Psalm 79:9 Kommentar

This psalm, if penned with any particular event in view, is with most probability made to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the woeful havoc made of the Jewish nation by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. It is set to the same tune, as I may say, with the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and that weeping prophet borrows two verses out of it (Psa 79:6, Psa 79:7) and makes use of them in his prayer, Jer 10:25. Some think it was penned long before by the spirit of prophecy, prepared for the use of the church in that cloudy and dark day. Others think that it was penned then by the spirit of prayer, either by a prophet named Asaph or by some other prophet for the sons of Asaph. Whatever the particular occasion was, we have here, I. A representation of the very deplorable condition that the people of God were in at this time (Psa 79:1-5). II. A petition to God for succour and relief, that their enemies might be reckoned with (Psa 79:6, Psa 79:7, Psa 79:10, Psa 79:12), that their sins might be pardoned (Psa 79:8, Psa 79:9), and that they might be delivered (Psa 79:11). III. A plea taken from the readiness of his people to praise him (Psa 79:13). In times of the church's peace and prosperity this psalm may, in the singing of it, give us occasion to bless God that we are not thus trampled on and insulted. But it is especially seasonable in a day of treading down and perplexity, for the exciting of our desires towards God and the encouragement of our faith in him as the church's patron. A psalm of Asaph.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 79 A Psalm of Asaph. This psalm was not written by one Asaph, who is supposed to live after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, or, according to some, even after the times of Antiochus, of whom there is no account, nor any certainty that there ever was such a man in those times; but by Asaph, the seer and prophet, that lived in the time of David, who, under a prophetic spirit, foresaw and foretold things that should come to pass, spoken of in this psalm: nor is it any objection that what is here said is delivered as an history of facts, since many prophecies are delivered in this way, especially those of the prophet Isaiah. The Targum is, "a song by the hands of Asaph, concerning the destruction of the house of the sanctuary (or temple), which he said by a spirit of prophecy.'' The title of the Syriac versions, "said by Asaph concerning the destruction of Jerusalem.'' The argument of the psalm is of the same kind with the Seventy Fourth. Some refer it to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes; so Theodoret; but though the temple was then defiled, Jerusalem was not utterly destroyed; and others to the destruction of the city and temple by Nebuchadnezzar; and why may it not refer to both, and even to the after destruction of both by Titus Vespasian? and may include the affliction and troubles of the Christians under Rome Pagan and Papal, and especially the latter; for Jerusalem and the temple may be understood in a mystical and spiritual sense; at least the troubles of the Jews, in the times referred to, were typical of what should befall the people of God under the New Testament, and in antichristian times.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name,.... Help us out of the troubles in which we are; enable us to bear them with patience, and without murmuring, while it is thy pleasure to continue them; assist us against our powerful enemies, and strengthen us to do our duty; afford us more grace, and fresh supplies of it in our time of need: the arguments enforcing these petitions are, because God is "the God of salvation", to whom it belongs, of whom it is, and of him only to be expected; he is the sole author and giver of it; and because to help and save is for the glory of his name, which is great in the salvation of his people: and deliver us; out of the hands of all our enemies, and out of all our afflictions, and out of this low estate in which we are: and purge away our sins for thy name's sake; which were the cause of all calamities and distress, and which can only be purged away by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, Heb 1:3, the word signifies to "expiate" (i) sin, or atone for it; which was the work and business of Christ our High Priest, who has made reconciliation for sin, finished, made an end of it, and put it away by the oblation of himself, for the sake of which God is propitious; and so the words may be rendered, "be propitious to our sins" (k): or merciful to our unrighteousnesses, for the sake of Christ the great propitiation; or through the propitiatory sacrifice to be offered up by him; or, in other words, "cover our sins" (l); which is also the sense of the phrase, that they may be seen no more; pardon and forgive them for Christ's sake; see Psa 32:1. (i) "expiationem fac", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis. (k) "Propitiare", Pagninus, Montanus; "propitius esto", V. L. Musculus; so Tigurine version. (l) metaph. "texit", Amama.

Therefore there follows, "Help us, O God, our healing One" [Psalm 79:9]. By this word which he says, "our healing One," he does sufficiently explain what sort of poverty he has willed to be understood, in that which he had said, "for we have become exceeding poor." For it is that very sickness, to which a healer is necessary. But while he would have us to be aided, he is neither ungrateful to grace, nor does he take away free-will. For he that is aided, does also of himself something. He has added also, "for the glory of Your Name, O Lord, deliver us:" in order that he who glories, not in himself, but in the Lord may glory. [1 Corinthians 1:31] "And be merciful," he says, "to our sins for Your Name's sake:" not for our sake. For what else do our sins deserve, but due and condign punishments? But "be merciful to our sins, for Your Name's sake." Thus then You deliver us, that is, rescue us from evil things, while You both aid us to do justice, and art merciful to our sins, without which in this life we are not. For "in Your sight shall no man living be justified." But sin is iniquity. And "if You shall have marked iniquities, who shall stand?"

There, at last, gaze on "In the beginning was the Word." The Word was not, you see, made at some time or other; but it just was in the beginning. Not like creation, of which it is said, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth." As for the Word that was in the beginning, there was no time when it was not. So this that "was in the beginning, and was the Word with God, and the Word itself was God; and all things were made through him, and without him was nothing made"; and in him "what was made is life." This Word came to us. To whom? To us as worthy? Perish the thought! No, but to us as unworthy. After all, "Christ died for the ungodly," and the unworthy, while being worthy himself. We were unworthy, you see, for him to have pity on; but he was worthy to take pity on us, to be told, "Because of your pity, Lord, deliver us." Not because of any previous merits of ours, but "because of your pity, Lord, deliver us; and be lenient with our sins, because of your name," not because of our merit. Obviously, not because of the merit of our sins, but "because of your name." I mean, the merit of our sins, of course, is not reward but revenge. So therefore, "because of your name."

Shoshannim--"Lilies" (see on Psa 45:1, title). Eduth--Testimony, referring to the topic as a testimony of God to His people (compare Psa 19:7). This Psalm probably relates to the captivity of the ten tribes, as the former to that of Judah. Its complaint is aggravated by the contrast of former prosperity, and the prayer for relief occurs as a refrain through the Psalm. (Psa. 80:1-19) Joseph--for Ephraim (Ch1 7:20-29; Psa 78:67; Rev 7:8), for Israel. Shepherd--(Compare Gen 49:24). leadest, &c.-- (Psa 77:20). dwellest . . . cherubim-- (Exo 25:20); the place of God's visible glory, whence He communed with the people (Heb 9:5). shine forth--appear (Psa 50:2; Psa 94:1).

for . . . glory of thy name [and for] thy name's sake--both mean for illustrating Thy attributes, faithfulness, power, &c. purge . . . sins--literally, "provide atonement for us." Deliverance from sin and suffering, for their good and God's glory, often distinguish the prayers of Old Testament saints (compare Eph 1:7).

The victory of the world is indeed not God's aim; therefore His own honour does not suffer that the world of which He has made use in order to chasten His people should for ever haughtily triumph. שׁמך is repeated with emphasis at the end of the petition in Psa 79:9, according to the figure epanaphora. על־דּבר = למען, as in Psa 45:5, cf. Psa 7:1, is a usage even of the language of the Pentateuch. Also the motive, "wherefore shall they say?" occurs even in the Tפra (Exo 32:12, cf. Num 14:13-17; Deu 9:28). Here (cf. Psa 115:2) it originates out of Joe 2:17. The wish expressed in Psa 79:10 is based upon Deu 32:43. The poet wishes in company with his contemporaries, as eye-witnesses, to experience what God has promised in the early times, viz., that He will avenge the blood of His servants. The petition in Deu 32:11 runs like Psa 102:21, cf. Psa 18:7. אסיר individualizingly is those who are carried away captive and incarcerated; בּני תמוּתה are those who, if God does not preserve them by virtue of the greatness (גדל, cf. גּדל Exo 15:16) of His arm, i.e., of His far-reaching omnipotence, succumb to the power of death as to a patria potestas. (Note: The Arabic has just this notion in an active application, viz., benı̂ el-môt = the heroes (destroyers) in the battle.) That the petition in Psa 79:12 recurs to the neighbouring peoples is explained by the fact, that these, who might most readily come to the knowledge of the God of Israel as the one living and true God, have the greatest degree of guilt on account of their reviling of God. The bosom is mentioned as that in which one takes up and holds that which is handed to him (Luk 6:38); חיק- (על) אל (שׁלּם) השׁיב, as in Isa 65:7, Isa 65:6; Jer 32:18. A sevenfold requital (cf. Gen 4:15, Gen 4:24) is a requital that is fully carried out as a criminal sentence, for seven is the number of a completed process.