Psalms 27:13

[I had fainted],.... When false witnesses rose up against him, and threatened to take away his life, and the life of his friends, in the most barbarous and cruel manner: the people of God are subject

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Conclusion-summing up the psalm.

I had fainted: these words are added to complete the sense; for the speech is abrupt and imperfect, as is very usual, not only in the Holy Scripture, but in many other authors, in all vehement passions or commotions of mind, such as David was in at this time. Having declared what perfidious and cruel enemies did now assault and encompass him, he now subjoins what impression the thoughts thereof made upon him, and speaks like one that wanted words to express how sad and desperate his condition would have been, if he had not been supported by faith in God’ s promises. To see the goodness of the Lord; to enjoy (which is oft expressed by seeing) the mercy which God hath promised me. In the land of the living, i.e. in this world, which is oft so called, as 116:9 142:5 53:8 , and is opposed to the grave, which is the place of the dead. And David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things, which he so solemnly disclaims, , but because the truth and glory of God were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom made to him.

Psalms 27:13 [I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.Ver. 13. I had fainted, unless I had believed] Saved he was then by his faith, which drank to him as it were in a cup of Nepenthes, and fetched him again when ready to swoon and sink. See Psalms 119:92. The word rendered unless here is (as the Masorites note) one of the fifteen Scripture words, that were extraordinarily pointed by the men of the great synagogue ( Lule habet puncta supra and infra). The reason whereof given by Kimchi and others (as if David doubted of his salvation) is not satisfactory nor sound. To see the goodness of the Lord] That is, to taste; one sense usually put for another; the soul also hath her senses; and these must be habitually exercised to discern good and evil, Hebrews 5:14. In the land of the living] That is, here on earth, Psalms 116:9 Isaiah 38:11, where men live; and I myself have not only a portion of life with them, but a promise of many good things besides. To blame, therefore, was good David, when he said in his haste, All men are liars, prophets, and all who had promised him the kingdom, Psalms 116:10. But the best have their passions; which they daily outgrow, and add to their faith patience, 2 Peter 1:5-6. And albeit as Calvin here noteth, every one’ s case is not like David’ s, who had particular promises concerning this life, beyond many other faithful persons; yet, because according to every man’ s faith it shall be unto him, let us all likewise trust in God, as we are all hereupon exhorted in the next words.

Verse 13. I had fainted, unless I had believed] The words in italics are supplied by our translators; but, far from being necessary, they injure the sense. Throw out the words I had fainted, and leave a break after the verse, and the elegant figure of the psalmist will be preserved: "Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" ----What! what, alas! should have become of me! Dr. Hammond has observed that there is a remarkable elegance in the original, which, by the use of the beautiful figure aposiopesis, makes an abrupt breaking off in the midst of a speech. He compares it to the speech of Neptune to the winds that had raised the tempest to drown the fleet of AEneas.-AEneid. lib. i., ver. 131. Eurum ad se zephyrumque vocat: dehinc talia fatur; Tantane vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri? Jam coelum terramque, meo sine numine, venti, Miscere, et tantas audetis tollere moles? Quos ego-sed motos praestat componere fluctus. To Eurus and the western blast he cried, Does your high birth inspire this boundless pride? Audacious winds! without a power from me, To raise at will such mountains on the sea? Thus to confound heaven, earth, the air, and main; Whom I------but, first, I'll calm the waves again. PITTS.

13. The word for unless is marked with dots in the Massoretic text as probably spurious. Omitting it, we may render; I believe that I shall see &c. If it is retained, the construction is an aposiopesis: O! had I not believed &c.; or an apodosis may be supplied, as in A.V. to see] The construction of the Heb. verb implies the sense, to see and enjoy. in the land of the living] Here, as in Psalms 3:5; Psalms 116:9; Psalms 142:5; Isaiah 38:11; Isaiah 53:8; &c, this life on earth in contrast to Sheol, the land of death: not, as in the natural Christian application of the words and as the Targum already paraphrases, ‘the land of everlasting life’.

I had fainted, unless I had believed - The words “I had fainted” are supplied by the translators, but they undoubtedly express the true sense of the passage.

13. Unless I had believed—Faith in God saved him, and this is the testimony of every godly man in affliction.