Psalm 31:9-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 31:9-18

In the Ps. 31:1-8 David had appealed to God's righteousness, and pleaded his relation to him and dependence on him; here he appeals to his mercy, and pleads the greatness of his own misery, which made his case the proper object of that mercy. Observe, I. The complaint he makes of his trouble and distress (Ps. 31:9): ?Have mercy upon me, O Lord! for I am in trouble, and need thy mercy.? The remembrance he makes of his condition is not much unlike some even of Job's complaints. 1. His troubles... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:9

Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble ,.... A sudden change of case and frame this! and so it is with the people of God; as soon as, out of one trouble, they are in another; these are what are appointed for them, and lie in their pathway to heaven, and are necessary; and under them it is quite right to betake themselves to the Lord, who is a merciful God; and it is best to cast themselves upon his mercy, having no merit of their own to plead with him; and they may freely tell him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:10

For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing ,.... Which shows the continuance of his troubles, and that his whole life had been, as it were, an uninterrupted series of sorrows; my strength faileth because of mine iniquity ; this opens the source and spring of all his grief and trouble; his sin, and the sin of his nature, in which he was conceived and born; indwelling sin, which remained and worked in him; and it may be also the sin of unbelief, which beset him, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:11

I was a reproach among all mine enemies ,.... This is a common case of the people of God; and though it may be the least of their afflictions, yet it is not grateful to the flesh; and it is as it is made: under divine supports saints rejoice, and take pleasure in reproaches, that they are counted worthy to bear them, and esteem them as great riches; at other times they seize and feed upon their spirits, and are ready to break their hearts; but especially among my neighbours; who knew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:12

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind ,.... Either by his friends, being out of sight, out of mind; as even the nearest relations and acquaintance are, in process of time, when dead, Ecclesiastes 9:5 ; or by the Lord; which shows the weakness of his faith, the uncomfortable frame he was in, through darkness and desertion; see Psalm 88:5 ; I am like a broken vessel ; or a "perishing vessel" F3 ככלי אבד "sicut vas periens", Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus. ; or "a vessel of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:13

For I have heard the slander of many ,.... Both enemies and neighbours; fear was on every side ; his enemies were a "Magormissabib" to him, Jeremiah 20:3 ; encompassed him around, so that he was in fear from every quarter; while they took counsel together against me ; how to apprehend him, and what to do with him; they devised to take away my life ; nothing short of that would satisfy; but life is in the hand of God; men may devise, but God disappoints, and his counsel... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 31:9

Mine eye is consumed - He now returns, and speaks of his present situation. Grief had brought many tears from his eyes, many agonies into his soul, and many distressful feelings into his whole frame. My soul and my belly - The belly is often taken for the whole body. But the term belly or bowels, in such as case as this, may be the most proper; for in distress and misery, the bowels being the most tender part, and in fact the very seat of compassion, they are often most affected. In... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 31:10

My life is spent with grief - My life is a life of suffering and distress, and by grief my days are shortened. Grief disturbs the functions of life, prevents the due concoction of food, injures the digestive organs, destroys appetite, impairs the nervous system, relaxes the muscles, induces morbid action in the animal economy, and hastens death. These effects are well expressed in the verse itself. My years with sighing - אנחה anachah . This is a mere natural expression of grief; the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 31:11

I was a reproach - When proscribed at the court of Saul, my enemies triumphed, and loaded me with execrations; my neighbors considered me as a dangerous man, now deservedlJr driven from society; my acquaintance, who knew me best, were afraid to hold any communication with me; and they who saw me in my exile avoided me as if affected with a contagious disorder, read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 31:12

I am forgotten as a dead man - I am considered as a person adjudged to death. I am like a broken vessel-like a thing totally useless. read more

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