Muth-labben also seems to be another title of some song, or tune, or instrument; of which we must and may be content to be ignorant, as the Jewish doctors also are.

With my whole heart, i.e. with a sincere, and affectionate, and united heart. I will discourse in the general of thy manifold wonders wrought for me, and for thy church and people formerly. The particle all is here, as it is oft elsewhere, taken in a restrained sense.

In thee, i.e. in thy favour and help vouschafed to me.

When they are discomfited and put to flight, they shall not save themselves by flight, and reserve themselves to do further mischief, but shall stumble as it were at gall-traps by thee laid in their way, and shall be pursued, and overtaken, and cut off, upon thy appearance against them.

My right and my cause, i.e. my righteous cause against thine and mine enemies. Thou satest in the throne; thou didst judge and give sentence for me. Judging right, or, O righteous Judge, or, as a just judge.

Rebuked, i.e. punished, as Ps. 6:1; or destroyed, as it is explained in the next clause. The heathen, to wit, the Philistines and other heathen nations, who did from time to time molest David, or the people of Israel.

This is a sudden apostrophe to the enemies of God’s people, Philistines, Amorites, or other nations, who had formerly made great havoc and waste among them.

Though cities and people may perish for ever, yet the Lord abides for ever; which is sufficient for the enemies’ terror, and for the comfort of his church. He hath prepared, or established, by his immutable purpose, and his irrevocable promise.

The world; not you only, but all the enemies of his people, and all the men of the world.

God will not only judge the world at the last day, and then give sentence for his people against their enemies, but even at present he will give them his protection.

They that know, i.e. that thoroughly understand and duly consider. Thy name, i.e. thy nature and perfections, thy infinite power, and wisdom, and faithfulness, and goodness; which make a person a most fit and proper object for trust.

Which dwelleth in Zion; whose special and gracious presence is there; for there was the ark at this time. Among the people, i.e. to the heathen nations, that they also may be brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God.

For blood, Heb. bloods; the bloodshed or murder of his innocent and holy ones; which though he may connive at for a season, yet he will certainly call the authors of it to a very severe account, and avenge it upon them. He remembereth them; either, 1.

Consider my trouble, to wit, compassionately and effectually, so as to bring me out of it. From the gates of death; from the brink or mouth of the grave, into which I was dropping, being as near death as a man is to the city that is come to the very gates of it. And so the phrase is used Ps.

In the gates, i.e. in the great assemblies, which were usually in the gates. Compare Prov. 31:31, Isa. 3:26. These gates he elegantly opposeth to the former, and declareth that if he be brought off them, he will go into these. Of the daughter of Zion; either, 1. Of Jerusalem, so called also Isa.

Fallen into that destruction which they designed to bring upon us.

The Lord is known, or, hath made himself known, or famous even among his enemies, by his most wise counsels and wonderful works. By the judgment which he executeth upon the wicked, as it followeth.

Into hell; either 1. Into the grave which is oft called sheol, into which they are said to be turned, or to return, because they were made of or taken out of the dust, Eccles. 12:7. Or, 2. Into the place of eternal perdition; which also is sometimes called sheol, as Prov. 15:24, and elsewhere.

The needy shall not alway be forgotten, though God for a time may seem to neglect or forget them, and suffer their enemies to triumph over them. Shall not perish; which negative particle is fitly understood out of the former clause, as it is Ps. 1:5, Ps. 44:18, Isa. 23:4, Isa. 28:27–28.

Subdue their proud and insolent spirits, and strike them with terror, or with some terrible judgment. But men, Heb. weak, and miserable, and mortal men, and therefore altogether unable to oppose the omnipotent and eternal God.