PS 55 David complains to God, ver. 1-8. Prays for help against his enemies, ver. 9-15. Assures himself of God's protection, ver. 16- 18. And their destruction, ver. 19-23. To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A psalm of David.
Verse 3. Voice - Their clamours and threats, and slanders. Cast - They lay many crimes to my charge.
Verse 4. The terrors - Deadly terrors; such as seize upon men in the agonies of death.
Verse 8. Tempest - From the force and fury of mine enemies.
Verse 9. Destroy - Destroy them by dividing. Tongues - Their speech, as thou didst at Babel, Gen. xi, 9, their votes, and opinions, and counsels. Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, 2 Sam. xvii, 23. Strife - Injustice and fraud, oppression and contention rule here, instead of that public justice and peace which I established. City - In Jerusalem; which in Absalom's time was a sink of all sins.
Verse 10. They - Violence and strife. Go about - Do encompass it, as it were a garrison. Walls - In the outward parts, as also in the very midst of it. So that all parts were horribly corrupted.
Verse 11. Streets - The places of buying and selling, and of public commerce.
Verse 12. Hated - With a manifest or old hatred.
Verse 13. Equal - Not in power, but in reputation, for wisdom, and influence upon my people. Guide - Whose counsel I highly prized, and constantly followed. All which agrees to Achitophel.
Verse 15. Them - All such as pretend to religion, and have manifestly apostatized both from the profession and practice of it. The grave - Cut off by a sudden and violent death. Among them - Hebrew. in their inwards. Wickedness is deeply rooted in their hearts.
Verse 17. Evening, &c. - The three stated times of prayer among the Jews.
Verse 18. He hath - He speaks of a future deliverance, as a thing done, because of the certainty of it. He hath restored me to my former peace and tranquility. For - For there were more with me than against me; even the holy angels whom God employed to defend and deliver me.
Verse 19. Hear - My prayers. Eternity - Who is eternal, and therefore unchangeable, and almighty. Because - They meet with no crosses nor disappointments. Therefore - Their success makes them go on securely, without any regard to God, or dread of his judgments.
Verse 20. He - They, the persons last mentioned.
Verse 22. Burden - All thy crosses, and cares, and fears, lay them upon the Almighty, by faith and prayer. He directs this speech to his own soul, and to all good men in like circumstances. Suffer - As he doth wicked men. Tho' he may for a season suffer them to be shaken, yet not to be overwhelmed.
