Psalm 39:12 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 39:7-13

The psalmist, having meditated on the shortness and uncertainty of life, and the vanity and vexation of spirit that attend all the comforts of life, here, in these verses, turns his eyes and heart heaven-ward. When there is no solid satisfaction to be had in the creature it is to be found in God, and in communion with him; and to him we should be driven by our disappointments in the world. David here expresses, I. His dependence on God, Ps. 39:7. Seeing all is vanity, and man himself is so, 1.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer, O Lord ,.... Which was, that he would remove the affliction from him that lay so hard and heavy upon him; and give ear unto my cry ; which shows the distress he was in, and the vehemency with which he put up his petition to the Lord; hold not thy peace at my tears ; which were shed in great plenty, through the violence of the affliction, and in his fervent prayers to God; see Hebrews 5:7 ; for I am a stranger with thee ; not to God, to Christ, to the Spirit,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer - Therefore, O Lord, show that mercy upon me which I so much need, and without which I must perish everlastingly. I am a stranger with thee - I have not made this earth my home; I have not trusted in any arm but thine. Though I have sinned, I have never denied thee, and never cast thy words behind my back. I knew that here I had no continuing city. Like my fathers, I looked for a city that has permanent foundations, in a better state of being. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 39:12

Verse 12 12Hear my prayer, O Jehovah! David gradually increases his vehemence in prayer. He speaks first of prayer; in the second place, of crying; and in the third place, of tears This gradation is not a mere figure of rhetoric, which serves only to adorn the style, or to express the same thing in different language. This shows that David bewailed his condition sincerely, and from the bottom of his heart; and in this he has given us, by his own example, a rule for prayer. When he calls himself... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The title assigns the psalm to David, and represents him as having committed the composition for musical arrangement to the precentor, or choir-master, of the time, who is then named as Jeduthun, one of the chief musicians in David's service ( 1 Chronicles 16:41 , 1 Chronicles 16:42 ; 1 Chronicles 25:3-6 ). There is no reason to dispute this attribution. The poetic beauty of the composition is great, and the circumstances are such as suit David's early life. The pause-sign,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

Unburdening the heart to God in a time of sore affliction, when nothing can be said to man. Jeduthun, whose name stands at the head of Psalms 39:1-13 , Psalms 62:1-12 , and Psalms 77:1-20 , was one of a musical family entrusted with the conduct of the musical service in the time of David. The psalms having his name at the head were probably intended to be sung by his choir. £ It would thus seem that in the Hebrew service of sacred song the prayers and plaints of the individual... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

Lessons from a funeral. It is toll of Archbishop Leighton that a friend once met him by the way, and said, "You have been to hear a sermon?" His answer was, "I met a sermon—a sermon de facto , for I met a corpse, and rightly and profitably are the funeral rites performed, when the living lay it to heart." This psalm, so often read at deaths and funerals, suggests some precious lessons for such solemn occasions. 1 . A funeral is a time for silence. There is much to think of and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The afflicted man. The old question of the retributive justice of God lies at the bottom of this psalm. Why should the righteous be afflicted and the wicked prosper, since the sins of the latter are greater and more numerous than those of the former? But he has determined that he will not discuss his difficulties before the wicked, lest he should seem to complain of the Divine ways. But when he can no longer restrain speech, this is what he says, in which we have two main divisions of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears . Tears appeal to the Divine pity in an especial way. "Weep not!" said our Lord to the widow woman at Nain; and to Mary Magdalene, "Why weepest thou?" He himself offered up his supplications with strong crying and tears" ( Hebrews 5:7 ); and so his faithful servants ( Job 16:20 : Psalms 6:6 ; Psalms 42:3 ; Psalms 56:8 ; Isaiah 16:9 ; Isaiah 38:3 ; Jeremiah 15:17 ; Lamentations 2:11 ; Luke 7:38... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry - That is, in view of my affliction and my sins; in view, also, of the perplexing questions which have agitated my bosom; the troublous thoughts which passed through my soul, which I did not dare to express before man Psalms 39:1-2, but which I have now expressed before thee.Hold not thy peace - Be not silent. Do not refuse to answer me; to speak peace to me.At my tears - Or rather, at my weeping; as if God heard the voice of his weeping.... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 39:7-13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 39:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 39:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 39:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 39:12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 39:12

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