Psalms 55

This Psalm was certainly Composed by David, when he was greatly distressed and Persecuted; Either by Saul, or rather by Absalom, and betrayed by some pretended or former Friend.

GIve ear to my prayer, O God: and hide not thy self Turn not away thy Face and Ear, as one resolved not to hear nor Help. from my supplication.

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise For my Misery is very great, and sorceth Tears and bitter Cries from me..

Because of the voyce (i. e.) Their Clamours and Threats, and Slanders and insolent Boastings; all which are hateful to thee, as well as Injurious to me. of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me The Sense is; Either. 1. They make me the great Object of their wicked and injurious, and mischievous Practises; Or, 2. They lay many Crimes to my Charge, or falsly, as if by my Wickedness I was the cause of all my Calamities., and in wrath they hate me Their Anger and Rage against me, is no sudden and Transitory Passion, but is boyled up into Malice and Hatred..

My heart is sore pained With pains like those, of a Travelling Woman, as the Word signifies. My Heart, which has commonly supported me in my Distresses, is now ready to sink within me: Therefore, Lord Pity and Help me. within me: and the terrors of death Either deadly Terrors; such as seize upon Men in the Agonies of Death: or Fear of Death; which is the more grievous to me, because my Death will reflect Dishonour upon thee, and bring many Miseries upon the People., are fallen upon me.

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.

And I said, O that I had wings like a dove Which being fearful, and pursued by Birds of prey flyes away, and that very swiftly and far, and into solitary Places, where it hides and secures it self in the Holes of the Rocks, or in some other secret, and safe place. All which fitly represents David's present Disposition and Desire. Or, that I might or where I might be at Rest, or dwell, in some settled and safe place, and be delivered from those uncertainties and wandrings, to which I am now exposed.; for then would I fly away and be at rest i.

Lo then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness Where I might be free from the Company and Rage, and Treachery of my wicked Enemies; who are worse than the wild Beasts of the Wilderness., Selah.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest From the Force and fury of mine Enemies, which now highly Threatens me..

Destroy, O LORD, and divide (i. e.) Destroy them by dividing. their tongues (i. e.) Their Speech, as thou didst at Babel, Gen. 11. their Votes and Opinions and Counsels. Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, 2 Sam. 17.: for I have seen Or, I do... ee or, by certain and general Report. violence and strife That Injustice and Fraud, and Oppression and Contention bear Rule there, instead of that publick Justice and Peace, which I established and maintained in it. in the city Either, 1. In K... ilah, where David thought... o abide, 1 Sam. 23. or 2. In Gibeah, where Saul had his abode; Or rather, 3. In Ierusalem; which is called the City by way of Eminency; and which in Absalom's time was the chief Seat of Rebellion, and a mere sink of all sins. And this Circumstance is noted as an Aggravation of their Wickedness, that it was Committed in that City, where the Throne and Seat of publick Justice was settled; and where God was in a special manner present and Worshipped; and where they had great Opportunities, both for the knowledge and Practise of their several Duties..

Day and night they (i. e.) The violence and strife last mentioned, v. 10: go about it Do Encompass it, and are as it were the Garrison, by which they Design to defend it. upon the walls thereof In the more outward Parts, as also in the very midst of it, as it follows. So that all Parts were horribly Corrupted.: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets The places of buying and selling, and of publick and common Conversation. So their sins were both universal and impadent..

For it was not an enemy Either, 1. Not an open and professed Enemy: Or rather, 2. Not an Old and inveterate Enemy; as may be gathered from the following Description. that reproached me, then I could have born it With more Patience, because I could expect nothing else from such Persons.; neither was it he that hated me With a manifest or old Hatred., that did magnifie himself against me, then I would have hid my self from him I could and should easily have prevented avoided the Effects of his Hatred..

But it was thou, a man, mine equal Not in Power and Dignity, which could not be, but in Reputation for his deep Wisdom and excellent Conduct, and the great influence which he had upon me, and upon all my People., my guide Whose Counsel I highly prized, and constantly sought and followed. All which agrees very well to A... hitophel. See 2 Sam. 15. 12. 31. and 16. 23., and mine acquaintance.

We took sweet counsel together I imparted my secret Thoughts and Designs to thee, with great Delight and satisfaction., and we walked unto the house of God We agreed no less in Exercises of P... ety, than in Acts of State and Policy. in company Or, in comfort; Or, with Consent, as all the Antients render it. He seemed as forward in Religion as I..

Let death seize upon them (i. e.) Him and all such false-hearted Wretches, that pretended Religion with wicked Design, and now have manifestly Apostatized both from the profession and Practise of it, and fallen into all manner of Wickedness. For such are the vilest of Men, and most obnoxious to the Curse of God., and let them go down quick into hell Or, into the Grave, Cut them off by a sudden and violent Death, as thou didst those, Numb. 16. 32. But these Imprecations used by inspired Persons in extraordinary Cases, is no President for our imitation.; for wickedness is in their dwellings Or, where they Sojourn. They carry their Wickedness along with them, from place to place, and leave the Impressions and Effects of it, wheresoever they come., and among them Heb. In their inwards. Wickedness is deeply Rooted in their Hearts, and it breaks forth in all their Houses and Actions..

As for me, I will call upon God: and the LORD shall save me Whilst he destroy them. As they and I differ in the Courses of our Lives, so shall we in our ends..

Evening and morning, and at noon The three stated times of Prayer amonst the Iews. See Dan. 6. 10. Act. 3. 1. and 10. 3. 9. 30. will I pray and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voyce.

He has delivered Either, this is an Argument whereby he encourageth himself now to trust God, because of former Deliverances: or he speaks of a future Deliverance, as a thing done, because of the certainty of it. my soul in peace Or, into Peace. He has restored me from the state of War, to my former Peace and Tranquility. from the battel that was against me: for there were many with me For there were more with me than against me; even the holy Angels whom God imployed to defend and deliver me. See. 2 Kings 6. 16. Psal. 34. 7. and 57. 3. Or, for, (or rather, though as this Particle is oft rendred) there were many with me or about me, or against me, as this Particle is rendred, Psal. 85. 3. and 94. 16. and in other places. So he speaks here of his Enemies; which seems best to suit with the Context; for of them he speaks implicitly in the foregoing Words, and expressly in the following..

God shall hear Either, 1. My Prayers against them, mentioned v. 15. Or, 2. Their Reproaches, v. 12. their Deceitful and Treacherous Speeches, v 21. He said, God would hear his Voyce, v. 17. now he addes that God will hear his Voyce also, of which he spake, v. 3. and afflict them Or, testifie against them, or give an Answer to them, not in Words, but really, and by dreadful Punishments, as this Word signifies, Ezek. 14. 4. Which seems best to agree with the next foregoing Word; God will hear and Answer them., even he that abideth of old Heb.... e that inhabiteth Antip... ity or Eternity; Who is Eternal, and therefore unchangeable, and Almighty; and Consequently as he ever was, so he still is and will be, ready to defend his People, and to destroy their Enemies; and none can prevent nor hinder him, in either of those Designs., Selah: because they have no changes Either, 1. For the better: Because they do not Repent nor turn from their sins. But then the next Clause must be rendred, as it is in the Hebrew, and not fear God. Or rather, 2. For the worse; for of such destructive Changes, this Word when applyed to Persons, is generally used in Scripture, as Iob 10. 17. and 14. 14. &c. Because they meet with no Crosses, nor Disappointments, and hitherto all their Counsels succeed well, and the People flow in to them Unanimously: as it was in the beginning and Progress of Absolo... 's Rebellion., therefore they fear not God Their prosperous Success, makes them go on securely and obstinately in their wicked Courses, without any Regard to God, or dread of his Judgments: There being nothing which more hardens mens Hearts, and makes them Presumptuous and Incorrigible, than un-interrupted Prosperity. See Psal. 30. 6. Prov. 1. 32. Ier. 22. 21..

He (i. e.) They, the Persons last mentioned. Before the singular Number, v. 13, 14. was suddenly changed into the Plural, v. 15. that the Punishment might reach not him only, but his Partners, in those Treacherous and Treasonable Actions. And here is as sudden a Change, from the plural into the singular, and he returns to that Person, who was the chief Contriver and Promoter of this Rebellion under... lom, even to Achitophel, of whom he spoke, v. 13. and though he does not excuse the rest, as we have seen, yet he lays the chief Blame upon him, and here he adds new Aggravations of his Treason. has put forth his hands In way of Force or Violence, as this Phrase is used, Gen. 37. 22. 1 Sam. 26. 9. Neh. 13. 21. Act. 12. 1. against such as be at peace with him Against me, who gave him no Provocation nor Disturbance, but lived in great Peace, and Security and Friendship with him.: he has broken his covenant All those solemn Obligations, by which he was tyed to me, both as his King and as his Friend..

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart He covered his Treasonable and Bloody Design, with fair and flattering Speeches.: his words were softer than oyl, yet were they drawn swords Pernic... ous in their Design, and Consequences..

Cast thy burdeu Or Portion, Heb. Gift: Whatsoever affliction God giveth, or sendeth to thee; for even the sufferings of good Men are called God's Gifts in Scripture, Phil. 1. 29. Iob. 18. 11. So it is a Synecdochical Expression. Or, whatsoever Gift thou desirest from him. Although the following Words of the Verse seem to restrain it to Afflictions. The Sense is: All thy Affairs and Crosses, and Cares and Fears, lay them upon the Shoulders of the Almighty, by Faith and Prayer, with a Confident expectation of a good Issue. He directeth this Speech to himself, or his own Soul, as he oft does in this Book, and withal to all good Men in like Circumstances. upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (i. e.) To be removed, To wit, from his sure and happy Estate. Or, which agrees as well with the Hebrew: He shall not suffer the Righteous to be moved, or fall for ever, as he does wicked Men. Though he may for a season suffer them to be shaken, yet he will not suffer them to be utterly overwhelmed..

But thou, O God, shalt bring them My wicked Enemies of whom I have hitherto spoken. down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men That Colour their Cruel intentions with specious and deceitful Pretences; which are most hateful to God, and all Men. shall not live out half their days Not half of what others Live, and they by the Course of Nature might Live; but shall be cut off by God's just Judgment, by an untimely and violent Death., but I will trust in thee And in this Confidence I will quietly and Patiently wait upon thee, for their downf... l and for my Deliverance..