psalm 35:13 commentary

They were like alms given to the miserable for God's sake, who takes care to return to the merciful man tenfold into his bosom. See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itself is no fence; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done in that way than is. of He prays that he might never be in such imminent danger as that they should say in their hearts, Ah! V. His prospect of his own deliverance, which, having committed his cause to God, he did not doubt of, v. 9, 10. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did it with the formalities of a legal prosecution, produced witnesses who swore some treasonable words or overt acts against him, and he being not present to clear himself (or, if he was, it was all the same), Saul adjudged him a traitor. [Note: On the practice of fasting, see Kent D. Berghuis, "A Biblical Perspective on Fasting," Bibliotheca Sacra 158:629 (January-March 2001):86-103.]. Psalm 35:13 in all English translations. 24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. The idea of the psalmist is that of a warrior prepared alike for attack or defense. my clothing was sackcloth; that is, he was grieved, and mourned for them, it being usual to put on sackcloth in time of mourning; see Genesis 37:34; I humbled my soul with fasting; on the account of them, giving up himself to prayer for them, as follows: and my prayer returned into mine own bosom; that is, he prayed privately and heartily for them, as for himself; he was constant in it, his heart was in it, and he took delight in it, and he was heard and answered; unless the sense should be, that his prayer was slighted by them, and so returned back to himself, as a present despised is returned; but however it was not without its effect, the good for which he prayed for them was returned by the Lord unto him. See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itself is no fence; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done in that way than is. He promised that then God should have the glory of it (v. 10): All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee? 2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Koeler in Repertor. ( Psalms 35:7-10 ). Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. 17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? "A Psalm of a Thirteen-Year-Old," Russell Rathbun, The . A great deal of good service he had done to his king, witness his harp, witness Goliath's sword, witness the foreskins of the Philistines; and yet his king vowed his death, and his country was made too hot for him. When he fell under the frowns of Saul, was banished the court, and persecuted as a criminal, they were pleased, were glad at his calamities, and got together in their drunken clubs to make themselves and one another merry with the disgrace of this great favourite. We are apt to justify our uneasiness at the injuries men do us by this, That we never gave them any cause to use us so; whereas this should, more than any thing, make us easy, for then we may the more confidently expect that God will plead our cause. i. The adjective signifies elsewhere with , one who is smitten in the feet, i.e., one who limps or halts, and with , but also without any addition, in Isaiah 16:7, one smitten in spirit, i.e., one deeply troubled or sorrowful. They were very barbarous and base, for they trampled upon him when he was down, rejoiced at his hurt, and magnified themselves against him, v. 26. David prayed to God to manifest himself in his trial. This is to the spoiling of his soul; this base unkind usage robs him of his comfort, and cuts him to the heart, more than anything else. But as for me, when they were sick,. Or under any disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted by them; my clothing [was] sackcloth; that is, he was grieved, and mourned for them, it being usual to put on sackcloth in time of mourning; see. He prays that his friends might have cause to rejoice and give glory to God, v. 27. See this explained by Solomon, 1 Kings 7 31, 32. If he did not count our Lord to be divine, neither does David here ascribe Deity to Jehovah, for there is no difference except in the order of the words and the tongue in which they were spoken; the meaning is identical. (Spurgeon). Those whose souls are sorrowful in the Lord, who sow in tears and sorrow after a godly sort, need not question but that in due time their souls shall be joyful in the Lord; for gladness is sown for them, and they shall at last enter into the joy of their Lord. The mercy he hoped to win by prayer he promises to wear with praise: "I will give thee thanks, as the author of my deliverance (v. 18), and my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, the justice of thy judgments and the equity of all thy dispensations;" and this, 1. signifies the colours, outward appearance, and attire of mourning: with dark clothes, with tearful unwashed face, and with neglected beard. a. They took a great deal of pains in persecuting him, for they digged a pit (Ps 7 15); and very close and crafty they were in carrying on their designs; the old serpent taught them subtlety: they hid their net from David and his friends; but in vain, for they could not hide it from God. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, 11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. i. That they might rejoice with him in his joys. He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provocation (ver 7, 19), but, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them, ver 12-14. His appeal to God concerning his integrity and the justice of his cause. Much of his suffering during that time was because of the false accusations made against him by influential people in Sauls court. . Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick Or under any disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted by them; my clothing [was] sackcloth; He prayed for them. 2. my prayer came back again and again to my bosom, i.e., for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, And my prayer returned into mine own bosom, Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular, Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural, Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular, A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag, Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular, Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular, A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular, David prays for his own safety, and his enemies' confusion, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Psalm 35:13 But as for me when they were (Psalm Ps Psa. He subjected himself to the pains of hunger, that he might be better prepared to offer fervent and acceptable prayer. Nay, he had deserved well not only of the public in general, but of those particular persons that were now most bitter against him. The most simple interpretation, therefore, is that which supposes that the prayer was offered under such a burden of grief on account of their sufferings, that his head sank on his bosom; or, in other words, that the prayer which was offered was such as is presented when the heart is most burdened and most sad. We shall not lose by the good offices we have done to any, how ungrateful soever they are; for our rejoicing will be this, the testimony of our conscience. Psalms 35:13 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. I humbled my soul with fasting - Margin, afflicted; so the Hebrew properly means. II. 1 Kings 18:42, where, however, there is no express mention of prayer.) To him: "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation; let me have inward comfort under all these outward troubles, to support my soul which they strike at. (2.) I humbled my soul with fasting; on the account of them, giving up himself to prayer for them, as follows: and my prayer returned into mine own bosom; that is, he prayed privately and heartily for them, as for himself; he was constant in it, his heart was in it, and he took delight in it, and he was heard and answered; unless the sense should be, that his prayer was slighted by them, and so returned back to himself, as a present despised is returned; but however it was not without its effect, the good for which he prayed for them was returned by the Lord unto him. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt ( Psalms 35:1-4 ). It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. But this is not the worst of it. " Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me ." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. It would harden the hearts of his enemies in their wickedness and confirm them in their enmity to him, and would be a great discouragement to all the pious Jews that were friends to his righteous cause. A great deal of good service he had done to his king, witness his harp, witness Goliath's sword, witness the foreskins of the Philistines; and yet his king vowed his death, and his country was made too hot for him. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do not . The verb means to smite; Niph. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and thy praise all the day long ( Psalms 35:22-28 ). And who can stand before envy?Proverbs 27:4. It seemed that God was too passive, so David cried out for Him to stir up Yourself and to awake on Davids behalf. Psalm 36. and willingly to undergo any services or sufferings for him. Let the LORD be magnified, 1. 19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. His heart went into mourning for his sick master. Therefore means: mockers for a cake, i.e., those who for a delicate morsel, for the sake of dainty fare, make scornful jokes, viz., about me, the persecuted one, vile parasites; German Tellerlecker, Bratenriecher, Greek , , Mediaeval Latin buccellarii. Lord, keep not silence, as if thou didst consent to what is done against me! So, "aha, aha" was a bad thing to say, and as I say, I don't know what the whole connotation of the "aha, aha" might be, but the hypocritical mockers speaking against David. This was the character of David's enemies (Psalms 35:12; Psalms 35:12): They rewarded me evil for good. Note, It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies: Christ himself is striven with and fought against, and war is made upon the holy seed; and we are not to marvel at the matter: it is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. (last clause). Asaph wrote 12 (Psalms 50, 73-83). I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: and I will praise thee among much people. This he complains of here as the highest piece of injustice imaginable: False witnesses did rise up, who would swear anything; they laid to my charge things that I knew not, nor ever thought of. This may be taken as a prayer for their repentance, for all penitents are put to shame for their sins and turned back from them. They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it; they hunted him as a dangerous beast of prey; they digged a pit for him and laid a net in it, that they might have him at their mercy, v. 7. My clothing was sackcloth - Compare the notes at Psalm 30:11. Or, if they were not brought to repentance, David prays that they might be defeated and disappointed in their designs against him and so put to shame. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. Psalm 35 David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. When God in his providence shows his good-will to the prosperity of his servants, and the pleasure he takes in it, we ought to acknowledge it with thankfulness, to his praise, and to say, The Lord be magnified. 2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 2. qr II) also does not occur anywhere else. was not my soul grieved for the poor? See Daniel 9:3; Matthew 17:21; Luke 2:37. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. My clothing was sackcloth - Compare the notes at Psalms 30:11. David had been a man of sympathy; he had mourned when Saul was in ill health, putting on the weeds of sorrow for him as though he were a near and dear friend. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. 3 Brandish spear and javelin[ a] against those who pursue me. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? His fasting also put an edge upon his praying, and was an expression of the fervour of it; he was so intent in his devotions that he had no appetite to meat, nor would allow himself time for eating: "My prayer returned into my own bosom; I had the comfort of having done my duty, and of having approved myself a loving neighbour, though I could not thereby win upon them nor make them my friends." Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those do you stone me? Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. This is the view of Ewald and Delitzsch, but seems prosaic. III. Heman the Ezrahite wrote one (Psalms 88), and Ethan the Ezrahite composed one (Psalms 89). Let me hear you say, "I will give you victory!" As for Saul himself, David, it is probable, knew that God had rejected him and had forbidden Samuel to mourn for him, 1 Sam 16 1. David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. Psalm 35 New Living Translation Psalm 35 A psalm of David. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom - DeWette explains this as meaning, I prayed with my head sunk on my bosom; that is, with the head bowed down, so that the prayer which went out of Iris lips seemed to return again to his own bosom - that earnest prayer which one offers when the head is bowed with sorrow. III. It might also, after the Arabic nawika, to be injured in mind, anwak, stupid, silly (from the same root , to prick, smite, wound, cf. Mohammedica, quoted by Walford in loc. Compassion to the sick. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. It would seem from this that the persons referred to, who now treated him with so much ingratitude, were those with whom he had been formerly intimately associated, or whom he had regarded as his personal friends, since it cannot be supposed that this deep sympathy would have been shown for those who were altogether strangers to him. The language alternates between legal and military terminology. I wept and I was there to help and all. Prof. Alexander supposes that this means, according to a traditional interpretation of the Jews, that he desired that the prayer which he offered might redound to his own advantage: My prayer shall not be lost, it shall return in blessings to the heart which prompted it. There can be no reason to doubt that this is true in fact; and that prayer offered for others does bring back blessings to those who offer it. He has pleasure in the prosperity both of their temporal and of their spiritual affairs, and delights not in their griefs; for he does not afflict willingly; and we ought therefore to have pleasure in their prosperity, and not to envy it. . Psalm 35:13 13 Read more Explain verse Share Copy II. When they were sick This might refer to the case of Absalom, who was much beloved of his father, and for whose life and prosperity he no doubt often prayed, wept, and fasted. Meals so characterize Jesus' ministry that Robert J. Karris 2 concluded, "In Luke's Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a . There is some difference in the numbering of the psalms among versions. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors, ver 4-6, 8. aha! David here shows. This You have seen, O LORD: God has seen the facts of the case, and these include not only Davids innocence, but also that he is being falsely accused and slandered. (Boice), ii. And let them not rejoice over me. Observe, He mourned as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. He appeals to God's justice: Awake to my judgment, even to my cause, and let it have a hearing at thy bar, v. 23. The comedians, who may fitly be called hypocritical mockers (for which does a hypocrite signify but a stage-player?) Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut semper, et odit damnatosThe Roman crowd, varying their opinions with every turn of fortune, are sure to execrate the fallen. and whose comedies, it is likely, were acted at feasts and balls, chose David for their subject, bantered and abused him, while the auditory, in token of their agreement with the plot, hummed, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. , to tear, rend in pieces, viz., with abusive and slanderous words (like Arab. And let them say continually, and humbled myself with fasting. Though they should in some degree prevail, yet he foresees that it would be to their own ruin at last: They shall be as chaff before the wind, so unable will wicked men be to stand before the judgments of God and so certainly will they be driven away by them, Ps 1 4. , not: like the mourning (from , like from ) of a mother (Hitzig), but, since a personal is more natural, and next to the mourning for an only child the loss of a mother (cf. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it ( Psalms 35:15-21 ). He hoped that he should have the comfort of it: "My soul shall be joyful, not in my own ease and safety, but in the Lord and in his favour, in his promise and in his salvation according to the promise." . David had been a man of sympathy; he had mourned when Saul was in ill health, putting on the weeds of sorrow for him as though he were a near and dear friend. I am for peace, Ps 120 7. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy; and this is a powerful support when men persecute us. This prayer we may put up against our persecutors, that God would restrain them and stop their way. It is my soul that is in danger; Lord, rescue it. does not mean scorn or buffoonery, as Bttcher and Hitzig imagine, (Note: The Talmudic (), B. Sanhedrin 101b, which is said to mean "a jesting way of speaking," has all the less place here, as the reading wavers between () and .). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. He knows that only God can keep him going and preserve him from their attacks (15-18). --This has been most variously explained. Verse 1. Fight those who fight against me. We may request cookies to be set on your device. The words were, as it were, muttered into his bosom. Let them shout for joy and be glad, Now I don't know what the content was of the "aha, aha," but it was something they hated to hear. 8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor (2)The far more probable meaning, my prayer came back again and again to my bosom, i.e., was repeated over and over again; just as we say, "the thought recurred to my mind." Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them--perjury and ingratitude. 1 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. The idea is, that he did all that was understood to be connected with the deepest humiliation before God, and that would fit the mind for earnest prayer in their behalf. Lord, with regular letters, translates the Hebrew word Adonai the ancient Hebrew word for Lord. His heart went into mourning for his sick master. But to suppose that this was the motive in the case is to suppose that the psalmist was wholly selfish, and would take away the very point of his observation about his prayer - that it was dictated by the sincerest love for them and true sympathy for their sufferings. The great God has pleasure in this prosperity of good people, not only of his family, the church in general, but of every particular servant in his family. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. (1.) John 10:32. (2)The far more probable meaning, my . Those that make God their enemy make all the holy angels their enemies. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? but according to 1 Kings 17:12, a cake of a round formation (like the Talmudic , a circle); , jeering, jesting. (last clause). Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? And the she bears came out and ripped them up. Herein he was a type of Christ, to whom this wicked world was very ungrateful. It was also with reference to prayer in their behalf; and to fasting, that he put on these marks of grief. Much like Psalm 23 ends in abundance, so Jesus concludes this parable in an abundant image of his care, described so beautifully in the First Nations Version of the Gospel of John: "Following the Shepherd, they will go in and out and find good food to eat. "Whether or not this psalm was written as a companion to Psalms 34, it is well placed next to it, not only because of some verbal affinities and contrasts (notably the angel of the Lord, Psalms 34:7; Psalms 35:5-6, found nowhere else in the Psalter), but because it speaks out of the kind of darkness which has just been dispelled in the former psalm. He thought God had forgotten him, had forgotten his promises to him, his covenant with him, his former lovingkindness which he had shown him and which he took to be an earnest of further mercy, had forgotten that there was such a man in the world, who needed and expected relief and succour from him. Observe, He mourned as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. They had falsely accused him, but God, who knows all things, knew that he did not falsely accuse them, nor make them worse than really they were. 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness; John 10 32. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. But this was not all. i. He will do it in the great congregation, and among much people, that God might be honoured and many edified. Prof. Alexander supposes that this means, according to a traditional interpretation of the Jews, that he desired that the prayer which he offered might redound to his own advantage: "My prayer shall not be lost, it shall return in blessings to the heart which prompted it." And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. You can check these in your browser security settings. (2.) Among the Hebrews fasting and prayer were much more closely connected than they are with Christians. Verse 13. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.

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