Psalm 27:6 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.

And now shall mine head be lifted up,.... That is, when brought into the house of the Lord, hid in the secret of his tabernacle, and set upon the rock Christ; by this phrase he means, either that he should be then restored to his former happy and comfortable condition, as it is used in Gen 40:13; or that he should overcome all his enemies, and triumph over them, being exalted, as he adds, above mine enemies round about me; so that not only they should not be able to come at him, but should be subdued under him; therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy: attended with shouting and sounding of trumpets: in allusion to the blowing of trumpets at the time of sacrifice, Num 10:10; Sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, with a joyful heart, for mercies received, offered up publicly in the house of the Lord, are here intended; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord; for whom praise waits in Zion, to whom it is due; he being the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, and the author and giver of all blessings, temporal and spiritual.

"On a rock has He exalted me." And that what I believed might be made manifest for salvation, He has made my confession to be conspicuous in His own strength. "And now, lo! He has exalted mine head above mine enemies" [Psalm 27:6]. What does He reserve for me at the last, when even now the body is dead because of sin, lo! I feel that my mind serves the law of God, and is not led captive under the rebellious law of sin? "I have gone about, and have sacrificed in His tabernacle the sacrifice of rejoicing." I have considered the circuit of the world, believing on Christ; and in that for us God was humbled in time, I have praised Him with rejoicing: for with such sacrifice He is well pleased. "I will sing and give praises to the Lord." In heart and in deed I will be glad in the Lord.

God takes more satisfaction in the praise in these sacrifices than in the slaughter of animals.

The Lord Christ is the head of all the saints, in himself always remaining equal and indivisible, to be sure, but distributing the grace of his Spirit to each one of those who are elect, according to their capacity for receiving. For this reason, not only to the whole church in general but also to each of its members in particular is it permissible to proclaim with confidence that prophetic [word]: “And now he has lifted up my head above my enemies.”

"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."

"I went around." Here the recompense for the benefit is presented; and he sets forth two things. First, sacrifice, and "he offered." Second, a canticle. According to Jerome, it is connected with the preceding: "above my enemies, and they are round about us." "I went around," that is, I stood about offering devout prayers for them: Ps. 108: "Instead of loving me, they detracted from me," etc. Sir. 50: "And he, standing around the altar," etc. Likewise, it belongs to a valiant soldier to go around and protect the camp, as it is said of Judah in 1 Macc. 3: "He protected the camp with his sword"; hence "I went around," that is, I protected. Or, this going around refers to contemplation. A circle has two properties among other figures. One is that it is more capacious than others. The other is that it is entirely uniform without an angle, and this befits contemplation. First, as to its capacity, because one is then said to go around contemplating when he contemplates all things that are to be considered; hence he says, "I went around," that is, I considered all your gifts and the benefits of the Church. Blessed Dionysius posited a threefold motion: namely circular, straight, and oblique. By the straight motion something always moves non-uniformly, because it always has a different distance; and therefore in contemplation the motion is straight when one moves from one thing to another considering the course of things. By circular motion one moves in contemplation when the conception of the soul is uniform; and then it is called circular, when it draws the soul back from things. And first it is gathered into itself, then it is united to spiritual things, and then it ascends to the contemplation of the one God. Oblique motion is composed of both: when one proceeds from the consideration of creatures but orders this toward the consideration of God. And therefore he says, "I went around," as to uniformity: Ezek. 1: "This was the appearance of the splendor round about." "And I offered." Now there is a twofold sacrifice: namely the interior, by which a person gives his mind to God. Ps. 50: "A sacrifice to God" (that is, acceptable to God) "is a troubled spirit." And every exterior sacrifice is ordered to represent that interior one; hence Augustine says: when you offer this exterior thing, it is to represent your mind to God. But because every representation is made through certain signs, among which words hold the first place, therefore among sacrifices the sacrifice of praise seems to have preeminence: Ps. 49: "The sacrifice of praise shall honor me"; hence he says, "I offered in his tabernacle a victim," not of cattle, but rather "a victim of jubilation," that is, of divine praise. And with this jubilation "I will sing" to you, namely a canticle, both of joy of mind and of uprightness of work: Ps. 107: "My heart is ready." "I will sing"; as if to say, I have a heart ready to serve you with joy of mind: Ps. 99: "Serve the Lord with gladness."

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.

head be lifted up--I shall be placed beyond the reach of my enemies. Hence he avows his purpose of rendering joyful thank offerings.

With ועתּה the poet predicts inferentially (cf. Psa 2:10) the fulfilment of what he fervently desires, the guarantee of which lies in his very longing itself. זבחי תּרוּעה do not mean sacrifices in connection with which the trumpets are blown by the priests; for this was only the case in connection with the sacrifices of the whole congregation (Num 10:10), not with those of individuals. תּרוּעה is a synonym of תּודה, Psa 26:7; and זבחי תּרוּעה is a stronger form of expression for זבחי תודה (Psa 107:22), i.e., (cf. זבחי צדק, Psa 4:6; 51:21) sacrifices of jubilant thanksgiving: he will offer sacrifices in which his gratitude plays a prominent part, and will sing songs of thanksgiving, accompanied by the playing of stringed instruments, to his Deliverer, who has again and so gloriously verified His promises.