid for others, as they very often do; see (Ps. 7:15, Ps. 7:16) ; or “into his net” [[9]], either Saul into his own net, and others with him, so Kimchi and Ben Melech; or the wicked into the net which God has laid for them; see ; whilst that…