Psalm 144:11 Komentář

The four preceding psalms seem to have been penned by David before his accession to the crown, when he was persecuted by Saul; this seems to have been penned afterwards, when he was still in trouble (for there is no condition in this world privileged with an exemption from trouble), the neighbouring nations molesting him and giving him disturbance, especially the Philistines, Sa2 5:17. In this psalm, I. He acknowledges, with triumph and thankfulness, the great goodness of God to him in advancing him to the government (Psa 144:1-4). II. He prays to God to help him against the enemies who threatened him (Psa 144:5-8 and again Psa 144:11). III. He rejoices in the assurance of victory over them (Psa 144:9, Psa 144:10). IV. He prays for the prosperity of his own kingdom, and pleases himself with the hopes of it (Psa 144:12-15). In singing this psalm we may give God the glory of our spiritual privileges and advancements, and fetch in help from him against our spiritual enemies; we may pray for the prosperity of our souls, of our families, and of our land; and, in the opinion of some of the Jewish writers, we may refer the psalm to the Messiah and his kingdom. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 144 A Psalm of David. This psalm was written by David; not on account of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, by a spirit of prophecy, as Theodoret; but on his own account, after he was come to the throne, and was king over all Israel; and was delivered from the was between him and Israel, and from the war of the Philistines, as Kimchi observes, having gained two victories over them: or it was written between the two victories, and before he had conquered all his enemies; since he prays to be delivered from the hand of strange children, Psa 144:7. R. Obadiah thinks it was written on the account of his deliverance from Absalom and Sheba; but the former is best. Some copies of the Septuagint, and also the Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, have in their titles these words, "against Goliath;'' and so Apollinarius; as if it was written on account of his combat with him, and victory over him; but this clause is not in the Hebrew Bibles; nor could Theodoret find it in the Septuagint in the Hexapla in his time. The Syriac inscription is still more foreign to the purpose, "a psalm of David, when he slew Asaph the brother of Goliath.'' R. Saadiah Gaon interprets this psalm of the times of the Messiah; and there are several things in it which are applicable to him.

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children,.... This is repeated from Psa 144:7; and is done to show the vehemency and importunity of the request, and the danger David was in, and his sense of it; See Gill on Psa 144:7; whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. See Gill on Psa 144:8.

"From" this "sword deliver me" [Psalm 144:11]. "And take me out of the hand of strange children, whose mouth has spoken vanity:" just as before. And that which follows, "their right hand is a right hand of iniquity," the same he had set down before also, when he called them "many waters." For lest you should think that the "many waters" were good waters, he explained them by the "sword of ill intent."

"Lord, deliver me from the hand of the sons of foreigners, whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity." And he explains what kind of vanity he means, and what kind of right hand. What he calls the right hand of iniquity is the prosperity of this world. Not because it is never to be found with good people, but because when good people have it they hold it in the left hand, not in the right. They hold everlasting felicity in their right hand, temporal happiness they hold in their left. Greed for eternal things and eternal felicity ought not to be mixed with greed for temporal things, that is to say, for present and temporal felicity. And that is the meaning of "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." So then, "their right hand is a right hand of iniquity."

This is a suitable doxology for the whole book, reciting the "place, theme, mode, and extent of God's high praise." (Psa 150:1-6) in his sanctuary--on earth. firmament of his power--which illustrates His power.