JAN 1 G 1927 CBMJ •EH78 2 PSALM S. PSALM LIX. A PRAYER OF THE MESSIAH, COMPLAINING OF HIS ENEMIES, AND PREDICTING THEIR PUNISHMENT. THIS Psalm hath no particular relation to the fact mentioned in the title; namely, Saul's attempt to cut off David by assassination. From expressions in the 5th, 11th, and 13th verses, I should guess that it was composed after David was king, when the public safety was intimately connected with his own; and that the danger to the author and the state was not from private assassins, but from, a foreign enemy openly in arms; nor from a single enemy, but from a powerful confederacy (2, 3). The principal enemy is described as a perfidious enemy, who had broken faith with the Psalmist without provocation, VOL. II. A v. 3, 4, 12. From all these circumstances I should guess, that the particular occasion upon which this psalm was composed, was the news of the confederacy between the Ammonites and the Syrians of Zoba, Beth-rehob, Ishtob, and Maacah, after the affront put upon David, in the person of his ambassadors, by Hanun the king of the Ammonites, see 2 Sam. X. But yet when I consider that the enemies, against whom the Psalmist invokes the divine aid, are described in the second verse under the general characters of the "dealers in iniquity, and men of blood," that is, of idolaters and persecutors, I have no doubt that the poem is entirely mystic; that the Psalmist personates the Messiah or the persecuted church, and prays for deliverance from the atheistical conspiracy of apostate angels and impious men ; and, in particular, predicts God's judgement on the Jewish nation. This psalm is one of the Michtams. * 1 Rescue me from mine enemies, O God; * Mudge thinks this Psalm resembles the Xth, and that the occasion of both was the same. I see little of this similitude. The Xth psalm, I am persuaded, hath no relation to Sennacherib's invasion, or any particular calamity of the Jewish state. 2 Rescue me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from the men of blood. * 3 For behold they lie in wait for my life; The mighty make a stir† against me, For no disobedience, no sin of mine, O Jeho vah. 4 Without any fault they hurry and make ready; Awake at-my-invocation, and have-thine-eye upon me. 5 For thou, O Jehovah, God of Hosts, Art the God of Israel. Awake to visit all the heathen; Take-thou-no-pity upon any who revolt to ido latry. Workers of iniquity," and "men of blood," Idolaters and persecutors. Or," are stirred up." "At my invocation." i. e. Take care of me. verses 2, 3, 4. See LVI, 7. Vid. Numb. XXIII, 3. and XXIV, 1. A 2 7 Behold they foam at the mouth; Swords are in their lips; For who heareth? 8 But thou, O Jehovah, shalt make sport of them; Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 O my Strength, I will keep-upon-the watch for thee; Truly God is my defence, the God of 10 God shall give me ready help, my mercy.t He shall-watch-my-safety among mine ene mies. [A] 11 Slay them not, Lest my people forget. [B] Scatter them in thy strength, * The image is that of a mischievous beast, returning at a stated season for a sly purpose. + See verse 17. |