시편 39:3 주석

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.

My heart was hot within me,.... Either with zeal for God; or rather with envy at the prosperity of wicked men, and with impatience at his own afflictions; while I was musing the fire burned; not the fire of the divine word, while he was meditating upon it, which caused his heart to burn within him; nor the fire of divine love, the coals whereof give a most vehement flame, when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart, and the thoughts of it are directed by the Spirit of God to dwell in meditation on it; but the fire of passion, anger, and resentment, while meditating on his own adversity, and the prosperity of others; then spake I with my tongue; and so broke the resolution he had made, Psa 39:1; he spoke not for God, though to him; not by way of thankfulness for his grace and goodness to him, in supporting him under his exercises; but in a way of complaint, because of his afflictions; it was in prayer he spoke to God with his tongue, and it was unadvisedly with his lips, as follows.

In the Gospel it was written, after the Lord spoke to Cleopas, “Was not our heart burning within us when he opened the Scriptures to us?” Where will you burn? Where will “the coals of fire” be found in you who are never set on fire by the declaration of the Lord, never inflamed by the words of the Holy Spirit? Hear also … David … saying, “My heart burned within me, and in my meditation fire became inflamed.” From where do you glow? Where is the fire kindled in you?

"And while I was musing, the fire burned" [Psalm 39:3]....I reflected on the words of my Lord, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, you ought to have put My money to the exchangers, and I at My coming should receive it again with usury." [Matthew 25:26-27] And that which follows may God avert from those who are His stewards! Bind him hand and foot, and let him be cast into outer darkness; [Matthew 25:30] the servant, who was not a waster of his master's goods, so as to destroy them, but was slothful in laying them out to improve them. What ought they to expect, who have wasted them in luxury, if they are condemned who through slothfulness have kept them? "As I was musing, the fire burned." And as he was in this state of wavering suspense, between speaking and holding his peace, between those who are prepared to cavil and those who are anxious to be instructed,...in this state of suspense, he prays for a better place, a place different from this his present stewardship, in which man is in such difficulty and in such danger, and sighing after a certain "end," when he was not to be subject to these things, when the Lord is to say to the faithful dispenser, "Enter thou into the joy of your Lord," [Matthew 25:27] he says, "Then spoke I with my tongue." In this fluctuation, in the midst of these dangers and these difficulties, because, that in consequence of the abundance of offenses "the love of many is waxing cold," [Matthew 24:12] although the law of the Lord inspires delight, in this fluctuation then, (I say), "then spoke I with my tongue." To whom? Not to the hearer whom I would fain instruct; but to Him who hears and takes heed also, by whom I would fain be instructed myself. "I spoke with my tongue" to Him, from whom I inwardly hear whatever I hear that is good or true.— What did You say?

But the remedy of interior charity is applied; and therefore he says: "My heart grew hot within me," that is, the heat of charity was stirred up in my heart. Prov. 6: "Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?" So it is impossible that a man should hide the words of God when his heart is inflamed with charity. Ps. 119: "Your word is a fire," etc. The cause of this stirring is meditation on divine things; hence he says: "and in my meditation a fire shall blaze forth." Nothing is loved unless it is good and beautiful. Hence in outward loves, bodily sight is the cause of love. And therefore if you wish to approach spiritual things, your heart must be kindled with the love of God. The effect of this stirring is that he who had resolved to be silent is moved to speak; hence he says, "I spoke." Acts 2: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak." Gregory: "The Spirit makes those whom he fills both burning and speaking." Job 4: "Who can restrain a conceived word?" Something similar is said in Jer. 20: "The word of the Lord became," etc. "And I said, I will speak no more," etc., and there follows, "and it became in my heart as a burning fire." Or it is explained according to the Gloss: "I became deaf," that is, I was made deaf. God does not give grace to a man unless he uses it; and therefore when someone through negligence does not use the grace given to him, God takes it away from him, as is clear from the parable of the talent. Lk. 19: "Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten minas." And therefore he says, "I became deaf and was humbled," that is, cast down; and then it does not sound as virtue but as fault; and therefore he says, "My heart grew hot from anxiety." Origen explains it differently: "I said, I will guard my ways." Full stop. "That I may not offend with my tongue, I set a guard upon my mouth." And afterwards, "When the sinner stood against me, I was dumb." Now there are three kinds of men. Some, when placed in tribulations, curse their persecutors; some bless them; some are in the middle, who at least attain to this, that they are silent. Thus he escaped the first degree, because he set a guard upon his mouth and did not curse. But because he was dumb and did not bless, he escaped the second degree, because he felt sorrow and burned inwardly from indignation, etc.

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).

His emotions, as a smothered flame, burst forth.