Day 105; Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

On the Psalms and Commentary, Gill did not go into commentary on the individual Psalms, he just had a kind of declaration at the front of his collection. So, on days when we only read a selection of Psalms, I will just reprint that commentary. The actual Psalms, like all the readings, can be found on our Facebook page.

The title of this book may be rendered “the Book of Praises”, or “Hymns”; the psalm which our Lord sung at the passover is called an “hymn”, Mt 26:30; and the one hundred forty fifth Psalm is entitled \^hlht\^, “an Hymn of David”; and the psalms in general are called “hymns” by Philo the Jew {a}, and songs and hymns by Josephus {b}; and to these several names of this book the apostle manifestly refers in Eph 5:19 Col 3:16. The Jews divided the writings of the Old Testament into three parts: the first division is the Law, or five books of Moses; the second is the Prophets, former and latter; and the third, the “Hagiographa”, or holy writings; to which division Christ has a regard in Lu 24:44; and because the book of Psalms stand first in the last division, the whole goes by its name. This book by the Apostle Peter is entitled as here, Ac 1:20; the title in the Syriac version is,

“the Book of the Psalms of David, King and Prophet,”

with which agrees the Arabic version. As to the divine authority of it, that it was written by inspiration of God, we have not only the testimony of David, who says, “the Spirit of God spake by me”, 2Sa 23:2; but the testimonies of Christ and his apostles, \Mt 22:43 Ac 1:16 4:24,25\; and, as Aben Ezra {c} observes the whole of it was spoken \^vdwqh xwrb\^, “by the Holy Ghost”. Concerning the penman or amanuensis, employed by the Spirit of God in writing it, there are different opinions. The Jews make mention of ten, which are differently reckoned by them. According to Jarchi {d}, they were Adam, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Asaph, and the three sons of Korah. According to Kimchi {e}, they were Adam, the first, Melchizedek, Abraham, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, Moses, and the three sons of Korah; Asir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. Some ascribe all the Psalms to David {f}, and think that those which are said to be a psalm of Asaph, or of Heman should be rendered “a psalm to Asaph”, &c. and only signify that they were psalms delivered to them, to be sung in a public manner. But the truest opinion seems to be, that the greater part of them were written by David, and for the most part those that have no title; and the rest by those whose names they bear. Some were written at and after the Babylonish captivity, as Ps 126:1-6 and Ps 137:1-9. The manner or form in which they were written was metre {g}, though some deny it that the Jews had metre: as appears by the different accentuation of them from other writings, and from their being sung vocally and on musical instruments. Josephus {h}, the Jewish historian, says, that

“David being free from war, and enjoying a profound peace, composed songs and hymns to God, of various metre; some trimeter, and some pentameter;”

that is, some of three feet, and others of five feet: for the Psalms of David are thought to be of the “lyric” kind; and Gomarus, in his Lyra, has given many instances out of them, which are of the “iambic”, “trochaic” kind though the Jews for many years have lost the knowledge of the sacred poetry. R. Benjamin {i} indeed says, that in his time there were at Bagdad R. Eleazar and his brethren, who knew how to sing the songs, as the singers did when the temple was standing. The subject matter of this book is exceeding great and excellent; many of the psalms respect the person, offices, and grace of Christ; his sufferings and death, resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of God; and so are exceeding suitable to the Gospel dispensation. The whole book is a rich mine of grace and evangelical truths, and a large fund of spiritual experience; and is abundantly suited to every case, state, and condition, that the church of Christ, or particular believers, are in at any time.

Day 105; Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

Psalm 7

1 LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge; Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

2 Or he will tear my soul like a lion, Dragging me away, while there is none to deliver.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, If there is injustice in my hands,

4 If I have rewarded evil to my friend, Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary,

5 Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; And let him trample my life down to the ground And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.

6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries, And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment.

7 Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You, And over them return on high.

8 The LORD judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.

13 He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

14 Behold, he travails with wickedness, And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.

15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made.

16 His mischief will return upon his own head, And his violence will descend upon his own pate.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 27

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.

5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”

9 Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes.

12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Psalm 31

1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never * be ashamed; In Your righteousness deliver me.

2 Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.

3 For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

4 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.

5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.

6 I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul,

8 And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow And my years with sighing; My strength has failed because of my iniquity, And my body has wasted away.

11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach, Especially to my neighbors, And an object of dread to my acquaintances; Those who see me in the street flee from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many, Terror is on every side; While they took counsel together against me, They schemed to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

16 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness.

17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be mute, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men!

20 You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD, For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

22 As for me, I said in my alarm, “I am cut off from before Your eyes “; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried to You.

23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer.

24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 34

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.

3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.

10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.

14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.

16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers#stxa, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted * And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

20 He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none * of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Psalm 52

1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

2 Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.

3 You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.

6 The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,

7 “Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire.”

8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the