서론
無標題
简体中文
英文原文
This psalm is of the same nature and scope with six or seven foregoing psalms; they are all filled with David's complaints of the malice of his enemies and of their cursed and cruel designs against him, his prayers and prophecies against them, and his comfort and confidence in God as his God. The first is the language of nature, and may be allowed; the second of a prophetical spirit, looking forward to Christ and the enemies of his kingdom, and therefore not to be drawn into a precedent; the third of grace and a most holy faith, which ought to be imitated by every one of us. In this psalm, I. He prays to God to defend and deliver him from his enemies, representing them as very bad men, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical, Ps 59:1-7. II. He foresees and foretels the destruction of his enemies, which he would give to God the glory of, Ps 59:8-17. As far as it appears that any of the particular enemies of God's people fall under these characters, we may, in singing this psalm, read their doom and foresee their ruin.
1-7
Prayer for Deliverance
简体中文
求拯救的祷告
交与伶长。调用「休要毁坏」。大卫的金诗，扫罗打发人窥探他的房屋要杀他的时候。
¹ 我的神啊，求你救我脱离仇敌；求你把我安置在高处，脱离那些起来攻击我的人。
² 求你救我脱离作孽的人，和流人血的人。
³ 因为他们埋伏要害我的命；有能力的人聚集攻击我；耶和华啊，这不是为我的过犯，也不是为我的罪。
⁴ 我虽然无过，他们仍跑来预备打仗；求你醒起迎见我，使我看见。
⁵ 耶和华万军之神、以色列的神啊，求你兴起惩治万邦；不要怜悯行诡诈的恶人。〔细拉〕
⁶ 他们晚上转回，叫号如狗，围城绕行。
⁷ 他们口中喷吐恶言，嘴里有刀；他们说，有谁听见？
本诗的标题特别告知我们写作的缘由：那是当扫罗差遣一队卫兵夜间围困大卫的家，要捉拿他、杀他；这事的记载见撒上19:11。那时扫罗对大卫的敌意刚刚开始，他刚刚险些躲过扫罗的标枪。扫罗恶意这初次发作，不能不使大卫大乱，既伤痛又惊惧；然而他仍保持与神的相交，并保持心中的镇定——从不至于不能祷告赞美；那与天上的来往不被自己的忧虑、忧伤、恐惧，或任何受苦境中的搅扰（无论外在或内在）所阻隔中断的人有福了。在这些经文中：
一、大卫求脱离仇敌之手，并求挫败他们加害于他的残忍计谋（诗59:1、2）：「我的神啊，求你救我脱离仇敌！」你是「神」，能救我；你是「我的」神，我已将自己置于你的保护之下；你曾应许作我全然充足的神，因此为你的尊荣和信实，你必救我。将我安置在高处，脱离那些起来攻击我之人的能力和恶意，并脱离对它的恐惧。让我安全，又看见自己安全；安全而安逸，安全而满足。「求你救我！并拯救我。」他如一个将亡之人那样呼喊，唯仰望神得救恩拯救。他祷告（诗59:4）：「求你醒起迎见我」，留意我的案情，以怜悯的眼观看，并以你的大能为我施行救助。门徒在风暴中也是这样叫醒基督，说：「夫子，我们丧命啦。」我们当每日如此恳切祷告，求神保护拯救我们脱离属灵的仇敌——撒但的试探和我们心中的败坏——它们攻击我们属灵的生命。
二、他为拯救而恳求。我们的神不仅容我们祷告，更容我们与他辩论，将我们的案情陈明在他面前，使口充满论据——不是为感动他，而是为感动我们自己。大卫在此如此行。
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他以仇敌的恶劣性情为恳求。他们是「作孽的人」，因此不仅他的仇敌，更是神的仇敌；他们是「流人血的人」，因此不仅他的仇敌，更是全人类的仇敌。「主啊，不要容作孽的人胜过那行义的人，也不要容流人血的人胜过那怜悯人的人。」
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他以他们对他的恶意和他所面临的迫切危险为恳求（诗59:3）。「他们的恶毒甚大；他们瞄准我的灵魂、我的性命、我那更要紧的部分。他们狡猾诡诈：『他们埋伏』，伺机加害于我。他们都是有能之人，有尊荣有产业、在朝在野都有声势的人。他们结党营私；他们因盟约而联合，并且实际『聚集』『攻击我』——在商议和行动上都合一。他们在图谋上极有巧思，在执行上极其殷勤（诗59:4）：『他们跑来预备打仗』，以最快的速度和最猛的势头来加害我。」他特别提到扫罗所差来捉拿他的人那种兽性举止（诗59:6）：「『他们晚上转回』——白天从所派的岗位上回来——从事他们的暗事（他们夜间的工，实在当称为他们白昼的羞耻），那时『他们叫号如犬』追猎野兔。」大卫的仇敌来捉拿他时就是这样：大声喧哗，诬告他是叛徒，是不配活着的人；他们带着这样的喧嚷「围城绕行」，要给大卫加上恶名，尽可能煽动百姓反对他，至少阻止百姓因他们而激愤——否则他们本有理由惧怕百姓会如此，因为大卫是百姓的宠儿。我们主耶稣的逼迫者也是如此——他们被比作狗（诗22:16）——他们喧嚷着追赶他；因为若不如此，他们便不能捉住他，至少「当节的日子不可，恐怕民间生乱」。「他们口中喷吐」心中沸腾的恶意（诗59:7）。「他们嘴里有刀」；那就是伤我心使我心忧的辱骂（诗42:10），以及刺伤我名声的诽谤。他们不住地挑唆，引出并磨利扫罗攻击他的刀；过错归于那虚假的控告者。若不是他们的嘴先有刀，扫罗手中也许不会有刀。
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他以自己的无辜为恳求——不是在神面前（他在神面前从不推辞承认有罪），而是在逼迫者面前；他们所控告他的全属虚假，他也从未说过或做过任何事，配受他们如此对待（诗59:3）：「『这不是为我的过犯，也不是为我的罪』——耶和华啊，你知道，你知道一切。」又说（诗59:4）：「我虽然无过。」请注意：〔1〕敬虔人的无辜不能保护他们免受恶人的恶待。那些如鸽无害的人，却为基督的缘故被众人恨恶，仿佛他们如蛇有毒，并据此成为可憎。〔2〕然而我们的无辜虽不能保护我们脱离患难，却能在患难之下大大支持安慰我们。我们良心为我们作见证——我们对那以恶待我们的人行为端正——这将在遭难之日成为我们极大的喜乐。〔3〕我们若自知无辜，便可存谦卑的信心向神申诉，求他为我们伸冤——他到了时候必如此行。
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他以仇敌的不敬和无神论为恳求，他们轻慢神而支撑自己对大卫的敌意：「因为『他们说』，『有谁听见？』」（诗59:7）连神自己也不听见（诗10:11，94:7）。请注意，那已经使自己相信神不理会他们所说的人，若对自己的话也不在意，便不足为奇。
三、他将自己和自己的案情交托于神公义的审判（诗59:5）：「愿耶和华——审判者——在我和逼迫我的人之间作审判者。」在这向神的申诉中，他以他为「万军之耶和华」——有权柄执行审判，因为一切受造之物，连天使的众军，都在他命令之下；他也以他为「以色列的神」——他对他们特别作君王作审判者，毫不怀疑他必为那些心里正直、是真以色列人的人显现。当扫罗的众军逼迫他时，他向「万军之主」仰望；当那些心里与以色列国民无关的人 malign 他时，他向「以色列的神」仰望。他渴求（即他深信）神必「兴起惩治万邦」——必早早详细察究人子之间的争论争端；必有「眷顾的日子」（赛10:3），大卫就把自己交托于那日，并如此庄严申诉：「不要怜悯行诡诈的恶人。〔细拉〕——记下这话。」1. 大卫若自知自己是恶的罪人，便不会期待蒙怜悯；但论到他的仇敌，他敢说自己根本无罪（诗59:3、4）：「这不是为我的过犯，所以你必为我显现。」论到神，他能说自己不是「恶」的罪人；因为虽然他曾犯罪，却是悔过的罪人，并不顽硬地坚持所行的错。2. 他知道他的仇敌是恶的罪人——故意、恶毒、顽硬于得罪神又得罪人的罪中，因此他向他们求公义——无怜悯的审判。那从不施怜悯的人，不要期待蒙怜悯，因为那些人正是恶的罪人。
英文原文
Prayer for Deliverance
To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him.
¹ Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
² Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
³ For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.
⁴ They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.
⁵ Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
⁶ They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
⁷ Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
The title of this psalm acquaints us particularly with the occasion on which it was penned; it was when Saul sent a party of his guards to beset David's house in the night, that they might seize him and kill him; we have the story 1Sa 19:11. It was when his hostilities against David were newly begun, and he had but just before narrowly escaped Saul's javelin. These first eruptions of Saul's malice could not but put David into disorder and be both grievous and terrifying, and yet he kept up his communion with God, and such a composure of mind as that he was never out of frame for prayer and praises; happy are those whose intercourse with heaven is not intercepted nor broken in upon by their cares, or griefs, or fears, or any of the hurries (whether outward or inward) of an afflicted state. In these verses,
I. David prays to be delivered out of the hands of his enemies, and that their cruel designs against him might be defeated (Ps 59:1,2): "Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! thou art God, and canst deliver me, my God, under whose protection I have put myself; and thou hast promised me to be a God all-sufficient, and therefore, in honour and faithfulness, thou wilt deliver me. Set me on high out of the reach of the power and malice of those that rise up against me, and above the fear of it. Let me be safe, and see myself so, safe and easy, safe and satisfied. O deliver me! and save me." He cries out as one ready to perish, and that had his eye to God only for salvation and deliverance. He prays (Ps 59:4), "Awake to help me, take cognizance of my case, behold that with an eye of pity, and exert thy power for my relief." Thus the disciples, in the storm, awoke Christ, saying, Master, save us, we perish. And thus earnestly should we pray daily to be defended and delivered form our spiritual enemies, the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of our own hearts, which war against our spiritual life.
II. He pleads for deliverance. Our God gives us leave not only to pray, but to plead with him, to order our cause before him and to fill our mouth with arguments, not to move him, but to move ourselves. David does so here.
1. He pleads the bad character of his enemies. They are workers of iniquity, and therefore not only his enemies, but God's enemies; they are bloody men, and therefore not only his enemies, but enemies to all mankind. "Lord, let not the workers of iniquity prevail against one that is a worker of righteousness, nor bloody men against a merciful man."
2. He pleads their malice against him, and the imminent danger he was in from them, Ps 59:3. "Their spite is great; they aim at my soul, my life, my better part. They are subtle and very politic: They lie in wait, taking an opportunity to do me a mischief. They are all mighty, men of honour and estates, and interest in court and country. They are in a confederacy; they are united by league, and actually gathered together against me, combined both in consultation and action. They are very ingenious in their contrivances, and very industrious in the prosecution of them (Ps 59:4): They run and prepare themselves, with the utmost speed and fury, to do me a mischief." He takes particular notice of the brutish conduct of the messengers that Saul sent to take him (Ps 59:6): "They return at evening from the posts assigned them in the day, to apply themselves to their works of darkness (their night-work, which may well be their day-shame), and then they make a noise like a hound in pursuit of the hare." Thus did David's enemies, when they came to take him, raise an out cry against him as a rebel, and traitor, a man not fit to live; with this clamour they went round about the city, to bring a bad reputation upon David, if possible to set the mob against him, at least to prevent their being incensed against them, which otherwise they had reason to fear they would be, so much was David their darling. Thus the persecutors of our Lord Jesus, who are compared to dogs (Ps 22:16), ran him down with noise; for else they could not have taken him, at least not on the feast-day, for there would have been an uproar among the people. They belch out with their mouth the malice that boils in their hearts, Ps 59:7. Swords are in their lips; that is, reproaches that wound my heart with grief (Ps 42:10), and slanders that stab and wound my reputation. They were continually suggesting that which drew and whetted Saul's sword against him, and the fault is laid upon the false accusers. The sword perhaps would not have been in Saul's hand if it had not been first in their lips.
3. He pleads his own innocency, not as to God (he was never backward to own himself guilty before him), but as to his persecutors; what they charged him with was utterly false, nor had he ever said or done any thing to deserve such treatment from them (Ps 59:3): "Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord! thou knowest, who knowest all things." And again (Ps 59:4), without my fault. Note, (1.) The innocency of the godly will not secure them from the malignity of the wicked. Those that are harmless like doves, yet, for Christ's sake, are hated of all men, as if they were noxious like serpents, and obnoxious accordingly. (2.) Though our innocency will not secure us from troubles, yet it will greatly support and comfort us under our troubles. The testimony of our conscience for us that we have behaved ourselves well towards those that behave themselves ill towards us will be very much our rejoicing in the day of evil. (3.) If we are conscious to ourselves of our innocency, we may with humble confidence appeal to God and beg of him to plead our injured cause, which he will do in due time.
4. He pleads that his enemies were profane and atheistical, and bolstered themselves up in their enmity to David, with the contempt of God: For who, say they, doth hear? Ps 59:7. Not God himself, Ps 10:11,94:7. Note, It is not strange if those regard not what they say who have made themselves believe that God regards not what they say.
III. He refers himself and his cause to the just judgment of God, Ps 59:5. "The Lord, the Judge, be Judge between me and my persecutors." In this appeal to God he has an eye to him as the Lord of hosts, that has power to execute judgment, having all creatures, even hosts of angels, at his command; he views him also as the God of Israel, to whom he was, in a peculiar manner, King and Judge, not doubting that he would appear on the behalf of those that were upright, that were Israelites indeed. When Saul's hosts persecuted him, he had recourse to God as the Lord of all hosts; when those maligned him who in spirit were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel he had recourse to God as the God of Israel. He desires (that is, he is very sure) that God will awake to visit all the nations, will make an early and exact enquiry into the controversies and quarrels that are among the children of men; there will be a day of visitation (Isa 10:3), and to that day David refers himself, with this solemn appeal, Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah—Mark that. 1. If David had been conscious to himself that he was a wicked transgressor, he would not have expected to find mercy; but, as to his enemies, he would say he was no transgressor at all (Ps 59:3,4): "Not for my transgression, and therefore thou wilt appear for me." As to God, he could say he was no wicked transgressor; for, though he had transgressed, he was a penitent transgressor, and did not obstinately persist in what he had done amiss. 2. He knew his enemies were wicked transgressors, wilful, malicious, and hardened in their transgressions both against God and man, and therefore he sues for justice against them, judgment without mercy. Let not those expect to find mercy who never showed mercy, for such are wicked transgressors.
8-17
Confidence in God
简体中文
信靠神
⁸ 但你耶和华必笑他们；你必使万邦作你的笑谈。
⁹ 我的力量啊，我要仰望你；因为神是我的高台。
¹⁰ 我的神要以慈爱迎接我；神要叫我看见我仇敌遭报。
¹¹ 不要杀他们，恐怕我的民忘记；求你用你的能力使他们四散，且降为卑；耶和华我们的盾牌啊，求你使他们低下。
¹² 因他们口中的罪和嘴里的言语，并咒骂谎言，让他们在自己的骄傲中被捉住。
¹³ 求你发怒把他们消灭，消灭他们，使他们归于无有；好叫他们知道神在雅各中掌权，直到地极。〔细拉〕
¹⁴ 到了晚上，让他们转回；让他们如狗叫一般绕城咆哮，
¹⁵ 他们要走来走去寻找食物，若不得饱足就终夜在外。
¹⁶ 但我要歌颂你的力量；早晨我要高声歌唱你的慈爱；因为你作过我的高台，在我急难的日子作过我的避难所。
¹⁷ 我的力量啊，我要歌颂你；因为神是我的高台，是赐恩与我的神。
大卫在此面对仇敌势力的威吓，借着一个敬虔的心志要等候神，和一个信心的指望将来还要赞美他，来勉励自己。
一、他立志要等候神（诗 59:9）：「因他的力量」（或指仇敌的力量——那叫他惧怕、驱他到神面前的；或指神的力量——那叫他盼望、引他到神面前的），「我要仰望你」——以信心的倚靠和对你确实的信靠。在危险与艰难之中等候神，是我们的智慧和本分；因为他是我们的高台，是我们的高处，我们在他里面必然安全。他盼望：1. 神要作他怜悯的神（诗 59:10）：「我的神要以慈爱迎接我」——以他良善的福分和怜悯的恩赐迎接我，超过我的恐惧，超过我的祷告，比我自己的期望更好。在祈祷之时，我们若看神不仅为怜悯的神，更看为我们怜悯的神——他作我们里面一切善的创始者，作我们一切善的赐予者——这是极安慰的。神里面无论有何怜悯，都是为我们存留的，也是随时为我们使用的。诗人在此称神的怜悯为我的怜悯，实属恰当，因为新约一切福分都称为大卫可靠的恩典（赛 55:3）；而它们也必加给一切的后裔。2. 他要作逼迫他之人报应的神。他对此的指望，一部分以预言的方式表达，一部分以祈求的方式表达，二者归结相同；因为他求告这事得以成就，就等于预言这事必将成就。这里他预言了几件关于他仇敌的事——那些窥探他、寻找机会陷害他、要害他的人；这一切他都要看见自己心愿得偿，并不是出于情欲或报复的心愿，乃是一个信心的心愿临到他们身上（诗 59:10）。（1）他预见神要使他们成为笑柄，正如他们自己确实已经成了可笑的人（诗 59:8）。「他们以为神不听不闻；但你耶和华必笑他们的愚妄，以为那位造耳的竟听不见；你不仅要使他们，连同一切那样在世上没有神的异教之民，都成为笑谈。」请注意：无神论者和逼迫人的人，配被嗤笑、配被藐视。参诗 2:4，箴 1:26，赛 37:22。（2）神要使他们成为他公义的长久记念碑（诗 59:11）：不要杀他们；不要把他们立时杀死，恐怕我的民忘记。若速速施行，其印象便不深刻，因此也不持久，便很快磨灭。迅速的毁灭虽使人在当下受惊，却很快被忘记；所以他祈求这事可以逐步进行：「求你用你的能力使他们四散，让他们在流离之中带着神不悦的凭据，使他们受罚的消息传遍全国各处。」这样，该隐虽是杀人的，却未被杀，免得报仇之事被忘记，只被判处作流离飘荡的人。请注意：当我们以为神对罪人的审判来得太慢，我们当结论说：神在他的烈怒逐步施行之中，有智慧而圣洁的目的。「就这样使他们四散，使他们永不能再联合作恶；耶和华我们的盾牌啊，使他们降为卑！」神既已 undertaken 作他百姓的保护，作他们的盾牌，他必使一切与他们为敌的人自卑自贱。（3）他们要按自己所该受的受报（诗 59:12）：因他们口中的罪和嘴里的言语（因为他们所说的每一句话都有罪），让他们在自己的骄傲中被捉住——因他们咒诅别人和自己（这是扫罗易犯的罪，撒上 14:28），又因他们说谎而被捉住。请注意：舌头上所犯的罪，恶意之大，远超乎一般人所想。再者，咒诅、说谎、骄傲地说话，是舌头上最重的几种罪；那人若被神照着这些所当受的报应待他——使他自己的舌头落在他自己头上——那人是真正可悲的。（4）神要在他们的毁灭上荣耀自己，作为以色列的神与王（诗 59:13）：「求你发怒把他们消灭，消灭他们」；就是用一个审判接一个审判追赶他们，直到他们完全灭亡；让他们渐渐被消减，却可感知地被消耗，使他们这些正在被消耗的人自己可以知道，叫旁观者也照样从此推出这结论——神在雅各中掌权，直到地极。扫罗和他一党的人想要掌权、横行无阻，但他们必被叫知道有比他们更高的，有一位在掌管且要辖管他们。神审判的目的，正是要使人信服主作王——他成就自己的筹谋，向一切受造之物颁赐律法，安排万事归于他自己的荣耀；所以最大的世人也在他的鉴察之下，他随意使用他们。他在雅各中掌权——他在那里设他的朝廷；在那里他的名被认识，为大。但他掌权直到地极——因为万国都在他国度的疆域之内。他掌权直到地极，甚至掌管那些不认识他的人；他却是为雅各掌权（这话也可以这样读）；他在治理世界之时，仍以他教会的善为念；那治理的施行，直到地极，都是为我仆人雅各、为我选民以色列的缘故（赛 45:4）。（5）他要使他们的罪成为他们的刑罚（诗 59:14，参诗 59:6）。他们的罪是搜寻大卫要猎取他；他们的刑罚却是：他们要落到那样极度穷乏的地步，不得不为求充饥的食物而四处寻觅，并且要像他们错过大卫那样，也错过食物。这样他们不被一时剪除，而是四散（诗 59:11），渐渐消减（诗 59:13）；死于饥荒的人是一寸一寸死的，自己也感觉到自己正在死（哀 4:9）。他预言他们要被迫挨户乞食。〔1〕他们要以难以想象的懊悔与勉强去做这事。他们耻于乞讨（这使他们所受的刑罚更重），所以他们趁着天开始黑下来的时候做，就是傍晚，免得被人看见——那时别的猛兽出来觅食（诗 104:20）。〔2〕然而他们要在自己的怨言中十分吵闹喧嚣，这是出于对他们境遇的极大愤慨——他们丝毫不能与之调和：他们要如狗叫一般咆哮。当他们追寻大卫之时，他们如同发怒的狗狺狺狂吠；如今他们为食物之时，又如饥饿的狗嚎叫哀鸣。悔改己罪的人在患难中像鸽子一样哀鸣；心硬之人在患难中所发的声音，却像狗——像野牛在网罗之中，满了耶和华的烈怒。参何 7:14：他们为五谷新酒呼号，却不诚心呼求我。〔3〕他们所得的赒济甚少，人心对他们十分刚硬，以至他们要绕城而行，走来走去寻找食物（诗 59:15），若非凭着强求便一无所得（如边注所读的：若不得饱足，他们便终夜在外）；这样人所给他们的，并非出于好意，不过是为了摆脱他们，免得他们不断的来使人厌烦。〔4〕他们永不得满足，这是穷苦之中最大的痛苦。他们是贪食的狗，总不知足（赛 56:11），*若不得饱足就发怨言。*知足的人，即便没有他所想要的，也不发怨言，不与护理争吵，内心也不焦躁；但凡以肚腹为神的人，那肚腹若不得充满、其食欲若不得满足，就要与神与自己都闹翻。使人不幸的，不是贫穷，而是不知足。
二、他指望赞美神——盼望神的护理为他预备赞美之材，又盼望神的恩典在他心里动出赞美之心（诗 59:16-17）。请看：
1. 他要为何事赞美神。（1）他要赞美他的权能与他的慈爱；二者都当为他诗歌的题材。有权能而无慈爱，令人畏惧；有慈爱而无权能，人也不能指望从中多得着什么益处；但神那能帮助我们的权能，和他那乐意帮助我们的慈爱，必为众圣徒永远赞美的内容。（2）他要赞美他，因为他屡次、并且一直以来都经历他是他患难之日的保障与避难所。神使他百姓陷入患难，为要使他们经历他在保护与荫庇他们之时的权能与慈爱，并使有理由赞美他。（3）他要赞美他，因为他仍倚靠他、信靠他，看他为扶助他、使他能在本分上前行的大力，看他为保佑他免受凶恶的高台，看他为使他快乐安逸的怜悯之神。那对我们作这一切的主，实在配得我们最深的爱、赞美和事奉。
2. 他要如何赞美神。（1）他要歌唱。这既是喜乐的自然表达，也是为发挥并激发圣洁的喜乐与感恩而设立的 ordinance。（2）他要高声歌唱——如同大大被神的荣耀所感动的人，并不以此为耻，并愿意以此感动别人。他要歌颂神的权能，但他更要高声歌颂他的慈爱；对这一件的思考比任何别的更提升他的情感。（3）他要在早晨高声歌唱，那时他的精神最为清新活泼。神的怜悯每早晨都是新的，所以理当以赞美开始这一日。（4）他要向神歌唱（诗 59:17），为着他的尊荣与荣耀，并注目于他。我们当把祈祷献给神，照样也当把赞美献给神，并要举目，向主奏乐。
英文原文
Confidence in God
⁸ But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
⁹ Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.
¹⁰ The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
¹¹ Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
¹² For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
¹³ Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
¹⁴ And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
¹⁵ Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
¹⁷ Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
David here encourages himself, in reference to the threatening power of his enemies, with a pious resolution to wait upon God and a believing expectation that he should yet praise him.
I. He resolves to wait upon God (Ps 59:9): "Because of his strength" (either the strength of his enemies, the fear of which drove him to God, or because of God's strength, the hope of which drew him to God) "Will I wait upon thee, with a believing dependence upon thee and confidence in thee." It is our wisdom and duty, in times of danger and difficulty, to wait upon God; for he is our defence, our high place, in whom we shall be safe. He hopes, 1. That God will be to him a God of mercy (Ps 59:10): "The God of my mercy shall prevent me with the blessings of his goodness and the gifts of his mercy, prevent my fears, prevent my prayers, and be better to me than my own expectations." It is very comfortable to us, in prayer, to eye God, not only as the God of mercy, but as the God of our mercy, the author of all good in us and the giver of all good to us. Whatever mercy there is in God, it is laid up for us, and is ready to be laid out upon us. Justly does the psalmist call God's mercy his mercy, for all the blessings of the new covenant are called the sure mercies of David (Isa 55:3); and they are sure to all the seed. 2. That he will be to his persecutors a God of vengeance. His expectation of this he expresses partly by way of prediction and partly by way of petition, which come all to one; for his prayer that it might be so amounts to a prophecy that it shall be so. Here are several things which he foretels concerning his enemies, or observers, that sought occasions against him and opportunity to do him a mischief, in all which he should see his desire, not a passionate or revengeful desire, but a believing desire upon them, Ps 59:10. (1.) He foresees that God would expose them to scorn, as they had indeed made themselves ridiculous, Ps 59:8. "They think God does not hear them, does not heed them; but thou, O Lord! shalt laugh at them for their folly, to think that he who planted the ear shall not hear, and thou shalt have not them only, but all such other heathenish people that live without God in the world, in derision." Note, Atheists and persecutors are worthy to be laughed at and had in derision. See Ps 2:4, Pr 1:26, Isa 37:22. (2.) That God would make them standing monuments of his justice (Ps 59:11): Slay them not; let them not be killed outright, lest my people forget. If the execution be soon done, the impressions of it will not be keep, and therefore will not be durable, but will quickly wear off. Swift destructions startle men for the present, but they are soon forgotten, for which reason he prays that this might be gradual: "Scatter them by thy power, and let them carry about with them, in their wanderings, such tokens of God's displeasure as may spread the notice of their punishment to all parts of the country." Thus Cain himself, though a murderer, was not slain, lest the vengeance should be forgotten, but was sentenced to be a fugitive and a vagabond. Note, When we think God's judgments come slowly upon sinners we must conclude that God has wise and holy ends in the gradual proceedings of his wrath. "So scatter them as that they may never again unite to do mischief, bring them down, O Lord, our shield!" If God has undertaken the protection of his people as their shield, he will doubtless humble and abase all those that fight against them. (3.) That they might be dealt with according to their deserts (Ps 59:12): For the sin of their mouth, even for the words of their lips (for every word they speak has sin in it), let them for this be taken in their pride, even for their cursing others and themselves (a sin Saul was subject to, 1Sa 14:28), and lying. Note, There is a great deal of malignity in tongue-sins, more than is commonly thought of. Note, further, Cursing, and lying, and speaking proudly, are some of the worst of the sins of the tongue; and that man is truly miserable whom God deals with according to the deserts of these, making his own tongue to fall on him. (4.) That God would glorify himself, as Israel's God and King, in their destruction (Ps 59:13): "Consume them in wrath, consume them; that is, follow them with one judgment after another, till they be utterly ruined; let them be sensibly, but gradually wasted, that they themselves, while they are in the consuming, may know, and that the standers-by may likewise draw this inference form it, That God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth." Saul and his party think to rule and carry all before them, but they shall be made to know that there is a higher than they, that there is one who does and will overrule them. The design of God's judgments is to convince men that the Lord reigns, that he fulfils his own counsels, gives law to all the creatures, and disposes all things to his own glory, so that the greatest of men are under his check, and he makes what use he pleases of them. He rules in Jacob; for there he keeps his court; there it is known, and his name is great. But he rules to the end of the earth; for all nations are within the territories of his kingdom. He rules to the ends of the earth, even over those that know him not, but he rules for Jacob (so it may be read); he has an eye to the good of his church in the government of the world; the administrations of that government, even to the ends of the earth, are for Jacob his servant's sake and for Israel's his elect, Isa 45:4. (5.) That he would make their sin their punishment, Ps 59:14, compare Ps 59:6. Their sin was their hunting for David to make a prey of him; their punishment should be that they should be reduced to such extreme poverty that they should hunt about for meat to satisfy their hunger, and should miss of it as they missed of David. Thus they should be, not cut off at once, but scattered (Ps 59:11), and gradually consumed (Ps 59:13); those that die by famine die by inches, and feel themselves die, La 4:9. He foretels that they should be forced to beg their bread from door to door. [1.] That they should do it with the greatest regret and reluctancy imaginable. To beg they are ashamed (which makes it the greater punishment to them), and therefore they do it at evening, when it begins to be dark, that they may not be seen, at the time when other beasts of prey creep forth, Ps 104:20. [2.] That yet they should be very clamorous and loud in their complaints, which would proceed from a great indignation at their condition, which they cannot in the least degree reconcile themselves to: They shall make a noise like a dog. When they were in quest of David they made a noise like an angry dog snarling and barking; now, when they are in quest of meat, they shall make a noise like a hungry dog howling and wailing. Those that repent of their sins mourn, when in trouble, like doves; those whose hearts are hardened make a noise, when in trouble, like dogs, like a wild bull in a net, full of the fury of the Lord. See Ho 7:14, They have not cried unto me with their heart when they howled on their beds for corn and wine. [3.] That they should meet with little relief, but the hearts of people should be very much hardened towards them, so that they should go round about the city, and wander up and down for meat (Ps 59:15), and should get nothing but by dint of importunity (according to our marginal reading, If they be not satisfied, they will tarry all night), so that what people do give them is not with good-will, but only to get rid of them, lest by their continual coming they weary them. [4.] That they should be insatiable, which is the greatest misery of all in a poor condition. They are greedy dogs which can never have enough (Isa 56:11), and they grudge if they be not satisfied. A contented man, if he has not what he would have, yet does not grudge, does not quarrel with Providence, nor fret within himself; but those whose God is their belly, if that be not filled and its appetites gratified, fall out both with God and themselves. It is not poverty, but discontent, that makes a man unhappy.
II. He expects to praise God, that God's providence would find him matter for praise and that God's grace would work in him a heart for praise, Ps 59:16,17. Observe,
1. What he would praise God for. (1.) He would praise his power and his mercy; both should be the subject-matter of his song. Power, without mercy, is to be dreaded; mercy, without power, is not what a man can expect much benefit from; but God's power by which he is able to help us, and his mercy by which he is inclined to help us, will justly be the everlasting praise of all the saints. (2.) He would praise him because he had, many a time, and all along, found him his defence and his refuge in the day of trouble. God brings his people into trouble, that they may experience his power and mercy in protecting and sheltering them, and may have occasion to praise him. (3.) He would praise him because he had still a dependence upon him and a confidence in him, as his strength to support him and carry him on in his duty, his defence to keep him safe from evil, and the God of his mercy to make him happy and easy. He that is all this to us is certainly worthy of our best affections, praises, and services.
2. How he would praise God. (1.) He would sing. As that is a natural expression of joy, so it is an instituted ordinance for the exerting and exciting of holy joy and thankfulness. (2.) He would sing aloud, as one much affected with the glory of God, that was not ashamed to own it, and that desired to affect others with it. He will sing of God's power, but he will sing aloud of his mercy; the consideration of that raises his affections more than any thing else. (3.) He would sing aloud in the morning, when his spirits were most fresh and lively. God's compassions are new every morning, and therefore it is fit to begin the day with his praises. (4.) He would sing unto God (Ps 59:17), to his honour and glory, and with him in his eye. As we must direct our prayers to God, so to him we must direct our praises, and must look up, making melody to the Lord.
本篇与前六七篇性质与宗旨相同;都满了大卫对仇敌之恶意及其可咒可诅的计谋的抱怨,他对他们的祷告与预言,以及他因神为他神而得的安慰与信靠。前者是人性之言,可被允许;次者是出于预言的灵,前瞻基督与其国之仇敌,故不可作为先例;末者出于恩典与至圣的信,是我们每人所当效法的。在本诗中:一、他求神保护卫救他脱离仇敌,将他们描述为极恶之人——残暴、恶毒、无神论者(诗59:1-7);二、他预见并预言仇敌的灭亡,他必为此将荣耀归给神(诗59:8-17)。就神百姓任何特别的仇敌显为有这些品格的而言,我们唱这首诗时,可宣读他们的结局、预见他们的灭亡。