Psalm 56:7-9 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 56:1-7

David, in this psalm, by his faith throws himself into the hands of God, even when he had by his fear and folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul, forgetting the quarrel they had with him for killing Goliath; but they soon put him in mid of it, 1 Sam. 21:10, 11. Upon that occasion he changed his behaviour, but with so little ruffle to his temper that then he penned both this psalm and Ps. 34:1-22. This is... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 56:8-13

Several things David here comforts himself with in the day of his distress and fear. I. That God took particular notice of all his grievances and all his griefs, Ps. 56:8. 1. Of all the inconveniences of his state: Thou tellest my wanderings, my flittings, so the old translation. David was now but a young (under thirty) and yet he had had many removes, from his father's house to the court, thence to the camp, and now driven out to sojourn where he could find a place, but not allowed to rest... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:7

Shall they escape by iniquity ?.... Shall such iniquity as this, or persons guilty of it, go unpunished, or escape righteous judgment, and the vengeance of God? No; and much less shall they escape by means of their iniquity; by their wicked subtlety, or by any evil arts and methods made use of, by making a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell; or escape because of their iniquity; or be delivered because of the abominations done by them, as they flatter themselves, Jeremiah 7:10 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:8

Thou tellest my wanderings ,.... Not his sins; though these are aberrations or wanderings from the ways of God's commandments; yet these are not told by the Lord: he takes no account of them; the number of them is not kept by him; they are blotted out, cast behind his back, and into the depths of the sea; though sometimes his people think they are told and numbered by him, Job 14:16 ; but David's moves and flights from place to place are meant, through Saul's pursuit of him, as a partridge... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:9

When I cry unto thee ,.... In prayer; then shall mine enemies turn back ; great is the strength of prayer; the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much against their enemies: when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed: the cases of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, prove it; this David was assured of, and knew it to be true by experience, his prayer being often the prayer of faith in this respect; this I know: for God is for me ; he knew that when he prayed his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:7

Shall they escape by iniquity? - Shall such conduct go unpunished? Shall their address, their dexterity in working iniquity, be the means of their escape? No. "In anger, O God, wilt thou cast down the people." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:8

Thou tellest my wanderings - Thou seest how often I am obliged to shift the place of my retreat. I am hunted every where; but thou numberest all my hiding-places, and seest how often I am in danger of losing my life. Put thou my tears into thy bottle - Here is an allusion to a very ancient custom, which we know long obtained among the Greeks and Romans, of putting the tears which were shed for the death of any person into small phials, called lacrymatories or urns lacrymales and offering... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:9

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back - As soon as they know that I call upon thee, then, knowing that thou wilt hear and save, my enemies will immediately take flight. The cry of faith and prayer to God is more dreadful to our spiritual foes than the war-whoop of the Indian is to his surprised brother savages. This I know - I have often had experience of the Divine interposition; and I know it will be so now, for God is with me. He who has God With him need not fear... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:7

Verse 7 7.After their mischief they think to escape. The beginning of this verse is read by some interrogatively, Shall they escape in their iniquity? (333) But there is no necessity for having recourse to this distant meaning. It is much better to understand the words in the sense which they naturally suggest when first read, That the wicked think to escape in their iniquity, but that God will cast them down. He alludes to the fact that the ungodly, when allowed to proceed without interruption... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:8

Verse 8 8.Thou hast taken account of my wanderings The words run in the form of an abrupt prayer. Having begun by requesting God to consider his tears, suddenly, as if he had obtained what he asked, he declares that they were written in God’s book. It is possible, indeed, to understand the interrogation as a prayer; but he would seem rather to insinuate by this form of expression, that he stood in no need of multiplying words, and that God had already anticipated his desire. It is necessary,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 56:1-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 56:8-13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 56:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 56:8

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