John Calvin Commentary Psalms 142

I cried to Jehovah. It showed singular presence of mind in David that he was not paralyzed with fear, or that he did not, in a paroxysm of fury, take vengeance upon his enemy, as he easily could have done; and that he was not driven by despair to take his own life, but calmly turned to prayer. There was good reason why the title should have been affixed to the Psalm to note this circumstance, and David had good grounds for mentioning how he commended himself to God. Surrounded by the army of Saul, and hemmed in by destruction on every side, how was it possible for him to have spared so implacable an enemy, had he not been fortified against the strongest temptations by prayer? The repetition he uses indicates that he prayed with earnestness, so that he was impervious to every assault of temptation.

He tells us even more clearly in the next verse that he unburdened himself to God. To pour out one’s thoughts and recount one's afflictions is the opposite of those perplexing anxieties that people brood over inwardly to their own distress—anxieties by which they torture themselves and are chafed by their afflictions, rather than being led to God. It is also the opposite of those frantic exclamations uttered by others who find no comfort in the superintending providence and care of God. In short, we are left to infer that while he did not give way before others to loud and senseless lamentations, nor did he allow himself to be tormented with inward and suppressed cares, he instead made known his griefs with trusting confidence to the Lord.

When, my spirit, etc. Though he acknowledges here that he felt anxiety, yet he confirms what he had said about the constancy of his faith. The figure he uses of his spirit being perplexed aptly represents the state of the mind in alternating between various resolutions when there was no apparent way out of danger, and increasing its distress by resorting to all kinds of strategies.

He adds that, though there was no apparent way of safety, God knew from the beginning how his deliverance would be accomplished. Others interpret this clause, thou knowest my way, differently, as if David were asserting that God was a witness to his integrity. However, the other interpretation is more correct: that God knew the way to deliver him, while his own mind was distracted by various thoughts and yet could not conceive any way of escape.

These words teach us that when we have tried every remedy and do not know what to do, we should rest satisfied with the conviction that God is aware of our afflictions and condescends to care for us, as Abraham said:

The Lord will provide. (Genesis 22:8)

On looking to the right hand, etc., He shows that there was good cause for the dreadful sufferings he experienced, since no human aid or comfort was to be expected, and destruction seemed inevitable.

When he speaks of having looked and yet not perceived a friend among men, he does not mean that he had turned his thoughts to earthly helps in forgetfulness of God. Rather, he had made such justifiable inquiry for someone on earth who might assist him.

If any such person had presented himself, he would no doubt have recognized him as an instrument in the hand of God’s mercy. However, it was God’s purpose that he should be deprived of all assistance from man, and that his deliverance from destruction should thus appear more extraordinary.

In the expression, none seeking after my soul, the verb to seek after is used in a good sense, meaning to be solicitous about anyone’s welfare or safety.

I cried unto thee, O Jehovah! To hasten God’s intervention, David complains of the low state to which he was reduced, and of his extreme distress; the term “cry” denoting vehemence, as I have noted elsewhere. He speaks of deliverance as being plainly needed, since he was now held a prisoner.

By prison, some suppose he alludes to the cave where he was lodged, but this meaning is too restricted. The subsequent clause, the righteous shall compass me, is translated differently by some as they shall wait me. I have retained the true and natural sense. I grant that it is taken figuratively to mean surrounding, intimating that he would be a spectacle to all, the eyes of men being attracted by such a singular case of deliverance.

If any consider the words not to be figurative, the sense will be that the righteous would not only congratulate him but also place a crown upon his head as a token of victory. Some explain the passage: They will assemble to congratulate me and will stand around me on every side like a crown.

As the words literally read, they will crown upon me, some supply another pronoun and give this sense: that the righteous would construe the mercy bestowed upon David as a glory conferred upon themselves. For when God delivers any of His children, He holds out the prospect of deliverance to the rest and, as it were, gifts them with a crown.

The sense which I have adopted is the simplest, however: that the mercy vouchsafed would be shown conspicuously to all as in a theater, proving a signal example to the righteous for the establishment of their faith. The verb גמל, gamal, in Hebrew, is of a more general signification than to repay and means to confer a benefit, as I have shown elsewhere.