Psalm 35:26 Komentář

David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. I. He complains to God of the injuries they did him; they strove with him, fought against him (Psa 35:1), persecuted him (Psa 35:3), sought his ruin (Psa 35:4, Psa 35:7), accused him falsely (Psa 35:11), abused him basely (Psa 35:15, Psa 35:16), and all his friends (Psa 35:20), and triumphed over him, (Psa 35:21, Psa 35:25, Psa 35:26). II. He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provocation (Psa 35:7, Psa 35:19), but, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them (Psa 35:12-14). III. He prays to God to protect and deliver him, and appear for him (Psa 35:1, Psa 35:2), to comfort him (Psa 35:3), to be nigh to him and rescue him (Psa 35:17, Psa 35:22), to plead his cause (Psa 35:23, Psa 35:24), to defeat all the designs of his enemies against him (Psa 35:3, Psa 35:4), to disappoint their expectations of his fall (Psa 35:19, Psa 35:25, Psa 35:26), and, lastly, to countenance all his friends, and encourage them (Psa 35:27), IV. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors (Psa 35:4-6, Psa 35:8). V. He promises himself that he shall yet see better days (Psa 35:9, Psa 35:10), and promises God that he will then attend him with his praises (Psa 35:18, Psa 35:28). In singing this psalm, and praying over it, we must take heed of applying it to any little peevish quarrels and enmities of our own, and of expressing by it any uncharitable revengeful resentments of injuries done to us; for Christ has taught us to forgive our enemies and not to pray against them, but to pray for them, as he did; but, 1. We may comfort ourselves with the testimony of our consciences concerning our innocency, with reference to those that are any way injurious to us, and with hopes that God will, in his own way and time, right us, and, in the mean time, support us. 2. We ought to apply it to the public enemies of Christ and his kingdom, typified by David and his kingdom, to resent the indignities done to Christ's honour, to pray to God to plead the just and injured cause of Christianity and serious godliness, and to believe that God will, in due time, glorify his own name in the ruin of all the irreconcilable enemies of his church, that will not repent to give him glory. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 35 A Psalm of David. This psalm seems to have been written by David, when he was persecuted by Saul; and when many false charges were brought against him by his courtiers; and when he was the scorn and derision of the people; the subject of it is pretty much of the same kind with the seventh psalm, and might be written about the same time that was, and on the same occasion; and it may be applied to the church and people of God in like cases. There is a passage in it, Psa 35:19, which our Lord seems to refer to and apply to himself, Joh 15:25; and some interpret the whole of it concerning him. The Arabic version calls it a prophecy of the incarnation; though there does not appear any thing in it applicable to that.

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together,.... In a body, as one man; as they gathered together against him, Psa 35:15; so he entreats they might together be brought to shame and confusion, they not being able to execute their designs; their schemes being broken, their counsels defeated, and they exposed to contempt; that rejoice at mine hurt; the same with his adversity, or halting, Psa 35:15; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me; let them be covered with it, as a man is with a garment; who magnified themselves, opened their mouths in great swelling words of vanity against him, vaunted and bragged over him, as in their power, and at their will.

"Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour" [Psalm 35:26]; so that we may swallow up them ashamed and brought to confusion. "Who speak evil against me:" let them be ashamed, let them be brought to confusion.

Shame is fitting for those who mock their neighbor; thus the inspired author calls it down on their arrogance and boasting.

Those who are baptized into Christ put on Christ; this is justice and wisdom. Those who are baptized into Satan are clothed in confusion and shame.

One who blushes over his own acts is condemned by his own evaluation; one who is confined by the chain of embarrassment serves as his own tormentor.

"Let them blush." Here he asks for their confusion; and he asks for two things corresponding to the two aforesaid things about which insult is made: namely about things done and things to be done. First, he asks that they be confounded about evils already done. Second, that they be confounded about future ones, at "let them be clothed with confusion." First, therefore, he asks for their shame, either good confusion or eternal confusion; and he says this by way of foretelling or conformity to God. Is. 65: "My servants shall rejoice, and you shall be confounded." Second, he asks for their diffidence or fear; hence, "and let them be in awe together." Or in a good sense, as if they may begin to fear God; for initial and chaste fear is properly called reverence; and this fear leads to salvation, because, as is said in Sir. 1: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Or, may they always be in fear: Wis. 17: "Since wickedness is timid, it gives testimony of condemnation." Job 15: "The sound of terror is always in his ears." And why do these things come upon them? Because "they glory in my evils." Consequently, he asks for confusion about the future, and he asks some things in another way, because confusion is the same as shame; and just as the former can be taken in a good and a bad sense, so here confusion and reverence. But what is added, "let them be clothed with confusion," adds something. For a garment signifies a habit. Therefore, one who simply and at first fears cannot be said to have the habit of fear; but those who are confirmed in evil and desire evil: Jer. 17: "With a double crushing, crush them." And why does he ask more now for their affliction than before? Because the guilt is greater, as if they are not content with what they have done, but still devise malicious things against me. Just as the Jews, even after the death of Christ, wished to conceal his resurrection by corrupting the guards. Prov. 30: "A wicked word, vanity and lying words, remove far from me." Jerome has, "who speak malicious things against me." 1 Sam. 2: "Do not continue to speak lofty things, glorying."

The Psalmist invokes God's aid, contrasting the hypocrisy, cunning, and malice of his enemies with his integrity and generosity. The imprecations of the first part including a brief notice of their conduct, the fuller exposition of their hypocrisy and malice in the second, and the earnest prayer for deliverance from their scornful triumph in the last, are each closed (Psa 35:9-10, Psa 35:18, Psa 35:27-28) with promises of praise for the desired relief, in which his friends will unite. The historical occasion is probably 1Sa. 24:1-22. (Psa. 35:1-28) God is invoked in the character of a warrior (Exo 15:3; Deu 32:41).

clothed--covered wholly (Job 8:22).