John Calvin Commentary Psalms 116:11

"I said in my haste, All men are liars." — Psalms 116:11 (ASV)

I said in my fear: Some take the word חפז, chaphaz, to mean haste or flight, and consider it to express what David said when he fled in great haste from Saul. But, since it figuratively signifies fear, I have no doubt that David here declares that he felt astonished and dejected in spirit, as if he were on the brink of a precipice, ready to fall into the abyss.

He acknowledges that, when he was so dreadfully troubled in mind, his heart had almost sunk within him. Commentators do not agree about the meaning of the second part of the verse. One group holds that David declares that he doubted the promise of the kingdom made to him by the prophet Samuel.

That Samuel was a competent witness is beyond question; but when David saw himself banished from his native country, and constantly exposed to death in various forms, he might have been overcome by the temptation to think that his anointing by Samuel had been in vain and without effect. According to them, the meaning is: “I had almost perished in my flight, and the promise given to me fled away; and, moreover, I had been deceived by false hope.”

Another group, offering an opposing interpretation of this passage, asserts that David overcame the temptation. Thus, when Satan by his wiles tried to make him despair, he instantly recovered himself and removed all cause for unbelief in the following way: “What are you doing, miserable man that you are, and where are you hastening?”

“Do you dare, even indirectly, to attribute falsehood to God? No, rather let Him be true, and let vanity, falsehood, and treachery lie at your own door.” In my opinion, this teaching should be understood more generally: David did not intend this prophecy directly for himself. Instead, his mind being perplexed, he inadvertently entangled himself in Satan’s snares and was unable to place his confidence anywhere.

The faithful often stagger, and when Satan brings them into a state of deep darkness, the word of God almost forsakes them. Still, they do not abandon their confidence nor deliberately charge God with falsehood, but rather keep their evil thoughts under restraint. The verb to say, among the Hebrews, expresses firm persuasion, as we say in French, J’ay conclu, ou resolu, “I have concluded, or resolved;” Therefore, we are to understand that this temptation could not enter David’s heart without him instantly withstanding it.

Consequently, the interpretation I have given for this passage is the correct one: David did not perceive God during this period of mental darkness. The faithful do not deliberately speak against God or ask whether He is true or not, nor does this terrible blasphemy completely consume their thoughts. On the contrary, as often as it arises, they banish it from themselves and hold it in abhorrence.

Nevertheless, it occasionally happens that they are so troubled that they see nothing except vanity and falsehood. Such was David’s experience during this fear and trouble; he felt as if a dense fog obstructed his vision. “There is no certainty, no security. What shall I think? In what shall I trust?”

“To what shall I turn?” The faithful frequently reason with themselves in this way: “There is no trust to be placed in people.” A veil is spread over their eyes, which, preventing them from seeing the light of God, causes them to grovel on the earth, until, being lifted above the heavens, they begin once more to discern God’s truth.

David’s purpose, as I previously observed, is in all respects to magnify God’s grace. For this reason, in speaking of his trials, he acknowledges that he did not deserve divine help and comfort, because he should have remembered that, by depending on the prophecy, he would have risen above all unbelief.

This, he says, he did not do because, owing to the agitation of his mind, he could see nothing but vanity. If his faith was shaken in this violent manner, what will we do if God does not support and sustain us? This is not meant to keep the faithful in suspense between doubt and uncertainty, but rather to make them call more earnestly on God.

We should consider this trial attentively, because we can form no conception of these assaults until we actually experience them. Let us at the same time remember that David’s trial was only temporary, continuing while he was perplexed with doubt, as a consequence of the prophecy having escaped his memory.