John Gill Commentary Psalms 59

Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God
David had his enemies in his youth, notwithstanding the amiableness of his person, the endowments of his mind, his martial achievements, his wise behaviour and conduct, and the presence of God with him; yes, it were some of these things that made Saul his enemy, who, by his power and authority, made others; see (1 Samuel 18:5–16) . Christ had his enemies, though he went about doing good, both to the bodies and souls of men, continually; the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, were his implacable enemies, and even the people of the Jews in general:

and the church of God, and members of it, whom David may represent, has their enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; and as David and Christ, so the church has a covenant God to go to, from whom deliverance from enemies may be desired and expected;

defend me from them that rise up against me ;
or, "set me on high above them" ^F12 ; out of their reach, as David was protected from Saul and his men, who rose up in an hostile manner against him; and as Christ was, when raised from the dead, and exalted at his Father's right hand; and as the saints are in great safety, dwelling on high, where their place of defence is the munition of rocks; and therefore it matters not who rise up against them.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: (ynbgvt) "statue me in loco alto, i.e. tuto", Vatablus; and to the same sense Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis, Gejerus.

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity
(See Gill on Psalms 6:8);

and save me from bloody men ;
such as Saul sent to kill David, as appears from the title of the psalm; and such as were concerned in the death of Christ; and such, are the enemies of God's people, the followers of the man of sin. The heap of words, the various expressions used in a way of petition, in this verse and (Psalms 59:1) , show the distress the psalmist was in, and whom he represents; his importunity, earnestness, and fervency in prayer.

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul
As the men did that watched his house, when Saul sent to kill him; so the Jews sought and lay in wait to take away the life of Christ; and very often was it the case of the Apostle Paul, that he was in danger of his life, through the lying in wait of the Jews; so Satan makes use of cunning devices, stratagems, and wiles, to ruin the souls of God's people, if possible; and false teachers lie in wait to deceive them. The emphasis lies upon the word "soul", which is so precious, and the redemption of which has cost so much, even the blood of Christ;

the mighty are gathered against me ;
or, "dwell by me"; see (Psalms 56:6) ; around his house, the soldiers that Saul sent; and such were the enemies of Christ, (Psalms 69:4) ; the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, men of great authority and influence among the people; the kings of the earth and rulers, Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of the Jews, (Acts 4:26Acts 4:27) ; yea, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and who are also those against whom the saints wrestle, and would be too mighty for them, were it not that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and the holy angels, are on their side;

not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O Lord ;
as the cause of such usage and treatment. David was not without original sin, in which he was conceived and born; nor without inward corruptions, of which he often complained; nor without actual transgressions, and some very gross ones, and which he owned and confessed, and prayed for the pardon of: but in the case of Saul there was no transgression nor iniquity in him, as he declared to him himself, and appeals to God for the truth of it, (1 Samuel 24:11) (Psalms 7:3–5) . One of the words here used signifies "rebellion" ^F13 ; of this he was not guilty; he never entered into any treasonable measures, nor committed any treasonable practices, nor conspired against the life and crown of his sovereign; in this respect he was quite clear and innocent.

Christ, his antitype, was entirely without sin, without original or actual transgression; he had no sin in his nature, nor committed any in his life; he had none inherent in him, only the sins of his people imputed to him; and therefore the usage he met with from men was very cruel and unjust. And as for the saints, though they are not free from sin, original and actual, yet in the case for which they suffer reproach, and are persecuted by men, they are not criminal; they have done nothing to deserve such usage; they do not suffer as evildoers, but as Christians, (1 Peter 4:15 1 Peter 4:16) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F13: (yevp) "rebellionem meam", Gejerus, Michaelis.

They run and prepare themselves without [my] fault
Or, "without sin [in me]"; or "without punishment [in them]"; so the same word is rendered, (1 Samuel 28:10) . "They run", in an hostile manner, "against me", as the Syriac version adds; or like dogs up and down, about the city, to find him and kill him; see (Psalms 59:7Psalms 59:14) . Or this may denote their readiness and swiftness to shed blood, (Proverbs 1:16) ; "and prepare themselves" with weapon, with instruments of death, as the men did that were sent to kill him; and as the band of men that came with Judas to take Christ prepared themselves with swords and staves. The Targum is, ``they order or ordain war;'' which they prosecuted without any occasion of it from him, and with impunity in them.

Wherefore it follows, awake to help me ;
or "to meet me" ^F14 ; see (Genesis 46:29) (Exodus 4:14Exodus 4:27) ; with succour and supplies, and to deliver out of the hands of enemies. The Lord, though he neither slumbers nor sleeps, yet seems to be asleep when he does not arise to help his people, but suffers the enemy to prevail; and when he seems to take no notice of their case, but hides his eyes, and shuts them as a man asleep. Hence the following petition,

and behold ;
the distress the psalmist was in, and the wickedness and malice of his enemies against him.

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (ytarql) "in occursum meum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis.

You therefore, O Lord God of hosts
Of the armies in heaven, the angels, and of all the inhabitants of the earth; who are all under him, and at his dispose, and can do among them and with them whatsoever he pleases;

the God of Israel ;
of the people of Israel, literally understood; and mystically of all the elect of God, Jews and Gentiles. The former epithet is expressive of his power, this of his grace and goodness in a covenant way; and both encouraged the psalmist to address him on the following account:

awake to visit all the Heathen :
either the wicked Israelites that rose up against David, and sought to take away his life, who behaved like Heathens towards him, and were accounted as such by him; and the petition is, that God would arise and punish them, everyone of them, according to their deserts: or else the Gentiles, properly so called, whom he desires the Lord would visit, either in a way of grace, by sending the Gospel to them, and taking out of them a people for his name, as he did, (Acts 15:14) ; foreseeing, by a spirit of prophecy, that the Jews would be rejected for their ill usage of the Messiah; (See Gill on Psalms 59:1), title: or in a way of punishment for their idolatry and impiety; and particularly the antichristian states and powers, called the Heathen, and Gentiles, and nations of the earth, (Psalms 10:16) (Revelation 11:2Revelation 11:18) ; may be here meant; whom God will visit for their idolatry, blasphemy, and bloodshed;

be not merciful to any wicked transgressors ;
that are perfidiously and abominably wicked, as Judas Iscariot, the Romish antichrist. The Targum renders it, "princes of a lie"; that speak lies in hypocrisy, and are given up to believe a lie, as the followers of antichrist. God is merciful to wicked men and to transgressors, but not to wicked transgressors; apostates may be meant, such as deal perfidiously and treacherously, as the word ^F15 used signifies; who sin wilfully and knowingly, after they have received the knowledge of the truth; sin against light and evidence, and obstinately and wickedly persist therein: who sin the sin against the Holy Ghost, the sin unto death, which is not to be prayed for, (1 John 4:16) ; or otherwise this may seem to be contrary to the command and example of Christ, (Matthew 5:44) (Luke 23:34) .

Selah; on this word, (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

FOOTNOTES:

• F15: (ydgb) "perfide agentibus", Junius & Tremellius.