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Trust in God in the Face of Great Danger.
To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, the special choirmaster being named who should take charge of this hymn for use in public worship, a psalm of David, apparently composed also during the period of great spiritual distress at the time of Absalom's rebellion.
v. 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God, literally, "Only silent submission to God my soul," that is, in the midst of the difficulties besetting him he rested in the promises of God, keeping down every murmur of dissatisfaction in his heart; from Him cometh my salvation, his deliverance from every danger.
v. 2. He only is my Rock and my Salvation, a stronger expression than in v. l, denoting the truth that, God being his, he already possesses deliverance from every evil, the certainty of salvation through His promises, wherefore he could stand immovably firm; He is my Defense, his high place of refuge, Psa_9:9; Psa_18:2; Psa_59:9-17; I shall not be greatly moved, not be shaken much or totter greatly, at least not to the extent of being thrown to the ground.
v. 3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? rushing, raving, storming upon him with lifted fist, in order to browbeat him. Ye shall be slain, all of you, rather, all of you break him down; as a bowing wall shall ye be and as a tottering fence. The reference is to him whom they wish to ruin, believing him to be like a wall inclined, like a fence overthrown. It is a fitting picture of the activity displayed by the enemies in trying to destroy David and all believers.
v. 4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency, to deprive him of his elevated office to which God had raised him; they delight in lies, the chief weapon of all detractors; they bless with their mouth, after the manner of hypocrites the world over, but they curse inwardly, counting upon their duplicity to carry the day for them. Selah. There is only one thing for the believer to do in such straits.
v. 5. My soul, wait thou only upon God, being silent in submission to His will, the same figure of cheerful resignation being employed as in v. 1; for my expectation is from Him, in Him he hoped, knowing that His were thoughts only of good and not of evil.
v. 6. He only is my Rock and my Salvation, the thought of v. 2. being repeated with emphasis; He is my Defense; I shall not be moved, his confidence being increased to the point where he knew himself to be altogether safe in the keeping of the Lord.
v. 7. In God is my salvation, in God alone it rested, upon Him alone it depended, and my glory, he was fully satisfied if only God accepted him, this being of greater value than all approbation and praise of mere men; the rock of my strength, his very strongest support, and my refuge is in God, his faith being like an anchor which held so firmly in the rock-bottom of God's almighty power that he knew no one could harm him. Therefore he also admonishes the believers of all times to join him in this confidence of faith.
v. 8. Trust in Him at all times, ye people, this cry being so general that it seems addressed to all men; pour out your heart before him, a strong figure for bringing all anxieties and troubles to His attention in prayer; God is a Refuge for us. Selah.
v. 9. Surely men of low degree, all the ordinary sons of Adam, are vanity, a mere breath as compared with His almighty power, and men of high degree, the sons of those who are considered nobles on the earth, are a lie, a fraud, nothing real, to be laid in the balance, ascending up in the balances, without weight or value; they are altogether lighter than vanity, according to the standard of real worth they had nothing to commend them in the sight of God. Cf Psa_39:5. Therefore he addresses a concluding warning to men in general.
v. 10. Trust not in oppression, by which men of might hoped to enrich themselves, and become not vain in robbery, placing a foolish confidence in the results of small and great speculations; if riches increase, even by lawful gain, set not your heart upon them, clinging to them with a trust which belongs to God alone.
v. 11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this, the number being used in order to give emphasis to his declaration, that power belongeth unto God, with God is almighty power, He is the only One who possesses it absolutely, man's ideas in this respect being a fatuous delusion.
v. 12. Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy, with God is grace, a fact which relieves the idea of His almighty power; for Thou renderest to every man according to his work, by His power He can show both mercy and justice. He who opposes the will of the almighty Lord will feel the power of His anger; he who submits to the will of the Lord will experience the power of His grace, through the Word. Cf Rom_2:6-11; Joh_5:29.