To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam
of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
This psalm was penned by David, when he fled from Saul in the cave; 1 Sam. 24; and contains, (1.) David's earnest betaking of himself to God upon whom all his dependence, was fixed, towards whom all his desires were bent, and from whom only he expected relief for mercy amidst his great troubles, ver. 1-2. (2.) His complaints of the cruelty, malice, and calumnious deceit of his inveterate enemies, ver. 3-4, 6. (3.) His believing triumph in God; in which he prepares himself for praising God, excites himself to it, delights himself in it, and furnisheth himself with matter for it, ver. 7-10. (4.) Conscious of his own inability to praise God enough, he leaves it on God, to exalt and glorify himself, ver. 5-11.
While I sing, let me cry aloud for mercy; let me lay my spiritual and temporal adversities before the Lord; and let me triumph in the God of my salvation; and employ him to glorify his name in all the earth.
1 Be merciful to me, O God;
thy mercy unto me
Do thou extend; because my soul
doth put her trust in thee:
Yea, in the shadow of thy wings
my refuge I will place,
Until these sad calamities
do wholly overpass.
2 My cry I will cause to ascend
unto the Lord most high;
To God, who doth all things for me
perform most perfectly.
3 From heav'n he shall send down, and me
from his reproach defend
That would devour me: God his truth
and mercy forth shall send.
4 My soul among fierce lions is,
I firebrands live among,
Men's sons, whose teeth are spears and darts,
a sharp sword is their tongue.
5 Be thou exalted very high
above the heav'ns, O God;
Let thou thy glory be advanc'd
o'er all the earth abroad.
6 My soul's bow'd down; for they a net
have laid, my steps to snare:
Into the pit which they have digg'd
for me, they fallen are.
7 My heart is fix'd, my heart is fix'd,
O God; I'll sing and praise.
8 My glory wake; wake psalt'ry, harp;
myself I'll early raise.
9 I'll praise thee 'mong the people, Lord;
'mong nations sing will I:
10 For great to heav'n thy mercy is,
thy truth is to the sky.
11 O Lord, exalted be thy name
above the heav'ns to stand:
Do thou thy glory far advance
above both sea and land.
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