Verse by Verse

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.

³ Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.

⁵ For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

⁸ When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

⁹ Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

¹¹ Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

¹² Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.

¹³ I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

 This psalm parallels the same three-fold approach to its central theme as Psalm 26 — i.e., both psalms begin by focusing on God as the Foundation (both the establisher and determiner) of the central concept, then present God as its Goal, and conclude by affirming God as its ongoing Enabler-Developer. This parallel approach serves to emphasize the inseparability and interrelationship between the central theme of this psalm (i.e., personal confidence) and that of the previous (i.e., personal integrity). — Wechsler, pages 82-83

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light (v.1) — The term “light” here, as elsewhere in the Old Testament, is employed as a metaphor for comprehensive (i.e., spiritual and physical — both present and, ultimately, eternal) salvation, hearkening back to God’s creation of light in Genesis 1:3 as His first action in the Bible undertaken for the specific benefit of man. This metaphor of God as light also contains the notion of God illumining David’s darkness (as he employs the same phraseology in 2 Samuel 22:29) — i.e., enabling him to emerge from the spiritual darkness of insecurity, fostered by ignorance of God’s word, into the light of confidence in God and His gift of salvation, as announced in His word (cf. Psalm 119:105) and manifest in the person of Jesus (see John 1:4-9). — Wechsler, page 85.

strength (v.1) = a fortified place, a fort

fear … afraid (v.1) — see Deuteronomy 2:25, where God promises Israel that He, not their power, will make their enemies fear and dread them.

David emphasizes [in verses 4-6] that the goal of such divinely-grounded, personal confidence is not ultimately to enable a better, more “victorious” life for himself, but rather — regardless of any success or trouble (v.4) that he may experience — to enable a better expression of worship for God. Personal confidence, in other words, is not an end, but a means to the greater — indeed, the greatest — end of enabling David to offer … sacrifices and sing praises to the Lord (v.6) in manner characterized by greater intimacy (i.e., per v.4: “to behold the beauty of the Lord”; likewise v.8: “They face … I shall seek,”), greater frequency (per v.4: “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the day s of my life” — ultimately referring to the eternal state), and greater focus (i.e., undistractedness; per v. 4: “to meditate  in His temple”) — Wechsler, page 86

inquire (v.4) = meditate — giving careful, close and absorbed attention and consideration

take care of (v.10) = lit. “gather in,” adopt — a one-way, irreversible process

good courage (v.14) — see Deuteronomy 31:7; Joshua 1:7

Williams sees this entire Psalm as the prayer of Jesus Christ from the time of His arrest to His appearance before Pilate. I don’t see any direct connection, but I can certainly see the application.

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
For I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip.

² Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.

³ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.

⁴ I have not sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.

⁵ I have hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,

⁷ That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.

⁸ Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place where Your glory dwells.

⁹ Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

¹⁰ In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.

¹² My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

This psalm parallels the same three-fold approach to its central theme as Psalm 27 — i.e., both psalms begin by focusing on God as the Foundation (both the establisher and determiner) of the central concept, then present God as its Goal, and conclude by affirming God as its ongoing Enabler-Developer. This parallel approach serves to emphasize the inseparability and interrelationship between the central theme of this psalm (i.e., personal integrity) and that of the next (i.e., personal confidence). — Wechsler, pages 82-83

This seems to be David’s cry to God when he found himself in the midst of a society that had rejected God.

Williams believes that Jesus Christ is the speaker here, pleading for His people, Israel, and that failure to understand this makes David seem conceited. I think he has a point.

vindicate (v.1) — should be “judge,” indicating that David will accept God’s assessment even if David comes out lacking.

my integrity (v.1) — The possessive pronoun indicates his adherence to integrity as he understood it, yet which was still not unadulterated by sin. — Wechsler, page 83

trusted (v.1) = lit. “ran for refuge”

try (v.2) — as in purifying metal (1 Peter 1:7)

heart (v.2) — Not just the emotions, but the active inner person

walked (v.3) — David refers to having walked (here employed idiomatically for “lived” — which Old Testament usage carries over into the New Testament, as in Galatians 5:16) in God’s truth, the imperfections of which walk he again intimates by his juxtaposed reference to not sitting with deceitful (lit. “without (spiritual) worth”; see also v.5b) men — i.e., while his depravity may occasionally have led him to “walk” and even “stand” in the path of the wicked, he never descended to the point of “sitting” (i.e., identifying wholeheartedly) with them. (See Psalm 1.) — Wechsler, page 84.

hypocrites (v.4) = those whose ways and motives are hidden

Verse 7 teaches that a major component of praise to God is telling others what He has done.

thanksgiving (v.7) — The goal of his lifelong endeavor to walk in integrity and truth is not to promote his own merit or worth, but to express his thanksgiving for what God has done — i.e., His wonders of deliverance both personally for David and for His people throughout history (in connection with which the same phraseology is employed in Psalm 9:1). — Wechsler, page 84.

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redeem (v.11) — Rather than succumbing to despair, David appeals to God’s mercy (v.11: “redeem me” — implying forgiveness — i.e., not requiting the full penalty that his sins do merit; see Ezra 9:13) and grace (“be gracious to me” — i.e., continuing to grant him the help that he does not merit) as that which will enable him to continue his endeavor to walk in integrity. — Wechsler, page 84.

even (v.12) — level, straight, righteous

congregations (v.12) — the faithful in contrast with “assembly of evildoers” (v.5).

1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

² O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.

³ Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴ Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.

⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

⁶ Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.

⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.

¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹² Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.

¹³ He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

¹⁴ The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.

¹⁵ My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶ Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.

¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!

¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.

¹⁹ Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.

²⁰ Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.

²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

An acrostic psalm, with each verse starting with a letter of the alphabet.

This psalm closely parallels Psalm 34.

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul (v.1) — David begins by appealing to God on the basis of their relationship. The opening verse is an idiom used elsewhere to express deep longing, desire and need, as in Deuteronomy 24:15 and Jeremiah 22:27. The first reference (Deuteronomy 24:15) is an especially significant parallel, since David refers to himself in v.16 of this psalm by the same term, as a “poor man” — referring primarily to his psychological-emotional state (see vs. 16-17) and socially humble origin (cf. also 1 Samuel 18:23). — Wechsler, pages 80-81.

his descendants shall inherit the earth (v.13) — anticipating God’s covenant promises to Israel — see Psalm 37

David goes on to specify precisely what he desires God to provide for him, which provision includes not only deliverance from his enemies (vs. 2-3, 15, 19-20), but also emotional=psychological relief from his loneliness and the troubles of his heart (vs. 16-17) as well as — and most emphatically of all — the spiritual triumvirate of forgiveness (vs. 7, 11, 18), instruction in the ways/paths of the Lord (vs. 4-5, 8-10, 12, 14), and a sense of proximity, or intimacy to God (vs. 14 — the meaning of the Hebrew here rather than “secret”). — Wechsler, page 81.

covenant (v.10) — the first time this word is used in Psalms

prosperity (v.13) = that which is fundamentally good, not material prosperity.

show (v.14) = cause to know

David’s concern was ultimately for the provision of what was best for his people, and in his petition David therefore emphasized that which he needed most to do his part in leading them along that path of what was best (hence his repeated reference to God’s “path(s)” and “way(s)” in vs. 4, 8-10 and 12). Yet in order for anyone to even begin along that path, God must provide that which is the most fundamental of all needs — to wit: redemption from sin, the penalty for which can only by paid by God. Hence David implores God to redeem Israel, employing the verb that specifically denotes the paying of an outstanding debt — and which elsewhere denotes the work of complete spiritual-physical redemption from which man is disqualified and which only God, in His grace, can supply (see Psalm 49:7-8; Isaiah 1:27; Jeremiah 31:11). — Wechsler, page 82.

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.

² For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.

³ Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?

⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.

⁵ He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

⁶ This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah

⁷ Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.

⁸ Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.

⁹ Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.

¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Seen as a Messianic Psalm by most commentaries, referring to the time when Christ shall take the throne in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Millennium. Many believe it was written by David at the time that the Ark of the Covenant was brought from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem, recently captured from the Jebusites. (2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 15:16-23) but the psalm itself doesn’t specify a time.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness (v.1) — quoted in 1 Corinthians 10:26.

David affirms that the earth (more precisely “the land,” denoting that part of the planet intended for human habitation: see Genesis 1:10) and its fullness are the Lord’s, the phraseology of which recalls God’s statement to Moses in Numbers 14:21: “all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (see also Psalm 72:19; Isaiah 6:3). The implication of the parallel phraseology is that, in addition to the denoting the extent of the Lord’s dominion, the present statement also implies that the fullness of (i.e., everything within) that dominion attests to the glory of God. — Wechsler, pages 78-79.

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The second verse is in harmony with Genesis 1:9. This was the third day of the reconstruction of the earth. The earth had been inhabited by angels in the prehistoric ages, who were led by Lucifer. Genesis 1:1 tells of a perfect creation by the God of heaven and earth. The second verse shows the result of a judgment. God Himself drove off Lucifer and his fallen angels and threw the earth into chaotic night for ages untold. These things can be seen in Isaiah 14:12-17; Jeremiah 4:23-28; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 24:1. It should be said that Isaiah 24:1 and Jeremiah 4:23-28 have had two fulfillments in the past and will also have another one at the end of the kingdom age. But in the prehistoric age God threw the earth into chaotic night and for ages the earth was in darkness and covered with water. From that condition God let the dry land appear; therefore He founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. — Phillips, pages 85-86.

I know that the gap theory isn’t popular these days, in part because some try to force evolution into the gap. But there was a time when a lot of people believed that earth was originally created by God for Satan and that, after his fall, the earth was reduced to chaos. Then, in Genesis 1, God reformed it for man. Many passages in Scripture seem to point in this direction. Personally, I will only say that if, upon further study or when I get to heaven, I find out that this was the case, it won’t rock my theology.

This section (vs. 3-6) closely parallels the  Psalm 15 — vs. 3 to 15:1; vs. 4 to 15:2-5a; vs. 5 to 15:5b.

hill of the Lord (v.3) — the hill in Jerusalem where the tabernacle was and where sacrifices were offered — see Psalm 2:6 (the holy hill of Zion)

clean hands (v.4) — Only the righteous can come into the presence of God, but their righteousness is not of their own doing or because of their own merit but is received from God (v.5)

Jacob (v.6) — intended to specify “those who seek Thy face” — i.e., Israel (the people), for which “Jacob” is a poetic alternative (see Psalm 14:7), and in this case especially appropriate since it was as “Jacob” that the patriarch struggled with and saw God “face to face,” only at the end of which “struggle” his name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28-30). — Wechsler, page 79.

mighty (v.8) — actually a noun used to designate warriors distinguished by military prowess (1 Samuel 16:18; 2 Samuel 1:19, 25, 27; 1 Chronicles 11:10, etc.) — David is making the point that the Lord of Hosts (Jesus Christ) is the greatest warrior of all.

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

 Lord (v.1 and 6) = Jehovah

shepherd (v.1) — David metaphorically describes God as a shepherd — a profession with which David was intimately familiar (see 1 Samuel 16:11, 19; 17:20). This metaphor is employed frequently either by or for God throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Psalms 28:9; 80:1; Isaiah 40:11) as well as by Christ for Himself (hence another intimation of His deity, since this metaphor is predominantly applied to God in the Old Testament) in the New Testament (in Matthew 26:31; John 10:2ff.; as well as for Christ in Matthew 2:6; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4, Revelation 7:17). — Wechsler, page 76.

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David begins by describing how God fully provides for the spiritual needs of His sheep, which need, in its most foundational aspect, is typically represented by the notion of “rest” or “being set (by God) at rest.” That such is intended here is indicated by the phrase typically translated “quiet (or ‘still’) waters,” yet which literally means “waters of rest” in which the Hebrew word for “rest” (in the plural for emphasis) is precisely that which is used elsewhere to denote spiritual rest (i.e., salvation, relationship with God; as in Psalm 95:11 with Hebrews 4:1-10) and the verbal form of which is used to denote the ideally intended state of man in to which He “put” Adam in Genesis 2:15. David is not asserting here that God always provides (in this lifetime, at least) for the believer’s physical need, but rather that He will always supply what is necessary fro the believer to move along in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake — i.e., for His glory and consistent with His plan, not necessarily our own. — Wechsler, pages 76-77

paths of righteousness (v.3) —could be translated “right paths”

His name’s sake (v.3) — in harmony with His revealed nature

rod (v.4) — for defense or correction

staff (v.4) — for support

a table … in the presence of my enemies (v.5) — This seems to indicate that God will care for us, even when surrounded by enemies, and they will be unable to prevent it or disturb it.

anoint (v.5) = lit. “make fat” — an indication of abundance

anoint with oil (v.5) — None of my commentaries explained this, so I looked it up on the Internet. I found several sites that state that shepherds would pour oil over sheep’s heads to keep flies from entering the nose and ears. Supposedly, flies could cause sheep so much distress that they would but their heads against rocks to rid themselves of the irritation and cause themselves injuries. In other places, this was said to refer to oils and perfumes that hosts would pour over the heads of honored guests at their table, which in the context of this particular verse seems to make more sense.

It is David’s confidence in the receipt of this future inheritance, guaranteed by God’s unshakable goodness and lovingkindness (v.6), that brings him comfort in this life, regardless of the situation.

lovingkindness (v.6) — specifically denotes the expression of God’s covenant love — i.e., His faithful and continual expression of what is best for those whom He views as His own under the promise of the Abrahamic covenant (see Genesis 12:1-3). — Wechsler, pages 32-33.

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follow (v.6) — The paternal aspect of the relationship between the Divine Shepherd and His sheep is underscored by the specific choice of the verb “pursue” (not “follow”) in the clause “goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me” — which is the same verb elsewhere used to describe the active pursuit of one army by another (as in 1 Samuel 17:52). — Wechsler, page 78

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?

² O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.

³ But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

⁴ Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.

⁵ They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

⁶ But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

⁷ All those who see Me ridicule Me;
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

⁸ “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;
Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

⁹ But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.

¹⁰ I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
You have been My God.

¹¹ Be not far from Me,
For trouble is near;
For there is none to help.

¹² Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.

¹³ They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.

¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.

¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.

¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;

¹⁷ I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.

¹⁸ They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹ But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

²⁰ Deliver Me from the sword,
My precious life from the power of the dog.

²¹ Save Me from the lion’s mouth
And from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered Me.

²² I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

²³ You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

²⁴ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.

²⁵ My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.

²⁶ The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!

²⁷ All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.

²⁸ For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the prosperous of the earth
Shall eat and worship;
All those who go down to the dust
Shall bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

³⁰ A posterity shall serve Him.
It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,

³¹ They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,
That He has done this.

The elliptical instruction “Hind of the Dawn”, though not entirely clear, probably refers to the melody by which the psalm was to be sung. In this respect it is worth noting that the hind, or doe, is a symbol of beauty and grace in the Old Testament (cf. Genesis 49:21) and the dawn is symbolic of fresh strength and new beginnings (cf. Psalm 110:3), all of which apply directly to the crucifixion — the epitome of God’s grace and the source of new life and strength for the believer (cf. Romans 5:21; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13). — Wechsler, page 72.

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Four degrees of suffering appear in the psalm. Suffering from the hand of God (vs. 1-6); suffering from the rejection of Israel (vs. 7-8); suffering from the demons who gathered round His cross in exulting and hellish triumph (vs. 12-13); and the physical suffering of crucifixion — the most painful form of death (vs. 14-18). — Williams, page 313.

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (v.1) — Quoted by Jesus Christ as one of His seven statements from the cross — Matthew 27:46.

During His ministry on earth Christ spoke of God as His Father and resumed the title after He had triumphantly shouted “Finished,” but while suffering Divine wrath as the sin-offering He addressed Him as God (vs. 1, 2 and 10). — Williams, page 313.

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In the consideration of these words, the question arises as to just why God did forsake His Son in that awful hour on the cross. The answer to this question may be found in the words of verses 3 to 6. The holiness of God forbade Him to hear the cry of the Sufferer on the cross. Though that Sufferer was His own Son, and though the Son was doing the will of God in His suffering, yet the holy God could not look upon His own Lamb because that Lamb was there as a sin offering, and upon Him was laid the crushing burden of the sin of the world. The holy God cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance, and on the cross the Son of God was made sin for us, though He knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). — Pettingill, page 50.

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O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. (v.2) — The text might indicate a period of days, but the suffering described in the psalm could not be endured more than a few hours. We have the prophecy of Amos 8:9 that the darkness was to begin at noon. He did not reveal how long it would last, but the New Testament history states that the darkness was for three hours, having begun at noon. — Phillips, page 71.

holy (v.3) — Even in the midst of His agony, the Lord vindicated God as being always holy and worthy of praise.

worm (v.6) — In that moment the problem of Bildad the Shuhite was being solved, as set forth in Job 25:4-6: “How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?” The answer to Bildad’s question is that man is justified with God through the transaction of Calvary, where the Lamb of God shed His precious blood in order to make it possible for the righteous God to remain righteous while justifying the believing sinner. — Pettingill, pages 50-51.

A reproach of men, and despised by the people. (v.6) — Isaiah 53:3.

ridicule (v.7) — Matthew 27:39-44; Luke 23:35

Verse 9 and 10 can only apply to Jesus Christ because of his own birth, David said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).

Bashan (v.12) — Deuteronomy 3:11 — Bashan was in the region known today as the Golan Heights.

In verses 14 and 15 He gives expression to His physical sufferings. All this is a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. The bones (of the hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis) out of joint (v.14); the profuse perspiration caused by intense suffering (v.14); the action of the heart affected (v.14); strength exhausted, and extreme thirst (v.15); the hands and feet pierced (v.16); nudity with the hurt to modesty (v.17), are all incidental to that mode of death. The accompanying circumstances are precisely those fulfilled in the crucifixion of Christ. The desolate cry of verse 1 (Matthew 27:46); the periods of light and darkness of verse 2 (Matthew 27:45); the contumely of verses 6-8, 12-13 (Matthew 27:39-43); the casting lots of verse 18 (Matthew 27:35), all were literally fulfilled. When it is remembered that crucifixion was a Roman, not Jewish, form of execution, the proof of inspiration is irresistible. — Pettingill, page 52.

potsherd (v.15) = a broken piece of pottery

stare (v.17) = to look thoughtfully, here connoting the people’s willful rejection of Jesus — which is the same specific verb used in Zechariah 12:10 (the only other specific Old Testament crucifixion prophecy) to connote the people’s willful acceptance of the pierced Messiah. — Wechsler, page 74.

They divide My garments among them (v.18) — John 19:23-24

My precious life (v.20) = My Only One

dog (v.20) — Gentiles

lion (v.21) — perhaps a reference to Satan who is referred to as a lion in 1 Peter 5:8.

Just after saying “Save me from the lion’s mouth” (v.21), He cries in triumph, “Yea, from the horns of the wild oxen thou hast answered me.” And straight through to the end of the psalm there is only  joyous acclaim and triumphant shouting.

Why this sudden change? The answer is that at that point in the psalm He yields up His spirit and passes out from the sufferings of the cross, and in His freedom from that suffering He beings to sing.

In verse 22 we have language that is taken up in Hebrews 2:11-12 and is there identified as coming from the mouth of the Son of God. — Pettingill, page 54

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And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me (v.21). — The great altar of sacrifice had four horns, one at each corner, upon which the sacrificial animals were hung. But the sacrifice of these animals could never make the supplicants free from sin, but they rolled their sins forward for one year; at the end of which they were remembered against them again. — Phillips, page 76.

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The result of Christ fully experiencing both the separation from God that each one of us deserves (cf. Ecclesiastes 7:20; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23) and the restoration to relationship with God in which we are able to participate by faith (cf. Romans 6:3-4) is the gospel message — the most sublime of all reasons to offer God praise and to glorify Him (vs. 22-23). It is precisely this, the culminating propitiatory-salvific experience of Christ’s first advent, that makes Him the “Author of (our) salvation” (Hebrews 12:2) — following which phrase the writer of Hebrews cites v.22 of this psalm to highlight the dissemination the praiseworthy message (the gospel) that He authored. — Wechsler, pages 75-76.

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He heard (v.24) — So long as He was made a sin-offering He was not heard (v.2); but sin having been atoned for, He was heard in resurrection (v.24). — Williams, page 313.

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A reader of Psalm 22 who is not acquainted with other parts of the prophetic Scriptures would likely come to the conclusion that the remainder of the psalm [beginning with verse 26] would immediately come to pass. But such is not the case, for David tells us in the 110th Psalm that Messiah was to leave the earth after His death and resurrection, and go back to God the Father, and await at His right hand, and on His throne, until the Father would make all the enemies of the Messiah His footstool. Phillips, page 77.

the great assembly (v.25) — Israel

nations (v.27) — all the nations that will be blessed through Israel during the Millennial Kingdom when Christ is on the throne of Israel in Jerusalem

In His future kingdom the meek of verse 26 shall be the prosperous and happy of verse 29. Compare Psalm 36:8; 63:5; and 92:14. They, and all who, like them, were doomed to return to the dust because of sin, will praise Him because, in order to save them, He did not keep alive His own soul. — Williams, page 314.

He has done this (v.30) — The last word in the Hebrew text is “accomplished,” and corresponds to the word “finished” in the Greek text of John 19:30.

1 The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord;
And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

² You have given him his heart’s desire,
And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

³ For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

⁴ He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—
Length of days forever and ever.

⁵ His glory is great in Your salvation;
Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.

⁶ For You have made him most blessed forever;
You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.

⁸ Your hand will find all Your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate You.

⁹ You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,
And the fire shall devour them.

¹⁰ Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,
And their descendants from among the sons of men.

¹¹ For they intended evil against You;
They devised a plot which they are not able to perform.

¹² Therefore You will make them turn their back;
You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

¹³ Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power.

Where Psalm 20 pleads for victory, Psalm 21 celebrates it, although the victory may still be future (v.8). The connection can be seen by comparing Psalm 20:4 with Psalm 21:2.

The psalm contains two sections. The first, verses 1-7; the second, verses 8-13. In the first section, Jehovah is addressed; in the second, Messiah is addressed. The speaker in the psalm is Israel (v.13). The occasion intended in verses 1-7 is the morning of Messiah’s resurrection, and in verses 8-13 the morning of Israel’s restoration. — Williams, page 312.

selah (v.2) — a suspension of music, a pause

With respect to (Hebrew) grammar of verse 7, the first clause represents the basis of the second clause — i.e., because the aforementioned king trusts in the Lord, therefore the lovingkindness (i.e., the irrevocable paternal solicitude) of the Most High will be applied to him and he will not be shaken — referring to the eternal state in God’s presence. — Wechsler, page 71

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Most High (v.7) — This title belongs to Melchizedek’s God (Genesis 14:18) whom Abram identified as Yahweh (Genesis 14:22) … As a title it signifies supreme dignity, unhampered power and universal sway. — Guthrie, page 464.

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fiery oven (v.9) — The notion of God’s sovereignty in maintaining His promised solicitude towards His faithful is also intimated by the expression “fiery oven,” which recalls the phraseology of Genesis 15:17, in which God sovereignly ratifies His unconditional promise to Abraham. — Wechsler, page 71.

turn their back (v.12) = retreat, flee

in Your own strength (v.13) — The expression … here serves as a bookend with the same phrase at the beginning of this psalm, and underscored the true (and only enduring) source of strength of the godly king. — Wechsler, page 71

I am no Hebrew or Old Testament scholar, and I’m new to the study of the Psalms. But the Messianic theme of this psalm seems obvious to me, and I am amazed that only two of my nine commentaries mention it. The conclusion of Williams (quoted above) makes by far the most sense to me.

1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

² May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;

³ May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

⁴ May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.

⁵ We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

⁶ Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

⁸ They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

⁹ Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.

Thought by some commentaries to be a psalm recited by soldiers before beginning a battle. The first five verses were sung in chorus, the fifth by the king alone, and the last three by the chorus. The next psalm, Psalm 21, is a psalm of thanksgiving after a victorious battle.

name (v.1) — all that God has revealed about His character and the association between His name and His provision of spiritual and physical deliverance

God of Jacob (v.1) — referring to the Redeemer who rescued Jacob (Israel) from Egypt

sanctuary (v.2) = holy thing, holiness — not the usual word for sanctuary

offerings … burnt sacrifice (v.3) — The Israelite practice of presenting sacrifices and offerings before a military campaign was an act of devotion and submission to the Lord (1 Samuel 7:9-10; 13:9-12). Their purpose was not primarily to atone for sin but to seek God’s favor and to consecrate oneself for war. As dedicatory offerings, they were burned on the altar so as to make “an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:13). — Barker, page 818.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed (v.6) — David knew this from personal experience. “I know” is experiential knowledge.

His holy heaven (v.6) = lit. “the heaven of His holiness” as distinct from the created heaven of the universe

horses (v.7) — Israel’s kings were told not to accumulate a lot of horses (Deuteronomy 17:16) because their trust was to be in the Lord, not in their might.

King (v.9) — referring to God, indicated by the parallelism between this statement and the opening one in verse 1

us (v.9) — David and the Israelites

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.

² Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

⁵ Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

⁶ Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

⁸ The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Considered a wisdom psalm

The terms heavens and expanse [firmament] in the opening verse are synonyms, the joint use of which alludes back to their initial occurrence in Genesis 1:7-8, where God creates the expanse and calls it “heaven.” The point of this and the ensuing verses is that the heavens and all that God has filled them with, like the entirety of Creation, constitute ongoing testimony (per v.2: “day to day … night to night”) to the existence of the Creator (cf. Psalm 8:3). Even more — when considering how this concept is addressed in Romans — the created order not only testifies to the existence of God and His “eternal power” (i.e., omnipotence), but also, specifically, makes known His “invisible” attributes is Christ Himself (per Colossians 1:15; see also John 1:18). Hence, even without exposure  to the revelation of God’s Word, one who is receptive to the image of God revealed in Creation will naturally identify that image with Jesus once introduced to Him through the Gospel. This is precisely the point in Romans 10:18, where the opening verse of this psalm is cited in application to the Gentiles, who up to the time of Christ were without the Word of God. — Wechsler, pages 66-67

heavens declare the glory of God (v.1) — see Romans 1:20

God (v.1) = El = The Strong One

firmament (v.1) = expanse, the visible arch of the sky

day unto day … night unto night (v.2) — day and night continually

line ( v.4) = measure

tabernacle (v.4) = dwelling place

like a bridegroom (v.5) — radiant

like a strong man (v.5) — powerful, like a runner at the beginning of a race, or circuit

perfect (v.7) = without blemish

Lord (vs. 7, 8, 9, 14) = Jehovah

sure (v.7) = faithful

fear (v.9) = worship

clean (v.9) = pure, fair

true (v.9) = true, trustworthy

altogether (v.9) = completely

In verse 11, notably, forms of the two key biblical concepts “worship” (i.e., “worshiper/servant,”) and “obedience” (i.e., “keeping/obeying”) presented at the outset of the Torah, are reiterated. (See Genesis 2:15). — Wechsler, page 67

presumptuous sins (v.13) = sins committed in open arrogance

dominion (v.13) — see Romans 6:14.

David concludes by affirming the way in which God makes Himself known within men, for whether one’s sins are hidden or committed in open arrogance, God from whom nothing is hidden (Deuteronomy 29:28; Ecclesiastes 12:14), brings conviction of that sin as perceived by Him by the conscience He has put within every person (though it may be willfully deadened by repeated sin; see Romans 1:19-23, 28), the Holy Spirit who indwells the believer, and/or the Word of God, which is “living and active … and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). — Wechsler, page 68.

meditation (v.14) — not emptying the mind, but filling the mind with the Word and considering its meaning and application — study

The theme of this psalm is the methods God uses to reveal Himself to humanity.

1. creation (vs. 1-6)

2. Scripture (vs. 7-11)

3. conscience (vs. 12-14)