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It is the conjecture of many expositors that David penned this psalm upon occasion of Absalom's rebellion, and that the particular enemy he here speaks of, that dealt treacherously with him, was Ahithophel; and some will therefore make David's troubles here typical of Christ's sufferings, and Ahithophel's treachery a figure of Judas's, because they both hanged themselves. But there is nothing in it particularly applied to Christ in the New Testament. David was in great distress when he penned this psalm. I. He prays that God would manifest his favour to him, and pleads his own sorrow and fear, Ps 56:1-8. II. He prays that God would manifest his displeasure against his enemies, and pleads their great wickedness and treachery, Ps 56:9-15,20,21. III. He assures himself that God would, in due time, appear for him against his enemies, comforts himself with the hopes of it, and encourages others to trust in God, Ps 56:16-19,22,23. In singing this psalm we may, if there be occasion, apply it to our own troubles; if not, we may sympathize with those to whose case it comes nearer, foreseeing that there will be, at last, indignation and wrath to the persecutors, salvation and joy to the persecuted.
1-8
Supplications of David in Distress
简体中文
大卫在苦难中的恳求
交与伶长，用丝弦乐器，训诲诗。大卫的诗篇。
¹ 神啊，求你留心听我的祷告；不要隐藏不听我的恳求。
² 求你侧耳听我，应允我；我哀叹不安，发声唉哼，
³ 都因仇敌的声音，恶人的欺压；因为他们将罪孽加在我身上，发怒气逼迫我。
⁴ 我心在我里面甚是疼痛；死的惊惶临到我身。
⁵ 恐惧战兢临到我身；惊恐漫过了我。
⁶ 我说，但愿我有翅膀像鸽子，我就飞去，得享安息。
⁷ 我必远游宿于旷野。〔细拉〕
⁸ 我必速速逃到避所，脱离狂风暴雨。
在这些经文中，我们看到：
一、大卫祷告。祷告是每一种伤痛的良药，是心灵在每一重担之下的解脱：「神啊，求你留心听我的祷告！」（诗55:1、2）。他没有列出他在苦难中向神所献的恳求，而是求神垂听他心灵每逢段落向神升起的祷告，并赐下平安的答复：「求你侧耳听我，应允我。」扫罗不听他的恳求；别的仇敌不顾他的申诉；但「主啊，求你乐意垂听我。『不要隐藏不听我的恳求』——既不作为一个漠不关心、毫不理会、似乎不留意的，也不作为一个发怒的、向我生气的、并因此向我的祷告生气的。」我们若在祷告中真诚地向神敞开自己、敞开我们的案情、我们的心，我们便有理由盼望他不向我们隐藏他的恩惠、他的安慰。
二、大卫流泪；因为在这事上他是基督的预表——基督是忧患之子，常常流泪（诗55:2）：「我『哀叹』」（或作在我的「默想」、我的「忧郁沉思」之中），「不安，发声唉哼；我不能禁止这样的叹息呻吟，并别的忧伤的表现，以致周围的人都察觉了」。极大的忧伤有时是喧嚷呼号的，如此在一定程度上得以减轻——而那些被压抑、无处发泄的，反而加剧。但所为何事？（诗55:3）。是「因仇敌的声音」——押沙龙党羽的威吓和侮辱——他们膨胀、咆哮，煽动百姓呼喊反对大卫，要把他从宫中和京城赶出，正如后来祭司长煽动暴民呼喊反对大卫的子孙：「除掉他——钉他十字架」。然而从大卫眼中流泪的，不仅是仇敌的声音，更是他们的欺压，以及他因此所受的困苦：「他们将罪孽加在我身上。」他们不能公正地控告大卫治国有何失误，不能在他身上证实任何欺压或不公的行为，却以诽谤加在他身上。他们虽在他作王的本分上查不出什么罪来，却把各样的罪加在他身上，向百姓描绘他为暴君，当被驱逐。清白本身不能保护人免受凶暴说谎之舌的攻击。他们自己恨他——不，是「在怒中恨他」；他们的敌意中既有愤怒的炽热和暴烈，或一时冲动的激情，又有仇恨的难以化解和根深蒂固的恶毒；因此他们设法使他成为可憎，好叫别人也恨他。这使他哀恸，更是因为他记得自己曾作百姓的宠儿，正应了他的名字——「大卫」——「蒙爱的人」。
三、大卫颤抖，极其惊惶。我们可以想象，当押沙龙的阴谋爆发、连那些他很少理由怀疑的人都普遍背弃之时，他是如此的。1. 请看什么样的恐惧抓住他。大卫本是大有胆量的人，并在一些极突出的事上显示了他的勇气；然而当危险突然而迫切之时，他的心也失措。所以不要让强壮的人以力量夸口，也不要让勇敢的人以勇气夸口。如今大卫的「心在他里面甚是疼痛；死的惊惶临到他身」（诗55:4）。心灵的恐惧和身体的战兢临到他，惊恐遮盖他、漫过他（诗55:5）。外面有争战，内有恐惧并不为奇；若这是因押沙龙叛变之故，我们可以想象他记念自己在乌利亚之事上的罪——神如今正为此向他追讨——更使惊惧加倍。有时大卫的信心使他几乎无所惧，他能在被仇敌四围之时放胆说：「我不惧怕人能对我怎么样。」但在别的时刻，他的恐惧盛行专横；因为最好的人并不总是同样刚强。2. 请看他在这种惊惧中何等渴望退隐到荒野——任何地方，只要够远，足以听不见仇敌的声音、看不见他们的欺压。他说（诗55:6），对神在祷告中说，对自己在默想中说，对朋友在哀叹中说：「但愿我有翅膀像鸽子！」他虽有时深爱耶路撒冷，如今既它已成为叛城，他便急欲脱离它，如先知所愿：「但愿我在旷野有行路人住宿之处，使我可以离开我的民出去；因为他们都是行奸诈的」（耶9:2）。这与大卫在那阴谋爆发时的决意十分吻合：「起来，我们逃走，速速离开」（撒下15:14）。请注意：〔1〕他如何逃脱。他被仇敌四围，看不见除了飞之外还能如何逃脱，因此他愿：「但愿我有翅膀！」——不是如鹰速飞；他愿有翅膀，不是为扑向猎物，而是为逃避猛禽——他的仇敌正是如此。鸽子的翅膀最合他那如鸽之灵，因此鹰的翅膀不适合他。鸽飞得低，尽快藏身，大卫也要如此飞。〔2〕他要逃避什么——「风、暴雨和狂风」，就是城如今所陷入的骚动和激荡，以及他所处的危险。在这事上他如鸽一样不能忍受喧嚷。〔3〕他逃的目的是什么——不是胜利，而是安息：「『我就飞去，得享安息』（诗55:6）。无论何处我都愿飞，即使飞到荒芜可怕的旷野，无论多远，只要可以安静」（诗55:7）。请注意，在静默独处中的平安和宁静，是智慧人和善人最恳切羡慕的；当他们被周围之人的喧嚣和嚷闹所烦扰所困倦之时，更其如此。蒙恩之灵愿退隐于这世界的纷扰喧嚣之外，得以甜美地享受神和自己；今世在天堂这一边若有真平安，那就是他们在退隐中所享的。这使死亡对神的儿女成为可羡慕的，因为它是从这世界一切风暴中最终的逃脱，进入完全而永远的安息。
英文原文
Supplications of David in Distress
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David.
¹ Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
² Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
⁷ Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.
⁸ I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
In these verses we have,
I. David praying. Prayer is a salve for every sore and a relief to the spirit under every burden: Give ear to my prayer, O God! Ps 55:1,2. He does not set down the petitions he offered up to God in his distress, but begs that God would hear the prayers which, at every period, his heart lifted up to God, and grant an answer of peace to them: Attend to me, hear me. Saul would not hear his petitions; his other enemies regarded not his pleas; but, "Lord, be thou pleased to hearken to me. Hide not thyself from my supplication, either as one unconcerned and not regarding it, nor seeming to take any notice of it, or as one displeased, angry at me, and therefore at my prayer." If we, in our prayers, sincerely lay open ourselves, our case, our hearts, to God, we have reason to hope that he will not hide himself, his favours, his comforts, from us.
II. David weeping; for in this he was a type of Christ that he was a man of sorrows and often in tears (Ps 55:2): "I mourn in my complaint" (or in my meditation, my melancholy musings), "and I make a noise; I cannot forbear such sighs and groans, and other expressions of grief, as discover it to those about me." Great griefs are sometimes noisy and clamorous, and thus are, in some measure, lessened, while those increase that are stifled, and have no vent given them. But what was the matter? Ps 55:3. It is because of the voice of the enemy, the menaces and insults of Absalom's party, that swelled, and hectored, and stirred up the people to cry out against David, and shout him out of his palace and capital city, as afterwards the chief priests stirred up the mob to cry out against the Son of David, Away with him—Crucify him. Yet it was not the voice of the enemy only that fetched tears from David's eyes, but their oppression, and the hardship he was thereby reduced to: They cast iniquity upon me. They could not justly charge David with any mal-administration in his government, could not prove any act of oppression or injustice upon him, but they loaded him with calumnies. Though they found no iniquity in him relating to his trust as a king, yet they cast all manner of iniquity upon him, and represented him to the people as a tyrant fit to be expelled. Innocency itself is no security against violent and lying tongues. They hated him themselves, nay, in wrath they hated him; there was in their enmity both the heat and violence of anger, or sudden passion, and the implacableness of hatred and rooted malice; and therefore they studied to make him odious, that others also might hate him. This made him mourn, and the more because he could remember the time when he was the darling of the people, and answered to his name, David—a beloved one.
III. David trembling, and in great consternation. We may well suppose him to be so upon the breaking out of Absalom's conspiracy and the general defection of the people, even those that he had little reason to suspect. 1. See what fear seized him. David was a man of great boldness, and in some very eminent instances had signalized his courage, and yet, when the danger was surprising and imminent, his heart failed him. Let not the stout man therefore glory in his courage any more than the strong man in his strength. Now David's heart is sorely pained within him; the terrors of death have fallen upon him, Ps 55:4. Fearfulness of mind and trembling of body came upon him, and horror covered and overwhelmed him, Ps 55:5. When without are fightings no marvel that within are fears; and, if it was upon the occasion of Absalom's rebellion, we may suppose that the remembrance of his sin in the matter of Uriah, which God was now reckoning with him for, added as much more to the fright. Sometimes David's faith made him, in a manner, fearless, and he could boldly say, when surrounded with enemies, I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. But at other times his fears prevail and tyrannise; for the best men are not always alike strong in faith. 2. See how desirous he was, in this fright, to retire into a desert, any where to be far enough from hearing the voice of the enemy and seeing their oppressions. He said (Ps 55:6), said it to God in prayer, said it to himself in meditation, said it to his friends in complaint, O that I had wings like a dove! Much as he had been sometimes in love with Jerusalem, now that it had become a rebellious city he longed to get clear of it, and, like the prophet, wished he had in the wilderness a lodging place of way-faring men, that he might leave his people and go from them; for they were an assembly of treacherous men, Jer 9:2. This agrees very well with David's resolution upon the breaking out of that plot, Arise, let us flee, and make speed to depart, 2Sa 15:14. Observe, (1.) How he would make his escape. He was so surrounded with enemies that he saw not how he could escape but upon the wing, and therefore he wishes, O that I had wings! not like a hawk that flies swiftly; he wishes for wings, not to fly upon the prey, but to fly from the birds of prey, for such his enemies were. The wings of a dove were most agreeable to him who was of a dove-like spirit, and therefore the wings of an eagle would not become him. The dove flies low, and takes shelter as soon as she can, and thus would David fly. (2.) What he would make his escape from—from the wind, storm, and tempest, the tumult and ferment that the city was now in, and the danger to which he was exposed. Herein he was like a dove, that cannot endure noise. (3.) What he aimed at in making this escape, not victory but rest: "I would fly away and be at rest, Ps 55:6. I would fly any where, if it were to a barren frightful wilderness, ever so far off, so I might be quiet," Ps 55:7. Note, Peace and quietness in silence and solitude are what the wisest and best of men have most earnestly coveted, and the more when they have been vexed and wearied with the noise and clamour of those about them. Gracious souls wish to retire from the hurry and bustle of this world, that they may sweetly enjoy God and themselves; and, if there be any true peace on this side heaven, it is they that enjoy it in those retirements. This makes death desirable to a child of God, that it is a final escape from all the storms and tempests of this world to perfect and everlasting rest.
9-15
Prophetic Imprecations
简体中文
预言性的咒诅
⁹ 主啊，求你吞灭他们，变乱他们的舌头；因为我在城中看见强暴争竞的事。
¹⁰ 他们在城墙上昼夜绕行；城中有祸患艰难。
¹¹ 邪恶在其中；欺压诡诈不离她街市。
¹² 原来不是仇敌辱骂我，若是仇敌，还可忍耐；也不是恨我的人向我狂傲，若是恨我的人，就必躲避他；
¹³ 不料是你；你原与我平等，是我的伴侣，是我知己的朋友。
¹⁴ 我们素常彼此谈论，以为甘甜；我们与群众在神的殿中同行。
¹⁵ 愿死亡忽然临到他们；愿他们活活地下入阴间；因为他们的住处和他们的心中，都有邪恶。
大卫在此埋怨他的仇敌——他们的恶谋已把他带到心思穷途之处，虽不至信心穷途；他又以预言的灵咒诅他们。请看此处：
一、他对所惧仇敌的描写。他们是最坏的一种人；他所描写的，与押沙龙和他的同谋者十分相符。1. 他抱怨耶路撒冷城——那城奇怪地随从押沙龙、背叛了大卫，以致他在那里除了自己的卫兵和仆人之外，再无人可以信任：那忠信的城何竟变为妓女！大卫并不是从别人口中得知这情形；他亲眼目睹，心里忧伤，看见的只是城中的强暴争竞（诗 55:9）；因为他们既对大卫存了背叛不忠之心，便也彼此为害。他若在城墙上巡视，便看见强暴与争竞昼夜绕行其上，驻守其岗（诗 55:10）。叛党为巩固城池所用的各样手段，无非是强暴与争竞；他们中间全无诚实与爱心可言。他若观看城中心，祸患与伤害、彼此的冤屈与烦扰都在其中：邪恶——各样的邪恶——在其中。Jusque datum sceleri——邪恶竟被合法化。欺诈诡诈，各样背信弃义的行径，不离她街市（诗 55:11）。这话也可指他们对大卫之友——那些他们知道忠心于大卫的人——的卑鄙残暴对待；他们或用欺诈或用武力，竭力加害于他们。这难道是耶路撒冷——那王城——的特征吗？更重要的，那圣城呢？在大卫的时代，那时审判的宝座与以色列的见证都才设在那里不久，竟已如此吗？这难道就是人称为全美的城吗？（哀 2:15）。耶路撒冷，神祭司们的大本营，竟如此没有受过教诲吗？耶路撒冷竟会对大卫自己——它那显赫的建城者——忘恩负义，竟使他无法居住其中，要被赶逐吗？我们不要希奇地上教会的腐败与混乱，当渴望看见那新耶路撒冷——其中没有强暴争竞，没有祸患罪孽，凡不洁净的并那使人疑惧的，都不得进去。2. 他抱怨叛党首脑之一——那人极其殷勤地挑拨猜忌、诬蔑他与他的政府、煽动那城反对他。辱骂他的，仿佛他滥用权力或忽略行使权力；这正是押沙龙恶意的暗示：你父派人理我们吗（撒下 15:3）。那人等散布于民中；最活跃的是谁呢？「不是那起誓为仇的，不是示每，也不是任何不从王者；若是他们，我还能忍受，因为我本不指望他们更好」（我们也看见他何等忍耐地忍受示每的咒骂）；「也不是那明说恨我的人；那样我必防备他，必把我自己和我的计谋向他隐瞒，他就不能出卖我。不料是你，你原与我平等」（诗 55:13）。迦勒底意译本指明此处所指的是亚希多弗，而在那场阴谋之中，再没有什么比听见亚希多弗也在叛党之中（撒下 15:31）更叫大卫灰心的了，因为他是王的谋士（代上 27:33）。「不料是你，你原与我平等——就是我看重如自己的人，是如我心魂一般的朋友，是我怀里收纳的人，我已使他与我同等，把我一切秘密都告诉他，他知我心意如同我自己；——是我的伴侣，我在一切事上都与他商议、受他指引，是我所立作议会的主席、国家之首的；——是我的密友、至交；如今辱骂我的正是这人。我曾恩待他，他竟如此卑鄙忘恩；我曾信任他，他竟如此卑鄙背信；若非我如此尊重他，他也不能害我如今所害的一半。」这一切对宽宏之心必极其伤痛；然而这还不够；这叛徒素来似乎是个圣徒，否则大卫绝不会与他结为知己（诗 55:14）：「我们素常彼此谈论，在宗教的谈论之中曾度过许多愉快的时光」，或如哈蒙德博士所读：「我们曾一同加入聚会；在圣洁的典章之中，我以右手相交之礼待他，然后我们与群众在神的殿中同行，去赴公众的敬拜。」请注意：（1）有形的教会之中，历来常有、也必常有善恶、真伪的掺杂，他们之间也许长久不能分辨；但鉴察人心的神能。大卫以诚心到神殿中去，与他同行的有亚希多弗，却以伪善而去。法利赛人和税吏同到圣殿去祷告；然而或迟或早，完全的与不完全的必被显明出来。（2）属肉体的策略能叫人在宗教的承认上走得又远又久——只要这是时髦的，又能迎合一时之需。在敬虔大卫的朝廷上，没有人比亚希多弗更虔诚，然而他的心在神面前却是不正。（3）我们若在那两件神圣的事——宗教与友谊——上大有所声明的人身上深深失望，不必希奇；大卫自己虽有极大的智慧，也曾如此被人欺蒙，这可使我们类似的失望更易忍受。
二、他对他们的祈祷——我们既当因之敬畏，又当因之得安慰，视之为预言，却不当把它们抄入我们对任何特别仇敌的祷告之中。他求：1. 求神分散他们，如同他分散巴别塔的建造者那样（诗 55:9）：「主啊，求你吞灭他们，变乱他们的舌头——就是说，使他们中间彼此不和、彼此冲突，以挫折他们的计谋。差一个恶灵在他们中间，使他们互不理解，反倒彼此嫉妒猜疑。」这祷告在使亚希多弗的计谋变为愚拙——借立户筛的计谋抵挡它——之上，已得应验。神常常借分裂他的仇敌来毁灭他们；任何百姓通向毁灭之路，没有比分裂更稳当的。一国一势力分裂相争，必不久存。2. 求神毁灭他们，如同他毁灭大坍、亚比兰和他们的同党——那些联合反对摩西的人——那样；他们的喉咙既然如同敞开的坟墓，地就开口把他们吞了下去。那是神当日所行的新事（民 16:30）。但大卫在此求这事如今可以重演，或行同等的事（诗 55:15）：「愿死亡忽然临到他们，愿他们活活地下入阴间——愿他们转眼之间死亡、埋葬、全然灭绝；因为邪恶无论他们在哪里，都在他们中间。」不肯悔改之罪人的灵魂，是活活地下入阴间——因为他们对自身的痛苦有完全的知觉，所以他们必活着，使仍可受苦。这祷告是一个预言——预言凡或暗或明反对并背叛主之弥赛亚的人，必全然、最终、永远败亡。
英文原文
Prophetic Imprecations
⁹ Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
¹¹ Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
¹² For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
¹³ But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
¹⁵ Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
David here complains of his enemies, whose wicked plots had brought him, though not to his faith's end, yet to his wits' end, and prays against them by the spirit of prophecy. Observe here,
I. The character he gives of the enemies he feared. They were of the worst sort of men, and his description of them agrees very well with Absalom and his accomplices. 1. He complains of the city of Jerusalem, which strangely fell in with Absalom and fell off from David, so that he had none there but his own guards and servants that he could repose any confidence in: How has that faithful city become a harlot! David did not take the representation of it from others; but with his own eyes, and with a sad heart, did himself see nothing but violence and strife in the city (Ps 55:9); for, when they grew disaffected and disloyal to David, they grew mischievous one to another. If he walked the rounds upon the walls of the city, he saw that violence and strife went about it day and night, and mounted its guards, Ps 55:10. All the arts and methods which the rebels used for the fortifying of the city were made up on violence and strife, and there were no remains of honesty or love among them. If he looked into the heart of the city, mischief and injury, mutual wrong and vexation, were in the midst of it: Wickedness, all manner of wickedness, is in the midst thereof. Jusque datum sceleri—Wickedness was legalized. Deceit and guile, and all manner of treacherous dealing, departed not from her streets, Ps 55:11. It may be meant of their base and barbarous usage of David's friends and such as they knew were firm and faithful to him; they did them all the mischief they could, by fraud or force. Is this the character of Jerusalem, the royal city, and, which is more, the holy city, and in David's time too, so soon after the thrones of judgment and the testimony of Israel were both placed there? Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty? La 2:15. Is Jerusalem, the head-quarters of God's priests, so ill taught? Can Jerusalem be ungrateful to David himself, its own illustrious founder, and be made too hot for him, so that he cannot reside in it? Let us not be surprised at the corruptions and disorders of this church on earth, but long to see the New Jerusalem, where there is no violence nor strife, no mischief nor guilt, and into which no unclean thing shall enter, nor any thing that disquiets. 2. He complains of one of the ringleaders of the conspiracy, that had been very industrious to foment jealousies, to misrepresent him and his government, and to incense the city against him. It was one that reproached him, as if he either abused his power or neglected the use of it, for that was Absalom's malicious suggestion: There is no man deputed of the king to hear thee, 2Sa 15:3. That and similar accusations were industriously spread among the people; and who was most active in it? "Not a sworn enemy, not Shimei, nor any of the nonjurors; then I could have borne it, for I should not have expected better from them" (and we find how patiently he did bear Shimei's curses); "not one that professed to hate me, then I would have stood upon my guard against him, would have hidden myself and counsels from him, so that it would not have been in his power to betray me. But it was thou, a man, my equal," Ps 55:13. The Chaldee-paraphrase names Ahithophel as the person here meant, and nothing in that plot seems to have discouraged David so much as to hear that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom (2Sa 15:31), for he was the king's counsellor, 1Ch 27:33. "It was thou, a man, my equal, one whom I esteemed as myself, a friend as my own soul, whom I had laid in my bosom and made equal with myself, to whom I had communicated all my secrets and who knew my mind as well as I myself did,—my guide, with whom I advised and by whom I was directed in all my affairs, whom I made president of the council and prime-minister of state,—my intimate acquaintance and familiar friend; this is the man that now abuses me. I have been kind to him, but I find him thus basely ungrateful. I have put a trust in him, but I find him thus basely treacherous; nay, and he could not have done me the one-half of the mischief he does if I had not shown him so much respect." All this must needs be very grievous to an ingenuous mind, and yet this was not all; this traitor had seemed a saint, else he had never been David's bosom-friend (Ps 55:14): "We took counsel together, spent many an hour together, with a great deal of pleasure, in religious discourse," or, as Dr. Hammond reads it, "We joined ourselves together to the assembly; I gave him the right hand of fellowship in holy ordinances, and then we walked to the house of God in company, to attend the public service." Note, (1.) There always has been, and always will be, a mixture of good and bad, sound and unsound, in the visible church, between whom, perhaps for a long time, we can discern no difference; but the searcher of hearts does. David, who went to the house of God in his sincerity, had Ahithophel in company with him, who went in his hypocrisy. The Pharisee and the publican went together to the temple to pray; but, sooner or later, those that are perfect and those that are not will be made manifest. (2.) Carnal policy may carry men on very far and very long in a profession of religion while it is in fashion, and will serve a turn. In the court of pious David none was more devout than Ahithophel, and yet his heart was not right in the sight of God. (3.) We must not wonder if we be sadly deceived in some that have made great pretensions to those two sacred things, religion and friendship; David himself, though a very wise man, was thus imposed upon, which may make similar disappointments the more tolerable to us.
II. His prayers against them, which we are both to stand in awe of and to comfort ourselves in, as prophecies, but not to copy into our prayers against any particular enemies of our own. He prays, 1. That God would disperse them, as he did the Babel-builders (Ps 55:9): "Destroy, O Lord! and divide their tongues; that is, blast their counsels, by making them to disagree among themselves, and clash with one another. Send an evil spirit among them, that they may not understand one another, but be envious and jealous one of another." This prayer was answered in the turning of Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness, by setting up the counsel of Hushai against it. God often destroys the church's enemies by dividing them; nor is there a surer way to the destruction of any people than their division. A kingdom, an interest, divided against itself, cannot long stand. 2. That God would destroy them, as he did Dathan and Abiram, and their associates, who were confederate against Moses, whose throat being an open sepulchre, the earth therefore opened and swallowed them up. This was then a new thing which God executed, Nu 16:30. But David prays that it might now be repeated, or something equivalent (Ps 55:15): "Let death seize upon them by divine warrant, and let them go down quickly into hell; let them be dead, and buried, and so utterly destroyed, in a moment; for wickedness is wherever they are; it is in the midst of them." The souls of impenitent sinners go down quick, or alive, into hell, for they have a perfect sense of their miseries, and shall therefore live still, that they may be still miserable. This prayer is a prophecy of the utter, the final, the everlasting ruin of all those who, whether secretly or openly, oppose and rebel against the Lord's Messiah.
16-23
Confidence in God
简体中文
信靠神
¹⁶ 至于我，我要求告神；耶和华必拯救我。
¹⁷ 晚上、早晨、晌午，我必哀声悲叹，他也必听我的声音。
¹⁸ 他救赎我的命脱离攻击我的人，使我得享平安；因为与我同在的很多。
¹⁹ 那从太古就有的神必听见，必苦待他们。〔细拉〕他们不敬畏神，因他们没有更改。
²⁰ 他背了约，伸手攻击与他和好的人。
²¹ 他的口如奶油光滑，心中却怀着争战；他的言语比油柔和，其实是拔出来的刀。
²² 你要把你的重担卸给耶和华，他必抚养你；他永不叫义人动摇。
²³ 神啊，你必使那些流人血行诡诈的人下到灭亡的坑里，活不到半世；至于我，我必倚靠你。
在这几节经文中——
一、大卫坚持自己求告神的决心，深信自己必不徒然寻求他（诗 55:16）：『至于我』，任凭他们想怎样保全自己就怎样行，任凭强暴和争竞作他们的护卫；祷告乃是属我的；我既已在其间得了安慰，就必持守不渝：『我要求告神』，将自己交托给他，『耶和华必拯救我』；因为凡求告主名的——以正确的方式求告——就必得救（罗 10:13）。他定意在这本分上既热切又恒切。1. 他要恳切祷告：『我要祷告，哀声悲叹。我要默想』（前一词如此解）；『我要对自己的心说话，祷告要发自内心』。当我们用里面的一切来祷告，先思想而后照着所思想的祈求，这才是真正的祷告；因为祷告的本质就是把心举起归向神。既已默想，他就要哀求，他要大声哀求；他灵里祷告的热切要借着他声音的迫切和恳切表达出来，并更加激发。2. 他要常常祷告，每日三次——晚上、早晨、晌午。这大概是他素常的操练，如今身陷患难之中，他定意要继续持守。当我们遭难之时，若不是那时才初次开始寻求与神相交，而是向来恒常如此操练，患难来临之时，祷告的轮子仍在转动，我们便可以更坦然地来到施恩宝座前。那些以为一日三餐才勉强够身体所需的人，更当以为一日三次恳切的祷告才勉强够灵魂所需，并以之为乐事，而非苦差。早晨既当以神开始一日，晚上也当以神结束一日，照样晌午也当退避片刻与他相交。但以理素常一日三次祷告（但 6:10），午正也是彼得祷告之时（徒 10:9）。我们不要厌倦常常祷告，因为神并不厌倦垂听。『他必听我的声音，并不因我来得太频繁而怪责我，反倒是来得越勤，越蒙悦纳』。
二、他确信神必在合宜之时，以平安的应许回应他的祷告。
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他自己必蒙拯救，他的恐惧必被消除；那些曾大大扰乱他的恐惧（诗 55:4,5），如今借信心的操练已被止息，他开始以盼望为乐（诗 55:18）：『神救赎我的命，使我得享平安』，意即他必救赎；大卫对这拯救的把握，就如它已经成就了一般。他的仇敌与他争战，战事攻击他，但神使他在平安中得蒙救赎——意即叫他安然脱身，仿佛从未陷入危险一般。即使神没有使他得胜脱身，也使他在平安中脱身——内心的平安。他救赎他的命，使他得享平安；借着忍耐和靠神而有的圣洁喜乐，他持守了这平安。那些保守心怀意念的神所赐出人意外的平安的人，是稳妥而轻松的（腓 4:7）。大卫惊惶之中以为众人都与他为敌；但如今他看见与他同在的很多，超过他所想象的；他的利益比他所预期的更好，他将这荣耀归给神；因为当我们需要朋友时，是神为我们兴起朋友，又使他们忠于我们。与他同在的很多；因为他的臣仆虽离弃他，归从押沙龙，但神与他同在，良善的天使也与他同在。如今他凭信心的眼目看见自己如同以利沙一样，被火车火马围护，因此夸胜说：『与我同在的很多』，『与我同在的，比与他们同在的更多』（王下 6:16,17）。
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他的仇敌必受报应，被降卑。他们曾以威吓恐吓他（诗 55:3），但此处他所说的话足以反过来恐吓他们，使他们更有理由战兢，且无可挽救；因为他们不能像大卫那样，借着对神的信心来解脱自己的恐惧。
〔1〕大卫在此描述他们的品性，作为他预期神必将他们降卑的缘由。〔a〕他们不敬畏神，亵渎不虔，对神的权柄和震怒毫无畏惧（诗 55:19）：『因为他们没有更改』——没有遭遇患难，没有顺境被中断，没有十字架使他们从这器皿倒在那器皿里——『所以不敬畏神』；他们活在持续不断的对神和宗教的轻忽与藐视之中，这是他们一切其他恶行的根源，也使他们显然已被标明归于灭亡。〔b〕他们背信弃义，不守信约，最神圣、最严肃的约束也不能拘束他们（诗 55:20）：『他背了约，伸手攻击与他和好的人』——那些从未惹动他、从未给他任何争闹缘由的人；他不但如此，反而这些人曾从他那得着一切可能的凭据，可以指望他的恩慈。他向那些他曾经与之握手的人伸手，背弃了他与神与人所立的约，背信弃义地违背了他对两方面的承诺——再没有什么比这更叫人速速败亡。〔c〕他们卑鄙伪善，口称友谊，心怀毒计（诗 55:21）：『他的口如奶油光滑，比油柔和』（大概他特别指亚希多弗），『他如此谦恭有礼，如此慷慨地表示敬重和好意，应许要效力』；然而同时『心中却怀着争战』，这一切礼数不过是争战的诡计，那些言语里藏着如此险恶的计谋，如同『拔出来的刀』，要刺伤人。他们当面赔笑，背后捅刀——如约押那样，亲嘴又杀人。撒但就是这样的仇敌；他用谄媚把人引入灭亡。『他说得动听，你不可信他』。
〔2〕大卫在此预言他们的灭亡。〔a〕神必苦待他们，使他们陷入困苦和惊惶，把患难报应那些扰乱他百姓的人——这是应允他百姓的祷告而行的：『那从太古就有的神必听见，必苦待他们』——听见被欺压者的哀求，向欺压者发声震吓——『那从太古就有的』，是从亘古就有、世世代代都是神的那一位，从起初就坐在审判席上，一直掌管人类的事务。必死的人无论何等高贵强壮，在永恒的神面前都轻易被压碎，与他较量实非对手。圣徒们在面对教会仇敌威吓性的权势时，正是以此自慰（哈 1:12）：『耶和华啊，你不是从亘古而有吗？』〔b〕神必将他们『降卑』，不但降到尘土，更要『下到灭亡的坑里』（诗 55:23），下到无底坑——就是那称为『毁灭』之处（伯 26:6）。他先苦待他们（诗 55:19），要看他们是否因此自卑改过；但他们既不因此而受感动，他至终必将他们带进灭亡。那些不肯受管教的责罚而回头的人，必被下入灭亡的坑中。他们是『流人血行诡诈的人』（即最恶的人），所以『活不到半世』——不及常人寿命的一半，不及他们若顺乎自然之理当享的年日，也不及他们自己所盼望的年日。他们要活多久，是由生命之主、公义的审判者所定的，我们年岁的数目都在他手中；但他已判定要在大半世未到之前，把他们剪除。他们是流人血的人，砍杀了别人，所以神公义地剪除他们；他们是行诡诈的人，或许夺了别人当得之分的一半，如今神也要使他们所求的落空——纵然不是他们当得之分上的落空，却是他们所指望的落空。
三、他勉励自己和一切敬虔人，将自己交托给神，信靠他。他自己定意如此行（诗 55:23）：『至于我，我必倚靠你』——倚靠你的护理、你的权能和你的怜悯，而不倚靠自己的智谋、力量或功劳；当流人血行诡诈的人在半世之中被剪除时，我仍要因信靠你而活。他也愿意别人如此行（诗 55:22）：『你要把你的重担卸给耶和华』——无论你是谁，只要你担着重担；无论担子是什么。『你要把你的礼物卸给耶和华』（有人如此读）；『无论神赐你什么福分供你享受，都要全数交托他保管，特别是把你的灵魂交托他保守』。或，『无论你渴慕神赐你什么，都当留待他照自己的方式和时候赐给你。你要把你的忧虑卸给耶和华』——七十士译本如此译，使徒也是这样引用（彼前 5:7）。忧虑是重担，能使人心下沉（箴 12:25）；我们必须借着信心和祷告把它卸给神，将我们的道路和所作的交托他；任凭他看为好的去行，我们就心满意足。把重担卸给神，就是仰赖他的护理和应许，并在万事互相效力叫我们得益处的确信中安然无虑。我们若如此行，便有应许：1. 他必抚养我们——既扶持又供给；他必亲自用大能的膀臂怀抱我们，如乳养者怀抱吃奶的婴孩；他必借他的灵刚强我们的心灵，使我们能担起自己的软弱。他并未应许立即救我们脱离那引起忧虑和恐惧的患难；但他必使我们所受的试探不超过我们所能受的，并使我们在受试探时能以忍受。2. 他永不叫义人动摇——不被任何患难摇撼，以致放弃对神当尽的本分或在他里面的安慰。无论如何，他不叫他们永远动摇（有人如此读）；他们纵然跌倒，也不至全然败亡。
英文原文
Confidence in God
¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
¹⁸ He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
¹⁹ God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
²¹ The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
²² Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
In these verses,
I. David perseveres in his resolution to call upon God, being well assured that he should not seek him in vain (Ps 55:16): "As for me, let them take what course they please to secure themselves, let violence and strife be their guards, prayer shall be mine; this I have found comfort in, and therefore this will I abide by: I will call upon God, and commit myself to him, and the Lord shall save me;" for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, in a right manner, shall be saved, Ro 10:13. He resolves to be both fervent and frequent in this duty. 1. He will pray fervently: "I will pray and cry aloud. I will meditate" (so the former word signifies); "I will speak with my own heart, and the prayer shall come thence." Then we pray aright when we pray with all that is within us, think first and then pray over our thoughts; for the true nature of prayer is lifting up the heart to God. Having meditated, he will cry, he will cry aloud; the fervour of his spirit in prayer shall be expressed and yet more excited by the intenseness and earnestness of his voice. 2. He will pray frequently, every day, and three times a day—evening, and morning, and at noon. It is probable that this had been his constant practice, and he resolves to continue it now that he is in his distress. Then we may come the more boldly to the throne of grace in trouble when we do not then first begin to seek acquaintance with God, but it is what we have constantly practised, and the trouble finds the wheels of prayer going. Those that think three meals a day little enough for the body ought much more to think three solemn prayers a day little enough for the soul, and to count it a pleasure, not a task. As it is fit that in the morning we should begin the day with God, and in the evening close it with him, so it is fit that in the midst of the day we should retire awhile to converse with him. It was Daniel's practice to pray three times a day (Da 6:10), and noon was one of Peter's hours of prayer, Ac 10:9. Let not us be weary of praying often, for God is not weary of hearing. "He shall hear my voice, and not blame me for coming too often, but the oftener the better, the more welcome."
II. He assures himself that God would in due time give an answer of peace to his prayers.
1. That he himself should be delivered and his fears prevented; those fears with which he was much disordered (Ps 55:4,5) by the exercise of faith were now silenced, and he begins to rejoice in hope (Ps 55:18): God has delivered my soul in peace, that is, he will deliver it; David is as sure of the deliverance as if it were already wrought. His enemies were at war with him, and the battle was against him, but God delivered him in peace, that is, brought him off with as much comfort as if he had never been in danger. If he did not deliver him in victory, yet he delivered him in peace, inward peace. He delivered his soul in peace; by patience and holy joy in God he kept possession of that. Those are safe and easy whose hearts and minds are kept by that peace of God which passes all understanding, Php 4:7. David, in his fright, thought all were against him; but now he sees there were many with him, more than he imagined; his interest proved better than he expected, and this he gives to God the glory of: for it is he that raises us up friends when we need them, and makes them faithful to us. There were many with him; for though his subjects deserted him, and went over to Absalom, yet God was with him and the good angels. With an eye of faith he now sees himself surrounded, as Elisha was, with chariots of fire and horses of fire, and therefore triumphs thus, There are many with me, more with me than against me, 2Ki 6:16,17.
2. That his enemies should be reckoned with, and brought down. They had frightened him with their menaces (Ps 55:3), but here he says enough to frighten them and make them tremble with more reason, and no remedy; for they could not ease themselves of their fears as David could, by faith in God.
(1.) David here gives their character as the reason why he expected God would bring them down. [1.] They are impious and profane, and stand in no awe of God, of his authority or wrath (Ps 55:19): "Because they have no changes (no afflictions, no interruption to the constant course of their prosperity, no crosses to empty them from vessel to vessel) therefore they fear not God; they live in a constant neglect and contempt of God and religion, which is the cause of all their other wickedness, and by which they are certainly marked for destruction." [2.] They are treacherous and false, and will not be held by the most sacred and solemn engagements (Ps 55:20): "He has put forth his hand against such as are at peace with him, that never provoked him, nor gave him any cause to quarrel with them; nay, to whom he had given all possible encouragement to expect kindness from him. He has put forth his hand against those whom he had given his hand to, and has broken his covenant both with God and man, has perfidiously violated his engagement to both," than which nothing makes men riper for ruin. [3.] They are base and hypocritical, pretending friendship while they design mischief (Ps 55:21): "The words of his mouth" (probably, he means Ahithophel particularly) "were smoother than butter and softer than oil, so courteous was he and obliging, so free in his professions of respect and kindness and the proffers of his service; yet, at the same time, war was in his heart, and all this courtesy was but a stratagem of war, and those very words had such a mischievous design in them that they were as drawn swords designed to stab." They smile in a man's face, and cut his throat at the same time, as Joab, that kissed and killed. Satan is such an enemy; he flatters men into their ruin. When he speaks fair, believe him not.
(2.) David here foretels their ruin. [1.] God shall afflict them, and bring them into straits and frights, and recompense tribulation to those that have troubled his people, and this in answer to the prayers of his people: God shall hear and afflict them, hear the cries of the oppressed and speak terror to their oppressors, even he that abides of old, who is God from everlasting, and world without end, and who sits Judge from the beginning of time, and has always presided in the affairs of the children of men. Mortal men, though ever so high and strong, will easily be crushed by an eternal God and are a very unequal match for him. This the saints have comforted themselves with in reference to the threatening power of the church's enemies (Hab 1:12): Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord? [2.] God shall bring them down, not only to the dust, but to the pit of destruction (Ps 55:23), to the bottomless pit, which is called destruction, Job 26:6. He afflicted them (Ps 55:19) to see if that would humble and reform them; but, they not being wrought upon by that, he shall at last bring them to ruin. Those that are not reclaimed by the rod of affliction will certainly be brought down into the pit of destruction. They are bloody and deceitful men (that is, the worst of men) and therefore shall not live out half their days, not half so long as men ordinarily live, and as they might have lived in a course of nature, and as they themselves expected to live. They shall live as long as the Lord of life, the righteous Judge, has appointed, with whom the number of our months is; but he has determined to cut them off by an untimely death in the midst of their days. They were bloody men, and cut others off, and therefore God will justly cut them off: they were deceitful men, and defrauded others of the one-half perhaps of what was their due, and now God will cut them short, though not of that which was their due, yet of that which they counted upon.
III. He encourages himself and all good people to commit themselves to God, with confidence in him. He himself resolves to do so (Ps 55:23): "I will trust in thee, in thy providence, and power, and mercy, and not in my own prudence, strength, or merit; when bloody and deceitful men are cut off in the midst of their days I shall still live by faith in thee." And this he will have others to do (Ps 55:22): "Cast thy burden upon the Lord," whoever thou art that art burdened, and whatever the burden is. "Cast thy gift upon the Lord" (so some read it); "whatever blessings God has bestowed upon thee to enjoy commit them all to his custody, and particularly commit the keeping of thy soul to him." Or, "Whatever it is that thou desirest God should give thee, leave it to him to give it to thee in his own way and time. Cast thy care upon the Lord," so the LXX., to which the apostle refers, 1Pe 5:7. Care is a burden; it makes the heart stoop (Pr 12:25); we must cast it upon God by faith and prayer, commit our way and works to him; let him do as seemeth him good, and we will be satisfied. To cast our burden upon God is to stay ourselves on his providence and promise, and to be very easy in the assurance that all shall work for good. If we do so, it is promised, 1. That he will sustain us, both support and supply us, will himself carry us in the arms of his power, as the nurse carries the sucking-child, will strengthen our spirits so by his Spirit as that they shall sustain the infirmity. He has not promised to free us immediately from that trouble which gives rise to our cares and fears; but he will provide that we be not tempted above what we are able, and that we shall be able according as we are tempted. 2. That he will never suffer the righteous to be moved, to be so shaken by any troubles as to quit either their duty to God or their comfort in him. However, he will not suffer them to be moved for ever (as some read it); though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down.
许多解经家推测本篇是大卫因押沙龙叛乱而作,他在此所论那位背信弃义地待他的特别仇敌,便是亚希多弗;故有人据此将大卫此处的患难作为基督受苦的预表,以亚希多弗的背叛作为犹大背叛的影像——因二人皆自缢而死。但新约中无一处将其特别应用于基督。大卫作本篇时正处于极大患难之中。本篇结构如下:一、他求神向他显明恩眷,并以自己的忧愁与恐惧为恳求(诗55:1-8);二、他求神向仇敌显明不悦,并以他们的滔天邪恶与背信为恳求(诗55:9-15,20,21);三、他确信神必适时为他向仇敌显现,以此盼望自慰,并勉励他人信靠神(诗55:16-19,22,23)。我们唱这首诗时,若处境相符,可将其应用于己;若不相符,可同情那些更近其情形的人,并预见逼迫者终必受忿怒与震怒,受逼迫者终必得拯救与喜乐。