Verse by Verse

1 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret — it only causes harm.

⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.

¹⁰ For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.

¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

¹² The wicked plots against the just,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³ The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.

¹⁵ Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶ A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.

¹⁹ They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

²⁰ But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

²² For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

²³ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.

²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.

²⁶ He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.

²⁸ For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.

³¹ The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.

³² The wicked watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.

³³ The Lord will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

³⁴ Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.

³⁶ Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

³⁷ Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.

³⁸ But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹ But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰ And the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
Because they trust in Him.

This is an acrostic psalm. There are 22 stanzas, each commencing with the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It was written when David was an old man (v.25).

The central motif is that of divine reward, with specific focus on (1) the nature of that reward as epitomized by the eternal inheritance of “the land” in the hereafter, and (2) the character of those so rewarded, who represents only a portion (i.e., a remnant) of humanity. Both of these aspects of the “reward” motif punctuate the psalm at various points by synonymous descriptions of the rewardees (i.e., “those who wait for the Lord,” “the humble,” “those blessed by Him,” “the righteous,” “(those who) keep His way”) followed by the declaration that they will “inherit the land” (vs. 9, 11, 22, 29, 34). — Wechsler, pages 109-110.

do not fret (vs. 1, 7 and 8) = do not glow, do not grow warm — Psalm 73:3; Proverbs 23:17; 24:19

they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb (v.2) — Psalm 90:6; 103:15; Isaiah 40:6-8; James 1:10-11

rest (v.7) = be silent, be still

meek (v.11) — Considering the context of the present psalm from which Jesus cites this verse, as well as how the Hebrew word translated “humble” is used elsewhere, it becomes clear that He is referring not to those who, in the submission of their faith, set aside their own interests and priorities in order to wait upon those of God. — Wechsler, page 111

the meek shall inherit the earth (v.11) — Matthew 5:5. Earth should probably be translated “land” as also in vs. 9, 22, 29, 34. The same Hebrew word is used in all these verses.

the Lord laughs at him (v.13) — Psalm 2:4; 59:8

a little that a righteous man has (v.16) — Proverbs 15:16; 16:8

splendor of the meadows (v.20) — can also be translated “fat (as in ‘valuable’) of the lamb,” which makes more sense to me because fat in a piece of meat would burn during cooking or sacrificing

Verse 25 does not mean that a good man is never destitute (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3; 25:8), but that he is never forsaken by the Lord.

As a prophecy, this psalm will have its fulfillment during Israel’s future “time of trouble” (v.39) when under the oppression of the Antichrist. It has, at the same time, counsel and comfort for the people of God in any dispensation when perplexed and persecuted. — Williams, page 326.

There is certainly application today, when so many Christians are frightened and angry about the mainstreaming of evil in our country. The theme, in short, is that the prosperity of the wicked is temporary and tainted, but that of the righteous is sure and will be both better and eternal.

1 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

² For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

³ The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

⁴ He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself in a way that is not good;
He does not abhor evil.

⁵ Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

⁶ Your righteousness is like the great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

⁷ How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

⁸ They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.

⁹ For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.

¹⁰ Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

¹¹ Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹² There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.

The central motif of this psalm is God’s hesed, traditionally translated “lovingkindness,” specifically denoting the expression of God’s covenant love (see Psalm 5:7).

Rather than pursuing the dictates of hesed exemplified by God, the ungodly (i.e., those who don’t know God, per the contrast with v.10) pursue the dictates of its opposite, pesha (“unfaithfulness”; “transgression”; “acts which break relationships”). The centrality of pesha to the ungodly is vividly underscored by the opening statement that it “speaks” — which verb translates the formulaic Hebrew term ne um, used throughout the Old Testament primarily to signify the utterances of God, whether given directly or communicated through a prophet (cf. Genesis 2:16; Psalm 110:1; Zechariah 12:1). It’s use here in the opening verse thus implies that, to the ungodly, pesha (unfaithfulness) serves the same role that God’s Word (and its exemplification in hesed) serves to the godly — to wit: the authoritative model to emulate in all aspects of life. It should be noted, moreover, that the ungodly in verse 1 refers not just to the especially wicked, but in fact, in view of how the verse is cited by Paul in Romans 3:18, everyone — “both Jews and Gentiles” — who have not submitted themselves to God, in faith, as “slaves of righteousness,” and who are therefore still “under” (i.e., slaves of) sin (Romans 6:17-18). — Wechsler, pages 107-108.

Verse 1 is quoted in Romans 3:18.

The sense of verse 2 is that the unsaved man flatters himself regarding his sin so that he does not recognize its evil and hate it.

He devises wickedness on his bed (v.4) — Proverbs 4:16; Micah 2:1

is in the heavens (v.5) = inexhaustible, never ceasing

trust (v.7) — Trust is the characteristic Old Testament word for the New Testament “faith,” and “believe.” It occurs 152 times in the Old Testament, and is the rendering of Hebrew words signifying to take refuge (e.g., Ruth 2:12); to lean on (e.g., Psalm 56:3); to roll on (e.g. Psalm 22:8); to wait for (e.g., Job 35:14). — Scofield, page 602.

pleasures (v.8) = a luxury, delight — from the Hebrew word Eden.

fountain of life (v.9) — Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:10, 14.

In Your light we see light (v.9) — For man God is the only source of light, which in the Bible is employed as a symbol of life and/or salvation, whether physical or spiritual (cf. Psalm 49:19; Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4-9; Ephesians 5:8; Revelation 21:22-23). — Wechsler, page 109

continue (v.10) = lit. “draw out at length”

1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.

² Take hold of shield and buckler,
And stand up for my help.

³ Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

⁴ Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.

⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the angel of the Lord chase them.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

⁷ For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.

⁸ Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say,
“Lord, who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

¹¹ Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.

¹² They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.

¹³ But as for me, when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own heart.

¹⁴ I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

¹⁵ But in my adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;

¹⁶ With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷ Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.

¹⁸ I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among many people.

¹⁹ Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

²⁰ For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.

²¹ They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”

²² This You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³ Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴ Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.

²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶ Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

²⁷ Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

²⁸ And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

The occasion of this psalm is not given, but thematically it is similar to David’s plea in 1 Samuel 24:15, when Saul was seeking his death.

It would certainly be improper for David or any other sinful man, to present such petitions to God. But in such Psalms the petitioner is the sinless Man Christ Jesus, and He fittingly calls for the divine judgment upon those who hate Him; for in hating Him, they hate God and His people, and goodness, righteousness and truth. Hence, when judging the Pharisees (Matthew 23:13-36) He used language of similar terrific import. — Williams, page 324.

Plead (v.1) = contend — a legal term, used of disputes at law

buckler (v.2) — thought to be a large shield, possibly carried by a shield-bearer (1 Samuel 17:7, 41)

angel of the Lord (vs. 5-6) — See Scofield quote in notes on Psalm 34:7.

It is the Son of God who will sit as the ultimate judge of mankind (see John 5:22) — as intimated here by the repeated (and hence emphatic) reference in verses 5 and 6 to the angel of the Lord (i.e., the Son of God), which in turn anticipates His only other appearance (by that designation) in a specifically legal/juridical context, in Zechariah 3, where it is He who judges the remnant of Israel (symbolized by Joshua the high priest), graciously acquitting them of the just accusation of unworthiness brought against them by “the accuser.” — Wechsler, page 106.

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To underscore their wickedness he further refers to them (v.19) as “those who hate me without cause” (as again in Psalm 69:4), which description is cited by Jesus Himself with reference to those among the Jewish people of His day who, without cause, likewise despised and rejected Him as their Messiah (see John 15:25). — Wechsler, page 106.

Lord, who is like You (v.10) — Also part of the song Moses and the people of Israel sang after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15:11).

fierce witnesses (v.11) = lit. “witnesses of wrong”

they ask me things that I do not know (v.11) — “They laid to my charge” — The idea being that his enemies sought to elicit by questions some grounds for accusation (Mark 14:55; Luke 11:53; John 18:19). — Meyer, page 48.

If Meyer is correct, this give credence to a Messianic theme in this psalm.

my prayer would return to my own heart (v.13) — Matthew 10:13; Luke 10:6 — The idea is that his prayer, while not accomplishing what he wished, would result in his own blessing

ungodly mockers (v.16) — These were paid jesters who were hired to amuse the guests at a banquet. — Scofield, page 616

Lord (v.17) = Adonai = Master

precious (v.17) — Psalm 22:20

wink (v.19) — Proverbs 6:12-14: A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth; he winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord. Also, Proverbs 10:10: He who winks with the eye causes trouble, but a prating fool will fall.

the quiet ones in the land (v.20) — the law-abiding

my God and my Lord (v.23) = Elohim (God) and an emphatic form of Adon (Master)

David’s plea was not for his own vindication, but that God would be glorified (vs. 27-28).

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁴ I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.

⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.

⁶ This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.

⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.

⁸ Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.

¹⁰ The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

¹¹ Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

¹² Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.

¹⁴ Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.

¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸ The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

²⁰ He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.

²¹ Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

²² The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

This psalm is an acrostic poem. It closely parallels Psalm 25 in its theme, phraseology and structure.

Abimelech (introduction) = “father of the king” (perhaps a title, like Pharaoh) — the king of Gath named Achish in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.

David sought refuge from persecution by Saul by fleeing to the Philistine king of Gath, Achish. This psalm should thus be understood not only as an expression of David’s thanksgiving and praise for God’s providence and faithful solicitude, but also as an implicit confession of Guilt for fearing Achish more than he “feared” the Lord (“fear” of the Lord being a prominent motif in this psalm; see verses 7, 9, 11). — Wechsler, pages 101-102.

bless (v.1) = lit. “kneel”

His praise shall continually be in my mouth (v.1) = in his everyday speech, a conscious effort to acknowledge God’s role in every aspect of life

my soul shall make its boast in the Lord (v.2) — Jeremiah 9:24; 1 Corinthians 1:31

they (v.5) — the humble from v.2

looked (v.5) — submitted in faith

were not ashamed (v.5) = lit. “will never be ashamed” — in contrast with the eternal state of those who do not believe (Daniel 12:2).

poor (v.6) = humble

the angel of the Lord (v.7) — This particular angel, as distinguished in Scripture from all others, is often referred to in the Old Testament (Genesis 16:9; 22:11; 48:16; Exodus 3:2; 14:19; Numbers 22:22; Judges 2:4; 6:11; 13:3; 2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 63:9; Zechariah 1:12; 12:8). He is named “the angel of the Lord [Jehovah]” (Genesis 16:7), “the angel of God” (Genesis 21:17), “the angel of His [God’s] presence” (Isaiah 63:9), and probably, the messenger [angel] of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1). He is clearly identified with the Lord Himself in His self-manifestation to men [“theophany”] . In Genesis 31:11-13 the angel said to Jacob, “I am the God of Bethel.” In Exodus 3:2-6 the same angel said to Moses, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham.” — Scofield, page 289.

taste (v.8) = acquire/derive discernment — which will result in seeing (perceiving or assessing) “that the Lord is good — 1 Peter 2:3

Verses 12-16 are quoted in 1 Peter 3:10-12.

desires life, and loves many days (v.12) — the quality and quantity of eternal life (see Psalm 21:4). In 1 Peter 3:10-12, the phrase refers to the blessing that the believer will inherit.

Seek peace and pursue it (v.14) — This instruction is repeated in Romans 14:19, making it a universal truth across all dispensations.

David employs various descriptions for believers, notable among which is the parallel pair in verse 18: the brokenhearted and the crushed (or “contrite”) in spirit. Though at first reading these expressions may seem to refer generally to people who are emotionally downtrodden and depressed, a careful comparison to the use of the same expressions elsewhere bears out a more specific meaning — for example, Psalm 51:17, where David affirms that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart … Thou wilt not despise.” In its context, this citation is clearly intended to describe the believer’s attitude of repentance, and not general depression or emotional malaise. This understanding in turn not only clarifies that David is speaking of believers when he uses these same expressions in Psalm 34, but also that it is to believers specifically that Jesus Himself refers when He employs the semantically parallel Greek expression (usually translated “the poor in spirit”) in Matthew 5:3 — a semantic parallel that is further strengthened by the observation that in both instances the “brokenness” group is counterbalanced by a present (not future) circumstance that is also specifically tied to faith and “admission” to  God’s presence (i.e., in Psalm 34:18: “the Lord is near” to them; Matthew 5:3: “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Wechsler, pages 104-105.

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That the Holy Spirit should give this prophecy to David immediately after his degrading conduct in Gath is incomprehensible to strangers to the spiritual life. Verse 18 removes the difficulty. When the believer is mortified, ashamed, broken and contrite in spirit, and amazed that such a wretch should find pardon and deliverance, then is the soul restored and fresh revelation given respecting [the Lord] who found deliverance not by deceiving man but in trusting God. — Williams, pages 322-323.

He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken (v.20) — A prophecy fulfilled when Christ was on the cross (John 19:31-36). In Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12, Israel is instructed not to break the bones of the Passover lamb.

evil (v.21) — can be translated “evil,” “misery,” “distress,” or “injury”

And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned (v.22) — Romans 8:1

1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.

² Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

³ Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.

⁵ He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

⁹ For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

¹⁰ The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.

¹¹ The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

¹³ The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.

¹⁴ From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;

¹⁵ He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.

¹⁶ No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,

¹⁹ To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.

²¹ For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.

²² Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.

The introduction (vs.1-3) and the conclusion (vs.20-22) are clearly distinguished from the main body of the poem. The introduction describes the enthusiastic singing of a choir accompanied by music. The conclusion describes the fervent faith of the worshipers who are surrounded by the protection and mercy of the Lord. The anthem of praise becomes the prayer of faith. The change is also from the externals of worship to the inward experiences of trust and hope. In the body of the psalm are two sections, vs. 4-12 and vs. 13-19, the first of which deals with God the Ruler, and the second with God the Judge. — Guthrie, page 471.

Verse 1 picks up where the last verse of Psalm 32 leaves off. This, in addition to its lack of heading, may indicate that the two were to be read together.

new song (v.3) — the first appearance of this phrase in Scripture. The last is in Revelation 14:3 when the 144,000 sing a new song to the Lamb on Mount Zion. It appears nine times in Scripture.

This section (vs.4-19) consists of seven (signifying perfection/completeness) distinct reasons for collectively praising God: (1) His attributes (vs.4-5) — specifically His imitable attributes of uprightness, faithfulness, righteousness and lovingkindness; (2) His creation of the world by His word (i.e. by thought alone) (vs. 6-9); (3) the sovereign permanence of His counsel (i.e., will) (vs. 10-11); (4) His election of Israel for His own inheritance (v.12); (5) His intimate understanding of the hearts of all men (vs. 13-15); (6) His superiority to any other basis of hope or deliverance (vs.16-17); and (7) His special solicitude for those who fear (i.e., worship) Him (vs. 18-19). — Wechsler, pages 100-101.

 right (v.4) = without deception, full of integrity, faithful — the same Hebrew word translated “upright” in v.1

counsel of the nations (v.10) — contrasted with the counsel of the Lord in v.11. The first comes to nothing, the latter stand forever.

the nation whose God is the Lord (v.12) — Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 4:20

Among the results of collective praise is the fostering of collective reliance on God — i.e., reliance upon God generally (per v.20a: “Our soul [note the singular, underscoring the communal unity of God’s people] waits for the Lord”), as well as socially-familially (per v.20b: “[He is] our help”: which same term is applied to woman in Genesis 2:18) and militarily (per 20b: “[He is] our shield). Also among the results of collective praise is the strengthening of collective trust in God’s name (i.e., His reputation, as epitomized by the seven reasons for collective praise enumerated above) and the contingent fostering of collective joy (v.21: “our heart rejoices”) among God’s people — whatever the circumstances might be. — Wechsler, page 101.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.

² Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³ When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.

⁴ For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

⁵ I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

⁶ For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.

⁷ You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.

⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.

¹¹ Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

a contemplation (introduction) — Considering the etymology of this term (conveying the basic notion of “imparting or expressing wisdom”) as well as it’s usage in the Psalms (14:2; 53:2; 41:1) and elsewhere (e.g., Proverbs 10:19; 16:20; 17:2; 21:12), it may be reasonably deduced that a maskil is a type of psalm focusing specifically on instruction in practical wisdom, based on the revelation and unchanging character of God.  — Wechsler, page 97

blessed (v.1) = lit. “Oh, how very happy!” — The Hebrew is plural. This isn’t material or circumstantial blessing but an enduring blessing of peace with God and life with Him for eternity.

forgiven (v.1) = lifted up, used to express forgiveness when used in conjunction with a word denoting sin

Paul quotes verses 1 and 2 in Romans 4:6-8:  Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:  “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

The three words for sin in the first two verses are not, I believe, designating separate categories of sin. I believe David was using poetic repetition while choosing words that described various, overlapping, aspects of sin.

transgression ( v.1) = passing over a boundary — an act of rebellion and disloyalty

sin (v.1) = missing a mark — missing God’s revealed will, often intentionally

iniquity (v.2) = something turned out of its proper course and perverted — a crooked or wrong act — a conscious intent to do wrong

As with David’s poetic repetitions and choice of various words for sin in verses 1 and 2, so, I believe, is the case in verse 5 where he uses various terms for the act of “coming clean” about his sin before God — acknowledge, stop hiding, confess.

confess (v.5) = cast out — The Hebrew word isn’t always associated with sin. It can be said of praise or thanksgiving.

great waters (v.6) — a figurative depiction of extreme distress (see Psalm 18:16; Isaiah 8:7-8), tied specifically to God’s first expression of collective punishment for human sin by means of the Flood (Genesis 6:9-9:19). — Wechsler, page 98

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Verses 6 and 7 assure the safety of the forgiven man in the coming day of God’s wrath. The term “godly” means one to whom God shows mercy. It expresses the attitude of God toward the repentant sinner, rather than the moral worthiness of the repentant sinner toward God. “In a time when Thou mayest be found” should read, “In the time of the finding out of sin.” — Williams, page 321

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Divine forgiveness … fosters more definitive moral clarity — i.e., a greater ability to perceive and appreciate the distinction between right and wrong as determined by God and revealed in His Word — as indicated by the expression “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go” (v.8), in which the expression “I will instruct” more precisely signifies the imparting (or modeling) of wisdom as likewise expressed, together with the same surrounding phraseology, by Joshua (1:8) in specific connection with the Law of God: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it …, for then you will make your way successful (in living godly, whatever the circumstances) and act wisely.” — Wechsler, page 99

The Lord is the speaker in verse 8.

I think verse 9 and 10 cast a great deal of light on the subject of confession. It isn’t a listing of specific wrongdoings, but a determination not to pretend our actions aren’t wrong or attempt to deal with them on our own. Instead, agree (to use the New Testament term) with God that we have sinned and trust that our sins are forgiven based on the promises (for Old Testament believers), or trust that He has already forgiven them in Christ (for New Testament believers). We will suffer guilt as long as we try to pretend our sin isn’t sin or attempt to control it with our own will.

1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.

² Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of refuge,
A fortress of defense to save me.

³ For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.

⁴ Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.

⁵ Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

⁶ I have hated those who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the Lord.

⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have known my soul in adversities,

⁸ And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a wide place.

⁹ Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!

¹⁰ For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.

¹¹ I am a reproach among all my enemies,
But especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
Those who see me outside flee from me.

¹² I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.

¹³ For I hear the slander of many;
Fear is on every side;
While they take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

¹⁶ Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

¹⁷ Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.

¹⁸ Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

¹⁹ Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!

²⁰ You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

²¹ Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!

²² For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

²³ Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.

²⁴ Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

Your righteousness (v.1) — David is confident that God, in His righteousness, will do what is best for David, for God’s righteousness, which is perfect, requires that He stay true to His promises (righteousness and truthfulness being, in the Bible, coordinate, inseparable qualities). And God had promised to establish David’s kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7:16) as well as to give him rest. Not surprisingly, therefore, David employs the same phraseology in v.3b (“Thou will lead me and guide me”) as he does in Psalm 23:2-3, in connection with the same notion of God providing what is best for His child: “He leads me beside waters of rest (plural for emphasis) … He guides me.” That God’s best does not necessarily include immediate deliverance from physical distress or persecution is evident from the quotation of 5b (“Into Thy hand I commit My spirit”) by Jesus Himself on the cross (Luke 23:46) — which, for the sake of God’s greater glory and achieving what was truly best for man, it was the Father’s will that He endure. — Wechsler, pages 95-96

rock (v.3) = a massive rock formation, such as a cliff or the side of a mountain, that is humanly impossible to move.

fortress (v.3) = an inaccessible place (mesuda — related to “Masada” the Jewish fortress on the Dead Sea)

The first part of verse 5 was quoted by Jesus Christ on the cross as recorded in Luke 23:46: And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.

useless idols (v.6) = lying, empty vanities — I think this can refer not just to carved images, but anything that replaces God as a passion or purpose in life

You have set my feet in a wide place (v.8) — the thought here being that the Lord placed David in a place where there was no fear of falling

The sense of verse 11 seems, to me, to be that when David’s neighbors saw how much he was attacked by his enemies, they assumed that he must have been in the wrong.

I am like a broken vessel (v.12) — I think the meaning here is that he had become incapable of performing the task for which he was created.

fear is on every side (v.13) — This phrase occurs in Jeremiah 6:25; 20:3; 46:5; 49:29, and in Jeremiah 20:10, it is quoted and the pattern of the entire verse is repeated. The simile of a broken vessel (v.12) was also used frequently by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:4; 19:10-11; 22:28).

Verse 14 would be a powerful response to any affliction.

Make Your face shine upon (v.16) = show favor to

in a strong city (v.21) = in a besieged city, in a city under attack

be of good courage (v.24) — David ends his psalm with an appeal to Israel, using a term employed in Joshua 1:9, at the very beginning of Israel’s national existence.

Both Williams and Pettingill consider this a Messianic psalm, Pettingill because Christ quoted part of verse 5 on the cross, and Williams because he so considers all Davidic psalms. When the psalmist speaks of his “iniquity” in verse 10, Pettingill says that this refers to our iniquities that the Savior took upon Himself. Williams changes the meaning of the word to “affliction,” but I can find nowhere else that this word is translated that way.

1 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.

² O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.

³ O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

⁴ Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

⁵ For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

⁶ Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”

⁷ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

⁸ I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:

⁹ “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?

¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Perhaps written on the occasion of the events recorded in 2 Samuel 5:11-12, immediately following the capture of Jerusalem. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

Or …

It would seem more than likely that the Temple is intended, seeing that the vast majority (viz. hundreds) of references to a specific “house” in the Old Testament are to the Temple … That the intended reference is to the dedication of the Temple is also supported by early Jewish tradition, according to which this psalm was recited in the Temple on the eight days of Hanukkah, which feast commemorates the (re)dedication of the Temple. David’s wording in vs. 6-7 also suggest a time when he was well established in the “security” of his Jerusalem palace … This psalm would have been written by David, on the basis of God’s assurance in 2 Samuel 7:13, in anticipation of Solomon’s building and dedication of the Temple. The theme of chastisement is quite apropos in this regard, since David was denied the privilege of building the Temple in chastisement for his bloodthirstiness (1 Chronicles 28:3), and in the same breath that God declares that Solomon will build the Temple He emphasizes chastisement as a primary expression of His paternal solicitude (2 Samuel 7:14). — Wechsler, page 92.

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song (introduction) — Used in the heading of 30 psalms … Beyond indicating a certain type of song — possibly with a certain kind of musical accompaniment — the precise meaning of this term is unclear. — Wechsler, page 131.

grave (v.3) = Sheol

This statement which, as characteristic of David, is expressed from an eternal perspective — i.e., though he will still die and, like everyone, go to Sheol, he has the present assurance of knowing that God will raise him therefrom to a life of eternal “incorruptibility” in His presence; thus God will bring to completion the process of renewal that he already began in David by having given him spiritual life (as indicated by his statement “Thou hast give me life”) that he should not go down to the pit (meaning either that he should not remain in Sheol, or, perhaps, that he should not descend to the “lowest” part of Sheol reserved for unbelievers, the residents of which are never given spiritual life by God. — Wechsler, page 93

you have kept me alive (v.3) = should be ” You have given me life”

life (v.5) — including eternity

for a night (v.5) = lit. “in the evening”

The first line of verse 7 properly belongs at the end of verse 6. God had given David prosperity (v.6) and, as a result, David became proud and stopped relying on God.

You hid your face (v.7) — used frequently to describe God’s chastisement (not judgment)

troubled (v.7) — the Hebrew word here means “a shattering terror”

be my Helper (v. 10) — alludes to God’s promise and self-disclosure of His name to Moses in Exodus 3:12 (“I will be with you”), which in turn implies that David, like Moses, is here affirming his own fundamental inability to undertake God’s charge of ruling Israel (cf. Exodus 3:11: “Who am I … that I should lead the sons of Israel …?) as well as his consequent dependence on God to help him in doing so. — Wechsler, page 94

my glory (v.12) — my song of glory

Williams, as usual, takes a Messianic approach:

The superscription states that this song is “of David” i.e., it concerns the Messiah, and that it is to be sung at the dedication of the House, that is, at the dedication of the future millennial temple.

The figure of a sick man at the point of death, but brought back from the very mouth of the grave, is used to express the past and future history of the nation [of Israel].

David and Israel could, with limitation, sing this song, but the ear of God waits to hear it sung in perfect tune and fullness by David’s Son and Lord. — Williams, page 319.

I find it very easy to accept that Israel will sing a psalm of praise at the dedication of the millennial temple, and even that it will be this psalm. But as to whether the Messiah Himself will sing it, and whether that is it’s primary purpose and meaning — rather than a direct application to David and Israel in David’s time — I remain unconvinced but curious.

1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

² Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

³ The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.

⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

⁸ The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.

¹¹ The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

According to early Jewish tradition, this psalm, which concerns God’s transcendent power and its ultimate application to the full restoration of His people, was recited by the Levites on the Feast of Tabernacles, which festival likewise commemorates God’s power and ability to supply His people’s needs in the desert (see Leviticus 23:34-43) as well as His ultimate application of that power to fully restore Israel and establish His Tabernacle over all Creation (see Zechariah 14:16-18; Revelation 21:3). — Wechsler, page 89

Lord (v.1) — Jehovah — the name appears 18 times in the Psalm

mighty ones (v.1) — most commentaries say that this is the assembly of heavenly beings who surround the throne of God. Wechsler has a different view (below).

David begins by affirming the absolute sovereignty and preeminence of God, both in glory and in strength, not just over all men, but over all other gods. This is indicated by the phrase bene elim, which, though sometimes translated “sons of the mighty” and explained as referring to the angels, properly means “sons of gods,” since the term elim (as opposed to el or elohim), which occurs only three times elsewhere (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 89:6; Daniel 11:36), refers to pagan gods — the existence of whom Scripture accepts apologetically (i.e., for the sake of argument), as a matter of course (see Genesis 31:19; 35:2; Exodus 23:32, Numbers 33:4, Deuteronomy 6:14, Joshua 24:16; Ruth 1:15; etc.). The word “sons” in this expression does not denote descendancy, but rather — as the term “son(s)” is also commonly used in Hebrew — to denote association or characterization, the reference being here to anything (i.e., idols, supposed living embodiments or representatives, conceptions) associated with or characterized by pagan deity. — Wechsler, pages 89-90

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A perfect specimen of Hebrew poetry, giving a magnificent description of a thunderstorm, marching from north to south of Palestine. We hear first the low distant muttering of thunder. The “many waters” may refer to the Mediterranean, from which the storm arose. Coming nearer, the tempest breaks on Lebanon and Sirion, the Sidonian name for Hermon; the cedars of which sway to and fro before the wild fury of the storm. And each thunder peal is accompanied by the zig-zag of lightning. The storm passes southwards to the desert Kadesh, and to the rock-hewn cities of Petra. The very beasts are stricken with terror, and the forests are stripped of their leafy dress, so that their ground and floor is discovered. — Meyer, page 40.

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flood (v.10) — The Hebrew word for “flood” occurs twelve times in the Bible — eleven times in Genesis and once in this Psalm. The argument of the verse is that even the Flood — nature’s mightiest convulsion — was controlled by this mightier Power; and that that is the mighty God who gives His own strength and His own peace to His people (v.11) — Williams, page 319.

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David concludes by affirming God’s glory and sovereign power as manifest even before the Exodus at the Flood, the first historical event of divine deliverance and judgment. The fact that the Lord sat (i.e., exercised full authority and control) at that event, which was worldwide in scope, leaves no doubt that it is He who has sat as king over all human affairs ever since then, and that He will continue to sit over all Creation as King forever. As such, He is certainly able to control all mattes relating to the welfare of His people, ultimately and fulfilling all that He promised them by blessing His people — both the remnant of ethnic Israel and those joined to them by faith — with peace (literally signifying ‘completeness” in every sense, both physically/circumstantially and spiritually). — Wechsler, page 91.

1 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
Do not be silent to me,
Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.

² Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

³ Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.

⁴ Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.

⁵ Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

⁸ The Lord is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

⁹ Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.

A cursory reading might seem to suggest that his [David’s] appeal for help herein is based on his own merit, a closer reading and consideration of how key phrases are used elsewhere in the Old Testament reveals instead that it is based on God’s mercy, grace, and covenant faithfulness — in short, on His love. Accordingly, in its overall structure and thematic progression this psalm parallels God’s own description in Malachi 1:2-5 of the three ways in which His love for Israel is demonstrated — to wit: (1) in His accomplished gift of unmerited intimacy (Psalm 28:1-2; Malachi 1:2), (2) in His ongoing judgment of their enemies (Psalm 28:3-5; Malachi 1:3-4), and (3) in His future restoration and blessing of the nation (Psalm 28:6-9; Malachi 1:5). — Wechsler, page 87.

pit (v.1) — Sheol (Psalm 30:3; 88:4)

hear (v.2) = hear intelligently, generally used with the implication of response or obedience

supplications (vs.2 and 6) = pleas for grace — which demonstrates that David knew that he did not deserve what God had given him but could expect it because of his relationship with God

I lift up my hands (v.2) — Psalm 63:4; 134:2; 141:2

them (v.4) — the wicked — repeated three times for emphasis and contrast with the psalmist, who does have faith

they do not regard the works of the Lord (v.5) — The wicked are without excuse. They deliberately ignore or deny the evidence for a Creator God. — Isaiah 5:12, 18-19; Romans 1:18-20

strength (v.8) = a fortified place, a fort, defense

forever (v.9) — The salvation David has in mind here is Israel’s final, complete salvation and restoration.

David implores God to demonstrate His love by “requiting” (i.e., judging, both militarily [by defeat] and spiritually) his enemies. In this case those enemies are the Gentile nations around Israel, as indicated by (1) David’s description of them as those who “do not regard (lit. “discern”) the deeds of the Lord, nor the work of His hands” (v.5a), employing the same phraseology used to describe these nations in Deuteronomy 32:27, and (2) his expectation that the Lord “will tear them down and not build them up” (v.5b), which parallels the phraseology of God’s declaration concerning Edom (a biblical prototype of Israel’s enemies in general) in Malachi 1:4: “They may build, but I will tear (them) down.” It should be noted, moreover, that David’s reason for imploring God to requite his/Israel’s enemies is not that they are his/Israel’s enemies per se — or even that they are more intrinsically depraved than the Israelites — but that, as reflected by their opposition to Israel, they are opposed to the person, standards, and work of God Himself. — Wechsler, page 88

Again, Williams sees this Psalm as a prayer by the Messiah on behalf of Israel. He considers “His Anointed” in verse 8 to be the proof of this. His translation of that verse is “Jehovah is His strength; yea, He is a stronghold of salvation to His Messiah.”