October 9, 2014
Tom Lowe
Title: O LORD, Fight Against Them That Fight Against Me.
A psalm of David.
Part 1 verses 1-10
Part 2 verses 11-16
Part 3 verses 17-28
Psalm 35 (KJV)
Part 1 (vs. 1-10)
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
Introduction
It is nothing new for righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to encounter enemies. This is a fruit of the old hostility in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in His sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour of temptation, all implore the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause. We are likely to justify the uneasiness caused by the injuries men do us, by asserting that we have never given them any reason to treat us so bad; but this should make us comfortable, for then we may expect that God will plead our cause. David prayed to God to reveal himself in his trial—Let me have inward comfort under all outward troubles, to sustain my soul. If God, by his Spirit, witnesses to our spirits that He is our salvation, we need desire no more than that to make us happy. If God is our Friend, it doesn’t matter who our enemy is. By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the just judgments of God that would come upon his enemies for their great wickedness. These are predictions that look forward, and show the doom of the enemies of Christ and His kingdom. We must not desire or pray for the annihilation of any enemies, except our lusts and the evil spirits that would plot our destruction. A traveler overtaken by darkness while on a bad road, symbolizes a sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation. But David having committed his cause to God, never doubted his own deliverance. The bones are the strongest parts of the body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with all his strength. If such language may be applied to our religious performance, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in Christ Jesus!
Commentary
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me
“Plead my cause O Lord”—The word “plead” means to argue in support of a claim, or against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against; to attempt to persuade one by argument or appeal (here appeal is made by prayer); such as, to plead for the life of a criminal, that is, to give reasons for why he should be acquitted or pardoned; and then, to earnestly implore in any way. The Hebrew word used here means to contend, strive, quarrel; and then, to argue the case before a judge, to manage or plead a cause. The idea here is that the psalmist desires that God would take upon Himself to defend his cause against those who had risen up against him, as if it were debated before a tribunal, or before a judge, and with God as the advocate.
Plead is commonly used as a legal term, as in Job 13:6—“Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips”; but here it means “forcible coercion.” It denotes strife or striving of any kind, but the imagery of Psalms 35:1-3 is entirely military, showing that things had passed beyond the limits of argument and reason, and nothing would settle it now except power in the form of judgment. The psalmist cannot embark on such a course, so he appeals the matter directly to God
There is general agreement among commentators that this Psalm was composed by David, but there is no consensus concerning who is meant by, “With them that strive with me,” some of the opinions are:
(1) Saul and his ‘toadies’ concerning whom he elsewhere appeals to the Lord to judge between them, plead his case, and deliver him; which He did—“The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee . . .” (1 Samuel 24:12).
(2) It may refer to when he was persecuted by Saul; whose forces were unjustly raised up against him: he pleads with God to drive them away, and above all to stop the mouths of his false accusers; such as Doeg and the Ziphites, about whom he complains bitterly.
(3) Some think that he wrote this when he was in great distress, and even heart sick;
1. Because Amnon had defiled Tamar, and Absalom had slain Amnon.
2. Because his disgruntled subjects, such as Shimei, insulted him, and said that it was God’s judgment upon him for the matter of Uriah, and other tragedies; which they wrongfully charged him with.
(4) Many commentators suppose, that David is speaking here of Jesus Christ; and, consequently, that the enemies he refers to, are principally the rulers of the darkness of this world, whose destruction is prophetically foretold. So Christ did not plead for his own cause as man, but committed himself to Him that judges all men righteously; and His people leave their cause with him, since He is their advocate, and is able to plead it thoroughly from top to bottom; and He certainly does defend them against wicked and ungodly men, who falsely charge them with crimes against God and man.
The idea here is that they were “contending” against him, or were making argumentspertaining to why he should be condemned, as if they were before a tribunal or a judge. They were his bitter opponents engaged in bringing all manner of false accusations against him and seeking his condemnation. The psalmist felt that he could not successfully defend himself against them; and he, therefore, pleads with God that He would intervene on his behalf, and stand up for him. David prayed for his own safety (Psalms 35:1, 2), and his enemies’ destruction (Psalms 35:3-10); disclosed their falsehood, and unthankfulness, and malice (Psalms 35:11-21). He prayed for their confusion (Psalms 35:22-26); and for the preservation and joy of the godly (Psalms 35:27, 28).
Fight against them that fight against me
The same idea substantially occurs here as in the first part of the verse. It is a prayer that God would ‘take on’ his cause; that He would exert His power against those who were opposed to him. The Lord is sometimes represented as a man of war, and Christ as a warrior fighting for the saints; those on His side are safe, but all who fight against Him and His are miserable, because no one who has opposed Him has ever succeeded or prospered.
“Fight against them that fight against me,” implies carrying their hatred to the point of making war on him. Seeing that I am unable to fight for myself and the magistrates refuse to give me justice, I pray that You will be my Benefactor and Protector.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Take hold of shield and buckler
This clause expands the idea of Jehovah as “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3; Deuteronomy 32:41). The shield was a large piece of metal, wood, etc., which covered the whole body, and was carried by a soldier—“For you, LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor will you compass him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12). The buckler, on the other hand, was a small round shield held by a handle at arm's length—“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2). The "shield and buckler" are mentioned first, because they are primarily for defense and protection, which David definitely needs at this time. His adversaries are the aggressors and he is on the defensive, because Saul is hunting for him in the mountains.
It is not that the Lord needs any of these to defend Himself: but the sense is that He would be ‘like’ these to David; as He actually was to him, and is to all His people; namely, their shield and buckler: He gives unto them the shield of salvation; He covers them with His favor like it was a shield, and keeps them safe from all their enemies, by His power.
“Take hold of shield and buckler,” that is, arm yourself, like you would for a battle. It is a new form of prayer, that God would intervene, and that he would go out like a warrior against the enemies of the psalmist. These terms are derived from the armor of a warrior, and the prayer here is that God would appear in that persona for his defense. (CompareProverbs 2:7). Even though God can with his breath destroy all his enemies, yet the Holy Spirit attributes to him these outward weapons to assure us of his patient power.
And stand up for mine help
The Lord arises, and stands by His people, and against their enemies, delivering them out of their hands; oras a warrior stands up, or stands firm, to halt the attack of an enemy. Standing is the natural posture of one who intervenes to help another. “Arise, O LORD, in your anger, lift up yourself because of the rage of my enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that you have commanded” (Psalm 7:6).
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Draw out also the spear
The word rendered "draw out" means to pour out; to empty; and it is applied to the act of emptying sacks (Genesis 42:35); to emptying bottles (Jeremiah 48:12); to drawing a sword from a sheath (Exodus 15:9; Leviticus 26:33; Ezekiel 5:12). It is applied to a "spear" either as drawing it out of the place where it was kept, or as thrusting it out for the purposes of attack. The former probably is the meaning here, and the idea is that David prayed for God to "arm Himself"—as a warrior does—in order to defend him. The spear was a common weapon in ancient warfare. It was sometimes so short that it could be wielded like a sword, or long enough to be hurled at an enemy—“And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it . . .” (1 Samuel 18:11; also see 1 Samuel 19:10; 1 Samuel 20:33); but it was usually made as long as it could be and still be handled conveniently. The spear was a weapon of "attack;" an offensive weapon; expressive of the vengeance which God sometimes takes on the enemies of His people, when He bends His bow, shoots His arrows, sharpens His glittering sword, and takes His vengeance upon His enemies. The parts of armor referred to in verse 2 were designed for defense. The idea of the psalmist is that of a warrior prepared to both attack and defend himself. “Draw out also the spear”; or rather, “bring out also the spear,” since spears were not, so far as is known, kept in sheaths, like swords were (Exodus 15:9), but usually stored in an armory.
And stop the way against them that persecute me
“And stop the way against them that persecute me”; is said by David to God; he prays that God will not allow his enemies to overtake him. God can hinder, and he sometimes does hinder persecutors from overtaking His people while they are undergoing trials; He hedges up the path of their enemies; interposes Himself and His power, and is a wall of fire about them; a wall for the defense and security of His saints, and a wall of fire for the destruction of those that rise up against them. The words “Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me” may be rendered, "draw out the spear and sword, to meet those that persecute me." The psalmist is representing God as a man of war, and he furnishes Him with those weapons, which were most frequently and universally used.
The word rendered "stop" means to shut, to close, like a door or gate (Job 3:10; 1 Samuel 1:5; Genesis 19:6, Genesis 19:10). The idea here, according to how the word is used is “Shut or close up the way against those that persecute me.” The psalmist prays that God would go out to meet his enemies; that He would impede their march, stop them in their tracks, hedge up their way, and that he would thus prevent them from attacking him.
The word translated "stop the way," literally, "shut up" (the way), is actually the name of a weapon, the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word for battle-axe. The clause will then read, "Bring out also the spear and the battle-axe against them that persecute me," which is certainly a better parallel to "Take hold of shield and buckler," than “Draw out also the spear, and stop the way.” However, deliverance from the immediate danger is not all that is meant; but rather support and saving help in all dangers and in all troubles.
Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation
Christ is the salvation of His people; He is the only person appointed, provided, promised, and sent to be the Savior of men; and He is the One and only author of salvation: it is produced by Him, and it is in Him, and in Him only; and therefore He is called their salvation, and the salvation of God: and they are interested in the salvation which is in him; it was designed, prepared, and created for them, and for them only; and is applied to them by the Spirit, and they shall perfectly enjoy it throughout all eternity. They, and the psalmist as well, see the necessity of salvation, and that there is no comfort nor safety without it. They are wonderfully delighted with the excellence of it, that it is so great in itself, so right for them, so complete and perfect, and that it lasts for eternity. Yet, through God hiding His face, the temptations of Satan, the greatness of their sins, and the prevalence of unbelief, they cannot believe they have an interest (right, title, legal share) in it; but they most earnestly desire that the Lord would show it to them, and assure them of it; which favor, when granted, comes by the witnessing of the Spirit to their spirits, that they are the children of God, and the redeemed of the Lamb: and this is said particularly to them; it is not a discovery of salvation by Christ in general; that they have before them; but it is a saying to their souls, that it is theirs; and when this is spoken to the soul by the Spirit of God, it is effective; and removes unbelief at once, and fills them with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
“Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation”—Say to "me," I will save you. That is, give me some assurance that You will intervene, and that You will guard me from my enemies. Man only wants this assurance to have a calming effect in respect to any danger. When God says to us that He will be our salvation; that He will protect us; that He will deliver us from sin, from danger, from hell, the mind may and will be perfectly calm. To a believer He gives this assurance; he is willing to give it to all. The whole plan of salvation is arranged with a view to furnish such an assurance, and to give a pledge to the soul that God "will" save. Death loses its terrors then; the redeemed man moves on calmly—for in all the future—in all worlds—he has nothing now to fear.
In view of the temptations we face, assure me that you are the author of my salvation. “Say unto my soul,” that is, unto me; either,
(1) By thy Spirit assuring me of it; or,
(2) By thy providence creating it; for God’s saying or speaking is often put for His doing, because His word is sufficient for doing whatsoever he pleases.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul
“Let them be confounded” is David’spetition (or prayer), and what follows, seems to be stated as a curse, but are to be considered as prophecies of what would be, and as expressions of faith that it would really be; and are not to be thought of as examples, and should not be imitated by any individual; nor are they contrary to those evangelical decrees, which require men to love their enemies, and pray for them. Saul, who hunted for David, fully intending to end his life, was filled with shame and confusion, when David, having cut off the skirt of his garment, held it up for him to see, was enough to convince Saul that his life was in David’s hands, and he did not take it away, though he was seeking to take away his: and that is how it will go with the enemies of Christ, the Jews; who sought to take away Jesus’ life, which they did: but when they shall see Him, whom they have pierced, come in the clouds of heaven, they will wish they had believed in Him; and, it will be much the same with the enemies of all His people, who will not be content unless they take their lives, when they shall see the lambs they have persecuted and butchered on Christ's right hand, and they on the left; and they will hear Him say to the sheep, Come, ye blessed; and to them, Go, ye cursed ( Matthew 25:34 Matthew 25:41 ).
From this clause, it appears that David's life is being sought, which only happened at two periods in his career:
(1) When he was a fugitive from Saul (1 Samuel 19:15-26:4).
(2) During the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13-18:8).
The psalm therefore belongs to one or the other of those periods, most probably to the former.
“Let them be confounded,” that is, frustrated and disappointed in the wicked plans made against me. They may be disappointed, for this and the following verses, to Psalm 35:9, may be considered a prediction of the downfall and destruction which were about to come on the enemies of David, and on those of the Messiah and His church. Let them, through Thy gracious intervention in my behalf, be so entirely overcome and subdued that they shall be "ashamed" that they ever made the effort to destroy me; let them see so clearly that God is on my side that they will be covered with confusion for having opposed one who was so entirely the object of the divine protection and care.
In view of their wicked plans and evil undertakings against David, and David’s cursing of them which follows, which may seem strange and severe, it must be considered:
(1) That they did not come from any passionate or revengeful spirit in David towards his enemies, (from which he appears totally free, not only from his own words (Psalm 35:12-14), but from the whole course of his life, and the frequent occasions mentioned in his history of his meek and merciful treatment of his enemies when they were in his power); but from his zeal for God, and for piety and justice.
(2) That they contain nothing but a prayer to God that he would accomplish what He threatened, and execute His own law of retaliation, of eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and so bring upon them the evils which they planned to use against him; which proved to be of good use, both to glorify God’s justice, and to warn and reform other sinners by the terror of their example.
Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt
“Let them be turned back,” or, “they shall be turned back,” that is, stopped, or hindered in their wicked plans, or humiliated and put to flight. When they attempt to pursue me, intervene and turn them back.Saul intended to kill David, even when he made the most phony show of affection and respect for him, as well as when he openly persecuted him; and more than once was he turned back with shame, and went home in disgrace—“Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home” (1 Samuel 26:25). The Jews, that came to arrest Christ, together with the Roman soldiers, had concocted plans for His capture and fully intended to hurt Him, and eventually take His life: but when they found Him, they went backward, and fell to the ground with shame and confusion, when, having asked them who they sought, and they had replied, told them he was the person; and how often has it been, that when wicked men have devised, deceitful matters against the followers of Christ, they have not been able to perform their evil enterprises; and they have been turned back, with shame and disgrace.
Curses closely resembling these occur frequently in the psalms of David—“May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. (Psalm 35:26; also Psalm 40:14, Psalm 70:2, Psalm 71:13)—and are used whenever the scheming of his enemies against him are the subject that occupies his thoughts.
“And brought to confusion,” as used here, means “put to shame”; or “made ashamed,” as they are who are disappointed and thwarted in their schemes.
“That devise my hurt,” or rather, that strive to take my life (or, soul)—“Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?" (1 Samuel 20:1).Let them be disappointed in their efforts, repulsed and humiliated in their attack. (See Psalm 35:26; Psalm 40:14; Psalm 6:10).
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Note: some think it would be better to read these verses as predictions.
Let them be as chaff before the wind
David began his prayer with a plea for the Lord to act as his champion; and here, he prays for Him to rout his enemies like worthless chaff blown by the wind during threshing. In other words he wished for his worthless enemies to be tossed aside. He called down curses on them for their treachery and malice; above all, he condemned them for false friendship and ingratitude. He wished for them to be chased from place to place, and that they would discover no place where they would be safe or find rest. It would be a righteous thing for them to become as helpless and weightless as “chaff” in “the wind,” driven relentlessly by the “Angel of the Lord.”
And let the angel of the LORD chase them
In this part of his prayer, he asks that “the Angel of the Lord” would drive away his enemies, who are pursuing him. It was a prayer for avenging justice—that the Lord would do to them what they had planned for him; that is really divine intervention, for this angel was God’s agent during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness by His people, and the One who appeared to Abraham; however, at that time he was the “Angel of the Covenant,” or “Messenger” as the word is translated in Malachi 3:1—“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.” It was the “Angel of the Lord” who met Hagar when she fled from the abuse she had received in Abraham’s home, met her on the very threshold of Egypt, and ministered love and compassion, comfort and promise to her wounded soul. It was the “Angel of the Lord,” who met Joshua when he was contemplating the formidable fortress of Jericho, and took matters out of his hands. “Don’t worry about a thing, Joshua!” was what He said, in effect.
This is the second mention of the “Angel of the Lord”; the first was in Psalm 34:7—“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” Let me say again that I think the “Angel of the Lord” (the Jehovah angel) is none other than the Lord Jesus, the “pre-fleshly” Christ. He is the deliverer and executer of judgment.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
Let their way be dark and slippery
“Their way” is the road, path, route or direction they take when they flee from the One chasing them. The road is so dark and slippery that they cannot discern the right path in order to run away, especially from a persecutor as swift as the “Angel of the Lord”—they will fall into his hands, and be destroyed.
Imagine praying that a man’s path might be not only dark, but slippery! It was a deliberate prayer that his enemies might come to a disastrous end. All kinds of suggestions have been made about these imprecatory[i] psalms—and Psalm 35 is by no means the most violent. Some of the noteworthy things said about Psalm 35 are:
(1) The fact that the Old Testament Scriptures offset this category of psalms—“If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it” (Exodus 23:4, 5).Also—“Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:17, 18).
(2) These fierce outcries and curses are not a reflection of God’s heart, but of the imperfect hearts of His people.
(3) These words do not come from the lips of the psalmist, but from his enemies. The psalmist, in other words, is simply reminding the Lord of what the ungodly are saying against him.
(4) The curses are not personal, but prophetic, and they belong to the end of the age.
(5) These imprecationsi don’t belong to the age of grace, but to the age of the Law.
(6) The psalmist can be excused for making these imprecationsi, because of the intense provocation being suffered by him.
(7) The imprecations reflect the Hebrew viewpoint—the psalmist’s enemies were the Lord’s enemies and therefore it was up to Him to vindicate his own righteous cause.
(8)David’s passionate zeal for righteousness gave birth to these expressions of violence.
(9) Since the Old Testament saints did not have such a well-developed eschatologyii as we have and knew little about the final judgment, they therefore believed that the righteous had to be rewarded in this life and that the wicked must get what’s coming to them in this life too.
No doubt, all these arguments have a measure of truth; but it would be fitting retribution for “their way” to “be” as “dark and slippery” as ice, with the “Angel of the Lord” in hot pursuit.
And let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
What a terrible fate, to be driven by the wind on a slippery path in darkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence—“Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:23).How vivid are his word pictures of what he desires them to experience!
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit
This was a very common trap for animals, consisting of a deep pit with a net over it, covered with branches and leaves. Saul treated David like an animal, pursuing him wherever he went, causing him to endure great hardships, but it was Saul and his army that were the animals (vs. 15, 17, 25).
David was a man who had sympathy for the poor and needy (v. 10) and a great capacity for forgiveness; here he gives his reasons for the curses he invokes. Having prayed that his enemies might be driven, doomed, dismayed, and damned, he says that such an expression of divine wrath would be an expression of perfect justice: “For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.” It was right that they should reap what they sowed, because their malicious gossip had no basis in reality; he had been their friend.
Which without cause they have digged for my soul
This just adds more fodder for the psalmist’s defense; all their attacks, from a covenant or legal standpoint, have been unjustified. They seek my annihilation out of mere malice, without any provocation or injury on my part, and without any necessity on their parts. They are the worst of enemies; and therefore, I may justly pray for their ruin, as I do. Both expressions in this verse worsen their sins, and signify that their persecution of him was not caused by a sudden passion, but by a deep and habitual hatred and malice, and an evil strategy, carried on in a constant and continual course with deliberation, and cunning, and deceit against his soul and life; for nothing less would satisfy them.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
Let destruction come upon him at unawares
The curses and oaths made against the unrepentant rebels, who were against God, do not need vindication; His justice and wrath are for such people; His mercy is for those who repent of their sins.
And let his net that he hath hid catch himself
They had sought to take his life, though he was unaware of their evil scheming. They hid their traps like a hunter hides his net and digs a pit to catch an unwary animal. David prayed that the traps they set for others would ensnare them—“They spread a net for my feet-- I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path-- but they have fallen into it themselves” (Psalm 57:6)—all of a sudden and unexpectedly cause their destruction—“May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace” (Psalm 70:2).
Into that very destruction let him fall
David says that such an expression of divine judgment, would be a fitting expression of poetic justice: “Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself: “into that very destruction let him fall.”
That poetic justice was later going to pursue David himself. After his sin with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, both murder and adultery broke out again and again in his own family. This kind of poetic justice is clearly seen in the Bible. David here in verse 35 was praying that his enemies might get what they are giving him. If that is not in agreement with the Sermon on the Mount, or the kind of prayer Jesus would have prayed, it was because David lived a thousand years before New Testament truth was revealed. It is not so much a matter of perfection, but of perspective.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
Verses 9 and 10 look forward to a time when fervent praise will be offered to God because of His gracious deliverance.
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD
Conscious of his innocence, yet well aware of the bodily peril at enemy hands, under which he stands, he has such great confidence that the Lord will rescue him that he sings unto God a song of praise. It appears from this that he viewed a heartfelt song of praise as more acceptable to God than a thank offering.
“In the Lord”—in and for His glory and service, which shall be advanced by this means, and for His favor shown to me; otherwise, I am far from rejoicing in their tragedies.
In this psalm, David followed each of his three requests with words of praise for the Lord (vs. 9-10, 17-18, and 27-28), showing that more than anything, he desired to glorify Him. We are quick to pray, but do we always remember to thank and praise our wonderful God.
It shall rejoice in his salvation
David’s joy was in God’s salvation, for which only God could receive the glory.
David never knew from one day to the next when or where Saul would strike. He was always on the run, often with fear gnawing at his heart. He has now discovered, however, that joy in the Lord is the best antidote for fear. If we had suffered long and hard at the hands of cruel men, don’t you think we would echo with joy the words our psalmist utters in verses 9 and 10, once we had found freedom again? Mary, the mother of Jesus belonged to the class whom society called the poor and needy (v. 10), and so she begins her great song, at Luke 1:46, with the very words of this psalm, and then continues in the same vein.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee
His whole being (“all my bones”;see Psalm 51:8) would give thanks and praise to the Lord. “Who is like unto thee?” reminds us of Israel’s song of triumph after The Exodus (Exodus 15:11). The phrase had become a canonized[ii]i expression of awe at the uniqueness of Israel’s great God—“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18).
“All my bones shall say,”that is, if they could speak they would praise thy name, because having been dried up with sorrow, they are now refreshed by thy mercy. David wanted what we call fair play. We get a great deal of satisfaction, for instance, in seeing a bully meet his match. Our very bones, as David puts it, thrill within us when we see justice being done and the terrible injustices of life being corrected.
Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him
David knew that God had chosen him to be king of Israel and that his greatest task would be to unite and strengthen the kingdom and lead the people back to God. Israel had an important work to do in the world and David’s leadership was essential.
He praised the Lord with joy for rescuing the “poor and needy,” who are at the mercy of the mighty.
Yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
At this time in David’s life he was a very poor man, While he was in exile there came to him men who were in debt, men who were in distress, and men who were discontented. These were his companions, and they shared his rugged existence and his poverty. But God was with them, and He “delivered the poor from him that is too strong for him.” All his being will join in acknowledging the Lord as the incomparable One who saves the defenseless from the superior power of their opponent, the helpless and needy from the spoiler.
This verse brought a change of pace. We have been looking at David in the camp, appealing to the Lord as a warrior. But there were foes he could not fight, foes too sly for him, so he turns them over to the Lord.
[i] To invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person.
ii any system of doctrines concerning last, or final, matters, as death, the Judgment, the future state, etc.
[ii][ii] Ecclesiastical-to place in the canon of saints; to glorify; to place or include within a canon, especially of scriptural works; to consider or treat as sacrosanct or holy; to sanction or approve authoritatively, especially ecclesiastically; to deify.
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October 19, 2014
Tom Lowe
Title: O LORD, Fight Against Them That Fight Against Me.
A psalm of David.
Part 2 (vs. 11-16)
Psalm 35 (KJV)
Part 2 (vs. 11-16)
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Introduction
One of the worse things you can say about a man is, “he is ungrateful.” David could say that about Israel, for they often did not appreciate what he had done for them, or rather, what God had done for them through David. In this respect, he was a type of Christ, who came to His people and they would not have Him. In this passage, David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them when they were afflicted and distressed. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do not mourn for themselves. We shall not lose by doing good to others, regardless of how ungrateful they may be. Let us learn to possess our souls[1] in patience and meekness like David, or rather after Christ's example.
Commentary
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
David is stating his case now before the Lord, focusing on the wrong his supposed friends have done to him. There is no indignation here, no passion, and no swearing. Here we have the impassive calm of a court. David is both plaintiff and witness.
The psalmist moves back to the theme of grief and describes his situation in great detail. The situation is one in which false witnesses describe to the Lord’s priests fantastic charges against the psalmist, which he knew nothing about. They accused him of treachery and plotting to take Saul’s crown and life. In his response, David stated the evidence that proved he was innocent. The enemy depended on lies and false (“malicious”) witnesses who accused him of being a traitor, and of other crimes of which he was entirely innocent and ignorant—“Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (Psalm 27:12). On the contrary, it was Saul and his officers who were the traitors, for they returned evil for the good (v. 12) David did to them.
The “False witnesses” may have been paid to lie and accuse David of acts of injustice and cruelty.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
David only received evil for all the good he did for them. On two occasions, David could have killed Saul, but instead, David returned “good” for “evil” (1 Samuel 24, 26; 38:20; 109:5; Jeremiah 18:18-23). Saul even admitted that David was the better man (1 Samuel 24:17). It pained David deeply that the men he had served with in Saul’s army had betrayed him (See Psalm 41:9; 55:12-14). He had once thought of them as his friends, which makes his unjust suffering at his accuser’s hands all the more painful. The contrast between David and his accusers is presented in detail in the following verses.
“They rewarded me evil for good” is so very true of the Lord Jesus; weeping, praying, dying for His foes (Luke 19:41-44). When our prayers and tears cannot benefit others, they return to bless us.
Some interpret “spoiling of my soul” to mean stripping David of all his comforts and hopes, and ‘seeking to take his life.’ The slanderers have even stripped him of his honor and his character, certainly one of the most dastardly things a man can do to another—to lie and so misrepresent a person that his good name is gone, and his reputation ruined. And to do it all secretly and behind his back! This was David’s plight. He lays the facts before the Judge of all the earth.
We can be sure we never assassinate a person’s character with impunity. The damage we do may be irreparable in this life, but we will have to answer for it at the judgment seat of Christ. Let us think twice before we engage in this terrible sin.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
Verses 13 and 14 describe his concern for others; when they were ill or distressed he sympathized with them so deeply that he virtually identified himself with them; like Job’s friends did when they saw his deep sorrow—“When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads” (Job 2:12).He could not have done more, even for his next of kin. How different was their unfeeling treatment of him; they hurled profane insults at him and treated him like a foreigner.
When they were sick, he put on sackcloth[2] and suffered with them, and prayed and fasted in their behalf as though they were his intimate friends or relatives, but his prayers returned to him unanswered. David received a blessing because he prayed, but God couldn’t send a blessing to such evil people. The only “return” David got from his prayers was evil for good, so he asked the Lord to send him good to compensate for their evil. Those who criticize David for his imprecatory[3] prayer in verses 4-8 should remember that first he prayed for their help and healing.
“And my prayer returned into mine own bosom” is thought by some to be a reference to the psalmist’s posture at the time (‘with head bowed’), but others suggest either that he would benefit from his own prayers, or that they went unanswered; and still others say that the clause means that he prayed secretly, for what is done secretly and affectionately, is said to be done in the bosom. The phrase is made better by inserting ‘my prayer turned back’ for “my prayer returned”—“And my prayer turned back into mine own bosom.”The meaning is that his prayer, though seemingly fruitless, shall return in blessing to himself. It appears that his prayers were NOT fruitless, since they prevailed with God and led to their recovery, which we understand from the following verses.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
The expression “I bowed down heavily” indicates that his grieving caused him to neglect his appearance. His grief resembled the sorrowing of one who had recently lost a dearly loved relative and is walking around with his head bowed down, as mourners often do. We can only speculate as to why he mentions his “mother” rather than his father; but it may have been that he was closer to her and had such fond memories of her.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects[4] gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
“In mine adversity,” that is, when I was in great danger of falling into any kind of trouble, my enemies “rejoiced” because of my afflictions, which indicates they were contemptible and degraded persons. They “gathered themselves together,” and as it says in the next clause, they were “against me;” either because they were so pleased to see me afflicted that they could not contain themselves and had to share the tale with others; or they wanted to relive the experience, insult me, and sing their own praises; or they wanted to consult about how to improve the advantage they now had over me so they could utterly destroy me. “I knew it not” refers either to the persons who were against him—he did not know who they were, or to the reasons for their evil conduct. Or it may have been added to express either their hypocrisy or pretenses of respect and affection for him, which he was not aware of or even suspected; or his own danger, of which he was unaware, and therefore he could not prevent their plots and conspiracies against him.
When the situation is reversed, how differently they act. They do not wait for him to be in great need; he only had to stumble and they gloat over it and initiate a campaign of slander and lies so that their words rend and stab. “They did tear me, and ceased not”—literally, ‘were not silent’—showing that the tearing meant slandering his good name. Saul’s men tore David apart with their wicked words—scoffs, and lies, and reproaches, and curses. Like court jesters, at their meals they made him the butt of their vicious jokes—“They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards” (Psalm 69:12).
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
A “mocker” in that day was a court jester who was hired to entertain the guests at a banquet. In this case they would make fun of David for running away and hiding from Saul. They probably would say, “He delivered the poor from him that was too strong for him.”
We are not to judge the world, but we are to judge the things inside the church. There are those who ridicule Gods men, and they lie about God’s men—doing it in a most pious way. They are “hypothetical mockers”; jesters in the court of God, ridiculing God’s men. Some take this verse as an allusion to sorcery.
Dear Christian friend, it is good to know that although the righteous do suffer ridicule and even affliction, and although the enemy rejoices over their suffering, deliverance always comes in the end. In God’s kingdom the righteous will have their share.
[1] By patiently bearing all afflictions, reproaches, indignities, and persecutions, enjoy yourselves; let nothing disturb or distress you; possess that peace and joy in your souls, which the world cannot take away;
[2] Cloth used in making sacks or bags, a coarse fabric of dark color, made of goat’s-hair. It was used also for making the rough garments used by mourners, which were in extreme cases worn against the skin.
[3] To invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person.
[4] The translation of a Hebrew word meaning smiters; probably, in allusion to the tongue, slanderers. (Comp. Jer. 18:18.)
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October 31, 2014
Tom Lowe
Title: O LORD, Fight Against Them That Fight Against Me.
A psalm of David.
Psalm 35 (KJV)
Part 3 (vs. 17-28)
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Introduction
Though the people of God are usually quiet and seldom make waves, yet it has been commonplace for their enemies to devise deceitful plans to use against them. David prays, “My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger.” He who has exalted the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Security. They trust their souls in His hands, they are one with Him by faith, are precious in His sight, and shall be rescued from destruction, so that they may give thanks in heaven. Dear friend, just think about it, there are two in heaven—one who has demonstrated His love for you and one who died for you—and there is another who lives within you!
Commentary
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
Moved by the tragedy of his case, the psalmist suddenly makes his petition to the Lord in the form of a lamentation (an exclamation of despair and a characteristic of a lament), instead of cursing his adversaries—“how long?” . . . “Look on,” like an idol spectator, without giving me any pity or help. When he asks “Wilt thou look on?” it is an indication that the time for giving help is short because of the cruel bestiality of those arrayed against him. “How long” can the Lord “look down” on the injustice of it all without being moved to action? The time has come to “rescue” the innocent one from the havoc caused by his foes and to save his precious life from these human lions. “My darling,” that is, my soul, as it is in the previous clause. When he is in the presence of these brutal enemies he feels like he is facing a pride of “lions” roaring as they leap upon him! He is left alone and forsaken by his friends, and has no one to trust in, but God. His enemies here are former friends who have turned on him and rejoiced over his bad fortune.
Many men and women never grow up (my wife can confirm that) to be mature citizens. Children can be excused for mocking a cripple on the playground. But here it is the grown-ups who treat the weak in this way. So these tormentors are what we today would call sadists. They are people who enjoy hurting those who can’t defend themselves, and who “take it out” upon such ordinary people because they have a grudge against society as a whole. No wonder David cries to God, in words we find scribbled on many a prison wall, “How long, O Lord?” Of course, the psalmist did not know in the early days of Israel’s monarchy that he was, in the providence of God, entering into the sufferings of the Servant whom we meet with at Isaiah 53, and whose sufferings God Himself could turn to His own glory.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Nothing has changed outwardly, but David’s spirits have received a tremendous boost. He knows that one day he will be vindicated. He gives thanks for that before his comrades in the temple.
This is a verse for times of meditation in a quiet place. “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation” reminds us of our duty to give thanks as a community of believers, and of the multitude of those who stand for what is right, even in the world as it exists today. It is an encouraging verse for worshippers who forget that they are part of a “great congregation” throughout the world. It is also well to remember the great multitude which no one could count—“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb” (Revelations 7:9)—beyond the veil, with whom we are also one.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Verses 19-28 speak of gossip and slander. What the psalmist describes here is what goes on in some of those lands that today suffer under a dictator ship, that is to say, political smears, the bugging of private homes, informing against one’s own family and friends to the authorities with nasty insinuations, and so on: “Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it!”
Here the psalmist petitioned the Lord for deliverance from the wicked by asking the Lord to dispense justice against those that stir up trouble by their accusations against peaceful people. “Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me” refers to those who, without cause, celebrate His distresses and trials. He stressed that they were his enemies “without a cause.” Already he can see them “winking” at each other, their eyes gleaming with triumph, thus revealing their malicious intentions. “Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me,” that is, that mock me or insult me. A very human prayer. There are few things more maddening to an honest man who is standing for a principle which he knows to be vital than to suffer scornful expressions of superiority from the shallow. It is a common experience in modern society, particularly from those who call themselves “realists.” O lord, save us from such men!
He comes back to his original theme and prays again that his enemies might not be allowed to triumph. How perfectly human that is! How often we pray through to victory, only to come back almost in the next breath, certainly in the next prayer, to the same petition all over again! It is a blessing that the Lord is infinite in his patience. What a travesty it would be if those who are David’s enemies for no good reason should have occasion to gloat over his downfall and wink their eyes in apparent triumph. They don’t want peace—all they want is to concoct false charges against descent law-abiding citizens. Whenever they see the slightest slip they say, “Aha, aha! Just as we predicted! We saw you do it.”
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
Once again David lapses into a mood of lamentation, as was the case in verses 11-16. He is cut to the quick by their corrupt and baseless accusations. They have manufactured their case against him by bribing men to testify against him and telling them what to say. Their allegations are groundless, yet they testify that they have seen him do that which they have charged him. So here David is seen informing the Lord of the malicious glee of his foes and also the malignant guile of his foes: “For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.” They are not only David’s enemies, but all his followers as well, who desire nothing more than to live quietly and peacefully under Saul’s government. They constantly threaten them with war, and they not only use violence, but deceit and subtle tricks against David and his supporters.
By “quiet in the land” is meant “peaceable folk.”
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
The situation of the psalmist was grim and desperate; his enemies were trumping up charges against him and declaring themselves to be eyewitnesses of his crimes. David responds by turning from his irreverent, unfeeling, shameless accusers unto God, the righteous Judge, in whose vindication of his innocence he has the utmost confidence.
“They opened their mouth wide against me” either:
(1) To devour me. It is a metaphor taken from wild beasts, when they come within reach of their prey.
(2)To pour out whole floods of scoffs, and slanders and contempt.
“Aha, aha” is an expression of triumph and joy.
“Keep not silence”; or rather, be not deaf to my prayers.
“Be not far from me”; or rather, do not withdraw thy favor and help from me—arise to my defense. By vindicating David, the Lord would rightly put to shame and confusion all his gloating foes (v. 26).
“Our eye hath seen it . . . This thou hast seen, O LORD.” What David’s enemies supposedly saw, the Lord has seen perfectly. It was comforting to David that the Lord had seen and observed, all their plots and threats, and all his distresses and calamities, which he suffered for the Lord’s sake. David knew that his God would vindicate him based on the true evidence, all of which was in his favor. Then why doesn’t God act? This is surely the bitter cry of millions even as we read these words: “Arm of the Lord, awake, awake!” This is the first line of a well—known hymn that is based upon these verses here.
David wanted the Lord to awaken, to answer, to acknowledge, and to act: “O LORD: keep not silence . . . Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment . . . Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness . . . Let them not say . . . We have swallowed him up.” He goes on and on, spelling it out, restating his case, urging the Lord to do something. It is all so very human.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
We can feel the intensity of his plea and the desperation that gripped him as he calls upon God to awake on his behalf and render His favorable decision. “Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause,” cries the psalmist. We would agree that only one who has the simple faith of a child would dare to shout such a cry to the God of heaven and earth.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
In his distress the psalmist repeats his prayer for vindication—“Judge me, O LORD!”—It is a comfort to appeal from the judgments of men to the bar of God; and to claim his intercession and vindication—which must come, though years pass on without an answer.This appeal can be made only because David has a clear conscience, and because his request that those who rejoice at his difficulties should be disgraced springs from his deep loathing of the evil desires and practices of such men.
Because of “Thy righteousness” You love to defend the innocent and punish the oppressors. The situation is now presented as a moral issue; that is, the appeal to the Lord is made solely on the grounds of His righteousness. The conflict is not a matter of weapons, but of words. The wrongful imputation of evil against those who are law-abiding (who are quiet in the land, v.20) can do great harm, unless the truth is known.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
Just as they gathered themselves together to deride and oppose me, so shall Thou gather them together to destroy them. Let the proud and great ones of them be disappointed and ashamed as well as the poorest among them. David prays that when the Lord vindicates His loyal servant, he may bring utter humiliation and disgrace upon his persecutors.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
The psalm closes with a brief hymn of praise to God, which the members of the Lords congregation, those who will take delight in the psalmist’s vindication, are to sing upon his deliverance.
“That favour my righteous cause” points to those that wish it well and have helped me, although they lack the strength or courage to plead it. It is our duty to remember those who have helped us. Forgetting ones supporters is an ugly thing; and it is awful when those who have stood together in adversity fall out in prosperity.
“Magnified,” as used here, means God is exalted and praised for His righteousness and truth and goodness manifested in my deliverance. My enemies great desire is to magnify themselves (v. 26), but my chief desire is that God would be magnified. Let them bear witness that You are truly a great Lord because You take such a keen delight in the welfare of those who serve You.
The expression “his servant,” besides being a polite third person reference to the psalmist was also used for an Old Testament disciple who regarded himself as bound to the Lord.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
My tongue won’t be silent, either; it will be continuously telling others about Your Justice, Your praiseworthiness, and Your grace! “My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness” is a fitting promise, and a religious one, if the psalmist means that when he and his friends have triumphed they will not take all the credit to themselves, but will remember the good hand of God upon them. But there is the hint of a bargain also: “Do this then I will praise thee.” There is a higher region of trust to reach, as Another knew when He said: “Yet not as I will, but as you will."
David concludes with a vow to offer in his own name the praises of his tongue “all the day long.” When God answers a prayer like this it is impossible to keep quiet about it. “My tongue shall speak of . . . thy praise!” What would life be like if this were our resolution! Such is the spirit of heaven; of its inhabitants it is said, “They rest not day and night” (Revelations 4:8).
