Salmi 28:5 Commento

The former part of this psalm is the prayer of a saint militan and now in distress (Psa 28:1-3), to which is added the doom of God's implacable enemies (Psa 28:4, Psa 28:5). The latter part of the psalm is the thanksgiving of a saint triumphant, and delivered out of his distresses (Psa 28:6-8), to which is added a prophetical prayer for all God's faithful loyal subjects (Psa 28:9). So that it is hard to say which of these two conditions David was in when he penned it. Some think he was now in trouble seeking God, but at the same time preparing to praise him for his deliverance, and by faith giving him thanks for it, before it was wrought. Others think he was now in triumph, but remembered, and recorded for his own and others' benefit, the prayers he made when he was in affliction, that the mercy might relish the better, when it appeared to be an answer to them. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 28 A Psalm of David. This psalm, Aben Ezra says, David either composed himself, or one of the singers for him; the former seems most likely; and it might be made by him when he was persecuted by Saul, or when delivered from him; or at least when he had faith and hope that he should be delivered: the psalm consists of two parts, petitions and thanksgivings.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord,.... Neither the work of creation, as if there was no first cause of all things; nor the work of Providence, taking no notice either of the judgments or of the mercies of God; as though they believed that God had forsaken the earth, and would do neither good nor evil; and still less the work of redemption, which in covenant, promise, and prophecy, was appointed for the Messiah to work out; and as for the work of the Spirit of God upon the soul, they had no notion of that, of the nature and necessity of it; the things of the Spirit of God being foolishness to them, and undiscernible by them; see Isa 5:12. Perhaps the psalmist may have some regard to his being anointed by Samuel, according to the will of God, and to the victory which he obtained over Goliath, and over others, which justly gained him great esteem among some, and created envy in others; and also the wonderful protection of him from time to time; the Chaldee paraphrase is, "because they do not understand the law of the Lord". It follows, nor the operation of his hands; in which his hand was so very apparent, that nothing less could be said than that this was the finger of God; wherefore, he shall destroy them, and not build them up; that is, they shall be irrecoverably lost; they shall be punished with everlasting destruction; there will be no help or remedy for them: some (s) understand this as a prayer, that God would destroy them in such a manner, and render it, "let him destroy them", &c. (t). (s) Kimchi in loc. Vid. Aben Ezram in loc. (t) "destruat eos", Vatablus; so the Arabic version.

"For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord" [Psalm 28:5]. And whence is it clear that this has befallen them? From this forsooth, "for they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord." This very thing, in truth, has been, even now, their recompense, that in Him whom they tempted with malicious intent as a Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent Him in the Flesh. "And the works of His hands." Nor be moved by those visible works, which are laid out before their very eyes. "You shall destroy them, and not build them up." Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor again in their endeavour to raise engines against My Church, let them anything avail.

"Because they did not understand the works of the Lord, the works of his hands," etc. Above the Psalmist set forth the punishment due to the wicked and its equity; here next he sets forth the perpetuity of this punishment: and he does two things in this verse. First he touches on the irreparability of the punishment; second, the cause. It should be known that man frequently sins, and from this incurs the liability of punishment; but since through many works of divine justice a man is provoked to fear, and through works of mercy he is provoked to hope, he sometimes turns to repentance and is healed; but if he becomes hardened in sin through habit and loses understanding, there is no hope of salvation. Job 4: "Because no one understands, they shall perish forever." Is. 6: "Blind the heart of this people," etc. And therefore he sets forth as the cause of irreparable punishment the lack of understanding. It should be noted that not every work is a work of the hands, but exterior works are: some works are also interior. So too in God, some are spiritual things which he works in us. Is. 26: "All our works you have worked in us, O Lord." Some are bodily, such as the heavens. So too the spiritual works of Christ are the salvation of the faithful: but the bodily works are miracles. Jn. 5: "The works that I do bear witness to me." And therefore he says, "Because they did not understand the works of the Lord," namely the spiritual works, "and the works of his hands," namely the bodily works, "you shall destroy them, and you shall not build them up." And this refers to a twofold destruction: namely, spiritual; because they were destroyed by their fall from the faith, though not from the knowledge of God. Ps. 58: "Scatter them by your power, and bring them down," etc. But those who are so destroyed are sometimes rebuilt, as Peter was; and so these too are rebuilt, or will be rebuilt until the end of the world. Rom. 11: "Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the nations should come in, and so all Israel shall be saved." Or it refers to bodily destruction: because they were destroyed by the Romans and were never rebuilt, nor will they ever be rebuilt: or they were destroyed by the Babylonians and restored by the Persians: or destroyed by Antiochus and restored by the Romans; but finally so destroyed by the Romans that they were never rebuilt.

An earnest cry for divine aid against his enemies, as being also those of God, is followed by the Psalmist's praise in assurance of a favorable answer, and a prayer for all God's people. (Psa 28:1-9) my rock-- (Psa 18:2, Psa 18:31). be not silent to me--literally, "from me," deaf or inattentive. become like them, &c.--share their fate. go down into the pit--or, "grave" (Psa 30:3).

Disregard of God's judgments brings a righteous punishment. destroy . . . build . . . up--The positive strengthened by the negative form.