Ps. 59 THE ARGUMENT The matter and design of this Psalm is the same in general and for substance with the former, to wit, a declaration of the cruelty and treachery of his enemies; and a prayer to God to deliver him out of their hands.

He chiefly understands Saul, but speaks in the plural number, out of, reverence to his king, and that he might, as far as he could in truth, derive the envy and hatred of these odious practices upon those that were about him; as he doth 1 Sam. 26:19, and elsewhere.

Without any provocation or cause given them by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury.

They run to and fro, first to receive Saul’s commands and then to execute them with all speed and diligence. Prepare themselves; or, dispose themselves, here and there round about my house, that they may catch me when I go out of it. To help me, Heb.

The God of Israel; a God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen; or, these heathens, or Gentiles; who though they are called and accounted Israelites by their birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathens and…

They return at evening, after they have been busy all day, either in plotting against me, or in hunting after me. In the evening, when they should compose themselves to rest, they return to their old trade of watching for me which they did at this time all the night long, 1 Sam. 19:11.

They belch out; or, they pour forth, (to wit, words, for what else should come out of the mouth? even sharp and bitter words, as the next clause explains it,) abundantly and vehemently, as a fountain doth waters, as this word signifies. See Prov. 15:28, Jer. 6:7. Swords, i.e.

Disappoint their high confidences and hopeful designs, and then deride them, and make them ridiculous and contemptible to others.

His strength, i.e. Saul’s strength; because he is too strong for me. Or rather, O my strength, as it is Ps. 59:17. And all those ancient and venerable translators, the LXX., and Chaldee, and vulgar Latin, render it my strength. In the Hebrew it is his strength, i.e. David’s.

The God of my mercy, i.e. the giver of all that mercy and comfort which I either have, or hope for. Heb. of his mercy. But here also there is (as appears by comparing this with Ps. 59:17) a change of the person, as there was in the foregoing verse.

Slay them not, to wit, suddenly, or at once. My people; my countrymen; or those over whom thou hast appointed me to be governor in due time. Forget their former danger, and thy glorious mercy in delivering them, and their own duty to thee for it.

For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lip; for their ungodly, and injurious, and pernicious speeches, of which he speaks Ps. 59:7, and in many other places. Let them be taken, as in a snare, in order to their ruin. Let thy judgments overtake them.

Consume them by degrees, and after thou hast made them to wander about, Ps. 59:11. That they may not be, to wit, in the land of the living, any more; as this phrase is frequently understood, whereof divers instances have been given.

What was their sin and their choice to do with evil design, let it be their punishment to do it by constraint, and for meat, as it follows, Ps. 59:15.

Wander up and down for meat, to get a livelihood. And grudge if they be not satisfied: when their bodies are hungry, let their minds be discontented. Or, as others render the words, and lodge, or be forced to lodge, all night, when they are not satisfied.

Unto thee, i.e. to thy honour; or rather, of or concerning thee, as that particle is sometimes used.