Psalm 31:12 Kommentar

It is probable that David penned this psalm when he was persecuted by Saul; some passages in it agree particularly to the narrow escapes he had, at Keilah (Sa1 23:13), then in the wilderness of Maon, when Saul marched on one side of the hill and he on the other, and, soon after, in the cave in the wilderness of En-gedi; but that it was penned upon any of those occasions we are not told. It is a mixture of prayers, and praises, and professions of confidence in God, all which do well together and are helpful to one another. I. David professes his cheerful confidence in God, and, in that confidence, prays for deliverance out of his present troubles (Psa 31:1-8). II. He complains of the very deplorable condition he was in, and, in the sense of his calamities, still prays that God would graciously appear for him against his persecutors (Psa 31:9-18). III. He concludes the psalm with praise and triumph, giving glory to God, and encouraging himself and others to trust in him (Psa 31:19-24). To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 31 To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm, according to Arama, was composed by David when in Keilah; but, according to Kimchi and others, when the Ziphites proposed to deliver him up into the hands of Saul; and who, upon their solicitations, came down and surrounded him with his army, from whom in haste he made his escape, and to which he is thought to refer in Psa 31:22. Theodoret supposes it was written by David when he fled from Absalom, and that it has some respect in it to his sin against Uriah, in that verse.

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind,.... Either by his friends, being out of sight, out of mind; as even the nearest relations and acquaintance are, in process of time, when dead, Ecc 9:5; or by the Lord; which shows the weakness of his faith, the uncomfortable frame he was in, through darkness and desertion; see Psa 88:5; I am like a broken vessel; or a "perishing vessel" (c); or "a vessel of perdition" (d): the Septuagint version renders it "a lost vessel" (e); one entirely useless, wholly lost, and irrecoverably so; like a broken vessel, which can never be put together again, Isa 30:14; a most sad apprehension he had of himself, as if his case was desperate, and he a vessel of wrath; compare with this, Rom 9:22. (c) "sicut vas periens", Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus. (d) So Ainsworth. (e) V. L. Pagninus, Musculus, Piscator.

"I have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart" [Psalm 31:12]. And they have forgotten me, as if I were dead from their hearts. "I have become as a lost vessel." I have seemed to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to join themselves unto me.

Everyone has given me up for lost, he is saying, like a vessel mislaid or a corpse occupying a tomb. He brought out the degree of forgetfulness by reference to the worthless vessel: just as when lost it vanishes from the memory of the losers for reason of its worthlessness, he is saying, so too am I in their estimation like someone nonexistent and have become deserving of no esteem.

Those who do not believe the Scriptures at all saw the Lord fixed on the cross and walked away from his divinity, anticipating that their expectation was ended by this death. Likewise heretics, who hear the divine Scriptures in the church and who see miracles, walk away from the church to hear wicked proclamations, fleeing from the truth in which they have little tolerance to continue on.… “A ruined vessel” is one that is broken and without purpose, and so it is always thrown away. So also Jesus, when he died, was considered by unbelievers to be like a broken vessel that should be thrown away. How could it be said more humbly than that the almighty Majesty be compared to fragile jars? But consider that it was those who were mad who thought about Christ this way. But there always existed in him a unique omnipotence and an amazing divine fullness.

Then he introduces the example: "I have become," and so on. "I have become as a vessel that is destroyed," that is, useless, which no one cares about. Jer. 51: "He has made me as an empty vessel; he has swallowed me up as a dragon," and so on. Third, the proof; and concerning this he does two things. First, he introduces the contempt; second, the persecution he suffers, at "When they assembled together." He says therefore, "I have become a reproach," because "I have heard the reproach" from my men. Jer. 20: "I heard the reproaches of many," and so on. "Round about." Augustine says: sometimes Christians sin, and unbelievers do not say, "the wicked do this," but "Christians do this." And if religious sin, likewise. And he says "round about," because they do not enter into the consideration of the truth; because then they would say, "wicked Christians do this." Ps. 11: "The wicked walk round about."

"Above." The prophet, assigning his exterior tribulation, has proposed sorrows against pleasures, poverty against riches; here he sets forth reproaches against the honors of the world. Concerning this he does three things. First, he proposes the confusion he suffers; second, he introduces a similitude: "I have become as a vessel that is destroyed"; third, a proof: "Because I have heard." Concerning the first he does three things, according to the threefold degree found among those who despise others. For some openly inflict reproaches; some avoid his company; and some completely forget him, and this pertains to contempt, because no one forgets what he does not despise. First, therefore, he sets forth the first and says, "Above all my enemies," and so on. Jerome has: "Among all my foes I have become a reproach to my neighbors exceedingly"; as if to say, not only to my enemies have I become a reproach, but also to my neighbors. And these are the words of Christ on behalf of the Church. The neighbors of the Church are those who have not yet been converted but propose to convert. And he says "a reproach" on account of punishment and on account of guilt. And it is expounded according to both, so that Christ says on behalf of the Church: "I have become a reproach" because of the punishments of the martyrs. And this "above all enemies," because the saints endured more shameful punishments than robbers. 1 Cor. 4: "We are made a spectacle," and so on. Likewise, on account of guilt, in the Church there are certain sinners and persons of wicked life, so that because of them the Church is contemptible among those who ought to come to it. And rightly, "above all enemies," because their life appears more shameful than that of unbelievers. Ezek. 5: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations," and so on. Likewise, Ezek. 16: "You have justified your sisters in all your abominations," and so on. Likewise, as to the second, no one joins himself to him; hence he says, "A fear to my acquaintances," that is, to my neighbors, who fear to approach me, either on account of the punishments I suffer, or on account of the wicked life of bad Christians. And the sign of this he adds: "Those who saw me," that is, who considered such reproaches of guilt and punishment, "fled from me outside," because they refused to be converted. Job 6: "My brothers have passed by me as a torrent." Ps. 87: "You have put my acquaintances far from me." The third is forgetfulness. And this is what he says, "I am given over to oblivion." But because a man, however much he loves someone, after death consigns him to oblivion, therefore he says, "As one dead." Ps. 87: "Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchers, whom you remember no more." These are referred to Christ in his own person, because he was made a reproach. Ps. 68: "For your sake I have borne reproach; confusion has covered my face." Likewise, fear, because the disciples fled. Likewise, "given over to oblivion," because "we had hoped that he was the one who would redeem Israel," Lk. 24.

The prayer of a believer in time of deep distress. In the first part, cries for help are mingled with expressions of confidence. Then the detail of griefs engrosses his attention, till, in the assurance of strong but submissive faith, he rises to the language of unmingled joyful trust and exhorts others to like love and confidence towards God. (Psa. 31:1-24) Expresses the general tone of feeling of the Psalm.

he is forgotten as one dead, and contemned as a useless broken vessel.