Psalm 39:11 Kommentar

David seems to have been in a great strait when he penned this psalm, and, upon some account or other, very uneasy; for it is with some difficulty that he conquers his passion, and composes his spirit himself to take that good counsel which he had given to others (37) to rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, without fretting; for it is easier to give the good advice than to give the good example of quietness under affliction. What was the particular trouble which gave occasion for the conflict David was now in does not appear. Perhaps it was the death of some dear friend or relation that was the trial of his patience, and that suggested to him these meditations of morality; and at the same time, it should seem too, he himself was weak and ill, and under some prevailing distemper. His enemies likewise were seeking advantages against him, and watched for his halting, that they might have something to reproach him for. Thus aggrieved, I. He relates the struggle that was in his breast between grace and corruption, between passion and patience (Psa 39:1-3). II. He meditates upon the doctrine of man's frailty and mortality, and prays to God to instruct him in it (Psa 39:4-6). III. He applies to God for the pardon of his sons, the removal of his afflictions, and the lengthening out of his life till he was ready for death (Psa 39:7-13). This is a funeral psalm, and very proper for the occasion; in singing it we should get our hearts duly affected with the brevity, uncertainty, and calamitous state of human life; and those on whose comforts God has, by death, made breaches, will find this psalm of great use to them, in order to their obtaining what we ought much to aim at under such an affliction, which is to get it sanctified to us for our spiritual benefit and to get our hearts reconciled to the holy will of God in it To the chief musician, even to Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 39 To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, a Psalm of David. Some take Jeduthun to be the name of a musical instrument, as Jarchi, on which, and others the first word of a song, to the tune of which, this psalm was sung, as Aben Ezra; though it seems best, with Kimchi and others, to understand it as the name of the chief musician, to whom this psalm was sent to be made use of in public service; since Jeduthun was, with his sons, appointed by David to prophesy with harps and psalteries, and to give praise and thanks unto the Lord, Ch1 16:41; he is the same with Ethan (s). The occasion of it is thought, by some, to be the rebellion of his son Absalom; so Theodoret thinks it was written when he fled from Absalom, and was cursed by Shimei; or rather it may be some sore affliction, which lay upon David for the chastisement of him; see Psa 39:9; and the argument of the psalm seems to be much the same with that of the preceding one, as Kimchi observes. (s) Vid. Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 513, 805.

When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity,.... The psalmist illustrates his own case, before suggested, by the common case and condition of men, when God corrects them; which he has a right to do, as the Father of spirits, and which he does with rebukes; sometimes with rebukes of wrath, with furious rebukes, rebukes in flames of fire, as the men of the world; and sometimes with rebukes of love, the chastenings of a father, as his own dear children; and always for iniquity, whether one or another; and not the iniquity of Adam is here meant, but personal iniquity: and correction for it is to be understood of some bodily affliction, as the effect of it shows; thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth; that is, secretly, suddenly, and at once; as a moth eats a garment, and takes off the beauty of it; or as easily as a moth is crushed between a man's fingers; so the Targum; "he melts away as a moth, whose body is broken:'' the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, and so the metaphrase of Apollinarius, read, as a spider which destroys itself. The word rendered "beauty" takes in all that is desirable in man; as his flesh, his strength, his comeliness, his pleasantness of countenance, &c. all which are quickly destroyed by a distemper of the body seizing on it; wherefore the psalmist makes and confirms the conclusion he had made before: surely every man is vanity; See Gill on Psa 39:5; Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa 3:2.

"You with rebukes have chastened man for iniquity; You have made my life to consume away like a spider" [Psalm 39:11]. There is much that is discerned by this Idithun; by every one who discerns as he does; who overleaps as he does. For he says, that he has fainted in God's corrections; and would fain have the stroke removed away from him, "because it is He who made him." Let Him renew me, who also made me; let Him who created me, create me anew. But yet, Brethren, do we suppose that there was no cause for his fainting, so that he wishes to be "renewed," to be "created anew"? It is "for iniquity," says he, "that You have chastened man." All this, my having fainted, my being weak, my "crying out of the deep," all of this is because of "iniquity;" and in this You have not condemned, but hast "chastened" me. "You have chastened man for sin." Hear this more plainly from another Psalm: "It is good for me that You have afflicted me, that I might learn Your righteousness." I have been "afflicted," and at the same time "it is good for me;" it is at once a punishment, and an act of favour. What has He in store for us after punishment is over, who inflicts punishment itself by way of favour? For He it is of whom it was said, "I was brought low, and He made me whole:" and, "It is good for me that You have afflicted me, that I might learn Your righteousness." "You chasten man for iniquity." And that which is written, "You form my grief in teaching me," could only be said unto God by one who was "leaping beyond" his fellows; "You form my grief in teaching me;" You make, that is to say, a lesson for me out of my sorrow. It is Thou that formest that very grief itself; Thou dost not leave it unformed, but form it; and that grief, that has been inflicted by You, when formed, will be a lesson unto me, that I may be set free by You. For the word finges is used in the sense of "forming," as it were moulding, my grief; not in the sense of "feigning" it; in the same way that fingit is applied to the artist, in the same sense that figulus is derived from fingere. You therefore "have chastened man for iniquity." I see myself in afflictions; I see myself under punishment; and I see no unrighteousness in You. If I therefore am under punishment, and if there is no unrighteousness with You, it remains that You must have been "chastening man for iniquity."

I realize that all your scourging proves to be for a person’s correction and betterment; it is not as though you were indifferent to human beings in allowing them to suffer, instead preferring to improve their souls.

So this is what should concern us, being rescued from sins and attaining reconciliation with you, which results in complete resolution of problems, and not taking pains over other things, which are futile and useless for the painstaker, never bringing one an outcome for the pains or providing one with lasting benefit from the pains.

"On account of iniquity you have corrected man." This is the reason why he proposes a twofold petition: because first the cause is removed, and afterward the effect is removed. Guilt is the cause of chastisements; and therefore he says that man is chastised on account of sin. Hence he says, "You have corrected," that is, chastised man, "on account of iniquity," that is, on account of his sins. And therefore first he asks for sins to be removed, because future punishments are for damnation, but the punishments of this life are for purification, as far as they go in themselves, and are for correction. Ps. 32: "Many are the scourges of the sinner." "And you have made his soul waste away like a spider." Here is set forth the manner or limit of correction: "to waste away," that is, to dry up. It can therefore be explained corporally, when it is referred to bodily tribulation, because the moisture and richness of the body is dried up, and thus life wastes away. Job 33: "His flesh shall waste away." Likewise there: "His flesh is consumed by punishments." In another way, it can be referred to the soul. In man there is spiritually a twofold richness. One is evil, through bodily pleasures. Deut. 32: "He grew fat, and forsook God his maker." And to be dried from this richness is good; and this is what he says: "You have made to waste away," that is, you have dried up my soul like a spider, from the love of carnal things; because the spider is a hot animal and is not fat, because it makes the finest threads; so the soul, separated from carnal pleasures, clings through its affection to invisible things and produces invisible works and affections. 2 Cor. 4: "While we look not at the things which are seen," etc. Or, "to waste away," that is, to dry up from the richness of devotion, as Ps. 63 says: "Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness"; and this is a bad drying up. This happens because the soul becomes undevout and clings to sins and lacks the richness of devotion like a spider. Likewise the web of the spider is fragile, and so the thoughts of sinners are vain. Is. 59: "They have woven webs of spiders," that is, useless and vain things, "they have made." Likewise the spider emits so much of those threads that it dies; so men die spiritually on account of the sins they commit. Jas. 1: "Sin, when it is completed, begets death." And it is read thus: "His soul, being like a spider, you have made to waste away," that is, to dry up with a good drying. "Surely every man is troubled in vain." Here is the failure of correction; because although he makes them waste away in this manner, nevertheless many remain in their malice or return to evil. And that some are not troubled in vain, this is not insofar as they are men, but insofar as they are elevated by God from earthly things to the contemplation of heavenly things.

To Jeduthun (Ch1 16:41-42), one of the chief singers. His name mentioned, perhaps, as a special honor. Under depressing views of his frailty and the prosperity of the wicked, the Psalmist, tempted to murmur, checks the expression of his feelings, till, led to regard his case aright, he prays for a proper view of his condition and for the divine compassion. (Psa 39:1-13) I said--or, "resolved." will take heed--watch. ways--conduct, of which the use of the tongue is a part (Jam 1:26). bridle--literally, "muzzle for my mouth" (compare Deu 25:4). while . . . before me--in beholding their prosperity (Psa 37:10, Psa 37:36).

From his own case, he argues to that of all, that the destruction of man's enjoyments is ascribable to sin.