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4.Behold! God is my helper Such language as this may show us that David did not direct his prayers at random into the air, but offered them in the exercise of a lively faith. There is much force in the demonstrative adverb. He points, as it were, with the finger, to that God who stood at his side to defend him; and was not this an amazing illustration of the power with which faith can surmount all obstacles, and glance, in a moment, from the depths of despair to the very throne of God? He was a fugitive amongst the dens of the earth, and even there in hazard of his life — how, then, could he speak of God as being near to him? He was pressed down to the very mouth of the grave; and how could he recognize the gracious presence of God? He was trembling in the momentary expectation of being destroyed; and how is it possible that he can triumph in the certain hope that Divine help will presently be extended to him? In numbering God amongst his defenders, we must not suppose that he assigns him a mere common rank amongst the men who supported his cause, which would have been highly derogatory to his glory. He means that God took part with those, such as Jonathan and others, who were interested in his welfare. These might be few in number, possessed of little power, and cast down with fears; but he believed that, under the guidance and protection of the Almighty, they would prove superior to his enemies: or, perhaps, we may view him as referring, in the words, to his complete destitution of all human defenders, and asserting that the help of God would abundantly compensate for all. (291)
(291) The phrase, אדני בסמכי, Adonai besomkey, which Calvin renders, “ Lord is with them that uphold,” is translated by Hammond, “ Lord among the sustainers;” and he remarks, that this form of expression, which is not unusual among the Hebrews, signifies no more than “ is my upholder; not one of many upholders, but my only upholder.” Thus, when Jephtha (Jud_11:35) tells his daughter, “ art among the troublers of me,” or “ of them that trouble me,” the meaning simply is, that she very much grieved and troubled him. So Psa_55:18, “ were many with me;” i e. , “ was with me,” which is as good as the greatest multitude. This is the sense in which the learned Castellio understands the passage, rendering it, “Dominus is est qui mihi vitam sustentat;” “ Lord is he who sustains my life;” and he defends it by the above and like arguments. With this the Septuagint agrees: “ Κυριος ἀντιλήπτωρ τὢς ψνχὢς μου,” “ Lord is the defender of my soul;” and also the Syriac, Arabic, and Aethiopic.