Bible Commentary

Psalms 35:1-10

Matthew Henry on Psalms 35:1-10

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal

It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in his sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour temptation, all beseech the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause.

We are apt to justify uneasiness at the injuries men do us, by our never having given them cause to use us so ill; but this should make us easy, for then we may the more expect that God will plead our cause.

David prayed to God to manifest himself in his trial. Let me have inward comfort under all outward troubles, to support my soul. If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy.

If God is our Friend, no matter who is our enemy. By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the just judgments of God that would come upon his enemies for their great wickedness. These are predictions, they look forward, and show the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom.

We must not desire or pray for the ruin of any enemies, except our lusts and the evil spirits that would compass our destruction. A traveller benighted in a bad road, is an expressive emblem of a sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation.

But David having committed his cause to God, did not doubt of his own deliverance. The bones are the strongest parts of the body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with all his strength.

If such language may be applied to outward salvation, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in Christ Jesus!

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commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:1-28EXPOSITION A PSALM ascribed to David by the title, and with many characteristics of his early style—abrupt, impassioned, full of lively and graphic images, and full of transitions The picture which the writer draws of h…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:1Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me was a smaller hand-weapon; the buckler (tsinnah)covered the whole body" (Kay). The "shield and buckler" are put forward fir…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:1-28A hard case-a very hard one-laid before God. This is one of those psalms in which the writers often meet with much scolding and with scant sympathy. It has been said that this psalm is not worthy of David. We are not pr…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:1-28The flesh and the Spirit. This psalm has been variously interpreted. Some say David speaks here representatively, not for himself, but for the community of Israel Others say that he speaks prophetically, and with specia…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:1-10Battle and victory. The psalmist complains of unbelievers, ungodly enemies, prays for deliverance, giving promise of thanksgiving if his prayer is granted. The psalm falls into three divisions, in each of which the thre…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:3The assurance of salvation. "Say unto my soul," etc. Can the heart frame, the lips utter, a more ambitious request? "Creator and Preserver of all being, Almighty, Eternal, Infinite God, speak to me, even me; tell me tha…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:3Draw out also the spear; rather, bring out also the spear, since spears were not, so far as is known, kept in sheaths, like swords (Exodus 15:9), but only laid up in an armoury. And stop the way against them that persec…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 35:4Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul. It appears from this that David's life is being sought, which only happened at two periods in his career: The psalm therefore belongs to one or other of t…Joseph S. Exell and contributors