Psalm LVI
David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complaineth of his enemies.—He professeth his confidence in God’s word, and promiseth to praise him.
To the chief Musician upon Jonathelem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: he fighting daily oppresseth me.
Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou Most High.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
In God I will praise his word; in the Lord will I praise his word.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
This is a fervent prayer; in which David complains of Saul and the men of his party, because he was obliged to flee out of the land to the Philistines. So bitterly and hostilely did Saul and the men of his conspiracy persecute David, and plot against his life, that he could be in safety no where. He encourages and supports himself, however, with a constant and undaunted faith. ‘I will glory (says he) in the word of God: for I have a command, a declaration, and a promise of God in my favour: he has declared that Saul shall be dethroned, and that I shall be king. I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Let them gainsay: let Saul and the Saulites oppose and fight against me. Let them say, and say again, that I shall not be king. If God be for me what can man do against me?’
We ought also to pray, after the manner of this Psalm, against tyrants; who unceasingly persecute the word of God and us, and will never suffer us to be at rest. We, however, have that strong and Davidical consolation,—that the word of God is for us, though they unceasingly attack that in us, and corrupt, pervert, and reproach it; crying out that we are heretics; and arrogating to themselves only, the appellation of the church.