8 My wandering Thou hast counted, Thou -- place Thou my tear in Thy bottle, Are they not in Thy book?
Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And `to' my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I `am' with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.
`Turn back, and thou hast said unto Hezekiah, leader of My people: Thus said Jehovah, God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tear, lo, I give healing to thee, on the third day thou dost go up to the house of Jehovah;
because the Lamb that `is' in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and wipe away shall God every tear from their eyes.'
and of you -- even the hairs of the head are all numbered;
In faith died all these, not having received the promises, but from afar having seen them, and having been persuaded, and having saluted `them', and having confessed that strangers and sojourners they are upon the earth,
Those sowing in tears, with singing do reap, Whoso goeth on and weepeth, Bearing the basket of seed, Surely cometh in with singing, bearing his sheaves!
and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls -- according to their works;
and Moses writeth their outgoings, by their journeys, by the command of Jehovah; and these `are' their journeys, by their outgoings: And they journey from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morrow of the passover have the sons of Israel gone out with a high hand, before the eyes of all the Egyptians -- and the Egyptians are burying those whom Jehovah hath smitten among them, every first-born, and on their gods hath Jehovah done judgments -- and the sons of Israel journey from Rameses, and encamp in Succoth. And they journey from Succoth, and encamp in Etham, which `is' in the extremity of the wilderness; and they journey from Etham, and turn back on Pi-Hahiroth, which `is' on the front of Baal-Zephon, and they encamp before Migdol. And they journey from Pi-Hahiroth, and pass over through the midst of the sea, into the wilderness, and go a journey of three days in the wilderness of Etham, and encamp in Marah. And they journey from Marah, and come in to Elim, and in Elim `are' twelve fountains of waters, and seventy palm trees, and they encamp there; and they journey from Elim, and encamp by the Red Sea. And they journey from the Red Sea, and encamp in the wilderness of Sin; and they journey from the wilderness of Sin, and encamp in Dophkah. And they journey from Dophkah, and encamp in Alush; and they journey from Alush, and encamp in Rephidim; and there was there no water for the people to drink. And they journey from Rephidim, and encamp in the wilderness of Sinai; and they journey from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamp in Kibroth-Hattaavah. And they journey from Kibroth-Hattaavah, and encamp in Hazeroth; and they journey from Hazeroth, and encamp in Rithmah. And they journey from Rithmah, and encamp in Rimmon-Parez; and they journey from Rimmon-Parez, and encamp in Libnah. And they journey from Libnah, and encamp in Rissah; and they journey from Rissah, and encamp in Kehelathah. And they journey from Kehelathah, and encamp in mount Shapher; and they journey from mount Shapher, and encamp in Haradah. And they journey from Haradah, and encamp in Makheloth; and they journey from Makheloth, and encamp in Tahath. And they journey from Tahath, and encamp in Tarah; and they journey from Tarah, and encamp in Mithcah. And they journey from Mithcah, and encamp in Hashmonah; and they journey from Hashmonah, and encamp in Moseroth. And they journey from Moseroth, and encamp in Bene-Jaakan; and they journey from Bene-Jaakan, and encamp at Hor-Hagidgad. And they journey from Hor-Hagidgad, and encamp in Jotbathah; and they journey from Jotbathah, and encamp in Ebronah. And they journey from Ebronah, and encamp in Ezion-Gaber; and they journey from Ezion-Gaber, and encamp in the wilderness of Zin, which `is' Kadesh. And they journey from Kadesh, and encamp in mount Hor, in the extremity of the land of Edom. And Aaron the priest goeth up unto mount Hor, by the command of Jehovah, and dieth there, in the fortieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month; and Aaron `is' a son of a hundred and twenty and three years in his dying in mount Hor. And the Canaanite -- king Arad -- who is dwelling in the south, in the land of Canaan, heareth of the coming of the sons of Israel. And they journey from mount Hor, and encamp in Zalmonah; and they journey from Zalmonah, and encamp in Punon. And they journey from Punon, and encamp in Oboth; and they journey from Oboth, and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the border of Moab. And they journey from Iim, and encamp in Dibon-Gad; and they journey from Dibon-Gad, and encamp in Almon-Diblathaim. And they journey from Almon-Diblathaim, and encamp in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo; and they journey from the mountains of Abarim, and encamp in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, `near' Jericho. And they encamp by the Jordan from Beth-Jeshimoth, unto Abel-Shittim, in the plains of Moab. And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, `near' Jericho, saying, `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye are passing over the Jordan unto the land of Canaan, then ye have dispossessed all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and have destroyed all their imagery, yea, all their molten images ye destroy, and all their high places ye lay waste, and ye have possessed the land, and dwelt in it, for to you I have given the land -- to possess it. `And ye have inherited the land by lot, by your families; to the many ye increase their inheritance, and to the few ye diminish their inheritance; whither the lot goeth out to him, it is his; by the tribes of your fathers ye inherit. `And if ye do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it hath been, those whom ye let remain of them, `are' for pricks in your eyes, and for thorns in your sides, and they have distressed you on the land in which ye are dwelling, and it hath come to pass, as I thought to do to them -- I do to you.'
By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to go forth to the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing whither he doth go;
journeyings many times, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from kindred, perils from nations, perils in city, perils in wilderness, perils in sea, perils among false brethren;
And they go up and down, from nation unto nation, From a kingdom unto another people. He hath not suffered any to oppress them And He reproveth for their sakes kings.
My interpreter `is' my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
And David saith unto his heart, `Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me -- of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.'
And David goeth thence, and is escaped unto the cave of Adullam, and his brethren hear, and all the house of his father, and go down unto him thither; and gather themselves unto him do every man in distress, and every man who hath an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is over them for head, and there are with him about four hundred men. And David goeth thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and saith unto the king of Moab, `Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother go out with you, till that I know what God doth for me;' and he leadeth them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David's being in the fortress. And Gad the prophet saith unto David, `Thou dost not abide in a fortress, go, and thou hast entered for thee the land of Judah;' and David goeth and entereth the forest of Hareth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 56
Commentary on Psalms 56 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 56
Ps 56:1-13. Upon Jonath-elem-rechokim—literally, "upon the dove of silence" of distant places; either denoting a melody (see on Ps 9:1) of that name, to which this Psalm was to be performed; or it is an enigmatical form of denoting the subject, as given in the history referred to (1Sa 21:11, &c.), David being regarded as an uncomplaining, meek dove, driven from his native home to wander in exile. Beset by domestic and foreign foes, David appeals confidently to God, recites his complaints, and closes with joyful and assured anticipations of God's continued help.
1, 2. would swallow—literally, "pants as a raging beast" (Ac 9:1).
2. enemies—watchers (Ps 54:5).
most High—As it is not elsewhere used absolutely for God, some render the word here, arrogantly, or proudly, as qualifying "those who fight," &c.
3. in—or literally, "unto."
thee—to whom he turns in trouble.
4. in God … his word—By His grace or aid (Ps 60:12; 108:13), or, "I will boast in God as to His word"; in either case His word is the special matter and cause of praise.
flesh—for mankind (Ps 65:2; Isa 31:3), intimating frailty.
5, 6. A vivid picture of the conduct of malicious enemies.
7. Shall they escape? &c.—or better, "Their escape is by iniquity."
cast … people—humble those who so proudly oppose Thy servant.
8. God is mindful of his exile and remembers his tears. The custom of bottling the tears of mourners as a memorial, which has existed in some Eastern nations, may explain the figure.
9. God is for me—or, "on my side" (Ps 118:6; 124:1, 2); hence he is sure of the repulse of his foes.
12. I will render praises—will pay what I have vowed.
13. The question implies an affirmative answer, drawn from past experience.
falling—as from a precipice.
before God—in His favor during life.