Commentary on Psalms - Volume 5

To the Chief Musician on Neginoth. A lesson of instruction of David

1Give ear, O God! to my prayer, And hide not thyself from my supplication.

2Attend to me, and answer me: I will wail in my address, and will become tumultuous.

3By reason of the voice of the enemy — Under the oppression of the ungodly; For they cast upon me iniquity, In wrath they set themselves against me.

4My heart trembleth within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5Fear and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.

6And I said, “Who will give me wings like a dove? “I will fly away and be at rest.

7“Lo! I will flee far away, “I will repose in the desert. Selah.

8“I will hasten my escape from the tempestuous whirlwind.”

9Destroy, O Lord! divide their tongue: For I have seen oppression and strife in the city.

10By day and night they go round it upon the walls thereof: And labor and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11Wickedness ³³⁰ is in the midst of it; And fraud and deceit depart not from the streets thereof.

12Truly it was not an enemy who reproached me, For [then] I could have borne [it:] It was not an adversary who magnified himself against me, For [then] I would have hid himself from him.

13But thou, a man according to my own rank, My guide, and my familiar friend.

14We sweetly exchanged our secret thoughts; Into the house of God we walked in company.

15Let death seize upon them, Let them descend into the grave alive; For wickedness ³³¹ is I, their dwelling, in the midst of them.

16As for me, to God; will I cry, And Jehovah shall save me.

17In the evening, and the morning, and at noonday Will I pray, and cry aloud; And he shall hear my voice.

18He hath redeemed into peace my soul From the battle which was against me: For many were with me.

19Hear shall God, and shall afflict them, Even he who sitteth from ancient time. Selah. Because they have no changes, And fear not God.

20He hath set his hands against those who were at peace with him: He hath broken his covenant.

21Smoother than butter are the words of his mouth, Andin his heart is war; Softer are his words than oil, And [yet] they are darts.

22Cast upon Jehovah whatever blessings thou askest from him, ³³² And he shall feed thee; He shall not suffer for ever the righteous man to stagger.

23Thou, O God! shalt cast them into the pit of corruption: The men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days: But as for me, I will hope in thee.