Psalms Chapter 54
Exaudi, Deus.
A prayer of a just man under persecution from the wicked. It agrees to Christ persecuted by the Jews, and betrayed by Judas.
54:1. Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David.
54:2. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not lmy supplication:
54:3. Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
54:4. At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner.
For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.
54:5. My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
54:6. Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.
54:7. And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?
54:8. Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.
54:9. I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
54:10. Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
54:11. Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof arelabour,
54:12. And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
54:13. For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden my self from him.
54:14. But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
54:15. Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
54:16. Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell.
For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them.
Let death, etc... This, and such like imprecations which occur in the psalms, are delivered prophetically; that is, by way of foretelling the punishments which shall fall upon the wicked from divine justice, and approving the righteous ways of God: but not by way of ill will, or uncharitable curses, which the law of God disallows.
54:17. But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.
54:18. Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
54:19. He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.
Among many, etc... That is, they that drew near to attack me were many in company all combined to fight against me.
54:20. God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:
54:21. He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
54:22. They are divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother tha oil, and the same are darts.
They are divided, etc... Dispersed, scattered, and brought to nothing, by the wrath of God; who looks with indignation on their wicked and deceitful ways.
54:23. Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.
54:24. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.
Psalms Chapter 55
Miserere mei, Deus.
A prayer of David in danger and distress.
55:1. Unto the end, for a people that is removed at a distance form the sanctuary: for David, for an inscription of a title (or pillar) when the Philistines held him in Geth.
55:2. Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me under foot; all the day long he hath afflicted me fighting against me.
55:3. My enemies have trodden on me all the day long; for they are many that make war against me.
55:4. From the height of the day I shall fear: but I will trust in thee.
The height of the day... That is, even at noonday, when the sun is the highest, I am still in danger.
55:5. In God I will praise my words, in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do against me.
My words... The words or promises God has made in my favour.
55:6. All the day long they detested my words: all their thoughts were against me unto evil.
55:7. They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel. As they have waited for my soul,
55:8. For nothing shalt thou save them: in thy anger thou shalt break the people in pieces. O God,
For nothing shalt thou save them... That is, since they lie in wait to ruin my soul, thou shalt for no consideration favour or assist them, but execute thy justice upon them.
55:9. I have declared to thee my life: thou hast set me tears in thy sight, As also in thy promise.
55:10. Then shall my enemies be turned back. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, behold I know thou art my God.
55:11. In God will I praise the word, in the Lord will I praise his speech. In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me.
55:12. In me, O God, are vows to thee, which I will lpay, praises to thee:
55:13. Because thou hast delivered my soul from death, my feet from falling: that I may please in the sight of God, in the light of the living.