psalm-120:1-4-nasb

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:2

Verse 2 2.O Jehovah! deliver my soul from the lip of falsehood. David now points out the kind of his affliction, declaring that he was loaded with false accusations. In charging his enemies with lying and falsehood, he asserts his own innocence of the crimes which they slanderously imputed to him. His complaint therefore amounts to this, that as he was conscious of having committed no fault, he was assaulted by the wicked contrary to all law, human and divine, and that they brought him into... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:3

Verse 3 3.What shall the tongue of deceit give thee? (50) The Prophet aggravates the malice of his enemies by asserting that they were so wickedly inclined as to be driven to evil speaking when they saw no prospect of deriving any advantage from such a course of conduct. He however seems to express more than this, — he seems farther to intimate, that after they have poured forth all the venom of their calumnies, their attempts will nevertheless be vain and ineffectual. As God is the maintainer... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:4

Verse 4 4.The arrows of a strong man sharpened, with coals of juniper. Here the Psalmist amplifies in another way the malice of such as distress the simple and innocent by their calumnies, affirming that they throw out their injurious reports just like a man who should draw an arrow, and with it pierce through the body of his neighbor; and that their calumnies were like coals of juniper, (52) which penetrate more effectually, and burn more intensely the substances with which they come in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1

In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me . The particular "distress' intended can only be conjectured. Some suppose it to be the Captivity itself, others the opposition offered by the Samaritans, Ammonites, and others to the rebuilding of the temple ( Ezra 4:1-24 ; Ezra 5:1-17 .) and restoration of the wails of Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 2:19 , Nehemiah 2:20 ; Nehemiah 4:1-23 ; Nehemiah 6:2-14 ). But these guesses are scarcely of much value. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1

A dark fact explained and illuminated. The dark fact is human distress; the explanation is the prayer it leads to; the illumination, the answer it brings. We have here— I. A TOO RARE PERSONAGE . " In my distress, I ," etc. It is by no means every one who does this. 1. Some blaspheme— curse God in their hearts. 2. Others east off all faith— say, "There is no God." Many have done this. 3. Others harden their hearts , as Pharaoh did. 4. Others plunge... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-2

The misery made by the untruthful. This is the first of fifteen psalms that are called "Songs of Degrees;" Revised Version, " Songs of Ascent;" literally, "Songs of Going up." The association of them with the journeying of country pilgrims to the feasts at Jerusalem is somewhat fanciful. These psalms are naturally explained as "Songs of Heart-uplifting." The key-note of them all is looking up out of some present distress, and seeking the help of God. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

Of the title itself different explanations are given. Some regard the degrees ( ma ' aloth ) as "steps," and accept a rabbinical explanation, that the psalms were written for chanting upon fifteen steps, which led from the Court of the Women in the temple to the Court of the Men. But there is no sufficient evidence of the existence of these steps. Others, translating ma ' aloth by "ascents," suggest that they are psalms composed for the Jews to chant on their ascent from Babylon to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

The perversion of power, etc. This psalm, though "a difference of opinion exists respecting the interpretation of almost every verse and word of it ," may suggest valuable thoughts upon— I. THE PERVERSION OF POWER . It speaks of "lying lips," a "deceitful tongue," and of the "false tongue" ( Psalms 120:2 , Psalms 120:3 ). We may say that sin is perversion; it is the misdirection and abuse of our various faculties and organs; turning to a bad account all our... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

In Mesech and Kedar. This psalm is a piteous declaration of the unhappy lot of him who is surrounded by the false, the treacherous, and the cruel. They of Mesech—the Moschi of Herodotus (see Exposition)—dwelt where now the horribly bloodthirsty Kurds have their habitation, who of late years have horrified all Christendom by their barbarous atrocities inflicted on the Christian Armenians. Amid men of such sort the psalmist is complaining that he has to dwell ( Psalms 120:5 ). It is a tale... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:2

Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips . Such as Sanballat's (— Nehemiah 6:6-8 ). And from a deceitful tongue ; literally, a tongue that is fraud—a mere variant of the expression in the preceding clause. read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 120:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-2

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 120:2

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