Psalm 35:11-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 35:11-16

Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them?perjury and ingratitude. I. Perjury, Ps. 35:11. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did it with the formalities of a legal prosecution, produced witnesses who swore some treasonable words or overt acts against him, and he being not present to clear himself (or, if he was, it was all the same), Saul adjudged him a traitor. This... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:11

False witnesses did rise up ,.... Against David, saying he sought the hurt of Saul, 1 Samuel 24:9 , as did against David's antitype, the Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 26:59 ; and against his apostles, Acts 24:5 ; and very frequently do they rise up and bear false witness against his people, which is a very heinous crime; they laid to my charge things that I knew not : such as David was not conscious of, never thought of doing, much less attempted to do; as the taking away of Saul's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:12

They rewarded me evil for good ,.... For the good David did in killing Goliath, and slaying his ten thousands of the Philistines, and thereby saving his king and country, Saul and his courtiers envied him, and sought to slay him: so our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the good he did to the Jews, by healing their bodies of diseases, and preaching the Gospel to them for the benefit of their souls, was rewarded with reproaches and persecutions, and at last with the shameful death of the cross; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:13

But as for me, when they were sick ,.... Or under any disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted by them; my clothing was sackcloth ; that is, he was grieved, and mourned for them, it being usual to put on sackcloth in time of mourning; see Genesis 37:34 ; I humbled my soul with fasting ; on the account of them, giving up himself to prayer for them, as follows: and my prayer... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:14

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother ,.... Meaning either Saul or Doeg the Edomite, or some such evil man; somewhat like this he says of Ahithophel, Psalm 41:9 ; and Arama thinks he is meant here; as Christ of Judas, whom he called friend, when he came to betray him; and who not only ate with him at table of his bread, but was steward of his family, and carried the bag, Matthew 26:50 ; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother ; or as a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:15

But in mine adversity they rejoiced ,.... Or "at my halting" F21 בצלעי "in claudicatione mea", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. , either by means of falling into sin; good men are subject to slips and falls, and that to the dislocating or breaking of their bones, which cause them to go halting all their days; wicked men watch for their halting, as Jeremiah's familiars did for his, Jeremiah 20:10 ; and rejoice at it; see Psalm 38:16 ; or by falling... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 35:16

With hypocritical mockers in feasts ,.... That is, the abjects gathered, themselves together with such; these may design Saul's courtiers, his parasites and flatterers, and who were hypocrites in religion also, and made it their business at Saul's table, and in their banquetings and revellings, to mock at David; and who were "hypocritical mockers of" or "for a piece of bread" F25 לעגי מעוג "subsannatoribus subcineritii panis", Vatablus; "subsanmantes propter placentam", Piscator;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:11

False witnesses did rise up - There is no doubt that several of this kind were found to depose against the life of David; and we know that the wicked Jews employed such against the life of Christ. See Matthew 26:59 , Matthew 26:60 . They laid to my charge things that I knew not - They produced the most unfounded charges; things of which I had never before heard. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:12

To the spoiling of my soul - To destroy my life; so נפש nephesh should be translated in a multitude of places, where our translators have used the word soul. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 35:13

When they were sick - This might refer to the case of Absalom, who was much beloved of his father, and for whose life and prosperity he no doubt often prayed, wept, and fasted. My prayer returned into mine own bosom - Though from the wayward and profligate life they led, they did not profit by my prayers, yet God did not permit me to pray in vain. They were like alms given to the miserable for God's sake, who takes care to return to the merciful man tenfold into his bosom. The bosom is... read more

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