Psalms 35

Psalms 35:1-10

The persecution of Soul and his servants seem to be the subject of this psalm. 1. He complains, they forget the vain of himself and friends, ver. 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 15, 16, 20, 21, 25, 26. 2. He stands his innocence, and good deeds towards them, ver. 7, 10, 12—14. 3. He prays to God to be his conferrer and deliverer, ver. 1—4, 17, 7 Q 22

22, 27, 29. 4. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors, ver. 4, 5, 6, 8. 5. He promises himself that he shall yet see better days, ver. 9, 10. and that he will then attend God with his promises, ver. 18, 28. Much of this is applicable to Christ and his enemies, and to those of his church and people, to the end of time.

1. David calling upon God to plead his cause, and vindicate his injuries innocence. His enemies maligned and traached him; not satisfied with plundering him of all, and driving him out as a vagabond in the earth, they thrifled for his precious blood; were ever contriving secretly to enforse, in order to destroy him, and openly in arms purified him; whilst, both unwilling and unable to contend, he could only commit himself to him who judgment rightfully, and leave God to secure him from the croscels’ injuries they wickedly plotted against him. Note, (1.) The best of men have been often persecuted as the vileth criminals; and the most insensitive and peaceable in the land, charged with the blackest designs of conspiracy and rebellion. (2.) When we have a good cause and a good conscience, it should make us the more easily put up with the veriliage of men. (3.) God will one day visit for oppression and wrong; till then, let us possess our souls in patience.

2. He prays that God would inwardly support him, and outwardly manifest his power to his enemies confusion. (1.) He begs inward support, v. 3. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation: all other trials would fit light upon him, whilst he possessed this consciousness of God’s power and grace engaged for him. Note, When the believer’s conscience is affured of his part in the almighty Saviour, then all is peace within, and he can defy the glittering sword without. (2.) He cries for God’s appearing to protect him, and confound his enemies; which is not the language of revenge, but spoken under the spirit of prophecy, as what would surely come to pull, as it may be rendered, she shall be, inflicted of let them be, &c. God’s shield and buckler spread over him, and sword and spear lifted up against his persecutors, will not only save him, but destroy them. Terrible is the case of those, against whom the God of war goes forth to fight; shame and confusion must cover them, v. 4. As chaff before the wind, so easily shall they be dispersed before the blasting of the breath of his displeasure, v. 5. Unable to escape the divine vengeance which pursues them, their way shall be dark, that they cannot flee; and slippery, that they cannot but fall. Destruction, or the storm of wrath, v. 8. shall overtake him, Saul in particular, and every other enemy that dares rise up against God and his people. Intangled in the net he laid, shall his foot be snared, and the ruin he designed for others, return upon his own head. Note, (1.) Though we may not indulge private resentment, or with evil to our wrath enemies, we may safely pray for the deliverance of God’s suffering people, and the confidious of the enemies of Christ and blackbands. (2.) The sinner’s foot is in a slippery place, and through the darkness of his fallen mind, he sees not the dreadful pit just before him.

3. He rejoices in the confidence that God would save him, v. 9, and therefore ascribes to him the glory. All my heart, my soul and body, my whole man, shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee? So perisheth in thy own excellencies, so condellecting to thy poor people, so good to redeem, so great to deliver them from all their mighty adversaries. Note, (1.) They who make

the Lord their strength, will find him their joy. (2.) If God be for us, no matter who are against us.

11. 1. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. 12. 2. They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul. 13. 3. But as for me, ‘when they were sick, my cloathing was tackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting,’ and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14. 1. I behaved myself; as though he had been my friend, or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. 15. But in mine I advertise they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yes, ’the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not. 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts: ’they gnaffed upon me with their teeth.

Psalms 35:11-16

It is not in the power of the most harmless to secure himself from fasthood; nor can the kindest treatment engage returns from the ungrateful. This David found.

1. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not; seceded him of treasonable designs against Saul’s life and government, which never entered into his thoughts; yea, which his conduct so glaringly confused, I Sam. xxv. 17, 18. Such perjured wretches likewise arose against the Son of David, Mat. xxvi. 60, and how many a time since hath the same comity against true godliness led the sons of wickedness to stick at no lies or oaths to blacken the faithful professors of it.

2. They shewed the basest ingratitude, rewarding him evil for good, to the fussing, or herawing of his soul; robbing him of his honour, his good name, his worldly goods, and aiming at his very life. Well had he ever deserved of the nation, as their champion and deliverer; of Saul, as his most faithful and valiant soldier and servant; of those who maligned him at court, as their affectionate friend. When they were sick, with tenderest sympathy he felt their pain, and fought with kind solicitude to remove it; with sackcloth of no fictitious grief, he went heavily; his countenance bespoke the emotions of his fraternal heart; and whilst for their sin he humbled his soul with fasting, his fervent prayers in their behalf testified the deep sincerity of his regard: but it returned into his own bosom, slighted and ill-requited by them, though not returned in vain; God’s blessing, refused to them, lighted on his own soul. But how different their conduct! how cruel their returns! In mine advertise, or in mine hailings, they rejoiced; when trouble came upon him, when he was disgraced at court, and forced to fly as an outlaw; far from commiserating his sufferings, or espousing his righteous sparsity, they gathered themselves together, to mock and insult him: the very abjects, men of the vileth and meanest character, tore his reputation in pieces; he became the song of the drunkards, and in fights at their carnivals, or for a piece of bread, to curry favour with his enemies, hypocritical mockers set him up as the but of their ridicule and reviling, and proffered upon him with their teeth, as if they wished to devour him alive. Note, (1.) Base ingratitude wounds a generous spirit. (2.) The greatest services often merit as ill requisite. (3.) The tenderest sensibility is consistent with the truest heroism: the truly brave are most compassionate. (4.) Prayer for us is the best mark of friendship. (5.) Though our kindness may be lost upon the unthankful, and our prayers slighted, they shall not return without a blessing to confitees. (6.) If we, like David, are made the but of ridicule, the sport of souls, and the song of drunkards, let it not be thought strange: Jesus was thus treated, and the disciple is not above his matter.

3. LORD, ‘how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions,’ my darling from the lions. 18. ‘I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 19. Let not them that are mine enemies; wrongfully rejoice over me: ’neither let them wink with the eye,’ that hate me without a cause. 20. For they speak not peace, but they devile deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. 21. Yea, ’they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, ‘Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. 22. Thou thou hast seen, O LORD, keep not silence: O LORD, be not far from me. 23. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me. 25. Let them not say in their hearts, ‘Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together, that rejoice

Mat. 1.

joice at mine hurt: let them be¹ cloathed with shame and dishonour, that magnify themselves against me. 27. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my § righteous cause: yea, ¹ let them lay continually, Let the LORD be magnified, ² which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

Psalms 35:17-28

With eagerness the Psalmist calls upon God to appear, not merely as a spectator of the injuries done him, but as the righteous judge and arranger. In order whomsoever.

1. He describes the character of his enemies. They were as lives, v. 12. fierce and cruel; their hatred was cauteless, v. 19. they could not speak to him with common civility, v. 20. they were false accusers of the faithful, who were quiet in the land, and gave no just offence to any man: they took a malicious pleasure in his sufferings, and inflicted him in his distress, v. 21. Such were the enemies of Jesus, ravenous, bitter, taunting, insisting, triumphing in his agony, and mocking him on the croft: we are by our profession his followers; may we be content with his reproach.

2. He prays, that God would arise to judge: he knew his cause was good, and therefore appeals to this high tribunal, v. 24. He cries to be delivered from the jaws of these lions, v. 17. That God would no longer keep silence, but pronounce the demons of just condemnation against them, and refuse his foul from sin and death, to which he was exposed, v. 17. He begs, that their joys in his sufferings may be short-lived, v. 19. and that their proud boathing may be silenced, and shame and confusion cover them; their projects defeated, and themselves brought to the draft, v. 20. N.A., The triumphing of the wicked is but for a moment, and the laughter of fools will soon be succeeded by everlasting sorrow.

3. He expresses his ardent desires, that the faithful servants of God, and his true friends, might see God’s gracious dealings with him, and rejoice in his triumphs, blessing God for the vindication of injured innocence, and delighted in his prosperity, as if their own. Nate, (1.) It is a joy to every faithful follower of the Lamb, to see their fellow-members happy and prosperous. (2.) Though for our good God sees it needful to affect his servants, he takes no pleasure in their sufferings, but delights in their prosperity. (3.) All our comforts come from God’s hands, and for them he well deserves to be blessed and praised.

4. The Psalmist himself experiencing such mercy from God, declares he will not fail of telling abroad God’s praises in the great congregation, v. 18. and magnifying his righteousness, v. 28. so eminently displayed in this interpolation: nor shall his gratitude ever be silent, but all the day long, whilst life and breath endure, his praise shall be loud and ceaseless, till the songs of time shall give place to the never-ending songs of eternity.