Psalms 120

This Psalm seems to have been composed, either 1. by David in the time of his persecution by Saul, when he was exposed both to the swords and to the calumnies of his enemies; of which two evils he complains in this Psalm: or, 2. by some other holy Prophet in a time of the Churches persecution.

IN my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips From the unjust censures and malicious slanders of mine enemies, who traduce me as an egregious hypocrite, as a rebel and traitor., and from a deceitful tongue Which covereth mischievous designs with pretences of kindness..

What shall be given unto thee Whosoever thou art who art guilty of these practices. He applies himself severally to the consciences of every one of them. Or, he designs Doeg or some other person in Sauls Court eminent for this wickedness. The sense may be this, It is true, thou dost me some mischief. But what benefit dost thou get by it, if all thy accounts be cast up? For although thou mayst thereby obtain some favour and advantage from Saul, yet thou wilt assuredly bring upon thy self the curse and vengeance of God; and then thou wilt be no gainer by the bargain. And to do mischief to another without benefit to thy self, is an inhumane and diabolical wickedness.? or what be done unto thee, thou false tongue?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper So this verse contains an answer to the question v. 3. and declares the slanderers recompence: which is the wrath and vengeance of the mighty God, which in Scripture, and particularly in this Book, is oft compared to arrows, as Psal. 7. 13, 14, &c. and here to arrows of the mighty, i. e. shot by the hands of a strong man; and to coals, Psal. 140. 11. and here to coals of juniper, which being kindled burn very fiercely and retain their heat for a long time. And the Psalmist may possibly express it in these words, to show the suitableness of the punishment to the sin, as thy tongue shoots arrows, (for so calumnies are called Psal. 57. 4. & 64. 3.) and kindles coals, so thou shalt bring Gods arrows and coals kindled by the fire of his wrath upon thy self. But according to the other Translation, which is in the margent, this is a further declaration of the sin of calumny. Though, all things considered, it does thee no good, yet it does others much hurt, to whom it is like sharp arrows, &c..

Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar Mesech and Kedar are two sorts of people oft mentioned in Scripture, and reckoned amongst the heathen and barbarous Nations. But their names are not here to be understood properly, (for we do not read that either David, or the Israelites in the Babylonish Captivity dwelt in their lands) but only Metaphorically, as the ungodly Israelites are called Sodom and Gomorrha, Isa. 1. 10. and Amorites and Hittites, Ezek. 16. 3. 45. and as in common speech among us, men of an evil character are called Turks or Iews. And so he explains himself in the next verse by this description of them, him or them that hated peace, although David sought peace with them, v. 7. And so he speaks either, 1. of the Philistins, among whom he sojourned for a time. But he did not seek peace with them, but sought their ruine, as the event showed; not did they wage war against him, whilst he lived peaceably among them. Or rather, 2. the Courtiers and Souldiers of Saul, and the generality of the Israelites, who to curry favour with Saul, sought Davids ruine, and that many times by treachery and pretences of friendship; of which he oft complains in this Book; whom as he elsewhere calls Heathen, as Psal. 9. 5 & 59. 5. it is not strange if he compare them here to the savage Arabians. And amongst such persons David was oft forced to sojourn in Sauls time; and with them he sought peace by all ways possible, but they hated peace, and the more he pursued peace, the more eagerly did they prosecute the war, as it here follows..

My soul has long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.