Psalm 27:5 Komentář

Some think David penned this psalm before his coming to the throne, when he was in the midst of his troubles, and perhaps upon occasion of the death of his parents; but the Jews think he penned it when he was old, upon occasion of the wonderful deliverance he had from the sword of the giant, when Abishai succoured him (Sa2 21:16, Sa2 21:17) and his people thereupon resolved he should never venture his life again in battle, lest he should quench the light of Israel. Perhaps it was not penned upon any particular occasion; but it is very expressive of the pious and devout affections with which gracious souls are carried out towards God at all times, especially in times of trouble. Here is, I. The courage and holy bravery of his faith (Psa 27:1-3). II. The complacency he took in communion with God and the benefit he experienced by it (Psa 27:4-6). III. His desire towards God, and his favour and grace (Psa 27:7-9, Psa 27:11, Psa 27:12). IV. His expectations from God, and the encouragement he gives to others to hope in him (Psa 27:10, Psa 27:13, Psa 27:14). And let our hearts be thus affected in singing this psalm. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 27 A Psalm of David. The Septuagint interpreters add to this title, "before he was anointed". David was anointed three times, first when a youth in his father's house; but this psalm could not be written before that time, because he had not had then any experience of war, nor could be in any immediate apprehension of it, as here suggested; he was anointed a second time, after the death of Saul at Hebron, by the men of Judah; before that time indeed he had been harassed by Saul, and distressed by the Amalekites, and was driven from the public worship of God, to which he has a respect, Psa 27:4; and he was a third time anointed, by the elders of Israel, king over all Israel; and between the death of Saul and this unction there was a war between the house of David and the house of Saul; but what is referred to is not certain, nor is it of moment, since these words are neither in the Hebrew text, nor in the Chaldee paraphrase. Theodoret is of opinion this psalm was written by David when he fled from Saul, and came to Ahimelech the priest.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion,.... This, with what follows, is given as a reason why the psalmist desired to dwell in the house of the Lord; because he considered it as a pavilion or booth, as the word (h) signifies in which he should be hid by the Lord, in times of trouble and distress, either through the heat of persecution, or of inward anxiety of mind, caused by the working of a fiery law; the allusion being, as some think, to the shepherd's tent or booth, into which he sometimes takes a poor sheep, and protects it from the scorching heat of the sun at noon: and of such use is the tabernacle of the Lord; see Isa 4:6; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; alluding either to the tents of generals of armies, who receive into them those whom they would protect from the insults and injuries of others; or rather to the most holy place in the tabernacle, called the secret place, Eze 7:22; typical of Christ, the hiding place of his, people, in whom their life is hid, and where it is safe and secure; he shall set me up upon a rock; where he would be above and out of the reach of his enemies; meaning Christ, comparable to a rock for its height, he being higher than the kings of the earth, than the angels in heaven, than the heavens themselves, and much more than the sons of men; see Psa 61:2; and for shelter and safety, he being a munition of rocks, a strong tower, a place of defence, and rock of refuge; and for firmness, solidity, and strength, he being able to bear the whole weight of the building of the church, and every believer laid upon him; and for duration, he being more immovable than rocks and mountains; so that such who are set up upon him are in the most safe and secure state imaginable. (h) "in tugurio suo", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis.

"For He has hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of my evils" [Psalm 27:5]. For He has hidden me in the dispensation of His Incarnate Word in the time of temptations, to which my mortal life is exposed. "He has protected me in the secret place of His tabernacle." He has protected me, with the heart believing unto righteousness.

"For he has hidden me." Here the reason for the desire of dwelling in the house of God is assigned; as if to say, why do you so greatly ask to dwell in the house of God? The reason is from benefits received. And concerning this he does two things. Because first he presents the benefits themselves. Second, he adds recompense, at "I went around." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he presents the benefit of protection from evil. Second, the benefit of promotion to good, at "On a rock you have exalted me." Concerning the first he does two things. First, he proposes the benefit. Second, he shows its necessity, at "In the day of evils." He says therefore: why do you ask to dwell in the house of the Lord? The reason, namely, is that "he has hidden me in his tabernacle." And according to the letter, 1 Sam. 24, when David fled to the safer places of En-gedi and hid himself there. Hence he speaks in the person of one fleeing and hiding in some place. According to the letter, the tabernacle was the place where those who prayed were protected by divine help, and especially in the Holy of Holies, where the propitiatory was, and thus they called the tabernacle the very defense of God: as in Ps. 90 it is said: "He will overshadow you with his shoulders, and under his wings you shall hope," etc. Deut. 32: "He spread his wings and took them up and carried them on his shoulders." But mystically the tabernacle can be called the assumed humanity, or the flesh of Christ, in which he has hidden us through faith and hope: Col. 3: "Your life is hidden in God." Or otherwise, the tabernacle is called the whole ordering of the Church; and in both of these the just person is hidden, because in this tabernacle certain things lie hidden beneath what is manifest: the hidden things are the invisible and spiritual, where the good abide. But the wicked abide in external things: Is. 4: "The tabernacle shall be for a shade in the daytime from the heat." But what did this hiding confer? Indeed, it was necessary for me "in the day of evils," or of all those evils that then threatened. And it is similar to this: because when enemies or tribulation threatens, only those who are found within the city will be saved; so in tribulation those perish who have their affections set upon external things, because when tribulation comes regarding those things, such people are disturbed. Therefore God himself, or Christ, or the mind of the just hides: Mt. 6: "Your Father who sees in secret will repay you."

"On a rock." Here he proposes another benefit of promotion to good, and it is twofold. One of exaltation with regard to himself. The second with regard to enemies, at "Now he has exalted my head." He says therefore, "On a rock you have exalted me." According to the letter he alludes to the things that happened around him; because when he suffered persecution, he went through impassable rocks, 1 Sam. 24; but when he escaped, "then he exalted my heart above my enemies." But mystically it is explained: "On a rock he has exalted me," that is, in Christ; 1 Cor. 10: "And the rock was Christ." Or, "on a rock," that is, in God: 2 Sam. 22: "The Lord is my rock": Ps. 60: "When my heart was in anguish, on a rock you exalted me." "And now he has exalted": as if to say, I did this in hope, but now in reality. "You have exalted my head," that is, my mind, "above my enemies," that is, above all my appetites: Gen. 4: "Its desire shall be under you."

With a general strain of confidence, hope, and joy, especially in God's worship, in the midst of dangers, the Psalmist introduces prayer for divine help and guidance. (Psa 27:1-14) light--is a common figure for comfort. strength--or, "stronghold"--affording security against all violence. The interrogations give greater vividness to the negation implied.