David complaineth of his affliction: he prayeth for deliverance: he devoteth his enemies to destruction: he praiseth God with thanksgiving.
To the chief musician upon Shoshannim: A Psalm of David.
Title. לדוד שׁושׁנים על למנצח lamnatseach al shoshanniim ledavid.] As a great part of this psalm is most applicable to David's distress at that time, it is most likely that he composed it when under the persecution of Saul: and Bishop Patrick supposes that he revised it again upon those straits to which he was reduced by Absalom, and at which time he supposes him to have added the 35th verse, where he mentions Zion; for that was not in the possession of the Israelites during the reign of Saul. Every one must perceive, that there are many passages in this psalm which, if they are applicable to David at all, refer in a much higher sense to the passion of our Blessed Saviour. Theodoret observes, that it is prophetical, and foretold the sufferings of our Saviour, and the final destruction of the Jews on that account, The title of the Syriac version is to the same purpose. Dr. Patten, in his Vindication of David, observes very judiciously, that the Book of Psalms was dictated by the Spirit of God, and some of them prophetical of the kingdom and person of Christ; many parts of them being spoken by David, not only with reference to his circumstances at that time, but likewise as Christ's representative. This psalm, which seems to breathe the most vehement resentment, and, in our translation, appears like an execratory prayer upon David's enemies, is to be understood in this sense, and is cleared of that imputation by the authority of St. Peter and St. Paul, Acts 16:20.; Romans 11:9 the former of whom cites these passages as prophetical of the traitor Judas. This psalm is by St. Paul interpreted as foretelling the state, not only of Judas, but of all those his obstinate countrymen who rejected the salvation offered by Jesus Christ. In the same passage Isaiah is cited as foretelling their spiritual blindness. David, therefore, and Isaiah mean the same thing, a prediction of what the Spirit of God foreshewed them, though their forms of expression be different. The two apostles cite their respective passages as prophecies, but in the imperative form; a testimony which I presume sufficiently frees that form, wherever David in similar cases makes use of it, from all imputation of rancorous resentment. And this apostolical interpretation of the scope of this psalm, which seems to be execratory, is indisputably the true key to open the design and meaning of all others of the like tendency. David in all of them, however his forms of expression may vary, pronounces only the decrees of God against the enemies of Jesus Christ, whose person the Psalmist here assumes, as in many other Psalms.
Psalms 69:1. For the waters are come in unto my soul— The figurative expressions in this and the following verse denote very great difficulties and distresses. See on Psalms 42:7.