PSALM 53. For the Chief Musician. To a sad (melody). A Song of Instruction of David. A lament for the general godlessness of the people. MORAL DEPRAVITY, CRUELTY, AND RUIN, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE REJECTION OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. I Verse 5. 2 Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity. Quoted in Rom. 3:10-12. See Gen. 6:12. 3 Lit. To see if there be any that have understanding, and seek after God. 4 Lit. Every one of them is gone back: they have altogether become corrupt. See Rom. 1. 5 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread. Verse 1. See Mic. 3:3. 6 There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. "The wicked flee when no man pursueth" Prov. 28:1. 7-8 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, [Lit.] let Jacob exult, and Israel be glad. "So all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11:26. See Rom. 7:23, 24. Psalm 54. For the Chief Musician. With accompaniment of stringed instruments. A Song of Instruction of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? 1 Sam. 23:19; 26:1. Prayer in Persecution. DAVID IS CHRIST IN HIS PASSION. Prayer for Help. vv. 1-3. I Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Verses 6, 7. Ps. LIII Title; sad melody, Heb. Mahalath. See Ps. 88, title. This word may mean a musical instrument. Instruction, Heb. Maschil. In the Hebrew, Ps. 14 is almost identical. "God" is twice used, where in Ps. 14:3, 5 3,5 the Divine Nameis "LORD" or Jehovah. See Introd. to Book II. 6 Ps. 14:9 is different, and verse 10 is here omitted. For examples of God-wrought panics, see Judg. 7:21; 1 Sam. 14:15; 2 Kin. 7:6, 7. 7-8 See Ps. 14:11, n. Ps. LIV. Title; stringed instruments, Heb. Neginoth. Instruction, Heb. Maschil. Ziph; a city in the S. E. of Judah. 5:2 55:1 65:2 56:1,2 2 Hear my prayer, O God: and hearken unto the words of my mouth. 2:2 52:1 3 For strangers are risen up 86:14 against me: and tyrants, which 144:11 have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul. 118:6,7, 4 Behold, God is my helper: 13 the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. 56:7 17:13 5 He shall reward evil unto 59:5,8,13 mine enemies: destroy thou them in thy truth. 35:18 119:108 96:8 6 An offering of a free heart 110:3 will I give thee, and praise thy 50:14,15 Name, O LORD: because it is so comfortable. 52:10 72:17,19 7 For he hath delivered me out 18:17,19, 49 of all my trouble: and mine eye 34:6,17, hath seen his desire upon mine 19,22 59:10 enemies. 91:8 92:10 118:7 Prop. Ps. Good Fri. M. Int. 5th Sun in Lent. Sar. and Rom., Easter Even. vv. 1, 4, 5, 9th Sun. af. Pent. 6th H. P. Rom., Good Fri. ; Gk., Visit. Sick; 4:1 5:2 17:1 64:1 27:10 PSALM LV. Exaudi, Deus (orationem meam et ne despexeris). HEAR my prayer, O God: and 69:18 hide not thyself from my petition. 6:3 2 Take heed unto me, and hear me how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed. 31:10,11 77:3 88:9 119:150 130:2 3 The enemy crieth so, and the 44:17 ungodly cometh on so fast for 59:1-5 they are minded to do me some 64:2 mischief, so maliciously are they set against me. 13:2 4 My heart is disquieted with 3 Lit. For strangers have risen up against me; and violent men have sought after my soul; they have not set God before them. Selah. See 1 Sam. 23:15. Upon his confidence in God's help, he promises sacrifice. vv. 4-7. 4 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" S. Mat. 26:53. 6 "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" I Cor. 5:7,8. "Hallowed be thy name" S. Mat. 6:9. 7 "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever" 2 Tim. 4:17, 18. "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" Prov. 18:10. PSALM 55. For the Chief Musician. With accompaniment of stringed instruments. A Song of Instruction of David. The occasion of this psalm is that time in the rebellion of Absalom, when word was brought to David in his flight that Ahithophel had betrayed him. 2 Sam. 15:31. Cry for help in the midst of cruel enemies, and false friends. DAVID FORESHADOWS CHRIST IN GETHSEMANE. Longing to escape from the power of enemies. vv. 1-8. 2 Lit. Hearken unto me, and answer me; I wander to and fro in my complaining, and do groan. Verse 18. 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. "The chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him" S. Lu. 19:47: They cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him" S. Jo. 19:15. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. "David went up by the ascent of 4 The Lord is with them, i. e. God is the One true Upholder on Whom all others depend. 6"Comfortable" has the old meaning of "strengthening." "The Holy Ghost the Comforter."-Te Deum. 7 Rather; It (i. e. God's Name) hath delivered me. See verse 1. Mine eye hath seen his desire, lit. my eye hath looked upon mine enemies, i. e. in triumph. Ps. LV. Title; stringed instruments, Heb. Neginoth. Instruction, Heb. Maschil. 3 Hate, lit. persecute. 25:16 in me: and the fear of death is 38:8 43:5 116:3 88:15 130:1 116:7 101:11 fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me: and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove: for then would I flee away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I get me away far off and remain in the wilderness. 8 I would make haste to escape: because of the stormy wind and tempest. 52:6 9 Destroy their tongues, O 86:14 Lord, and divide them: for I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city. 59:6 38:12 10 Day and night they go about within the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. II Wickedness is therein: de59:7 ceit and guile go not out of their 38:11 41:9 42:4 streets. 12 For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonour for then I could have borne it: 13 Neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him : 14 But it was even thou, my companion my guide, and mine own familiar friend. 15 We took sweet counsel to mount Olivet, and wept as he went up" 2 Sam. 15:30. “He began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death" saith 5 Lit. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. "Come 6 Lit. That I might fly away, and be at rest. unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest S. Mat. 11:28. 7 Selah. "I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness" 2 Sam. 15:28. "Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them!" Jer. 9:2. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. "A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest" Is. 32:2. See Is. 4:6. "Then say I, O might I but cut the wind 6-8 Borne on the wings the fearful dove doth bear; These storms of woe, these tempests left behind." Prayer that the counsels of the wicked may be brought to ་་ nought. vv. 9-16. "And 9 And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness" 2 Sam. 15:31. Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom" 2 Sam. 17:14. 10 "The chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them "S. Lu. 22:2-4. "Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons S. Jo. 18:3. 11 See S. Mat. 26:59-61. 12 Lit. For it is not an enemy that reproacheth me, so that I might bear it. 13 Lit. Neither is it he that hated me that hath magnified himself against me, so that I might hide myself from him. 14 Lit. But thou wast a man according to my rank (i. e. my equal), my intimate and well-known friend. As they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me" S. Mar. 14:18. "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" S. Mat. 26:50. 15 Lit. We were wont to take sweet counsel together, and to walk to the house of God among the (festal) throng. "The counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom" 2 Sam. 16:23. 8 This verse may UnrighteousMischief, lit. near the gate, 6 See Ps. 56, title. Comp. Ps. 11:1. be rendered, -I would hasten my escape swifter than stormy wind and than tempest. 9 ness, K. J. violence. 10 Within, K. J. upon. iniquity. 11 Streets, lit. the "broad place," |