Psalm 35

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:11

Verse 11 11.Violent witnesses (709) rise up. The Hebrew is, they shall rise up; but in using the future tense, the Psalmist intimates that he is speaking of what he had suffered for a long time. And he complains that he was so oppressed with calumny that he had no opportunity of defending himself; than which nothing more grievous and painful can ever happen to those of an ingenuous mind, and who are conscious of no blame. Besides, he not only says that he had been falsely accused, but he also... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:12

Verse 12 12.They render me evil for good. David again shows that the malice of his enemies was of a very aggravated character, because they not only oppressed him wrongfully, seeing he was innocent, and had given them no occasion of offense, but also because even those who had received much enjoyment and many favors from him, recompensed him in a very strange and ungrateful manner. Such disgraceful conduct wounds the feelings of good men very severely, and seems quite intolerable. But it is an... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:15

Verse 15 15.But they rejoiced at my halting. I see no reason why interpreters should trouble themselves as they do about the word halting. Some conjecture that David had his leg put out of joint, and others suppose that he halted from some disease. But when we consider carefully the whole passage, nothing is more evident than that he refers by this expression to the calamities which befell him; as if he had said, As soon as they saw me begin to stagger and ready to fall, they did as it were... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:16

Verse 16 16.Among perfidious jesters. Others translate it, With hypocrites, but in my opinion David simply relates the combination of his enemies. And the meaning of the expression is to this effect, That among men of a crafty disposition, who had been addicted to deceit, and were consequently lost to all sense of shame, the only and the constant subject of their deliberations was, how they might destroy this afflicted man. David again reverts to the leaders of the people, and to those in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:17

Verse 17 17.O Lord! how long wilt thou look on? The meaning of the word which I have translated how long, is ambiguous in the Hebrew. In Latin it signifies, How long wilt thou see it, and suffer it without uttering a word? But the other interpretation is equally appropriate, namely, After having seemed to take no notice of the matter for a long time, when wilt thou at length begin to see it? The meaning, however, is substantially the same, for David complains of God’s long forbearance,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:18

Verse 18 18.I will magnify thee in the great congregation. In this verse David again engages to give thanks to God for all his goodness, since the faithful can render him no other recompense than the sacrifice of praise, as we shall see in Psalms 116:17. Thus even whilst he was surrounded by the impetuous billows of fear and danger, he sets himself to the exercise of giving thanks, as if he had already obtained his desire; and by this he intended to encourage and confirm himself in the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:19

Verse 19 19.Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me. Because David’s enemies already exulted in the hope of seeing his overthrow and destruction, he prays that God would not suffer them to realize a desire so wicked. In order to render God favorable to his cause, he again protests that they hated him without any fault or occasion on his part, and that it was their own malice which urged them to such cruelty against him; for in order to secure the help of God, it is necessary... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:20

Verse 20 In the following verse, that he may cherish still greater confidence in God, David again declares, that he has to do with enemies of an irreconcilable character, and who are fully bent upon cruelty. Of this we ought to be firmly persuaded, that the more grievously we are oppressed, so much the more certainly ought we to expect deliverance. He therefore says, that they speak of nothing but of tumults and slaughter. The meaning of the latter clause is somewhat obscure, arising from the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:22

Verse 22 22.O Jehovah! thou hast also seen it. There is in these words an implied contrast between the view which God is here represented as taking, and the sight at which, as we are told in the preceding verse, the ungodly rejoiced. The import of David’s language is, You have rejoiced exceedingly at the sight of my miseries; but God also sees and takes notice of the cruelty and malice of those who feel a pleasure and gratification in seeing others afflicted and in trouble. David, however, in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:24

Verse 24 24.Judege me, O Jehovah my God! David here confirms the prayer of the preceding verse that God would be his defender, and would maintain his righteous cause. Having been for a time subjected to suffering as one who had been forsaken and forgotten, he sets before himself the righteousness of God, which forbids that he should altogether abandon the upright and the just. It is, therefore, not simply a prayer, but a solemn appeal to God, that as he is righteous, he would manifest his... read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:11

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:15

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:17

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:18

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:19

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:20

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:22

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:24

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands