서론
無標題
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
受欺壓時求助；對神的信靠
交與伶長，調用遠方無聲鴿。大衛的金詩，非利士人在迦特拿住他的時候。
¹ 神啊，求祢憐憫我；因為人要把我吞了；終日攻擊欺壓我。
² 我的仇敵終日要把我吞了；因逞驕傲攻擊我的人甚多。
³ 我懼怕的時候要倚靠祢。
⁴ 我倚靠神，我要讚美祂的話；我倚靠神，必不懼怕；血氣之輩能把我怎麼樣呢？
⁵ 他們終日顛倒我的話；他們所想的，都是要害我。
⁶ 他們聚集，埋伏，窺探我的腳步，等候要害我的命。
⁷ 他們豈能因罪孽逃脫嗎？神啊，求祢在怒中使眾民敗落。
大衛在本篇中，以信心將自己交在神手中——儘管他因懼怕和愚妄而將自己交在了非利士人手中；那是當非利士人在迦特拿住他的時候——他因懼怕掃羅而逃到那裡，竟忘了非利士人因他殺了歌利亞而對他懷恨在心；他們很快就提醒了他，撒上21:10,11。在那境遇下他改變了舉動，但心境卻少有波動，以致在那時他寫下了本篇和詩34:1-22兩篇詩。本篇被稱為金詩。另幾篇詩也有此標題，但本篇標題有獨特之處：調用「遠方無聲鴿」。有人將此應用在大衛自己身上——他曾巴不得有鴿子的翅膀可以飛去。他無辜無害，溫柔忍耐如鴿，此時卻被趕離自己的巢、離開聖所（詩84:3），被迫流落遠方，在異地尋求庇護；在那裡他如谷中的鴿子，哀傷而憂鬱；卻是無聲的——既不向神發怨言，也不咒詛那叫他受苦的工具；在此他預表了基督——基督如羊在剪毛的人手下無聲，也為基督徒留下了榜樣——基督徒無論身在何處，無論受了怎樣的虧待，都當如無聲的鴿子。在本篇前半部，
一、他向神控訴仇敵的惡意和邪惡，為要表明他有何等理由懼怕他們，又有何等緣由、何等需要，使神應當起來抵擋他們（詩56:1）：神啊，求祢憐憫我！這一祈求包括了我們來到施恩寶座前所要得的一切美善；我們若在那裡得著憐憫，便得著了一切所願、所需，再無缺欠。這也暗示我們最好的辯護——不是我們的功勞，而是神的憐憫，祂白白而豐富的憐憫。他求能在神那裡蒙憐憫，因為在人那裡他找不到憐憫。他逃離掃羅的毒手，卻落入非利士人的毒手。「主啊，」他說，「求祢此時向我施憐憫，否則我便滅亡了。」神的憐憫是我們四面受敵、滿佈艱險之時，可以投靠、可以信賴、可以憑信心祈求的。他控訴：1. 仇敵人數眾多（詩56:2）：攻擊我的人甚多，想要以人多勢眾壓倒我；至高者啊，求祢垂顧此事，並顯明在人所張狂之處，祢在他們之上。以多助少、抵擋多數，乃是一件光彩的事。神若幫助我們，無論攻擊我們的有多少，我們都可理直氣壯地誇口說：與我們同在的更多；（正如那位大將所言）「我們算他為多少人呢？」2. 他們極其野蠻：他們要把我吞了，詩56:1，又詩56:2。他們要吞噬他；少一點都不能滿足；他們如猛獸撲食，要以極大的狂暴吞吃他的肉，詩27:2。人要把我吞了——就是與他同類的人，他本可指望從他們得到人性；連猛獸也不吞食同類，惡人卻要吞食善人。「他們不過是人，軟弱脆弱；求祢使他們知道自己是人」，詩9:20。3. 他們極其同心合意（詩56:6）：他們聚集；他們人數雖多，彼此利益不同，卻聯合結黨攻擊大衛——正如希律和彼拉多聯合對付大衛的子孫一樣。4. 他們極其強大，若沒有神幫助，他便抵擋不住：他們攻擊我（詩56:2）；他們欺壓我（詩56:1）。我幾乎被他們勝過、壓倒，已被逼到絕境。5. 他們極其狡猾詭詐（詩56:6）：他們埋伏；他們刻意掩蓋自己的計謀，以便更有效地追討和執行。他們如獅子在洞穴中埋伏，為要窺探我的腳步——就是說，他們用挑剔的眼目留意我所說、所行的每一件事，為要找話柄控告我（基督的仇敵正是如此窺探祂，路20:20），又或者他們注視我一切行動，為要找機會加害於我、為我設下網羅。6. 他們極其惡毒懷恨。他們對他所說的一切話，儘管動機純正、措辭謹慎，卻都被曲解附會（詩56:5）：他們顛倒我的話——把它們放在刑架上，要從中逼出原無之意；如此他們便因一句話使他成為有罪（賽29:21），向掃羅歪曲並加以渲染，以更激起他對大衛的仇恨。他們以毀滅大衛為全部事業；他們一切所想的都是要害他，因此對他一切話都作惡意的解釋。7. 他們極其不休不止。他們不斷地等候要害他的性命；他們所追獵的是那生命，那寶貴的生命；他們所切望的是他的死，詩56:6。他們每日與他爭戰（詩56:1），每日要吞滅他（詩56:2），每日顛倒他的話（詩56:5）。他們的惡意不容敵對行動有片刻歇息，而是不住地推逼他。撒但與其爪牙對基督國度和聖潔宗教事業的敵意也是如此；我們若真心投身其中，遭逢這樣的對待，不要以為奇怪，彷彿遭遇了甚麼非常的事。比我們更好的人也曾如此受過。他們從前怎樣逼迫先知。
二、他以神，並神的應許、權能和護理來激勵自己，詩56:3,4。在他的控訴之中，在他還沒有說完要論仇敵的話之前，他就因神的保護而誇勝。1. 他決心在危險最為可怖、一切別的信靠都斷絕之時，以神為自己的信靠：「我懼怕的時候——在我懼怕之日，當我外在最受驚嚇、內心最為膽怯之時——我要倚靠祢，因此我的恐懼必被平息。」請注意，神的百姓確有某些時刻特別是懼怕的時刻；在這些時刻，他們有責任也有益處去信靠神、以神為他們的神，並知道自己所信的是誰。這能堅固人心，保守它在平安之中。2. 他決心以神的應許為自己讚美的內容，我們也理當如此（詩56:4）：我倚靠神，我要讚美——不僅讚美祂所作的工，更要讚美祂所說的話；我要為一個尚未成就的應許向祂感恩。在神裡面（靠著祂的力量並藉著祂的幫助），我既要因祂的話語誇口，也要將榮耀歸給祂。有人將「祂的話」理解為祂的護理——祂所安排和命定的每一件事：「當我稱頌神時，我也要因著祂，稱頌祂所行的一切。」3. 如此得著扶持，他便可以向一切敵對的權勢挑戰：我倚靠神的時候——我便安全、我便安穩——我必不懼怕血氣之輩能把我怎麼樣；那不過是血氣，做不了甚麼；不，若非神所許，它甚麼也不能做。我們既不可信靠為我們爭戰的血肉之臂，也不可懼怕向我們伸展的血肉之臂。
三、他預見並預言那些攻擊他之人的傾覆，以及一切想要藉著邪惡手段來建立自己之人的傾覆（詩56:7）：他們豈能因罪孽逃脫嗎？他們指望藉著強暴、欺詐、不義和詭詐的伎倆，逃避神的審判，正如他們逃避人的審判一樣；但他們能逃脫嗎？不，他們斷不能逃脫。罪人的罪必不能作他們的保障；無論他們的厚顏還是虛偽，都不能在神的審判台前為他們脫罪；神必在祂的怒氣中將這等人傾覆、趕出，羅2:3。無論人升得多高、立得多穩，神的公義都能將他們從尊位上拉下來，從他們所倚靠的保障中扯下來。誰曉得神怒氣的權能——它能達到多高，又能擊得多重呢？
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
患難中的安慰；對神的信心
⁸ 我幾次流離，你都記數；求你把我的眼淚裝在你的皮袋裏；這些豈不都記在你的冊上嗎？ ⁹ 我呼求你的日子，我的仇敵都要轉身退後；這是我知道的；因為神是幫助我的。 ¹⁰ 我倚靠神，我要讚美他的話；我倚靠耶和華，我要讚美他的話。 ¹¹ 我倚靠神，必不懼怕；人能把我怎麼樣呢？ ¹² 神啊，我所許的願在你身上；我要將感謝祭獻給你。 ¹³ 因為你救我的性命脫離死亡；你豈不是救護我的腳不跌倒，使我在生命光中行在神面前嗎？
大衛在自己患難和懼怕的日子裏，以幾件事安慰自己。
I. 神特別注意他一切的苦情和憂愁（詩56:8）。 1. 注意他景況中的一切不便：我幾次流離，你都記數——古譯本作「我的遷移」。大衛此時不過是個年輕人（未滿三十歲），卻已多有遷移——從父家到宮廷，從宮廷到軍營，如今又被驅逐，在何處能找到地方便寄居何處，卻不得在何處安息；他如瘋狗般在山上被追趕；不斷的恐懼和勞碌追隨著他；但這安慰了他——神對他一切的行動都有特別的記錄，並數算他無論晝夜所走的一切疲乏腳步。請注意，神注意他百姓的一切患難；他並不把那些被人從交往和團契中驅逐出去的人，從自己的看顧和愛中驅逐出去。 2. 注意他靈魂因此所受的一切印象。他流離之時也常流淚，所以求：「求你把我的眼淚裝在你的皮袋裏——被保存、被觀看；不，我知道它們都記在你的冊上——你記念的冊上。」神為他百姓的眼淚預備了皮袋和冊子——無論是為罪的、還是為患難的。這表明： （1）他以憐憫和慈愛的關切觀看它們；他在他們的患難中同受患難，在他們遭難的日子知道他們的靈魂。正如他聖徒的血、他們的死在耶和華眼中看為寶貴，他們的眼淚也是如此——一滴也不落在地上。我看見了你的眼淚（王下20:5）。我聽見以法蓮為自己悲嘆（耶31:18）。 （2）他要記念它們、重看它們，正如我們重看我們所記在賬上的賬目。保羅記念提摩太的眼淚（提後1:4），神也不忘記他百姓的憂傷。神受逼迫之百姓的眼淚被裝在皮袋裏、封存在神的寶藏之中；當這些冊子展開之時，它們必被發現是忿怒的瓶——要傾倒在他們逼迫者的身上，神必向他們追討他們強迫他百姓眼中流出的每一滴眼淚；它們也要作神哀哭之人的安慰之懷——他們的麻衣要化為讚美的衣袍。神要照他使他們受苦的時候安慰他們，並使那些流淚撒種的，歡呼收割。所撒的是一滴眼淚，所長出來的是一顆珍珠。
II. 他的禱告必有能力使仇敵潰敗退後，正如能支持並鼓勵他自己（詩56:9）：「*我呼求你的日子，我的仇敵都要轉身退後；*我除了禱告和眼淚之外，再不需要別的兵器；這是我知道的，因為神是幫助我的——為我辯屈，保護並解救我；神若幫助我，誰能反對我而得勝呢？」聖徒有神為他們；他們可以知道這事；他們被仇敵圍困之時必須向他呼求；他們若憑信如此行，就必發現有神聖的能力為他們運行、為他們效力；他們的仇敵必被迫轉身退後——他們屬靈的仇敵，我們對付他們最好的方法就是跪下爭戰（弗6:18）。
III. 他對神的信心必使他超越對人的懼怕（詩56:10-11）。他在此以強烈的情感重複他先前所說的（詩56:4）：「我倚靠神，我要讚美他的話；就是說，我要堅定地倚賴那應許，為那賜應許者的緣故——他是真實信實的，並且有足夠的智慧、能力和良善來成就它。」我們若接受一個人所開的票據，便是尊榮那開票的人；照樣，當我們倚靠神的應許為他而行、為他而受苦、對這應許毫不猶疑之時，我們便是將榮耀歸給神，便是讚美他的話，也就如此讚美他。他既如此信靠了神，便以聖潔的輕看看待人的威嚇勢力：「我倚靠神——而且唯獨倚靠他——所以我必不懼怕人能把我怎麼樣（詩56:11），雖然我十分清楚他若能的話，他要對我怎樣」（詩56:1-2）。這句得勝的話，如此表明聖潔的氣魄，使徒把它放在每一個真信徒口中——他使每個信徒成為基督徒英雄（來13:6）。我們每個人都可以放膽說：主是幫助我的，所以我必不懼怕人要對我怎樣；因為他除了從上頭賜給他的之外，再沒有別的權柄。
IV. 他在神面前有約束（詩56:12）：「神啊，我所許的願在你身上！——不是當作我所背負的重擔，而是當作我所誇的徽章——我藉此被認出是你的僕人——不是當作妨礙我的鎖鏈（迷信的願便是如此），而是當作約束我、免我受害、又引導我行在當盡本分之道上的嚼環。我所許的願在你身上——這是我向你許的願，你不僅是見證人，更是當事人；這願又是你所命令、所鼓勵我許的。」這話很可能特別是指他在患難和困苦之日向神所許的願，他要在驚嚇過去之後仍然記念、承認其中的約束。請注意，神的願在我們身上——這當成為我們思念和喜樂的事——我們洗禮的願、在主桌前更新的願、在受責備或受管教之時所許的偶發的願；藉著這些願，我們受約束為神而活。
V. 他仍必有越來越多的機會讚美他：我要將感謝祭獻給你。這是履行他所許之願的一部分；因為感恩的願本與求憐憫的禱告相隨，當憐憫得著之時，便當還所許的願。我們研究當獻上甚麼之時，所能定的最少的一項，便是向神獻上讚美——為豐富的領受，這是可憐的回報！他為兩件事讚美神： 1. 為神已為他作的事（詩56:13）：「你救我的性命——我的生命——脫離死亡——死亡正要抓住我。」神若已救我們脫離罪——無論是藉著攔阻的恩典脫離犯罪，還是藉著赦免的憐憫脫離罪的刑罰——我們便有理由承認他已藉此救我們的性命脫離死亡（死亡是罪的工價）。我們若本來死在罪中，如今卻與基督一同活過來，在屬靈上活著，我們便有理由承認神已救我們的性命脫離死亡。 2. 為神將為他作的事：「你救了我的性命脫離死亡——如此便賜了我新生命——並且藉此賜了我進一步憐憫的憑據，就是你必救護我的腳不跌倒；你既作了更大的，便必作那較小的；你既開始了善工，便必繼續推行直到成全。」這話可當作他禱告的內容——憑他的經歷懇求；也可當作他讚美的內容——提升他的期望；而那些懂得憑信讚美的人，必為應許中、期望中的憐憫，如同為已得的憐憫一樣，向神獻上感謝。請看， （1）大衛所盼望的是甚麼——神要救護他的腳不跌倒——或跌入罪中（那會傷他的良心），或跌入罪的表象中（仇敵會藉此傷他的美名）。那些以為站立得穩的人，當小心恐怕跌倒，因為最好的人也只不過在神喜悅扶持之時才能站立。我們是軟弱的，我們的路是滑的，其中有許多絆腳石，我們屬靈的仇敵又殷勤要把我們推倒；所以我們當憑信和禱告，將自己交託那保護他聖民的腳步的那位。 （2）他把這盼望建立在甚麼上：「你救了我的性命脫離死亡——在其中彰顯了你的能力和良善，又使我有資格從你得著進一步的憐憫；如今你豈不也要保守並加冠你自己的工嗎？」神從未把他的百姓領出埃及，為要在曠野殺滅他們。那在悔改歸正之時救靈魂脫離罪這樣大死的，也必保守它進入他的天國。 （3）他在這些盼望中所定意的是甚麼：使我在生命光中行在神面前——就是說， [1] 「使我能到天堂——那是光與生命唯一之鄉；因為在這世上，黑暗與死亡掌權。」 [2] 「使我在這生命尚存之時能盡我的本分。」請注意，我們在一切對脫離罪惡和患難的渴望和期望中，所當定意的便是這個——好叫我們能更好地事奉神——使我們既從仇敵手中被救出來，就可以終身在他面前坦然無懼的聖潔公義事奉他。
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.
由本篇和許多別的詩篇看來，即使在大患難與困苦之中，大衛也從未將他的琴掛在柳樹上，從未鬆絃或將之擱置一旁；而是當他的危險與恐懼最大之時，他仍然合得上調來歌頌神。他寫作本篇時（至少默想它時）正處於迫在眉睫的危險中；然而那時他對神的默想仍是甘甜的。（一）他抱怨仇敵的惡意，並為自己求憐憫、為他們求公義的報應（詩五十六1–2、5–7）。（二）他信靠神，確信神是站在他這一邊的，並以此自慰——因此他是安全的、必將得勝，且他活著的時候必要讚美神（詩五十六3–4、8–13）。一個敬虔的基督徒在歌唱本篇時，可以何等愉悅地因神喜樂，並為祂將要成就的事讚美祂，一如為祂已成就的事讚美祂一樣。