II. ), and all to ruin them and root them out. Note, (1.) Or, as Dr. Hammond reads it, They shall be confounded, they shall be turned back. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so we would have it! . LORD, how long are you just going to stand there looking? Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Asaph wrote 12 (Psalms 50, 73-83). What Does Colossians 2:6-7 Teach Us about Our Faith Walk? The language alternates between legal and military terminology. Psalm 36. Psalm 35 Commentary David's Seeing Their Good | 13-14 And that leads David to expound on the good that he's done for these men in times past in verses 13 and 14. Salem Media Group. Those whose souls are sorrowful in the Lord, who sow in tears and sorrow after a godly sort, need not question but that in due time their souls shall be joyful in the Lord; for gladness is sown for them, and they shall at last enter into the joy of their Lord. ( Psalms 35:7-10 ). But to suppose that this was the motive in the case is to suppose that the psalmist was wholly selfish, and would take away the very point of his observation about his prayer - that it was dictated by the sincerest love for them and true sympathy for their sufferings. 15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: 16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. King James Version 35 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. Yet in many of the disputes with his enemies, he had no problem seeing that he was on Gods side and they were not. He does not identify them, but it's likely these were people aligned with either Saul (1 Samuel 19:1-2) or Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13-14). He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provocation (ver 7, 19), but, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them, ver 12-14. This is quoted, with application to Christ, and is said to be fulfilled in him. 1. Psalms 35:13 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, 14 I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. How tenderly, and with what a cordial affection, he had behaved towards them in their afflictions (v. 13, 14): They were sick. He prayed for his enemy, and made the sick man's case his own, pleading and confessing as if his own personal sin had brought on the evil. David was looked upon with ill-will for no other reason than because he was caressed by the people. The meaning is, that he showed the deepest sympathy in their distress by putting on the emblems of humiliation or mourning. 1. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! When thou art appealed to, hear in heaven, and judge, by condemning the wicked and justifying the righteous. Note, It will be a comfort to us, when men do us wrong, if our consciences can witness for us that we have never done them any. God alone can defend him against his attackers (9-10).Davids sorrow is the more painful when he remembers that those who now fight against him are those whom he helped, sympathized with and prayed for when they were sick or in trouble (11-14). This is the view of Ewald and Delitzsch, but seems prosaic. 12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. (1.) 17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? I humbled my soul with fasting; on the account of them, giving up himself to prayer for them, as follows: and my prayer returned into mine own bosom; that is, he prayed privately and heartily for them, as for himself; he was constant in it, his heart was in it, and he took delight in it, and he was heard and answered; unless the sense should be, that his prayer was slighted by them, and so returned back to himself, as a present despised is returned; but however it was not without its effect, the good for which he prayed for them was returned by the Lord unto him. Psalm 35:13 in all English translations. --This has been most variously explained. We may read it thus: Let my prayer return into my bosom; that is, I wished no worse to them than to myself: let me receive of God such good as I prayed for them. "Judge me, O Lord my God! Thieves enter only to take away life, to . The comedians, who may fitly be called hypocritical mockers (for which does a hypocrite signify but a stage-player?) Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. When he fell under the frowns of Saul, was banished the court, and persecuted as a criminal, they were pleased, were glad at his calamities, and got together in their drunken clubs to make themselves and one another merry with the disgrace of this great favourite. IV. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. They tore him, rent his good name without mercy, said all the ill they could of him and fastened upon him all the reproach their cursed wit and malice could reach to. Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. , and the Targum conterentes me verbis suis; cf. Psalm 35:13, 14. But David is poor and needy, has nothing to make friends with, and therefore has none to take his part but men (as we say) of broken fortunes (1 Sam 22 2); and therefore no marvel that Saul spoiled him of what little he had got and the interest he had made. See Psalms 79:12 . He will praise God with the whole man, with all that is within him, and with all the strength and vigour of his soul, intimated by his bones, which are within the body and are the strength of it. (2)The far more probable meaning, my prayer came back again and again to my bosom, i.e., was repeated over and over again; just as we say, "the thought recurred to my mind." David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them in afflictions. What does Psalm 35:13 mean? Exodus 2:24-25 ). Clouds do not always descend in showers upon the same spot from which the vapours ascended, but they come down somewhere; and even so do supplications in some place or other yield their showers of mercy. As for Saul himself, David, it is probable, knew that God had rejected him and had forbidden Samuel to mourn for him, 1 Sam 16 1. I humbled my soul with fasting - Margin, "afflicted;" so the Hebrew properly means. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. 24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. David was a man of war, and of a bold stout spirit, and yet was thus susceptible of the impressions of sympathy, forgot the bravery of the hero, and seemed wholly made up of love and pity; it was a rare composition of hardiness and tenderness, courage and compassion, in the same breast. A prayer that God may arise on David's behalf and repay those who have wrongfully attacked him ( Psalms 35:1-10 ). "A Psalm of a Thirteen-Year-Old," Russell Rathbun, The . i. [Note: On the practice of fasting, see Kent D. Berghuis, "A Biblical Perspective on Fasting," Bibliotheca Sacra 158:629 (January-March 2001):86-103.]. Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. He prays to God to protect and deliver him, and appear for him (ver 1, 2), to comfort him (ver 3), to be nigh to him and rescue him (ver 17, 22), to plead his cause (ver 23, 24), to defeat all the designs of his enemies against him (ver 3, 4), to disappoint their expectations of his fall (ver 19, 25, 26), and, lastly, to countenance all his friends, and encourage them (ver 27. this is the day we longed to see." Say to me, "I am your salvation." 4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those do you stone me? David prays for his own safety, and his enemies' confusion 11. 1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Observe, He mourned as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. He prays that he might never be in such imminent danger as that they should say in their hearts, Ah! Psalms 35:13 - EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries My soul is my only one, and therefore the greater is the shame if I neglect it and the greater the loss if I lose it: it is my only one, and therefore ought to be my darling, ought to be carefully protected and provided for. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Prof. Alexander supposes that this means, according to a traditional interpretation of the Jews, that he desired that the prayer which he offered might redound to his own advantage: My prayer shall not be lost, it shall return in blessings to the heart which prompted it. There can be no reason to doubt that this is true in fact; and that prayer offered for others does bring back blessings to those who offer it. How long wilt thou connive at the wickedness of the wicked? And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and thy praise all the day long ( Psalms 35:22-28 ). With his prayers he joined humiliation and self-affliction, both in his diet (he fasted, at least from pleasant bread) and in his dress; he clothed himself with sackcloth, thus expressing his grief, not only for their affliction, but for their sin; for this was the guise and practice of a penitent. What Does Colossians 2:6-7 Teach Us about Our Faith Walk? Ingratitude. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? Bible > Commentaries > Psalm 35:3 . His desire is that evil will be conquered and that righteousness will triumph (26-28). Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The "aha, aha" was evidently a nasty kind of a derisive thing. It is my soul that is in danger; Lord, rescue it. My clothing was sackcloth - Compare the notes at Psalms 30:11. I. The bosom is not only the place where the Asiatics carry their purses, but also where they carry any thing that is given to them. And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness He has pleasure in the prosperity both of their temporal and of their spiritual affairs, and delights not in their griefs; for he does not afflict willingly; and we ought therefore to have pleasure in their prosperity, and not to envy it. It was so to St. Paul. ], 2. (1.) Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. And he turned around and cursed them. Or, if they were not brought to repentance, David prays that they might be defeated and disappointed in their designs against him and so put to shame. The Timeless Psalms: Psalm 13, Joan Stott, prayers and meditations based on lectionary Psalms, 2014. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. This is a prayer for the defeat and destruction of malignant enemies, whom the Psalmist has formerly befriended, and who now treat him with ungrateful cruelty. The addition of certainly makes Olshausen's conjecture that we should read somewhat natural; but the expression then becomes tautological, and there are other instances also in which psalm-poesy goes beyond the ordinary range of words, in order to find language to describe that which is loathsome, in the most glaring way. God knew that they were, without cause, his enemies, and that they had, without cause, digged pits for him, v. 7. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. 11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. King James Version. Probably it was then well known whom he meant; it may be Saul himself for one, whom he was sent for to attend upon when he was melancholy and ill, and to whom he was serviceable to drive away the evil spirit, not with his harp, but with his prayers; to others of the courtiers, it is likely, he had shown this respect, while he lived at court, who now were, of all others, most abusive to him. I. David describes the great injustice, malice, and insolence, of his persecutors, pleading this with God as a reason why he should protect him from them and appear against them. and humbled myself with fasting. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut semper, et odit damnatosThe Roman crowd, varying their opinions with every turn of fortune, are sure to execrate the fallen. (2.) 1 O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. The Hebrew verb has this frequentative sense in one of its conjugations. Therefore means: mockers for a cake, i.e., those who for a delicate morsel, for the sake of dainty fare, make scornful jokes, viz., about me, the persecuted one, vile parasites; German Tellerlecker, Bratenriecher, Greek , , Mediaeval Latin buccellarii. Since Davids enemies have the ferocity of men in battle, David asks God to deal with them accordingly and fight against them as a warrior (1-3). This You have seen, O LORD: Thou hast seen is a perfect foil to the enemys cry, our eyes have seen it! (Kidner). 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. like , Genesis 49:12, from , construct state, like ) for a mother (the objective genitive, as in Genesis 27:41; Deuteronomy 34:8; Amos 8:10; Jeremiah 6:26). Let me have that salvation not only which he is the author of, but which consists in his favour; and let me know my interest in it; let me have the comfortable assurance of it in my own breast." 131, 4, b, carries its subject in itself. Verse Psalms 35:13. It would seem from this that the persons referred to, who now treated him with so much ingratitude, were those with whom he had been formerly intimately associated, or whom he had regarded as his personal friends, since it cannot be supposed that this deep sympathy would have been shown for those who were altogether strangers to him. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it; they hunted him as a dangerous beast of prey; they digged a pit for him and laid a net in it, that they might have him at their mercy, v. 7. Salem Media Group. The words were, as it were, muttered into his bosom. This psalm opens in a warlike tone, so as to suggest a soldier for its author, and for its occasion the eye of some battle. Note, Even the palaces and courts of princes are not exempt from the jurisdiction of death and the visitation of sickness. 118.). We ought to mourn for the sins of those that do not mourn for them themselves. 1Kings 18:42, where, however, there is no express mention of prayer.) There can be no reason to doubt that this is true "in fact;" and that prayer offered for others "does" bring back blessings to those who offer it. It was also with reference to prayer in their behalf; and to fasting, that he put on these marks of grief. It would seem from this that the persons referred to, who now treated him with so much ingratitude, were those with whom he had been formerly intimately associated, or whom he had regarded as his personal friends, since it cannot be supposed that this deep sympathy would have been shown for those who were altogether strangers to him. pass sentence upon this appeal, according to the righteousness of thy nature and government," v. 24. 2. Now when these people were sick, (1.) They plot evil and make false accusations against him (19-21), but he trusts that God will not allow them to gain the victory (22-25). Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. When they were sick, David prayed for their recovery and mourned over their condition. It might also, after the Arabic nawika, to be injured in mind, anwak, stupid, silly (from the same root , to prick, smite, wound, cf. rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. But this is not the worst of it. III. (1.) 3 Brandish spear and javelin[ a] against those who pursue me. Prov 27 4. I really wouldn't want to be one of David's enemies. The circumstances are partly similar to. In sadness (Psalm 35:11-12), David reflects on the compassionate treatment he showed his foes before they turned against him. But, on the contrary, that they might be ashamed and brought to confusion together (v. 26, as before, v. 4); he desires that his innocency might be so cleared that they might be ashamed of the calumnies with which they had loaded him, that his interest might be so confirmed that they might be ashamed of their designs against him and their expectations of his ruin, that they might either be brought to that shame which would be a step towards their reformation or that that might be their portion which would be their everlasting misery. His fasting also put an edge upon his praying, and was an expression of the fervour of it; he was so intent in his devotions that he had no appetite to meat, nor would allow himself time for eating: "My prayer returned into my own bosom; I had the comfort of having done my duty, and of having approved myself a loving neighbour, though I could not thereby win upon them nor make them my friends." The words were, as it were, muttered into his bosom. If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Note, It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies: Christ himself is striven with and fought against, and war is made upon the holy seed; and we are not to marvel at the matter: it is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. and whose comedies, it is likely, were acted at feasts and balls, chose David for their subject, bantered and abused him, while the auditory, in token of their agreement with the plot, hummed, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons. Prayer is never lost: if it bless not those for whom intercession is made, it shall bless the intercessors. A posture somewhat similar to this is referred to in the case of Elijah, 1 Kings 18:42 : And he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. The posture of prayer with the head reclining toward the bosom is common among the Muslims, Reland de Religione Mohammetica, p. 87. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: and I will praise thee among much people. Now I don't know what the content was of the "aha, aha," but it was something they hated to hear. All rights reserved. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . 1. (Comp. (See introductory notes to Psalms 7:0.). Job 19:18; Job 30:1). Fight those who fight against me. As God's angels encamp against those that fight against him. They tore him, rent his good name without mercy, said all the ill they could of him and fastened upon him all the reproach their cursed wit and malice could reach to. Much of his suffering during that time was because of the false accusations made against him by influential people in Sauls court. Those that hated David thought scorn, like Haman, to lay hands on him alone, but contrived to involve all the religious people of the land in the same ruin with him. We must be earnest to keep the line of demarcation broad and clear. He was concerned for their precious souls, and, since he helped them with his prayers to God for mercy and grace; and the prayers of one who had so great an interest in heaven were of more value than perhaps they knew or considered. It is a vexation of spirit which attends even a right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, Eccl 4 4. And who can stand before envy?Proverbs 27:4. Proud member Having no word from the Lord, David had to listen to his own reasoning that he regarded as a poor substitute. Well, might he call them abjects, for nothing could be more vile and sordid than to triumph in the fall of a man of such unstained honour and consummate virtue. The Hebrew verb has this frequentative sense in one of its conjugations. But as for them - how do they act at the present time, when he finds himself in (Psalm 38:17; Job 18:12), a sideway direction, i.e., likely to fall (from , Arab. 2. This is to the spoiling of his soul; this base unkind usage robs him of his comfort, and cuts him to the heart, more than anything else. Psalm 35 1. They set themselves against all the sober good people that adhered to David (v. 20): They devised deceitful matters, to trepan and ruin those that were quiet in the land. This instance of the wrong done to David was typical, and had its accomplishment in the Son of David, against whom false witnesses did arise, Matthew 26:60. The word "soul" here is equivalent to "self;" I afflicted myself. b. And these predictions look further, and read the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom, as appears by comparing Rom 11 9, 10. I. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the restless rage and malice of his persecutors. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, Read full chapter. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Now when these people were sick, (1.) The Psalmist goes on to say in Psalm 35:14, I went about as for a friend, for a brother to me, i.e., as if the sufferer had been such to me. We don't think of it today saying, "aha, aha" as being such an evil, contemptuous kind of thing, but in those days, man, it was really evil and contemptuous. He thought God had forgotten him, had forgotten his promises to him, his covenant with him, his former lovingkindness which he had shown him and which he took to be an earnest of further mercy, had forgotten that there was such a man in the world, who needed and expected relief and succour from him. How basely and insolently and with what a brutish enmity, and worse than brutish, they had behaved towards him (Psalms 35:15; Psalms 35:16); In my adversity they rejoiced. [2.] V. He promises himself that he shall yet see better days (ver 9, 10), and promises God that he will then attend him with his praises, ver 18, 28. But as for me, when they were sick,. Or under any disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted by them; my clothing [was] sackcloth; that is, he was grieved, and mourned for them, it being usual to put on sackcloth in time of mourning; see. How sharp is the contrast all through this Psalm between the righteous and his enemies! If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy. He prayed for them. Those that do not are justly stigmatized as without natural affection. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? They were not related to him; he was under no obligations to them; he would lose nothing by their death, but perhaps be a gainer by it; and yet he behaved himself as though they had been his nearest relations, purely from a principle of compassion and humanity. He prays that they might be turned back, scattered and brought to ruin (4-6), for they have persecuted him without cause (7-8). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Though the people of God are, and study to be, a quiet people, yet it has been the common practice of their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. XXXV. 1 Kings 18:42, where, however, there is no express mention of prayer.) Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it ( Psalms 35:15-21 ). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Mine enemies great design is to magnify themselves, verse 26, but my chief desire is that God may be magnified. (Poole), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik [email protected]. He even fasted, which shows the extent to which he sacrificed so they would recover. rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. Psalms 6:3 ). See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itself is no fence; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done in that way than is. the common phrase for thoughts coming upon the heart, Jeremiah 3:16; Jeremiah 7:31, etc.) There is some difference in the numbering of the psalms among versions. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Psalms 35:13-14 13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. We may request cookies to be set on your device. The adjective signifies elsewhere with , one who is smitten in the feet, i.e., one who limps or halts, and with , but also without any addition, in Isaiah 16:7, one smitten in spirit, i.e., one deeply troubled or sorrowful. But to suppose that this was the "motive" in the case is to suppose that the psalmist was wholly selfish, and would take away the very point of his observation about his prayer - that it was dictated by the sincerest love for them and true sympathy for their sufferings. He thought of the people of God enlarging the LORD in their hearts and minds, and of his continual praise to God (my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long). "Whether or not this psalm was written as a companion to Psalms 34, it is well placed next to it, not only because of some verbal affinities and contrasts (notably the angel of the Lord, Psalms 34:7; Psalms 35:5-6, found nowhere else in the Psalter), but because it speaks out of the kind of darkness which has just been dispelled in the former psalm.
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