To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil A Psalm of David. The occasion of this psalm was either the persecution of Saul, or the conspiracy of Absalom. Some think it was written when David understood that the inhabitants of Keilah would deliver him into the hands of Saul, 1 Sam.

Give ear to my prayer, O God Which was for that which is just and right, and equitable to be given, as the word [[12]] used signifies; being promised in the covenant of grace, ratified and confirmed by the blood of Christ, Not only David was a man much given to prayer, as well as was the sweet…

Attend unto me, and hear me So as to answer, and that immediately and directly, his case requiring present help; I mourn in my complaint; or “in my meditation” [[14]]; solitary thoughts, and melancholy views of things.

Because of the voice of the enemy Of Absalom, as Arama; or of Ahithophel, who gave out he would smite the king only, ; and so of any spiritual enemy, as sin, Satan, and the world, when they threaten dominion and tyranny; and of the Scribes and Pharisees reproaching Christ, as being a Samaritan, and…

My heart is sore pained within me At the civil war in his kingdom; at the battle likely to ensue between his forces and Absalom’s, and at the issue of it; see ; this was true of Christ in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, and he was in pain, as a woman in travail, as the…

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me Fear and dread of mind, and trembling of body; and horror hath overwhelmed me; or “covered me”; he was in the utmost consternation and surprise at what he apprehended would be the issue of things; so Christ in the garden is said to be “sore amazed”, ; all…

And I said, oh that I had wings like a dove The psalmist pitches upon this creature, partly to suggest that his enemies pursuing him were like the ravenous hawk, and he like the harmless, innocent, and trembling dove; and partly because of its swiftness in flying.

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness So David did when he fled from Absalom, (2 Sam. 15:23, 2 Sam. 15:27, 2 Sam. 15:28) (2 Sam. 16:1, 2 Sam.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. ] Of an army of rebellious subjects, bearing down all before them, and threatening with utter ruin and destruction; so a powerful army of enemies invading a country is signified by a storm and tempest, ; and may be expressive of the storm…

Destroy, O Lord Or “swallow up” [[17]], as Pharaoh and his host were swallowed up in the Red sea; or as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were swallowed up in the earth; so all the enemies of Christ and his church will be destroyed; and death, the last of them, will be swallowed up in victory, .

Day and night they go about it, upon the walls thereof That is, “violence” and “strife” go about the walls of it continually; men of violence and contention are the only watchmen of it: a city must be sadly guarded that has no better watch than this; mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it;…

Wickedness is in the midst thereof All manner of wickedness; abominable wickedness; wickedness as arrived to its highest pitch, and as having filled up its measure; see (Zech. 5:7, Zech.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me An open and avowed one; a Moabite or a Philistine; such an one as Goliath, who cursed him by his gods; but one of his own country, city, court, and family, who pretended to be a friend; his son Absalom, according to Arama: so it was not one of the Scribes…

But it was thou The Targum is, “but thou Ahithophel”; of whom the words are literally to be understood, and so they are in the Talmud [[19]]; and mystically and typically of Judas; a man mine equal; “a man”, and not a beast, nor a devil; but a man, from whom humanity, kindness, and tenderness might…

We took sweet counsel together Not in religious matters; for in these the testimonies of the Lord were David’s counsellors, ; but in civil things: hearty counsel is one branch of friendship, and which greatly sweetens it, ; as this may be applied to Christ and Judas, it may denote the mutual…

Let death seize upon them Ahithophel and his accomplices, Judas and the men with him; as a mighty man, as the king of terrors, and shake them to pieces.

As for me, I will call upon God Not upon a creature, on idols and images, on angels or saints departed; but upon God, in his time of trouble, for salvation and deliverance from enemies; who is able to save.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray These being the stated times of prayer with the Jews, and which continued to later ages, . These times, they say [[1]], were fixed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: the morning prayer by Abraham, according to , the prayer of the “minchah” by Isaac,…

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me That is, God had preserved his life, and delivered him safe and sound from many a battle which was fought against him, and might seem at first to go against him; and had given him peace and rest from all his enemies before the…

God shall hear and afflict them That is, either he shall hear the prayers of his servant, imprecating evils upon his enemies, (Ps. 55:9, Ps. 55:15) ; and shall bring them down upon them, in answer to his requests; or it may be, rendered, “God shall hear and answer them” [[2]]; he shall hear their…

He hath put forth his hands The psalmist returns and describes, in this verse , the cruelty, perfidy, and hypocrisy of his false friend; who had stretched forth his hands against such as be at peace with him, or he pretended to be at peace with.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter Such were the words of Ahithophel, when in counsel with David; and such the words of Judas, when he said to Christ, “hail, master”, and kissed him, ; but war was in his heart; even a civil war, rebellion against his prince; that was what Ahithophel…

Cast thy burden upon the Lord These are either the words of the Holy Ghost to David, according to Jarchi; or of David to his own soul in distress, and may be directed to any good man in like circumstances.

But thou, O God, shall bring them down Ahithophel and his accomplices in the conspiracy against David, Judas and the wicked Jews concerned in Christ’s death; and did not believe in him; into the pit of destruction, or “corruption” [[8]]; either the grave, where bodies being put corrupt and putrefy;…