John Calvin Commentary Psalms 59:10

"My God with his lovingkindness will meet me: God will let me see [my desire] upon mine enemies." — Psalms 59:10 (ASV)

The God of my mercy will prevent me. In the Hebrew, there is the affix of the third person, but we have the vowel point that denotes the first. The Septuagint has adopted the third person, and Augustine, too ingeniously, though with a good design, has repeatedly quoted the passage against the Pelagians, in proof that the grace of God is antecedent to all human merit.

In the same manner, he has again and again cited the preceding verse to refute the arrogance of those who boast of the power of free will. “I will put in trust my strength with you,” he says; “that is, men must subject themselves with all modesty and humility to God, as having no strength but that with which he supplies them.” Now, it may be said with great plausibility that the man puts his strength in trust with God who declares that he has no strength but what comes from him, and who depends entirely upon his help.

The sentiment inculcated is also, undoubtedly, a pious and instructive one; but we must always be on our guard against distorting Scripture from its natural meaning. The Hebrew word קדמ, kidem, means no more than to come forward seasonably; and David simply intimates that the divine assistance would be promptly and opportunely extended.

The scope of the words is that God will interpose at the very moment when it is required, however much he may delay or defer his assistance. Were it not that we are hurried on by the excessive eagerness of our own wishes, we would sufficiently recognize the promptness with which God hastens to our help, but our own precipitance makes us imagine that he is dilatory.

To confirm his faith, he calls him the God of his mercy, having often proved him to be merciful; and the experience of the past afforded him good hopes of what he might expect in the future. The idea of some that David uses the word in an active sense and praises his own mercy is poor and unnatural. Its passive use is quite common.