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英文原文
It seems by this, and many other psalms, that even in times of the greatest trouble and distress David never hung his harp upon the willow-trees, never unstrung it or laid it by; but that when his dangers and fears were greatest he was still in tune for singing God's praises. He was in imminent peril when he penned this psalm, at least when he meditated it; yet even then his meditation of God was sweet. I. He complains of the malice of his enemies, and begs mercy for himself and justice against them, Ps 56:1,2,5-7. II. He confides in God, being assured that he took his part, comforting himself with this, that therefore he was safe and should be victorious, and that while he lived he should praise God, Ps 56:3,4,8-13. How pleasantly may a good Christian, in singing this psalm, rejoice in God, and praise him for what he will do, as well as for what he has done.
1-7
Prayer for Help under Oppression; Confidence in God
受欺压时的求救；信靠神
交与伶长。调用「远方无声鸽」。大卫的金诗，非利士人在迦特拿住他的时候。
¹ 神啊，求你怜悯我，因为人要把我吞了；终日攻击欺压我。
² 我的仇敌终日要把我吞了；因逞骄傲攻击我的人甚多。至高者啊，
³ 我惧怕的时候，要倚靠你。
⁴ 我倚靠神，我要赞美他的话；我倚靠神，必不惧怕；血气之辈能把我怎么样呢？
⁵ 他们终日颠倒我的话；他们所想的，都是要害我。
⁶ 他们聚集、埋伏，窥探我的脚步，等候要害我的命。
⁷ 他们岂能因罪孽逃脱吗？神啊，求你在怒中使众民堕落。
大卫在本诗中，借信心将自己交在神手中——尽管他先前因惧怕和愚妄将自己交在非利士人手中；那时他们在迦特拿住他，他因惧怕扫罗而逃到那里，却忘了他们因他杀歌利亚而与他结的仇；但他们很快提醒了他（撒上21:10、11）。在那境遇中他改变了行为，却仍如此镇定，以致那时他写下了本诗和诗34:1-22。这诗称为「金诗」。其他几篇诗也如此题名，但本诗标题另有特别之处：调用「远方无声鸽」。有人将此应用于大卫自己——他曾愿有鸽子的翅膀可以飞去。他如鸽一般无辜无害、温柔忍耐，此时被赶离巢穴、离开圣所（诗84:3），被迫流亡远方，在异国寻求庇护；他在那里如谷中的鸽子，哀伤忧郁；却默默无声——既不向神发怨言，也不咒骂苦他的工具；在这事上他是基督的预表——基督如羊在剪毛的人手下无声；他也是基督徒的榜样——无论身在何处、无论受何委屈，都当如无声之鸽。在本诗前半部分：
一、他向神控诉仇敌的恶意和恶行，以显示他有何理由惧怕他们，并显示神有何原因、有何必要起来反对他们（诗56:1）：「神啊，求你怜悯我！」这恳求包含我们到施恩座前所要得的一切好处；若在那里蒙怜悯，便得了所愿的一切，再无所缺而可以快乐。这也暗示我们最好的理由——不是我们的功劳，而是神的怜悯，他白白丰盛的怜悯。他求在神那里蒙怜悯，因为他在人那里寻不见怜悯。他从扫罗的 cruel 之手逃出，却落入非利士人的残酷之手。「主啊，」他说，「现在求你怜悯我，否则我必灭亡。」神的怜悯是我们可投靠、可信靠、可凭信心祈求的——当我们四面受困于艰难危险之时。他控诉：1. 仇敌数目众多（诗56:2）：「『逞骄傲攻击我的人甚多』，想以人数压倒我；『至高者啊』，求你垂顾此事，并显明在他们所夸傲的事上你高于他们。」以一敌众前来相助，乃是尊荣。神若在我们这边，无论攻击我们的有多少，我们都有充分理由夸口「与我们同在的更多」；因为（如那位大将军所说）「我们算他多少呢？」2. 他们极其野蛮：他们要「把他吞了」（诗56:1，又诗56:2）。他们要吞噬他；少一点也不足；他们如猛兽以全力扑来，要吞吃他的肉（诗27:2）。「人」要吞他——与他同类的人，他本可从他们期待人性。猛兽尚不捕食同类；恶人却若能便要吞食好人。「他们是人，软弱脆弱；求你使他们知道他们不过是人」（诗9:20）。3. 他们极其同心（诗56:6）：「他们聚集」；他们虽人多、彼此利益不同，却联合一致反对大卫，如希律和彼拉多反对大卫的子孙。4. 他们极其有权势——若神不帮助，他实在敌不过：「他们『攻击我』（诗56:2）；他们『欺压我』（诗56:1）。我几乎被他们胜过压倒，已被推至末路。」5. 他们极其狡猾诡诈（诗56:6）：「他们埋伏」；他们故意掩盖自己的计谋，以便更有效地推行追讨。他们如狮藏于穴中，「窥探我的脚步」；即「他们以挑剔的眼目观察我所说的、所行的一切，好有所控告我」（基督的仇敌也是如此窥探他，路20:20）；或「他们注视我的一切动静，好得机会加害于我，为我设下网罗」。6. 他们极其恶毒怨恨。他们将他所说过的话——无论何等诚实之意、何等审慎之言——都加上恶意的解释（诗56:5）：「他们颠倒我的话」，把它们放上刑架，要从中榨出本来没有的意思；如此「使人为一句话而获罪」（赛29:21），又向扫罗曲解、加重，使扫罗更加恼怒他。他们以毁灭大卫为全部事业；他们一切所想都是要害他——这便将他一切的话都作恶意的解释。7. 他们极其不息不休。他们不住地等候要害他的命；他所追猎的就是性命，宝贵的性命；他所渴慕的就是他的死（诗56:6）。他们终日攻击他（诗56:1），终日要吞他（诗56:2），每日颠倒他的话（诗56:5）。他们的恶意不容丝毫停战或敌对行动的中止，乃不住地推进。撒但和他的差役对基督国度和他圣洁宗教之利益的敌意，正是如此；我们若真心拥护，就当不以遭遇如此待遇为怪，仿佛遭遇了非常之事。比我们更好的人也曾如此受苦。「他们如此逼迫先知。」
二、他在神里面并在他的应许、大能、护理中得着勉励（诗56:3、4）。在他的控诉之中，在他未尽所言论仇敌之前，他便在神的保护中夸胜。1. 他决意以神为信靠——在危险最威胁、一切别的倚靠都失效之时：「『我惧怕的时候』——在我惧怕之日，当外有最可怕的惊吓、内有最胆怯之时——『我要倚靠你』，因此我的恐惧必被平息。」请注意，有些时候对神的百姓而言是特别恐惧之时；在这些时候，他们的本分和益处就是以神为他们的神来信靠他，并知道他们所信的是谁。这能坚定人心，保守其平安。2. 他决意以神的应许为他赞美的内容——我们也有理由如此行（诗56:4）：「我倚靠神，我要赞美『他的话』」——不仅赞美他所行的工，更赞美他所说的话；我要为应许——即使尚未应验——感谢他。「我倚靠神」（靠他的力量、借他的帮助）「我要因他的话夸口，并将荣耀归他」。有人将「他的话」解作他的护理——他所安排吩咐的每一件事：「当我称颂神时，我要与他同心称颂他所行的一切。」3. 如此得着扶持，他便能向一切敌对势力挑战：「『我倚靠神』，我便安全、我便安然，『必不惧怕血气之辈能把我怎么样』；他们不过是血气，不能作什么；不，除非神许可，他们一无所能。」我们既不当信靠为我们而战的有血气的膀臂，也不当惧怕向我们伸出的有血气的膀臂。
三、他预见并预言那攻击他之人的倾覆——以及一切想以恶行立己之人的倾覆（诗56:7）：「他们岂能因罪孽逃脱吗？」他们盼望借暴力、欺诈、不义和诡诈的艺术——如逃避人一样——逃避神的审判；但他们能逃脱吗？不，他们断不能。罪人的罪永不能作他们的保障；他们的厚颜或虚伪都不能在神的台前脱罪；神必在怒中将这等人倾倒赶出（罗2:3）。无人被抬得如此之高、立得如此之稳，是神的公义所不能将其从尊荣和倚靠中拉下来的。「谁能晓得神怒气的权势——它能达多高、能击多重呢？」
英文原文
Prayer for Help under Oppression; Confidence in God
To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
¹ Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
² Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
³ What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
⁴ In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
⁵ Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶ They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
⁷ Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
David, in this psalm, by his faith throws himself into the hands of God, even when he had by his fear and folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul, forgetting the quarrel they had with him for killing Goliath; but they soon put him in mind of it, 1Sa 21:10,11. Upon that occasion he changed his behaviour, but with so little ruffle to his temper that then he penned both this psalm and Ps 34:1-22. This is called Michtam—a golden psalm. So some other psalms are entitled, but this has something peculiar in the title; it is upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, which signifies the silent dove afar off. Some apply this to David himself, who wished for the wings of a dove on which to fly away. He was innocent and inoffensive, mild and patient, as a dove, was at this time driven from his nest, from the sanctuary (Ps 84:3), was forced to wander afar off, to seek for shelter in distant countries; there he was like the doves of the valleys, mourning and melancholy; but silent, neither murmuring against God nor railing at the instruments of his trouble; herein a type of Christ, who was as a sheep, dumb before the shearers, and a pattern to Christians, who, wherever they are and whatever injuries are done them, ought to be as silent doves. In this former part of the psalm,
I. He complains to God of the malice and wickedness of his enemies, to show what reason he had to fear them, and what cause, what need, there was that God should appear against them (Ps 56:1): Be merciful unto me, O God! That petition includes all the good we come to the throne of grace for; if we obtain mercy there, we obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free rich mercy. He prays that he might find mercy with God, for with men he could find no mercy. When he fled from the cruel hands of Saul he fell into the cruel hands of the Philistines. "Lord" (says he), "be thou merciful to me now, or I am undone." The mercy of God is what we may flee to and trust to, and in faith pray for, when we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers. He complains, 1. That his enemies were very numerous (Ps 56:2): "They are many that fight against me, and think to overpower me with numbers; take notice of this, O thou Most High! and make it to appear that wherein they deal proudly thou art above them." It is a point of honour to come in to the help of one against many. And, if God be on our side, how many soever they are that fight against us, we may, upon good grounds, boast that there are more with us; for (as that great general said) "How many do we reckon him for?" 2. That they were very barbarous: they would swallow him up, Ps 56:1 and again Ps 56:2. They sought to devour him; no less would serve; they came upon him with the utmost fury, like beasts of prey, to eat up his flesh, Ps 27:2. Man would swallow him up, those of his own kind, from whom he might have expected humanity. The ravenous beasts prey not upon those of their own species; yet a bad man would devour a good man if he could. "They are men, weak and frail; make them to know that they are so," Ps 9:20. 3. That they were very unanimous (Ps 56:6): They gather themselves together; though they were many, and of different interests among themselves, yet they united and combined against David, as Herod and Pilate against the Son of David. 4. That they were very powerful, quite too hard for him if God did not help him: "They fight against me (Ps 56:2); they oppress me, Ps 56:1. I am almost overcome and borne down by them, and reduced to the last extremity." 5. That they were very subtle and crafty (Ps 56:6): "They hide themselves; they industriously cover their designs, that they may the more effectually prosecute and pursue them. They hide themselves as a lion in his den, that they may mark my steps;" that is, "they observe every thing I say and do with a critical eye, that they may have something to accuse me of" (thus Christ's enemies watched him, Lu 20:20), or "they have an eye upon all my motions, that they may gain an opportunity to do me a mischief, and may lay their snares for me." 6. That they were very spiteful and malicious. They put invidious constructions upon every thing he said, though ever so honestly meant and prudently expressed (Ps 56:5): "They wrest my words, put them upon the rack, to extort that out of them which was never in them;" and so they made him an offender for a word (Isa 29:21), misrepresenting it to Saul, and aggravating it, to incense him yet more against him. They made it their whole business to ruin David; all their thoughts were against him for evil, which put evil interpretations upon all his words. 7. That they were very restless and unwearied. They continually waited for his soul; it was the life, the precious life, they hunted for; it was his death they longed for, Ps 56:6. They fought daily against him (Ps 56:1), and would daily swallow him up (Ps 56:2), and every day they wrested his words, Ps 56:5. Their malice would not admit the least cessation of arms, or the acts of hostility, but they were continually pushing at him. Such as this is the enmity of Satan and his agents against the kingdom of Christ and the interests of his holy religion, which if we cordially espouse, we must not think it strange to meet with such treatment as this, as though some strange thing happened to us. Our betters have been thus used. So persecuted they the prophets.
II. He encourages himself in God, and in his promises, power, and providence, Ps 56:3,4 In the midst of his complaints, and before he has said what he has to say of his enemies, he triumphs in the divine protection. 1. He resolves to make God his confidence, then when dangers were most threatening and all other confidences failed: "What time I am afraid, in the day of my fear, when I am most terrified from without and most timorous within, then I will trust in thee, and thereby my fears shall be silenced." Note, There are some times which are, in a special manner, times of fear with God's people; in these times it is their duty and interest to trust in God as their God, and to know whom they have trusted. This will fix the heart and keep it in peace. 2. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them (Ps 56:4): "In God I will praise, not only his work which he has done, but his word which he has spoken; I will give him thanks for a promise, though not yet performed. In God (in his strength and by his assistance) I will both glory in his word and give him the glory of it." Some understand by his word his providences, every event that he orders and appoints: "When I speak well of God I will with him speak well of every thing that he does." 3. Thus supported, he will bid defiance to all adverse powers: "When in God I have put my trust, I am safe, I am easy, and I will not fear what flesh can do unto me; it is but flesh, and cannot do much; nay, it can do nothing but by divine permission." As we must not trust to an arm of flesh when it is engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when it is stretched out against us.
III. He foresees and foretels the fall of those that fought against him, and of all others that think to establish themselves in and by any wicked practices (Ps 56:7): Shall they escape by iniquity? They hope to escape God's judgments, as they escape men's, by violence and fraud, and the arts of injustice and treachery; but shall they escape? No, certainly they shall not. The sin of sinners will never be their security, nor will either their impudence or their hypocrisy bring them off at God's bar; God will in his anger cast down and cast out such people, Ro 2:3. None are raised so high, or settled so firmly, but that the justice of God can bring them down, both from their dignities and from their confidences. Who knows the power of God's anger, how high it can reach, and how forcibly it can strike?
8-13
Comfort under Affliction; Confidence in God
在苦难中的安慰；对神的信靠
⁸ 我几次流离，你都记数；求你把我眼泪装在你的皮袋里。这不都记在你册子上么？ ⁹ 我呼求的日子，我的仇敌都要转身退后。神帮助我，这是我所知道的。 ¹⁰ 我倚靠神，我要赞美他的话；我倚靠耶和华，我要赞美他的话。 ¹¹ 我倚靠神，必不惧怕。人能把我怎么样呢？ ¹² 神啊，我许愿归与你；我要将感谢祭献给你。 ¹³ 因为你救我的命脱离死亡。你岂不是救护我的脚不跌倒，使我在生命光中行在神面前么？
大卫在此在受惊受苦之日用以自慰的，有以下几件事。
一、神特别留意他一切苦情和忧伤（诗 56:8）。1. 留意他境遇的一切不便：「我几次流离，你都记数。」英文旧译作「我的飘流」。大卫此时不过年少（未满三十），却已多次迁移——从父家到宫廷，再到军营，如今被驱逐，只得在何处可寻得栖身之所便在那里寄居，却不许在何处安息；他被追捕如山上的鹧鸪；终日恐惧劳碌；但他得着安慰，因为神一一记下他的一切动静，数算他无论日夜所踏的每一疲乏脚步。请注意，神一一知道他百姓的苦难；那些被人从熟识和交往中驱逐出去的人，神并不将他们从自己的眷顾和慈爱中驱逐出去。2. 留意这一切在他灵里所留下的印象。他在飘流之时常常流泪，因此求告：「求你把我眼泪装在你的皮袋里」——为要保存并细看；不，我知道它们「记在你的册上」——你的纪念册上。神为百姓的眼泪（既为罪而流，也为苦难而流）预备了皮袋和册子。这表明，（1）他以怜悯和柔细的关切留意他们；他们在苦难中，他也同受苦难，他在患难中知道他们的灵魂。圣徒的血和他们的死，在耶和华眼中看为宝贵；他们的眼泪也是如此，没有一滴会落在地上。「我已看见你的眼泪」（王下 20:5）。「我听见以法莲悲叹」（耶 31:18）。（2）他必记念并复查，如同我们复查已入账的账目。保罗记念提摩太的眼泪（提后 1:4），神也必不忘记他百姓的忧伤。受逼迫的神之百姓的眼泪，被装在皮袋里，封存在神的宝库之中；等到这些案卷展开之时，它们必被发现是神烈怒的瓶——要倒在逼迫他们的人身上；神必因他们强迫他百姓所流的眼泪，与他们一一算账；它们也必成为神之哀恸者的安慰之怀，他们的麻衣必转为赞美的衣袍。神必照他所加诸他们的苦难之时日安慰他们，使那流泪撒种的，必欢呼收割。所种下的是一滴泪，长出来的是一颗珍珠。
二、他的祷告必能有力地击败并挫败仇敌，也能扶持鼓励他自己（诗 56:9）：「我呼求的日子，我的仇敌都要转身退后」——我所需要的兵器，不过是祷告和眼泪；「这是我所知道的，因为神帮助我」——为我申诉，保护并拯救我；神既为我，谁能敌我而得胜呢？圣徒有神为他们；他们可以知道这事；他们被仇敌四围之时，必须向他呼求；他们若凭信如此行，必发现神的大能已为他们发动并效力；他们的仇敌必被迫转身退后——他们属灵的仇敌，正因我们跪下之时最能与之争战（弗 6:18）。
三、他对神的信心必使他超越对人的惧怕（诗 56:10,11）。他在此以强烈的情感重复先前所说的话（诗 56:4）：「我倚靠神，我要赞美他的话」——意即我必坚定地倚靠应许，因为那赐应许者是真实信实的，并有大能、智慧、良善足以成全它。我们相信一个人所开的票据，便是尊重开票的人；照样当我们为神而行、为神而受苦，并倚靠他的应许不至动摇，我们便是荣耀神，赞美他的话，并因此赞美他。他既如此信靠了神，便以圣洁的轻蔑看待人的威吓权势：「我倚靠神」（只倚靠他），「所以必不惧怕人能对我怎么样」（诗 56:11），虽然我很清楚他若能，他会怎样行（诗 56:1,2）。这句得胜的话——如此彰显圣洁的刚毅——使徒把它放在每一个真信徒口中，使他成为基督徒的勇士（来 13:6）。我们各人都可以放胆说：「主是帮助我的」；「我必不惧怕，人能把我怎么样呢？」因为他原是凭自己一无所有，他的权柄不过是从上头赐给他的。
四、他向神负有盟誓的约（诗 56:12）：「神啊，我许愿归与你！」——不是如同重担加在我身上，而是如同我所夸的徽章，借此我被人认出是你的仆人；不是如同捆绑我手脚的脚镣（迷信的许愿正是如此），而是如同辔头，约束我不作对我有害的事，并引导我行在本分的道上。「我许愿归与你」——我所许愿归你的那些誓，你不仅是见证人，更是当事一方，并且是你命令并鼓励我许的。他可能特指他在患难惊惶之日向神所许的愿；在惊惶过去之后，他仍要记念并承认这些愿的约束力。请注意，神的誓在我们身上，这当成为我们思念和喜乐的事——我们在洗礼中所立的愿（又在主的桌前更新），我们在受感之时、在受惩治之时所偶发的愿；我们藉此受约束为神而活。
五、他必越发多有赞美他的机会：「我要将感谢祭献给你。」这是履行他所许之愿的一部分；因为感恩的愿本该与求怜悯的祷告相随；既已得了怜悯，便当偿还。当我们思想要献上什么时，至少当定意献上对神的赞美——所受既丰，所献却微！他要在两件事上赞美神：1. 为他已经为他所行的（诗 56:13）：「你救我的命」——我的生命——「脱离死亡」，死亡刚才要抓住我。神若救我们脱离罪——或是以拦阻的恩典救我们脱离犯罪，或是以赦免的怜悯救我们脱离罪的刑罚——我们便当认他已救我们的命脱离死亡，因为罪的工价就是死。我们若原本在罪中死了，如今却与基督一同活过来，在属灵上活了，我们便当认神已救我们的命脱离死亡。2. 为他将为他所行的：「你救我的命脱离死亡，因而赐我以新生命；并以此为更大怜悯的凭据，证明你『必救护我的脚不跌倒』；你既作了更大的，必也作较小的；你既动了善工，必也成全它直到完工。」这话可视为他祷告中的恳求——以自己的经历为凭；也可视为他赞美中的内容——提高自己的盼望；知道如何在信心中赞美的人，必在应许和指望中为怜悯感谢神，如同在已得着时一样。请看，（1）大卫所盼望的是什么——神救护他的脚不跌倒，或不跌入罪中（这要伤他的良心），或不跌入罪的外观中（仇敌要藉此伤他的好名声）。自以为站得稳的人，当谨慎免得跌倒，因为最好的人若不得神喜悦地扶持，也站立不住。我们软弱，我们的路滑，其中有许多绊脚石，我们属灵的仇敌又殷勤要把我们推倒，所以我们当以信心和祷告交托给那「保护圣徒的脚步」者。（2）他所凭以建立这盼望的根据：「你救我的命脱离死亡」，在此显大了你的能力和良善，并使我处于可受你进一步怜悯的地位；你如今岂不也要成全并加冠你自己的工作么？神从未领他的百姓出埃及，为要在旷野杀灭他们。那在归主之时救人脱离罪这样大死的神，必不失败，必「保守他进入天国」。（3）他在这盼望中所定的宗旨：「使我在生命光中行在神面前。」意思是，〔1〕「使我能到天堂——那是惟一的光与生命之地；因为在这个世上，黑暗和死亡作王。」〔2〕「使我在有生之年能尽我的本分。」请注意，我们一切求脱离罪与苦难的渴望和指望中，所当追求的，正是我们可以更美好地事奉神——「使我们既从仇敌手中被救出来，就可以终身在他面前坦然无惧地事奉他」。
英文原文
Comfort under Affliction; Confidence in God
⁸ Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
⁹ When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
¹⁰ In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
¹¹ In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
¹² Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
¹³ For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Several things David here comforts himself with in the day of his distress and fear.
I. That God took particular notice of all his grievances and all his griefs, Ps 56:8. 1. Of all the inconveniences of his state: Thou tellest my wanderings, my flittings, so the old translation. David was now but a young (under thirty) and yet he had had many removes, from his father's house to the court, thence to the camp, and now driven out to sojourn where he could find a place, but not allowed to rest any where; he was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains; continual terrors and toils attended him; but this comforted him, that God kept a particular account of all his motions, and numbered all the weary steps he took, by night or by day. Note, God takes cognizance of all the afflictions of his people; and he does not cast out from his care and love those whom men have cast out from their acquaintance and converse. 2. Of all the impressions thus made upon his spirit. When he was wandering he was often weeping, and therefore prays, "Put thou my tears into thy bottle, to be preserved and looked upon; nay, I know they are in thy book, the book of thy remembrance." God has a bottle and a book for his people's tears, both those for their sins and those for their afflictions. This intimates, (1.) That he observes them with compassion and tender concern; he is afflicted in their afflictions, and knows their souls in adversity. As the blood of his saints, and their deaths, are precious in the sight of the Lord, so are their tears, not one of them shall fall to the ground. I have seen thy tears, 2Ki 20:5. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Jer 31:18. (2.) That he will remember them and review them, as we do the accounts we have booked. Paul was mindful of Timothy's tears (2Ti 1:4), and God will not forget the sorrows of his people. The tears of God's persecuted people are bottled up and sealed among God's treasures; and, when these books come to be opened, they will be found vials of wrath, which will be poured out upon their persecutors, whom God will surely reckon with for all the tears they have forced from his people's eyes; and they will be breasts of consolation to God's mourners, whose sackcloth will be turned into garments of praise. God will comfort his people according to the time wherein he has afflicted them, and give to those to reap in joy who sowed in tears. What was sown a tear will come up a pearl.
II. That his prayers would be powerful for the defeat and discomfiture of his enemies, as well as for his own support and encouragement (Ps 56:9): "When I cry unto thee, then shall my enemies turn back; I need no other weapons than prayers and tears; this I know, for God is for me, to plead my cause, to protect and deliver me; and, if God be for me, who can be against me so as to prevail?" The saints have God for them; they may know it; and to him they must cry when they are surrounded with enemies; and, if they do this in faith, they shall find a divine power exerted and engaged for them; their enemies shall be made to turn back, their spiritual enemies, against whom we fight best upon our knees, Eph 6:18.
III. That his faith in God would set him above the fear of man, Ps 56:10,11. Here he repeats, with a strong pathos, what he had said (Ps 56:4), "In God will I praise his word; that is, I will firmly depend upon the promise for the sake of him that made it, who is true and faithful, and has wisdom, power, and goodness enough to make it good." When we give credit to a man's bill we honour him that drew it; so when we do, and suffer, for God, in a dependence upon his promise, not staggering at it, we give glory to God, we praise his word, and so give praise to him. Having thus put his trust in God, he looks with a holy contempt upon the threatening power of man: "In God have I put my trust, and in him only, and therefore I will not be afraid what man can do unto me (Ps 56:11), though I know very well what he would do if he could," Ps 56:1,2. This triumphant word, so expressive of a holy magnanimity, the apostle puts into the mouth of every true believer, whom he makes a Christian hero, Heb 13:6. We may each of us boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and then I will not fear what man shall do unto me; for he has no power but what he has given him from above.
IV. That he was in bonds to God (Ps 56:12): "Thy vows are upon me, O God!—not upon me as a burden which I am loaded with, but as a badge which I glory in, as that by which I am known to be thy menial servant—not upon me as fetters that hamper me (such are superstitious vows), but upon me as a bridle that restrains me from what would be hurtful to me, and directs me in the way of my duty. Thy vows are upon me, the vows I have made to thee, to which thou art not only a witness, but a party, and which thou hast commanded and encouraged me to make." It is probably that he means especially those vows which he had made to God in the day of his trouble and distress, which he would retain the remembrance of, and acknowledge the obligations of, when his fright was over. Note, It ought to be the matter of our consideration and joy that the vows of God are upon us—our baptismal vows renewed at the Lord's table, our occasional vows under convictions, under corrections, by these we are bound to live to God.
V. That he should still have more and more occasion to praise him: I will render praises unto thee. This is part of the performance of his vows; for vows of thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy, and when the mercy is received must be made good. When we study what we shall render this is the least we can resolve upon, to render praises to God—poor returns for rich receivings! Two things he will praise God for:—1. For what he had done for him (Ps 56:13): "Thou has delivered my soul, my life, from death, which was just ready to seize me." If God have delivered us from sin, either from the commission of it by preventing grace or from the punishment of it by pardoning mercy, we have reason to own that he has thereby delivered our souls from death, which is the wages of sin. If we, who were by nature dead in sin, are quickened together with Christ, and are made spiritually alive, we have reason to own that God has delivered our souls from death. 2. For what he would do for him: "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and so hast given me a new life, and thereby hast given me an earnest of further mercy, that thou wilt deliver my feet from falling; thou hast done the greater, and therefore thou wilt do the less; thou hast begun a good work, and therefore thou wilt carry it on and perfect it." This may be taken either as the matter of his prayer, pleading his experience, or as the matter of his praise, raising his expectations; and those that know how to praise in faith will give God thanks for mercies in promise and prospect, as well as in possession. See here, (1.) What David hopes for, that God would deliver his feet from falling either into sin, which would wound his conscience, or into the appearance of sin, from which his enemies would take occasion to wound his good name. Those that think the stand must take heed lest they fall, because the best stand no longer than God is pleased to uphold them. We are weak, our way is slippery, many stumbling-blocks are in it, our spiritual enemies are industrious to thrust us down, and therefore we are concerned by faith and prayer to commit ourselves to his care who keeps the feet of his saints. (2.) What he builds this hope upon: "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, and therein hast magnified thy power and goodness, and put me into a capacity of receiving further mercy from thee; and now wilt thou not secure and crown thy own work?" God never brought his people out of Egypt to slay them in the wilderness. He that in conversion delivers the soul from so great a death as sin is will not fail to preserve it to his heavenly kingdom. (3.) What he designs in these hopes: That I may walk before God in the light of the living, that is, [1.] "That I may get to heaven, the only land of light and life; for in this world darkness and death reign." [2.] "That I may do my duty while this life lasts." Note, This we should aim at, in all our desires and expectations of deliverance both from sin and trouble, that we may do God so much the better service—that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we may serve him without fear.
从本篇与许多其他诗篇可见,即使在最大患难与困苦之时,大卫也从未将琴挂在柳树上,从未松弦搁置;而当他的危险与恐惧最大之时,他仍保持合调以唱神的赞美。他作本诗时——至少他默想它时——正处于迫在眉睫的危险中;然而即使那时,他对神的默想也是甘甜的。本篇结构如下:一、他抱怨仇敌的恶意,为己求怜悯、为他们求公义(诗56:1,2,5-7);二、他信靠神,确信神站在他一边,以此自慰——故他必安全、必夸胜,且他活着必赞美神(诗56:3,4,8-13)。善基督徒唱这首诗时,何等可甘美地在神里喜乐,并为他将行之事赞美他,如同为他已行之事一样。