Psalms 57:1-11 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

LVII. Here two Pss. are united: A containing Psalms 57:1-6, B, Psalms 57:7-11.

Psalms 57:1-6. The Ps. is closely allied to the preceding, also a michtam Ps. (p. 373). The author flees to God's protection against his foes and is confident in his own safety and their overthrow.

Psalms 57:1. will I take refuge: read, I will hide.

Psalms 57:2. performeth all things for me: read, will requite me.

Psalms 57:3. save me. reproacheth: read, perhaps, and save my life from the hand of him that would swallow me up.

Psalms 57:4. Read, I dwell among them that greedily devour the sons of men.

Psalms 57:5. Quite out of place here; finds its proper position in Psalms 57:11.

Psalms 57:6. My soul is bowed down: this cannot be right. The idea of the verse is that the wicked are caught in their own trap. Read b, In the net they have set for my feet their own hand was caught.

LVII. B. A Morning Hymn. Found also in Psalms 108:2-6 with variants.

Psalms 57:7. Translate, ready, i.e. to sing and play.

Psalms 57:8. awake up my glory: in Psalms 108 we have also my glory, which is meaningless but probably presupposes the original reading, Thou art my glory. Translate I will awake the dawn (mg.). This is a natural personification. The dawn has eyelids (Job 3:9 *, Job 41:18) and wings (Psalms 139:9).

Psalms 57:9. among the peoples: i.e. wherever the exiled Jews found a home.

Related Commentaries of Psalms 57:1

Psalms 57:1-11

1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

7 My heart is fixed,a O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.

10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.