Psalm 59:9 Komentář

This psalm is of the same nature and scope with six or seven foregoing psalms; they are all filled with David's complaints of the malice of his enemies and of their cursed and cruel designs against him, his prayers and prophecies against them, and his comfort and confidence in God as his God. The first is the language of nature, and may be allowed; the second of a prophetical spirit, looking forward to Christ and the enemies of his kingdom, and therefore not to be drawn into a precedent; the third of grace and a most holy faith, which ought to be imitated by every one of us. In this psalm, I. He prays to God to defend and deliver him from his enemies, representing them as very bad men, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical (Psa 59:1-7). II. He foresees and foretels the destruction of his enemies, which he would give to God the glory of (Psa 59:8-17). As far as it appears that any of the particular enemies of God's people fall under these characters, we may, in singing this psalm, read their doom and foresee their ruin. To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 59 To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. The history of Saul's sending messengers to watch the house of David, and to kill him when he rose in the morning, is in Sa1 19:11; which was the occasion of his writing this psalm; though the title of the Syriac version of it is, "David said or composed this, when he heard that the priests were slain by Saul:'' and in the same is added, "but unto us it declares the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith, and the rejection of the Jews.'' And which perhaps is designed in Psa 59:5; and some interpreters are of opinion that the whole psalm is to be understood of Christ, of whom David was a type, especially in his sufferings; and there are some things in it which better agree with him than with David, as particularly his being without sin, Psa 59:3.

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee,.... Either because of the strength of Saul, who was stronger than David, he determined to wait upon the Lord for salvation and deliverance from him; or because of the strength of the Lord, which he expected from him, and therefore would wait upon him for it. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and also the Chaldee paraphrase, render the words, "my strength will I keep for thee"; or "with thee". I ascribe all my strength unto thee; I expect every supply of it from thee, and put my trust and confidence in thee for it: so did Christ as man, and had strength from the Lord, according to his promise, Isa 50:7; and so every believer, Isa 14:24; for God is my defence; or "my high refuge"; or "high tower" (w); see Psa 9:9; where he was defended and exalted, as is petitioned Psa 59:1; and was safe and secure from every enemy. (w) "vice arcis sublimis", Tigurine version; Vatablus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis, all to the same purport.

Therefore, it is good for a person to say truthfully and with the full strength of his free will, "I will provide you with my strength," because the man who thought he could keep it without the help of him who gave it went abroad into a far country and wasted his substance, living riotously. But, worn down by the wretchedness of a harsh slavery, he returned to himself and said, "I will arise and go to my father." But how could he have had this good thought if the most merciful Father had not whispered it to him in secret? It was because he understood this that the minister of the New Testament said, "Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." Consequently, when the psalmist also had said, "I will provide you with my strength," lest he should attribute to himself the fact that he was keeping it, and as if he recalled to mind that "except the Lord keep the city, they watch in vain that keep it," and that "he shall neither slumber nor sleep that keeps Israel," he added the reason of his being able to keep it, or, rather, the guard by whom it is kept and said, "For you, O God, are my protector."

There remains the Pelagians’ second act of wickedness, because they posit free will to such a degree in human strength that they think that they by themselves, apart from the grace of God, can conceive of some good or do it. But if this were the case, why would the prophet say, “O my God, his mercy will precede me”? When you hear that you were preceded by the mercy of the Lord, one is given to understand that nothing of yours preceded God’s mercy. In another psalm he also says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it.” Again he says, “The steps of a person are directed by the Lord and he delights exceedingly in his way.” In another place the psalmist also attests, “The Lord raises up those who have been broken; the Lord loosens those who have been shackled; the Lord gives light to the blind.” When you hear that the Lord goes before, builds, directs and raises up, unbinds and illumines without any preceeding merits, what of your own do you recognize that you have begun except only that by which you are rightly damned for your haughtiness?… But you interpret these words and others similar to them with the most evil intention, namely, in order that you may believe that people take the beginning of their good will from their own powers and afterwards receive the help of grace, so that (it is wrong for this even to be uttered!) we are the cause of his kindness rather than he being the cause of his own kindness.

In order not to falter in good works, we ought always to rely for support on the help of the one who says, “For without me you can do nothing.” Hence in order to express the fact that the start of faith and good action is given to us by the Lord, the psalmist properly says, “My God, his mercy goes before me.” Again, in order to teach that the good things we do must be accomplished with his assistance, he says, “And your mercy follows after me all the days of my life.” In order to show that the prize of eternal life rendered for good works is bestowed on us freely, he says, “Who crowns you in compassion and mercy.” He crowns us indeed in mercy and compassion when he repays us with the reward of heavenly blessedness for the good works that he himself has mercifully granted us to carry out.

See on Psa 57:1, title, and for history, Sa1 19:11, &c. The scope is very similar to that of the fifty-seventh: prayer in view of malicious and violent foes, and joy in prospect of relief. (Psa. 59:1-17) defend me--(Compare Margin). rise up . . . me--(Compare Psa 17:7).

By judicious expositors, and on good grounds, this is better rendered, "O my strength, on Thee will I wait" (Psa 59:17). defence--(Compare Psa 18:3).