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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 55:1-8

In these verses we have, I. David praying. Prayer is a salve for every sore and a relief to the spirit under every burden: Give ear to my prayer, O God! Ps. 55:1, 2. He does not set down the petitions he offered up to God in his distress, but begs that God would hear the prayers which, at every period, his heart lifted up to God, and grant an answer of peace to them: Attend to me, hear me. Saul would not hear his petitions; his other enemies regarded not his pleas; but, ?Lord, be thou pleased... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 55:9-15

David here complains of his enemies, whose wicked plots had brought him, though not to his faith's end, yet to his wits? end, and prays against them by the spirit of prophecy. Observe here, I. The character he gives of the enemies he feared. They were of the worst sort of men, and his description of them agrees very well with Absalom and his accomplices. 1. He complains of the city of Jerusalem, which strangely fell in with Absalom and fell off from David, so that he had none there but how own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:4

My heart is sore pained within me ,.... At the civil war in his kingdom; at the battle likely to ensue between his forces and Absalom's, and at the issue of it; see Jeremiah 4:19 ; this was true of Christ in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, and he was in pain, as a woman in travail, as the word F17 תכסני "operuit me", Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; "operit", Cocceius; "obtegit", Junius & Tremellius; "obtexit", Piscator; so Ainsworth. here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me ,.... Fear and dread of mind, and trembling of body; and horror hath overwhelmed me ; or "covered me"; he was in the utmost consternation and surprise at what he apprehended would be the issue of things; so Christ in the garden is said to be "sore amazed", Mark 14:33 ; all which terror, fearfulness, trembling, and horror, arose from a sense of sin imputed to him, even of all the sins of his people, the faith of which must be nauseous to him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:6

And I said, oh that I had wings like a dove ,.... The psalmist pitches upon this creature, partly to suggest that his enemies pursuing him were like the ravenous hawk, and he like the harmless, innocent, and trembling dove; and partly because of its swiftness in flying. Aben Ezra thinks the dove is mentioned, because it is sociable with men, and who send letters by them for quick dispatch, of which instances may be given F18 Vid. Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 9. c. 2. . This wish is expressed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:7

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness ,.... So David did when he fled from Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:23 ; so gracious souls desire to be; not in the wilderness of the people; but to be solitary as in a wilderness, clear of the company of wicked men, as Jeremiah wished for, Jeremiah 9:2 ; and that they might be more at leisure for and given up unto spiritual devotion, and be secure from their enemies: and as this may be applied to Christ, it shows the wickedness,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:8

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Of an army of rebellious subjects, bearing down all before them, and threatening with utter ruin and destruction; so a powerful army of enemies invading a country is signified by a storm and tempest, Isaiah 28:2 ; and may be expressive of the storm and tempest of divine wrath and vengeance the sensible sinner hastens his escape from by fleeing to Christ; and of the blowing and furious winds of persecution, which the church,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:9

Destroy, O Lord ,.... Or "swallow up" F19 בלע "degluti", Montanus, Tigurine version; "absorbe", Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. , as Pharaoh and his host were swallowed up in the Red sea; or as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were swallowed up in the earth; so all the enemies of Christ and his church will be destroyed; and death, the last of them, will be swallowed up in victory, Isaiah 25:8 . The Targum interprets it, "destroy", or "scatter their counsel": but this seems to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:10

Day and night they go about it, upon the walls thereof ,.... That is, "violence" and "strife" go about the walls of it continually; men of violence and contention are the only watchmen of it: a city must be sadly guarded that has no better watch than this; mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it ; it was full of wickedness within and without; the city, as Aben Ezra observes, was like a circle; violence and strife were as a line round about it, and mischief and sorrow the centre... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:11

Wickedness is in the midst thereof ,.... All manner of wickedness; abominable wickedness; wickedness as arrived to its highest pitch, and as having filled up its measure; see Ezekiel 9:4 ; deceit and guile depart not from her streets ; where truth was fallen, and equity could not enter, Isaiah 59:14 ; for these are contrary the one to the other, and are incompatible; where the one prevails, the other must give way. This whole account shows the aboundings of sin in Jerusalem at this... read more

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