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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:12

Thy vows are upon me - I have promised in the most solemn manner to be thy servant; to give my whole life to thee; and to offer for my preservation sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Reader, what hast thou vowed to God? To renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful desires of the flesh; to keep God's holy word and commandment, and to walk before him all the days of thy life. These things hast thou vowed; and these vows are upon... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:13

Thou hast delivered my soul from death - My life from the grave, and my soul from endless perdition. My feet from falling - Thou hast preserved me from taking any false way, and keepest me steady in my godly course; and so supportest me that I may continue to walk before thee in the light of the living, ever avoiding that which is evil, and moving towards that which is good; letting my light shine before men, that they may see my good works, and glorify my Father which is in heaven. To... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:8

Verse 8 8.Thou hast taken account of my wanderings The words run in the form of an abrupt prayer. Having begun by requesting God to consider his tears, suddenly, as if he had obtained what he asked, he declares that they were written in God’s book. It is possible, indeed, to understand the interrogation as a prayer; but he would seem rather to insinuate by this form of expression, that he stood in no need of multiplying words, and that God had already anticipated his desire. It is necessary,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:9

Verse 9 9.When I cry, then shall mine enemies turn back. Here he boasts of victory with even more confidence than formerly, specifying, as it were, the very moment of time when his enemies were to be turned back. He had no sensible evidence of their approaching destruction but from the firm reliance which he exercised upon the promise, he was able to anticipate the coming period, and resolved to wait for it with patience. Though God might make no haste to interpose, and might not scatter his... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:10

Verse 10 10In God will I praise his word In the original the pronoun is not expressed, but we are left to infer, from the parallel verse which went before, that it is understood. The repetition adds an emphasis to the sentiment, intimating, that though God delayed the sensible manifestation of his favor, and might seem to deal hardly in abandoning him to the word — giving him nothing more, he was resolved to glory in it with undiminished confidence. When in a spirit such as this we honor the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:12

Verse 12 12.Thy vows are upon me, O God! I hinted, from the outset, that it is probable this psalm was written by David after he had escaped the dangers which he describes; and this may account for the thanksgiving here appended to it. At the same time, we have evidence that he was ever ready to engage in this exercise even when presently suffering under his afflictions. He declares that the vows of God were upon him; by which he means, that he was bound to pay them, as, among the Romans, a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:13

Verse 13 13.For thou hast delivered my soul from death This confirms the truth of the remark which I have already made, that he considered his life as received from the hands of God, his destruction having been inevitable but for the miraculous preservation which he had experienced. To remove all doubt upon that subject, he speaks of having been preserved, not simply from the treachery, the malice, or the violence of his enemies, but from death itself. And the other form of expression which he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 56:1-13

The present psalm has a very complex heading, or "title." First, it is addressed, like most of the other psalms of this book, "to the chief musician," or "precentor." Then it is said to be "On the silent dove of far off regions." Thirdly, it is called "Michtam of David," which some explain as "a golden psalm composed by David." And fourthly, the occasion of its composition is declared to have been "the seizure of David by the Philistines in Gath." David's authorship may readily be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 56:1-13

Fear and deliverance. Taking this psalm as David's, we may use it to illustrate two great truths. I. " THE FEAR OF MAN BRINGETH A SNARE ." ( Proverbs 29:25 .) The best of men are but men at the best. David was a man of splendid courage and generosity; but there were times when he grievously erred ( 1 Samuel 21:10-15 ). It was said by Dr. Arnold, "The fear of God makes no man do anything mean or dishonourable, but the fear of man does lead to all sorts of weakness and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 56:1-13

The struggle and victory of faith. The contents of this psalm may be summed up as the struggle and the victory of faith. I. THE STRUGGLE OF FAITH . He is in great fear and danger on account of the plots and wickedness of his enemies. They fight against him with the most dangerous weapons they can command. He does not seek to defend himself with counter plots such as they employed. What are his weapons? The one mighty weapon of trust in God. 1 . In the merciful... read more

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