Psalms 35:15

But in mine adversity they rejoiced,.... Or "at my halting" (u), either by means of falling into sin; good men are subject to slips and falls, and that to the dislocating or breaking of their bones,

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: In mine adversity

In mine adversity, Heb. in my halting, i.e. when I was in great danger of falling into mischief; when I had any sickness, or ill success in my affairs, and was almost lost; for such are said to halt, ,7 Zephaniah 3:19. See also . Gathered themselves together, to wit, against me, as it is expressed in the next clause; either because they were so full of joy at the tidings, that they could not contain it in their own breasts, but sought to communicate it to others; or that they might insult over me, and please and recreate themselves and one another with discourses about it; or that they might consult how to improve the advantage which they now had against me, to my utter destruction. The objects; or, vile persons; either for the meanness of their condition, of for their wickedness, for which they were worthy to be beaten, as the phrase is, ; where the Hebrew word is of the same root with this. Or, the lame, as this very word is rendered, 9:3, to wit, of their feet, as it is there expressed. The cripples that could not walk without trouble and pain, were as forward as any to go to these meetings upon this occasion. I knew it not: this may be added to express either their hypocrisy and pretences of respect and affection to him, by reason whereof he had no suspicion of them, nor of any such practices of theirs; or his own danger, that he did not know, and therefore could not prevent, their plots and conspiracies against him. Heb. and I knew not; which is by others, and well may be, rendered thus, even they whom I knew not, they whom I was so far from provoking by any injury, that I never saw their faces, nor heard of their names. Tear me, i.e. my good name, with scoffs, and calumnies, and reproaches, and curses. Ceased not, Heb. were not silent, i.e. did thus unweariedly and continually.

Psalms 35:15 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:Ver. 15. But in mine adversity] Heb. in my halting; when through weakness I could not but halt before my best friends, as we say. Morbus est sic dictus quia incedere nequit nisi cum doloro quasi claudicando (Aben-Ezra). Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together] Claudi congregati sunt, et secundum claudicationem meam claudicabant, ut me deriderent, so the Syriac senseth it. They halted, as I did, by way of derision; but they should have known, first, that mocking is catching, as we say. Cicero confesseth that while he laughed at one Hircus, a very ridiculous man, he became as bad almost himself: Dum illum rideo, pene factus sum ille (Epist. 9, lib. 2). Secondly, that such cruel mockings are grievous sins, and such as God will severely punish. Some render it the smiters, that is, the tongue smiters, as Jeremiah 18:18. Others, the smitten, that is, the abjects, the vile persons: the basest can mock, as did Tobiah the servant, Nehemiah 2:19, and those pests, Psalms 1:1. And I knew not] Or, such as I knew not, took no notice of, they were so base. See the like, Job 30:8. They did tear me] sc. With their tongues, as dogs toss and tear carrion with their teeth, Scindunt illud quod reparare nequeunt, non per pcenitentiam, saith Kimchi. They tear that which they cannot make good again, no, not by repentance, viz. my good name. Or, they rent, sc. their garments, as if they had been very sorry for me, as Genesis 37:36 Job 2:12. This they did, as Austin speaketh, simulatione miseriae, non compassione misericordiae, out of deep dissimulation.

(15) In mine adversity.—Better, at my fall.The abjects . . .—The Hebrew word occurs only here. It is derived from a root meaning to smite, but its form is perplexing. The ancient versions all give it an active sense. LXX. and Vulg. “whips”; Symmachus, “smiters”; Chaldee, “the wicked who smite me with their words,” probably a correct paraphrase. The passive, “these smitten,” or “objects,” is due to R. Kimchi. And I knew it not—i.e., either (1) “unawares,” as in Psalms 35:8; (2) “for what reason I knew not”; (3) “whom I knew not”; (4) “and I was innocent.” Of these possible explanations (2) is to be preferred.

Verse 15. But in mine adversity they rejoiced] How David was mocked and insulted in the case of Absalom's rebellion by Shimei and others, is well known. The abjects] נכים nechim, the smiters, probably hired assassins. They were everywhere lying in wait, to take away my life.

15. But at my halting they rejoice, and gather themselves together. Limping, like stumbling, is a figure for misfortune. Cp. Psalms 38:17; Jeremiah 20:10. Yea, the abjects] The word rendered abjects is of doubtful meaning and possibly corrupt. (1) According to the rendering of A.V., retained by R.V., the sense is, that with his other enemies were associated the lowest outcasts, a rabble of men whom he knew not (Job 30:8 ff.); for the last words of the line must be rendered with R.V. marg., and those whom I knew not. (2) But the form of the sentence rather points to a description of the conduct of the men who have been mentioned already: so (retaining or slightly altering the present text), they gather themselves together smiting me unawares, or, for things that I know not. The wounds of slander are meant (Jeremiah 18:18). So the Targum: wicked men who smite me with their words. (3) Various emendations have been proposed. One that has found some favour, strangers, is foreign to the rest of the Psalm. they did tear me &c.] They rend me, and cease not. Like beasts of prey (Hosea 13:8); or as we talk of tearing a man’s reputation to shreds. ‘Making mouths’ in P.B.V. is a modernisation of ‘making mowes’, i.e. grimaces, which is found in the Great Bible and the early editions of the Prayer Book.

But in mine adversity they rejoiced - Margin, as in Hebrew, “halting.” That is, when reverses and troubles came upon me; when, in my journey of life, I seemed to stumble.

15. But in mine adversity—In my halting, or fall. It is evident that the courtiers of Saul had all along taken part with the king against David, though their conduct to him was not openly rude or