1 The LORD is my light and my
salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my
life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me
to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not
fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be
confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
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 enquire in his
temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:
in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set
me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round
about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of
joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon
me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee,
Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in
anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will
take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path,
because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false
witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out
cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of
the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.1
Bible Commentary
1 God is a light to his people, to
show them the way when they are in doubt, to comfort and rejoice
their hearts when they are in sorrow. "He is my salvation, in whom I
am safe and by whom I shall be saved. "He is the strength of my
life, not only the protector of my exposed life, who keeps me from
being slain, but the strength of my frail weak life, who keeps me
from fainting, sinking, and dying away.2
2 The psalmist had many enemies,
they were of different sorts, but they were unanimous in mischief
and hearty in hatred. They advanced to the
attack, leaping upon the victim like a lion upon its prey.
Like cannibals they would make a full end
of the man, tear him limb from limb, and make a feast for their
malice. However God's
breath blew them off their legs. There were stones in the way which
they never reckoned upon, and over these they made an ignominious
tumble.3
3
"Though they be numerous, a host of them,though they be daring and
their attempts threatening,though they encamp against me, an army
against one man,though they wage war upon me, yet my heart shall
not fear. Hosts cannot hurt us if the Lord of hosts protect us.2
4
David's longing to be engaged perpetually in the
service of God, to be a perpetual guest of the heavenly Host, is
beautifully expressed in this psalm. At the Christian
sanctuary our minds are enlightened, our doubts removed, and our
hearts comforted by God's truth.4
5
The safety of believers is not in the walls of the
temple, but in the God of the temple and their comfort in communion
with him.2
The man whom God himself sets on high
above his foes, is like an impregnable
rock which never can be stormed!
3
6 Godly men of old prayed in faith, nothing wavering,
and spoke of their answer to their prayers as a certainty. David was
by faith so sure of a glorious victory over all those who beset him,
that he arranged in his own heart what he would do when his foes lay
all prostrate before him.3
Whatever is the matter of our joy ought
to be the matter of our praise; and, when we attend upon God in holy
ordinances, we ought to be much in joy and praise. It is for the
glory of our God that we should sing in his ways; and, whenever God
lifts us up above our enemies, we ought to exalt him in our praises.2
7 At this point in the psalm there is a
complete change in tone from implicit trust to a plaintive cry for
help. This change brings one school of critics to the
conclusion that the psalm is really composed of two separate psalms.
Such a conclusion is not at all necessary when one grants that,
despite the psalmist's confidence in God, the force of actual
circumstances induces him to cry to God for help in a very real
world. Even when assured of God's favor, we need continually
to recognize our need of Him and to request His aid.4
8 This verse is the dialogue
of a beautiful fellowship between David and his God. God had
said to him: "Seek ye my face." David reminds God of His
command, and from the depths of his heart replies, "I will seek thy
face." Here is intimacy indeed, resembling the friendship that
existed between Moses and God. Precious is that fellowship with God
which, in time of need, finds the soul speaking to itself the
counsel of God.4
9 Other servants had
been put away when they proved unfaithful, as for instance, his
predecessor Saul; and this made David, while conscious of many
faults, most anxious that divine long suffering should continue him
in favour. The first petition, "leave me not," may refer to
temporary desertions, and the second word to the final withdrawal of
grace, both are to be prayed against.3
10
Some of the greatest of the saints have been cast out by their
families, and persecuted for righteousness' sake. Then the Lord will
espouse my cause, will uplift me from my woes, will carry me
in his arms, will elevate me above my enemies, will at last receive
me to his eternal dwelling place.3
11
Plainness or downright honesty will direct
us into and keep us in the way of our duty. The
psalmist begs to be guided in a plain path, because of his
enemies, or (as the margin reads it) his observers. His enemies
watched for his halting, that they may find occasion against him.
Saul eyed David, 1 Sa. 18:9. This quickened him to pray, "Lord, lead
me in a plain path, that they may have nothing ill, or nothing that
looks ill, to lay to my charge.2
12
The
psalmist says deliver me not over unto the will of mine
enemies; or I should be like a victim cast to the lions, to be rent
in pieces and utterly devoured.3
Herein David was a type of
Christ; for false witnesses rose up against him, and such as
breathed out cruelty,
thirsting after
his blood.
Though
David may have been
delivered into wicked hands of his enemies,
he was not delivered over to their will, for they could not prevent
his exaltation.2
13
The
words "I had fainted" do not occur in
the original. They were inserted to complete the evident
meaning of the psalmist: "What would have become of me, if I had not
believed in the goodness of God!" So many and formidable are his
enemies that he would collapse were it not for his sure belief that
he will ultimately see a revelation of God's goodness on earth.4
14
The
psalmist is primarily exhorting himself. His stronger self is
encouraging his weaker nature not to despair. The psalm closes
with a repetition of the injunction: "Wait, I say, on the Lord," as
if the psalmist would fix deep in our minds the idea that at all
times of doubt and danger, instead of despairing, we should go
forward "in the strength of the Lord God"4
References and notes
1. King James Authorized Version
2.
Matthew Henry
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
-
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries
3.
Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David -
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/TreasuryofDavid/
4. Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 3 pgs 695 - 597
5.
ChristadelphianBooksOnline George Booker Psalms
Studies Book 1 - http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/booker/psalms1/
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