19 See my enemies, for they have been many, And with violent hatred they have hated me.
My soul `is' in the midst of lions, I lie down `among' flames -- sons of men, Their teeth `are' a spear and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
but they were calling out, saying, `Crucify, crucify him.' And he a third time said unto them, `Why, what evil did he? no cause of death did I find in him; having chastised him, then, I will release `him'.' And they were pressing with loud voices asking him to be crucified, and their voices, and those of the chief priests, were prevailing,
and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they may take him up, for they were afraid of the people.
For an enemy hath pursued my soul, He hath bruised to the earth my life, He hath caused me to dwell in dark places, As the dead of old.
Preserve me, Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked, From one of violence Thou keepest me, Who have devised to overthrow my steps.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from an evil man, From one of violence Thou keepest me.
O God, the proud have risen up against me, And a company of the terrible sought my soul, And have not placed Thee before them,
And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, `Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said `so' to him;
Mischiefs doth thy tongue devise, Like a sharp razor, working deceit.
And mine enemies `are' lively, They have been strong, and those hating me without cause, Have been multiplied.
When evil doers come near to me to eat my flesh, My adversaries and mine enemies to me, They have stumbled and fallen.
My deliverer from mine enemies, Above my withstanders Thou raisest me, From a man of violence dost deliver me.
A Psalm of David, in his fleeing from the face of Absalom his son. Jehovah, how have my distresses multiplied! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, `There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah.
and come upon him, and he weary and feeble-handed, and I have caused him to tremble, and all the people have fled who `are' with him, and I have smitten the king by himself, and I bring back all the people unto thee -- as the turning back of the whole `is' the man whom thou art seeking -- all the people are peace. And the thing is right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 25
Commentary on Psalms 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 25
Ps 25:1-22. The general tone of this Psalm is that of prayer for help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and divine guidance, are prominent topics.
1. lift up my soul—(Ps 24:4; 86:4), set my affections (compare Col 3:2).
2. not be ashamed—by disappointment of hopes of relief.
3. The prayer generalized as to all who wait on God—that is, who expect His favor. On the other hand, the disappointment of the perfidious, who, unprovoked, have done evil, is invoked (compare 2Sa 22:9).
4, 5. On the ground of former favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways of dealing and faithfulness.
6, 7. Confessing past and present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on God's well-known benevolence.
8, 9. upright—acting according to His promise.
sinners—the general term, limited by the
meek—who are penitent.
the way—and his way—God's way of providence.
9. in judgment—rightly.
10. paths—similar sense—His modes of dealing (compare Ps 25:4).
mercy and truth—(Job 14:1-22), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in performing.
11. God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Ps 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.
12, 13. What he asks for himself is the common lot of all the pious.
13. inherit the earth—(compare Mt 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.
14. The reason of the blessing explained—the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Pr 3:21, 12), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.
15. His trust in God is fixed.
net—is frequently used as a figure for dangers by enemies (Ps 9:15; 10:9).
16-19. A series of earnest appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Ps 13:1; 17:13, &c.), his sins oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Ps 9:8; 18:48).
20. keep my soul—(Ps 16:1).
put my trust—flee for refuge (Ps 2:12).
21. In conscious innocence of the faults charged by his enemies, he confidently commits his cause to God. Some refer—
integrity, &c.—to God, meaning His covenant faithfulness. This sense, though good, is an unusual application of the terms.
22. Extend these blessings to all Thy people in all their distresses.