Psalm 55:7 Komentář

It is the conjecture of many expositors that David penned this psalm upon occasion of Absalom's rebellion, and that the particular enemy he here speaks of, that dealt treacherously with him, was Ahithophel; and some will therefore make David's troubles here typical of Christ's sufferings, and Ahithophel's treachery a figure of Judas's, because they both hanged themselves. But there is nothing in it particularly applied to Christ in the New Testament. David was in great distress when he penned this psalm. I. He prays that God would manifest his favour to him, and pleads his own sorrow and fear (Psa 55:1-8). II. He prays that God would manifest his displeasure against his enemies, and pleads their great wickedness and treachery (Psa 55:9-15 and again Psa 55:20, Psa 55:21). III. He assures himself that God would, in due time, appear for him against his enemies, comforts himself with the hopes of it, and encourages others to trust in God (Psa 55:16-19 and again Psa 55:22, Psa 55:23). In singing this psalm we may, if there be occasion, apply it to our own troubles; if not, we may sympathize with those to whose case it comes nearer, foreseeing that there will be, at last, indignation and wrath to the persecutors, salvation and joy to the persecuted. To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 55 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil A Psalm of David. The occasion of this psalm was either the persecution of Saul, or the conspiracy of Absalom. Some think it was written when David understood that the inhabitants of Keilah would deliver him into the hands of Saul, Sa1 23:12; and others when the Ziphites attempted a second time to do the same, Sa1 26:1; but since a single person is spoken of that magnified himself against him, Psa 55:12; and Ahithophel seems to be designed; it may be thought rather to be written on account of Absalom's rebellion, and Ahithophel's counsel against him; who is considered by many Christian interpreters as a type of Judas, the betrayer of our Lord; and, indeed, there are many things in this psalm, if not the whole, which may be truly applied to Christ, as will be seen in the following exposition of it.

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness,.... So David did when he fled from Absalom, Sa2 15:23; so gracious souls desire to be; not in the wilderness of the people; but to be solitary as in a wilderness, clear of the company of wicked men, as Jeremiah wished for, Jer 9:2; and that they might be more at leisure for and given up unto spiritual devotion, and be secure from their enemies: and as this may be applied to Christ, it shows the wickedness, cruelty, and barbarity of the men of that generation among whom he lived; that he chose rather to be in the wilderness, among wild beasts, than to dwell among them, Mat 17:17; some apply this to the state of the primitive church under Jewish persecution, when it fled from Judea, and settled in the wilderness of the Gentiles; the preachers of the word being scattered abroad by the windy storm and tempest of persecution, and the Gospel taken from the Jews, and carried to a nation bringing forth the fruit of it, where it has remained ever since. With this may be compared the state of the church under Rome Pagan, in Rev 12:6. Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa 3:2.

As for the person who wishes to be lifted up by the hand of Christ, let him first fly away himself, let him have his own wings, for one who flees from the world has wings. And if he does not have wings of his own—and perhaps only the individual who is able to fly has them—if then he does not have his own, let him get them from the one who has them. Thus a person who flees from the world does fly. “Behold, I have gone far off flying away, and I remained in the wilderness.” Thus, David flew away like the night raven in the dwelling, like the lone sparrow in the house. Now if you apply this to Christ, he flew away in the passion of his body, so that he could protect the peoples of the nations under the shadow of his wings. He flew away from the Godhead; he remained in the body and dwelled in the desert, so that the children of the deserted wife might be more than those of her who had a husband. Therefore let us seek after Christ’s body that we also may rise again; for where the body is, there also will the eagles be.

"Behold I have gone afar fleeing, and have abode in the desert" [Psalm 55:7]. In what desert? Wherever you shall be, there will gather them together other men, the desert with you they will seek, will attach themselves to your life, you can not thrust back the society of brethren: there are mingled with you also evil men; still exercise is your due portion, "Behold I have gone afar, and have abode in the desert." In what desert? It is perchance in the conscience, whither no man enters, where no one is with you, where you are and God. For if in the desert, in any place, what will you do with men gathering themselves together? For you will not be able to be separated from mankind, so long as among men you live?

Typologically, however, the desert where John [the Baptist] remained separated from the allurements of the world designates the lives of the saints, who, whether they live as solitaries or mingled with the crowds, always reject the desires of the present world with the whole intention of their minds. They take delight in clinging only to God in the secrecy of their heart and in placing their hope in him. This solitude of mind, most dear to God, is what the prophet desired to attain with the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit when he said, “Who will give me wings as of a dove, and I will fly away and rest?” And as soon as he had secured this [solitude] by the Lord’s help, he gave thanks, and as though reviling the entanglements of ordinary earthly desires, he continued, “Behold, I have withdrawn afar in flight, and I have remained in solitude.”

"Behold, I went far away, fleeing." Here his disposition for contemplation is set forth. And first he shows what he avoided. Second, what he observed. He avoided the impediments to contemplation, which are principally two: namely, the preoccupation with earthly things and with sin. And these two are to be avoided in two ways: namely, swiftly and efficaciously. Swiftly, so as not to delay; and therefore it should be done immediately. Hence he says, "fleeing." Sir. 21: "Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent." Zech. 2: "Flee, flee from the land of the north." Efficaciously, so that not only the acts of sin but also the occasions of sin are avoided. And therefore he says, "I went far away"; as if to say: I abandoned all occasions of sin. Gen. 19: "Do not stay in all the surrounding region."

"And I remained in solitude." Sometimes someone remains in solitude of place, because he remains there bodily; sometimes in mind, because even among crowds he thinks of the things of God. Hos. 2: "I will lead her into the wilderness." Lam. 3: "He will sit alone." And these things, according to the Gloss, are explained differently so as to refer to Christ, who has wings on account of charity and flew from the Jews and rested among the Gentiles, went far from the Jews and remained in the faith of the Gentiles, which was a kind of wilderness.

In great terror on account of enemies, and grieved by the treachery of a friend, the Psalmist offers an earnest prayer for relief. He mingles confident assurances of divine favor to himself with invocations and predictions of God's avenging judgments on the wicked. The tone suits David's experience, both in the times of Saul and Absalom, though perhaps neither was exclusively before his mind. (Psa. 55:1-23) hide not thyself, &c.--(compare Psa 13:1; Psa 27:9), withhold not help.

Even a wilderness is a safer place than exposure to such evils, terrible as storm and tempest.