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英文原文
This psalm is very much like that which goes next before it; it was penned upon a like occasion, when David was both in danger of trouble and in temptation to sin; it begins as that did, "Be merciful to me;" the method also is the same. I. He begins with prayer and complaint, yet not without some assurance of speeding in his request, Ps 57:1-6. II. He concludes with joy and praise, Ps 57:7-11. So that hence we may take direction and encouragement, both in our supplications and in our thanksgivings, and may offer both to God, in singing this psalm.
1-6
Prayer in Affliction
在苦难中的祷告
交与伶长。调用「休要毁坏」。大卫的金诗，躲避扫罗藏在洞里的那一天。
¹ 神啊，求你怜悯我，怜悯我；因为我的心投靠你；我要投靠在你翅膀的荫下，等到灾害过去。
² 我要求告至高的神，就是为我成全诸事的神。
³ 那要吞我的人辱骂我的时候，神必从天上施恩救我。〔细拉〕神必发出他的慈爱和诚实。
⁴ 我的性命在狮子中间；我躺卧在性如烈火的世人当中；他们的牙齿是枪箭，他们的舌头是快刀。
⁵ 神啊，愿你崇高过于诸天；愿你的荣耀高过全地。
⁶ 他们为我的脚设了网罗，压制我的心；他们在我面前挖了坑，自己反掉在其中。〔细拉〕
本诗标题中有一个新词：「休要毁坏」。有人以为这只是本诗所配的某已知曲调；有人则将之与本诗的缘由和内容相联。「休要毁坏」——即大卫不让扫罗被毁灭，虽然如今在洞中有杀死他的大好机会，他的臣仆也乐意如此行。不，大卫说：「不要害他」（撒上24:4、6）。或者更恰当说，神不让大卫被扫罗毁灭；他容让扫罗逼迫大卫，但仍有这限制——「不可毁灭他」；正如他容许撒但苦害约伯，「只要存留他的性命」。大卫不可被毁灭，因为「祝福在他里面」（赛65:8）——就是基督，那最好的祝福。大卫在洞中、在迫在眉睫的危险中，在这里告诉我们他向神的心意如何；那在危险中能有如此好思想的人有福了！
一、他以信心、盼望和祷告在神里面得着扶持（诗57:1、2）。他既被仇敌四围，便以这合宜的祷告仰望神：「神啊，求你怜悯我！」他又重复——这不是徒然的重复：「求你怜悯我」。这正是税吏的祷告（路18:13）。可惜有人轻忽亵渎地使用这话，喊「神啊，求你怜悯我们」或「主啊，怜悯我们」，意思不过是表示惊奇、惊讶或恼怒——神和他的怜悯并不在他们一切思想之中。大卫在此以极其虔诚的情感祷告：「神啊，求你怜悯我！以怜悯的眼目看我，以你的慈爱和怜恤救赎我。」为推荐自己于神的怜悯，他在此宣告：
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他一切的倚靠都在于神：「我的心投靠你」（诗57:1）。他不仅口头说信靠神，他的心实在唯独仰赖神——以真诚的虔诚和献己、以完全的倚靠和满足。他到神面前，在施恩宝座的脚凳前谦卑宣告他对神的信心：「我要投靠在你翅膀的荫下」，如小鸡在猛禽要扑击时躲在母鸡翅膀之下，「等到灾害过去」。〔1〕他确信他的苦难到了时候必妥善结束；「这些灾害将要过去」；风暴必将止息。「虽如今受苦，将来不必永远如此。」我们的主耶稣在自己受苦时也以此得安慰（路22:37）：「我所遭遇的事必有结局。」〔2〕他在此期间在神的保护之下十分安然。[1] 他在神性的良善中得安慰——神本性就倾向于救助和保护他的百姓，如母鸡本能地庇护雏鸡一般。神「飞翔」而来帮助他的百姓，表明迅速的拯救（诗18:10）；他将他们收在翅膀之下，表明温暖和苏醒——即使在苦难之中；见太23:37。[2] 在他话语的应许和他恩典之约中得安慰；因为这可指展开的「基路伯的翅膀」——神说住在其间（诗80:1），也从其间赐下他的圣言。「我要飞向那恩典的神，他的应许要作我的避难所，必是我经过这一切危险的稳妥凭据。」神借他的应许将他自己赐给我们为可信靠的；我们借信心接受他，并信靠他。
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他一切的心愿都归于神（诗57:2）：「我要要求告至高的神」，求救助解困，「我要向那至高者举起我的心，恳切祷告——就是那为我成全诸事的神」。请注意：〔1〕我们所遭遇的一切事，都当看见并承认神的手；凡所成就的都是他所成全的——在其中他的旨意成就，圣经应验。〔2〕神关于他百姓所成全的一切，结局必显明是为他们、为他们的益处而行的。神虽至高——「至高」——却俯就如此低微，顾念使万事都为他们的益处而效力。〔3〕这是我们当在一切困境艰难中呼求他的好理由——不仅祷告，更当恳切祷告。
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他一切的期待都从神而来（诗57:3）：「他必从天上施恩救我。」那以神为唯一避难所、借信心和祷告飞奔他那里的人，可以确信必在他道路和时机中得拯救。在此请注意：〔1〕他从何处期待拯救——从天上。他无论在此地上向何方观看，都寻不见避难所，不见帮助；但他从天上期待。那举心仰望上面之事的人，可以从那里期待一切的好处。〔2〕他所期待的拯救是什么。他信靠神必救他脱离「那要吞他的人辱骂」——那定意要毁灭他的，又在此期间竭力烦扰他。有人译作：「他必从天上施恩救我，因为他已使那要吞我的人蒙羞」；他至今已挫败了他们对他的计谋，因此他必成全我的拯救。〔3〕他将拯救归于何因：「神必发出他的慈爱和诚实。」神在自己里面是良善的，对他所说的每一句话也是信实的——他为他百姓施行拯救时，便使这一切显明。我们不必再有别的，只需神的怜悯和真理的益处，便可快乐（诗25:10）。
二、他述说仇敌的权势和恶意（诗57:4）：「我的性命在狮子中间。」扫罗和他周围的人对大卫如此凶猛狂暴，以致他在这种人中间如藏身于狮穴一般安全——他们不住地向他咆哮，准备将他吞食。他们「性如烈火」，所吐无非火焰；他们「点燃自然之轮」，彼此煽动反对大卫，他们自己「却是被地狱之火点燃」（雅3:6）。他们是「世人」——人本可从他们期待理性和怜悯；他们却是人形的猛兽；他们的「牙齿」（他们向他咬牙切齿，盼望借此将他撕碎吞吃）「是枪箭」——专为害人杀人而设；他们的「舌头」（他们用以咒诅他、伤他名声）「如快刀」切割杀害；见诗42:10。恶毒的舌头是危险的武器，撒但的器物借之与神的百姓争战。他描述他们针对他的恶毒计谋（诗57:6），并指出其结局：「『他们为我的脚设了网罗』，要捉住我，使我不能再从他们手中逃脱；『他们在我面前挖了坑』，使我不知不觉地栽入其中。」请看教会仇敌的诡计；请看他们为行恶所费的工夫。但让我们看看结局如何。1. 这诚然给大卫带来扰乱：「我的心被压制。」想到竟有人对他怀着如此深仇，这使他消沉低头。2. 这却是他们自己的毁灭；他们为大卫挖坑，「自己反掉在其中」。他们为大卫所设的恶谋归于己身，他们的计谋陷入混乱；当扫罗追赶大卫时，非利士人入侵他；不，在洞中，当扫罗以为大卫要落入他手中时，他反落入大卫手中，任凭大卫怜悯。
三、他求神荣耀他自己和他的大名（诗57:5）：「无论我和我的利益如何，『神啊，愿你崇高过于诸天』——愿你被圣天使——那上面世界的荣耀居民——所赞美；『愿你的荣耀高过全地』——愿这地的一切居民都被带来认识你、赞美你。」如此，神的荣耀当比我们自己任何特别的利益更近我们的心，更令我们关切。当大卫在最深的苦难羞辱中，他没有祷告说：「主啊，高举我」，而是说：「主啊，高举你自己的名」。大卫的子孙也是如此——当他心里忧愁、祷告「父啊，救我脱离这时候」之时，他随即收回那恳求，而以此代之：「但我正是为这时候来的；父啊，愿你荣耀你的名」（约12:27、28）。这也可作为加强他求拯救之恳求的理由：「主啊，『从天上施恩救我』，借此你就荣耀了自己，作天和地的神。」我们在祷告中最好的鼓励来自神的荣耀；因此在一切为特别怜悯的恳求中，我们当以此为念，过于自己的舒适；因为主祷文的第一恳求正是如此，它规范并引导其余一切：「我们在天上的父，愿人都尊你的名为圣」。
英文原文
Prayer in Affliction
To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
¹ Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
² I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
³ He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
⁴ My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
⁵ Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
⁶ They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
The title of this psalm has one word new in it, Al-taschith—Destroy not. Some make it to be only some known tune to which this psalm was set; others apply it to the occasion and matter of the psalm. Destroy not; that is, David would not let Saul be destroyed, when now in the cave there was a fair opportunity of killing him, and his servants would fain have done so. No, says David, destroy him not, 1Sa 24:4,6. Or, rather, God would not let David be destroyed by Saul; he suffered him to persecute David, but still under this limitation, Destroy him hot; as he permitted Satan to afflict Job, Only save his life. David must not be destroyed, for a blessing is in him (Isa 65:8), even Christ, the best of blessings. When David was in the cave, in imminent peril, he here tells us what were the workings of his heart towards God; and happy are those that have such good thoughts as these in their minds when they are in danger!
I. He supports himself with faith and hope in God, and prayer to him, Ps 57:1,2. Seeing himself surrounded with enemies, he looks up to God with that suitable prayer: Be merciful to me, O Lord! which he again repeats, and it is no vain repetition: Be merciful unto me. It was the publican's prayer, Lu 18:13. It is a pity that any should use it slightly and profanely, should cry, God be merciful to us, or, Lord, have mercy upon us, when they mean only to express their wonder, or surprise, or vexation, but God and his mercy are not in all their thoughts. It is with much devout affection that David here prays, "Be merciful unto me, O Lord! look with compassion upon me, and in thy love and pity redeem me." To recommend himself to God's mercy, he here professes,
1. That all his dependence is upon God: My soul trusteth in thee, Ps 57:1. He did not only profess to trust in God, but his soul did indeed rely on God only, with a sincere devotion and self-dedication, and an entire complacency and satisfaction. He goes to God, and, at the footstool of the throne of his grace, humbly professes his confidence in him: In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, as the chickens take shelter under the wings of the hen when the birds of prey are ready to strike at them, until these calamities be over-past. (1.) He was confident his troubles would end well, in due time; these calamities will be over-past; the storm will blow over. Non si male nunc et olim sic erit—Though now distressed, I shall not always be so. Our Lord Jesus comforted himself with this in his sufferings, Lu 22:37. The things concerning me have an end. (2.) He was very easy under the divine protection in the mean time. [1.] He comforted himself in the goodness of God's nature, by which he is inclined to succour and protect his people, as the hen is by instinct to shelter her young ones. God comes upon the wing to the help of his people, which denotes a speedy deliverance (Ps 18:10); and he takes them under his wing, which denotes warmth and refreshment, even when the calamities are upon them; see Mt 23:37. [2.] In the promise of his word and the covenant of his grace; for it may refer to the out-stretched wings of the cherubim, between which God is said to dwell (Ps 80:1) and whence he gave his oracles. "To God, as the God of grace, will I fly, and his promise shall be my refuge, and a sure passport it will be through all these danger." God, by his promise, offers himself to us, to be trusted; we by our faith must accept of him, and put our trust in him.
2. That all his desire is towards God (Ps 57:2): "I will cry unto God most high, for succour and relief; to him that is most high will I lift up my soul, and pray earnestly, even unto God that performs all things for me." Note, (1.) In every thing that befalls us we ought to see and own the hand of God; whatever is done is of his performing; in it his counsel is accomplished and the scripture is fulfilled. (2.) Whatever God performs concerning his people, it will appear, in the issue, to have been performed for them and for their benefit. Though God be high, most high, yet he condescends so low as to take care that all things be made to work for good to them. (3.) This is a good reason why we should, in all our straits and difficulties, cry unto him, not only pray, but pray earnestly.
3. That all his expectation is from God (Ps 57:3): He shall send from heaven, and save me. Those that make God their only refuge, and fly to him by faith and prayer, may be sure of salvation, in his way and time. Observe here, (1.) Whence he expects the salvation—from heaven. Look which way he will, in this earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but he looks for it from heaven. Those that lift up their hearts to things above may thence expect all good. (2.) What the salvation is that he expects. He trusts that God will save him from the reproach of those that would swallow him up, that aimed to ruin him, and, in the mean time, did all they could to vex him. Some read it, He shall send from heaven and save me, for he has put to shame him that would swallow me up; he has disappointed their designs against me hitherto, and therefore he will perfect my deliverance. (3.) What he will ascribe his salvation to: God shall send forth his mercy and truth. God is good in himself and faithful to every word that he has spoken, and so he makes it appear when he works deliverance for his people. We need no more to make us happy than to have the benefit of the mercy and truth of God, Ps 25:10.
II. He represents the power and malice of his enemies (Ps 57:4): My soul is among lions. So fierce and furious was Saul, and those about him, against David, that he might have been as safe in a den of lions as among such men, who were continually roaring against him and ready to make a prey of him. They are set on fire, and breathe nothing but flame; they set on fire the course of nature, inflaming one another against David, and they were themselves set on fire of hell, Jam 3:6. They were sons of men, from whom one might have expected something of the reason and compassion of a man; but they were beasts of prey in the shape of men; their teeth, which they gnashed upon him, and with which they hoped to tear him to pieces and to eat him up, were spears and arrows fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their tongue, with which they cursed him and wounded his reputation, was as a sharp sword to cut and kill; see Ps 42:10. A spiteful tongue is a dangerous weapon, wherewith Satan's instruments fight against God's people. He describes their malicious projects against him (Ps 57:6) and shows the issue of them: "They have prepared a net for my steps, in which to take me, that I might not again escape out of their hands; they have digged a pit before me, that I might, ere I was aware, run headlong into it." See the policies of the church's enemies; see the pains they take to do mischief. But let us see what comes of it. 1. It is indeed some disturbance to David: My soul is bowed down. It made him droop, and hang the head, to think that there should be those that bore him so much ill-will. But, 2. It was destruction to themselves; they dug a pit for David, into the midst whereof they have fallen. The mischief they designed against David returned upon themselves, and they were embarrassed in their counsels; then when Saul was pursuing David the Philistines were invading him; nay, in the cave, when Saul thought David should fall into his hands, he fell into the hands of David, and lay at his mercy.
III. He prays to God to glorify himself and his own great name (Ps 57:5): "Whatever becomes of me and my interest, be thou exalted, O God! above the heavens, be thou praised by the holy angels, those glorious inhabitants of the upper world; and let thy glory be above or over all the earth; let all the inhabitants of this earth be brought to know and praise thee." Thus God's glory should lie nearer our hearts, and we should be more concerned for it, than for any particular interests of our own. When David was in the greatest distress and disgrace he did not pray, Lord, exalt me, but, Lord, exalt thy own name. Thus the Son of David, when his soul was troubled, and he prayed, Father, save me from this hour, immediately withdrew that petition, and presented this in the room of it, For this cause came I to this hour; Father, glorify thy name, Joh 12:27,28. Or it may be taken as a plea to enforce his petition for deliverance: "Lord, send from heaven to save me, and thereby thou wilt glorify thyself as the God both of heaven and earth." Our best encouragement in prayer is taken from the glory of God, and to that therefore, more than our own comfort, we should have an eye in all our petitions for particular mercies; for this is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which regulates and directs all the rest, Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
7-11
Prayer Turned to Praise
祈祷化为赞美
⁷ 神啊，我心坚定，我心坚定；我要唱诗，我要歌颂。
⁸ 我的灵啊，你当醒起；琴瑟啊，你们当醒起；我自己要极早醒起。
⁹ 主啊，我要在万民中称谢你，在列邦中歌颂你。
¹⁰ 因为你的慈爱高及诸天；你的诚实达到云霄。
¹¹ 神啊，愿你崇高过于诸天；愿你的荣耀高过全地。
这里的调子何等奇妙地变了！大卫的祈祷和哀叹，借着信心活泼的运行，在此忽然全都变成了赞美与感恩；他的麻衣解下了，他以喜乐为带，他所唱的哈利路亚与他所献的和散那同样火热。这当使我们爱慕祈祷——祈祷或迟或早必被赞美所吞灭。请看：
一、他如何为赞美的本分预备自己（诗 57:7）：神啊，我心坚定，我心坚定。我心是挺立的，或被举起（有人如此读），原先它是下垂的（诗 57:6）。我心坚定：1. 对着神的护理而坚定；它为每一件意外之事都预备好了，因为它倚靠神（诗 112:7；赛 26:3）。我心坚定，然后这些事没有一样能摇动我（徒 20:24）。我们若蒙神的恩惠被带到这样平静安稳的心境之中，便大有理由感恩。2. 对着敬拜神而坚定：我心坚定要唱诗歌颂。这暗示着心是各样敬虔事奉所必需的主要之事；宗教之中除了用心去作之外，所作的都不算什么。心必须坚定——为这本分而坚定，预备好了并调整好了为它；又在这本分之中坚定——专心致志，毫无分心地专心跟从主。
二、他如何激发自己去尽赞美的本分（诗 57:8）：我的灵啊，你当醒起——就是我的舌头（我们的舌头是我们的荣耀，而它之最为荣耀，莫过于它被用来赞美神之时）；或指我的灵——那是必须先被唤醒的；沉闷困倦的敬拜绝不为神所悦纳。我们必须激发自己，并激发自己里面的一切，去赞美神；那祭物必须用圣洁的火点燃，并在圣洁的火焰中升上。大卫的舌头要带头，他的琴瑟要随后，来唱这些赞美之歌。我自己要醒起——不仅「在这事工上我不至死沉、困倦、漫不经心」，更是「我要在最活泼的心境中，如同刚从爽快的睡眠中被唤醒的人」。他要极早醒起做这事——清早醒起，以神开始这一日；在怜悯一萌芽之时醒起。当神以他的恩惠迎着我们而来之时，我们也当出去以赞美迎接他。
三、他如何在赞美的事工上自娱自乐——甚至（我可以说）以此自豪；他毫不以承认自己对神所负的债、以及自己对他的倚靠为耻，反而立志要在万民中称谢他，在列邦中歌颂他（诗 57:9）。这表明：1. 他自己的心大大地受感动、得宽广，去赞美神；他甚至要使地上回响他神圣的歌声，使众人都注意到他觉得自己欠神良善的债何等多。2. 他愿意带领别人也与他一同赞美神。他要在万民之中传扬神的赞美，使认识神、敬畏神、爱神的知识得以传开，使地极的人都看见他的救恩。大卫既被赶到异邦之地，他不但不敬拜他们的神，反而要公开承认他对以色列之神的尊敬；他无论到哪里，都把自己的信仰一同带去；他要竭力使别人也爱上它，并把它馨香的香气留在身后。大卫在他的诗篇之中——这些诗篇充满普世的教会，并将持续到末了——可说是至今仍在万民中赞美神，在列邦中歌颂他；因为一切敬虔人都用他的言语赞美神。这样，约翰在他的著作之中，被说成是在多民多国多方多王之前再说预言（启 10:11）。
四、他如何为自己预备赞美之材（诗 57:10）。那曾是他盼望与安慰之材的（神要发出他的慈爱和诚实，诗 57:3），在此成为他感恩之材：你的慈爱高及诸天——高过所能想象、所能表达的；你的诚实达到云霄——高过所能发现的，因为包在云里的，谁能以目力及之？神的慈爱与诚实达于诸天，因为它们要把凡将财宝积于其中、将盼望建于其上的人都带到天上。神的慈爱与诚实，甚至被赞美直达诸天——就是说，被上方那光明有福的居民所赞美，他们不住地将神的赞美高升至最高之处，而大卫在地上则努力把他的赞美传至最远之处（诗 57:9）。
五、他最终如何把这事交托给神，让神荣耀他自己的名（诗 57:11）：*神啊，愿你崇高！*他先前用以总结他祈祷的同样话语（诗 57:5），在此他又使用（并非虚空的重复），以总结他的赞美：「主啊，我愿尊你的名为大，并愿一切受造之物都尊你的名为大；但我们当中最好的，能为此做什么呢？主啊，求你把这工作接在你自己手中；你自己来成就：神啊，愿你崇高！在得胜教会的赞美之中，你被高举到诸天之上；在争战教会的赞美之中，你的荣耀遍满全地；但你超越二者一切的祝福与赞美（尼 9:5）；所以主啊，求你将自己 显为崇高过于诸天，高过全地。父啊，愿你荣耀你的名。你已经荣耀了它，愿你再荣耀它。」
英文原文
Prayer Turned to Praise
⁷ My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
⁸ Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
⁹ I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
¹⁰ For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
¹¹ Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
How strangely is the tune altered here! David's prayers and complaints, by the lively actings of faith, are here, all of a sudden, turned into praises and thanksgivings; his sackcloth is loosed, he is girded with gladness, and his hallelujahs are as fervent as his hosannas. This should make us in love with prayer, that, sooner or later, it will be swallowed up in praise. Observe,
I. How he prepares himself for the duty of praise (Ps 57:7): My heart is fixed, O God! my heart is fixed. My heart is erect, or lifted up (so some), which was bowed down, Ps 57:6. My heart is fixed, 1. With reference to God's providences; it is prepared for every event, being stayed upon God, Ps 112:7, Isa 26:3. My heart is fixed, and then none of these things move me, Ac 20:24 If by the grace of God we be brought into this even composed frame of spirit, we have great reason to be thankful. 2. With reference to the worship of God: My heart is fixed to sing and give praise. It is implied that the heart is the main thing required in all acts of devotion; nothing is done to purpose, in religion, further than it is done with the heart. The heart must be fixed, fixed for the duty, fitted and put in frame for it, fixed in the duty by a close application, attending on the Lord without distraction.
II. How he excites himself to the duty of praise (Ps 57:8): Awake up my glory, that is, my tongue (our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God), or my soul, that must be first awakened; dull and sleepy devotions will never be acceptable to God. We must stir up ourselves, and all that is within us, to praise God; with a holy fire must that sacrifice be kindled, and ascend in a holy flame. David's tongue will lead, and his psaltery and harp will follow, in these hymns of praise. I myself will awake, not only, "I will not be dead, and drowsy, and careless, in this work," but, "I will be in the most lively frame, as one newly awakened out of a refreshing sleep." He will awake early to this work, early in the morning, to begin the day with God, early in the beginnings of a mercy. When God is coming towards us with his favours we must go forth to meet him with our praises.
III. How he pleases himself, and (as I may say) even prides himself, in the work of praise; so far is he from being ashamed to own his obligations to God, and dependence upon him, that he resolves to praise him among the people and to sing unto him among the nations, Ps 57:9. This intimates, 1. That his own heart was much affected and enlarged in praising God; he would even make the earth ring with his sacred songs, that all might take notice how much he thought himself indebted to the goodness of God. 2. That he desired to bring others in to join with him in praising God. He will publish God's praises among the people, that the knowledge, and fear, and love of God might be propagated, and the ends of the earth might see his salvation. When David was driven out into heathen lands he would not only not worship their gods, but he would openly avow his veneration for the God of Israel, would take his religion along with him wherever he went, would endeavour to bring others in love with it, and leave the sweet savour of it behind him. David, in his psalms, which fill the universal church, and will to the end of time, may be said to be still praising God among the people and singing to him among the nations; for all good people make use of his words in praising God. Thus St. John, in his writings, is said to prophesy again before many peoples and nations, Re 10:11.
IV. How he furnishes himself with matter for praise, Ps 57:10. That which was the matter of his hope and comfort (God shall send forth his mercy and his truth, Ps 57:3) is here the matter of his thanksgiving: Thy mercy is great unto the heavens, great beyond conception and expression; and thy truth unto the clouds, great beyond discovery, for what eye can reach that which is wrapped up in the clouds? God's mercy and truth reach to the heavens, for they will bring all such to heaven as lay up their treasure in them and build their hopes upon them. God's mercy and truth are praised even to the heavens, that is, by all the bright and blessed inhabitants of the upper world, who are continually exalting God's praises to the highest, while David, on earth, is endeavouring to spread his praises to the furthest, Ps 57:9.
V. How he leaves it at last to God to glorify his own name (Ps 57:11): Be thou exalted, O God! The same words which he had used (Ps 57:5) to sum up his prayers in he here uses again (and no vain repetition) to sum up his praises in: "Lord, I desire to exalt thy name, and that all the creatures may exalt it; but what can the best of us do towards it? Lord, take the work into thy own hands; do it thyself: Be thou exalted, O God! In the praises of the church triumphant thou art exalted to the heavens, and in the praises of the church militant thy glory is throughout all the earth; but thou art above all the blessing and praise of both (Ne 9:5), and therefore, Lord, exalt thyself above the heavens and above all the earth. Father, glorify thy own name. Thou hast glorified it, glorify it yet again."
本篇与前篇极为相似;是因相似的场合而作——那时大卫既有患难之险,也有犯罪之诱;它如那篇一样以「求你怜悯我」开始;其格局也相同。本篇结构如下:一、他以祷告与抱怨开始,却仍带些必蒙允准的把握(诗57:1-6);二、他以喜乐与赞美结束(诗57:7-11)。故此我们可在祈求与感恩中都得指引与勉励,并在唱这首诗时将二者都献给神。