Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 35:17

"Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions." — Psalms 35:17 (ASV)

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? — How long will you witness this without intervening to deliver me, and to punish those who treat me this way? God saw it all. He was able to save him who was persecuted and opposed this way. And yet He did not intervene. He seemed to pay no attention to it. He appeared to be indifferent to it.

The psalmist, therefore, asks “how long” this was to continue. He did not doubt that God would, at some time, intervene and save him; but what was so mysterious to him was the fact that God looked on so calmly—that He saw it all, and that He did not intervene when He could so easily do it.

We may now ask the same question, and may constantly ask it, regarding the wickedness in the world—“and no one can answer it.” No one can tell why God, when He sees the state of things on earth, is so calm (compare the notes at Isaiah 18:4), and apparently so indifferent; why He does not hasten to deliver His people and to punish the wicked.

“Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight,” is all the answer that can be given to this inquiry. Yet it should have occurred to the psalmist, and it should be observed now, that the fact that God seems to be indifferent to the state of things does not prove that He is indifferent.

There is an eternity to come, in which there will be ample time to adjust human affairs and to develop fully the divine character and counsels.

Rescue my soul from their destructions — My life from the destruction which they are aiming to accomplish.

My darling — Margin, “my only one.” See the notes at Psalms 22:20. The reference here is to “his own soul” or life. It is the language of tenderness addressed to himself. He had but one soul or life, and that was dear to him, as an only child is dear to its parent.

From the lions — Enemies, described as lions, having the fierceness and savage fury of lions. In Psalms 22:20 it is, “from the power of the dog.” The idea is the same in both places. Compare the notes at Psalms 22:20.