Psalm 31:18 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.

Let the lying lips be put to silence,.... Being convicted of the lies told by them, and so silenced and confounded; or being cut off and destroyed, as all such will be in the Lord's own time, Psa 12:3. It is very likely the psalmist may have respect either to Doeg the Edomite, who loved lying rather than righteousness; or to others that were about Saul, who lying said to him that David sought his harm, even to take away his kingdom and his life, Psa 52:3; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous; meaning himself; not that he thought himself righteous in the sight of God by any righteousness of his own, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him; see Psa 143:2. Though he may have regard here to the righteousness of his cause before men, and assert himself righteous, as he might with respect to the "grievous things", the hard and lying speeches, which were spoken against him, in a proud, haughty, and contemptuous manner. And it is no unusual thing for such false charges to be brought against righteous men; nay, such hard speeches were spoken by ungodly men against Jesus Christ the righteous himself, Jde 1:15. The Targum interprets it of "reproaches".

"Let the deceitful lips be made dumb" [Psalm 31:18]. In making known to the peoples Your mysteries wrought in me, strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent falsehood of me. "Which speak iniquity against the Righteous, in pride and contempt." Which speak iniquity against Christ, in their pride and contempt of Him as a crucified man.

One who speaks falsely receives mercy when he becomes silent. He gives up deceit.

Second, when he adds, "Who speak," he assigns a threefold sin of theirs, and especially of the mouth, which is aggravated by three things: namely, the person against whom it is said, what is said, and its root. As to the first he says, "Against the just one," which is worse than if against a sinner; as if to say, those lips will be struck dumb which now speak; concerning what they say, because they speak injustice and falsehood: Ps. 35: "The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit." From their root, because something is sometimes said against a just man out of ignorance and deception; but if it proceeds from a wicked root, then it is evil. And this wicked root is twofold: namely, pride and abuse: Prov. 2: "Where there has been pride, there will also be reproach." Likewise, they abuse the goods given to them, because these were given so that they might be humbled, and instead they are puffed up. Jerome has, "And contempt," because they foolishly despise others. And this is abuse, because they do not treat the just man as they ought, by despising him.

Then he prays against his enemies when he says, "Let them be put to shame." And first he sets forth his petition. Second, he assigns their merit, at "Who speak." And note that this prayer is to be understood more in the manner of a prediction than of a prayer; as if to say, "Let them be put to shame," conforming his will to divine justice. Against the first he sets forth three things that will come upon them: because at the judgment they will be confounded; hence he says, "Let them be put to shame." For he will say, Mt. 25: "I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat," and so on, because their conscience will reprove them: Is. 1: "You shall be ashamed of the gardens that you have chosen, when you shall be," and so on. Second, they will be sent into eternal punishment; and this is what he says, "And let them be brought down to hell": Ps. 48: "Like sheep they are laid in hell; death shall feed upon them." Third, they will be struck dumb; hence he says, "Let deceitful lips be made dumb": Ps. 106: "All iniquity shall stop its mouth." But against this: rather, they will be speaking: Rev. 16: "They blasphemed God," and so on. Likewise, they will groan: Wis. 5: "Groaning for anguish of spirit, and saying," and so on. I respond: it must be said that they will be struck dumb from words of pride and of injury inflicted on the saints.

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.