But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Ver. 15. But he saveth the poor from the sword] From the woe of war, from the hurt of it, not always from the smart of it; for all such promises as this of temporal deliverance are ever to be taken with exception of the cross, which yet shall be so sanctified, that the saints shall say, It was good for us to have been afflicted; provided that they may be poor in spirit (for God will save the humble person, Job 22:29), and sue in forma pauperis, as spiritual beggars, such as get their living by begging; the word signifieth needy and desirous of relief, very indigent, and therefore humbly suppliant for supply of things necessary. "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him (meaning himself), and saved him out of all his troubles," Psalms 34:6. "Forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever," Psalms 74:19. He will not, he cannot, for they are written upon the palms of his hands, so that he cannot look beside them. Who hath not heard bow graciously poor Geneva hath been preserved? Rochel relieved, as it were, by a miracle? A. D. 1573; Leyden rescued from the duke of Alva's sword: that very night that he thought to have stormed it, the winds turned, the tide swelled, and the waters came in, and forced him to raise the siege. How well might these poor saved ones sit and sing with David, Psalms 68:20, "He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."
From their mouth] Which is a sword, so some sense it; God saveth his poor from the sword of their enemies' mouth, or the sword that comes out of their mouth. A gladio oris eorum, saith the Vulgate. David felt the false tongues of his enemies as a murdering weapon in his bones, Psalms 42:10. The tongue is thin, broad, and long, like a sword, it is also red like a flaming sword; by calumnies and false testimonies many are those that fall down wounded, Proverbs 12:6; Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 26:22. Korah and his complices stick not to object to the meekest of men with one breath, pride, ambition, and usurpation of authority, but; God vindicated his reputation. Mary was accused three times; the Pharisees accused her of presumption, Luke 7:39; Martha of carelessness, Luke 10:40; Judas of wastefulness, John 12:5; but Christ ever answered for her, and took her part. And was it not so with Job? Job 42:12,17; is there not a promise to all saints? Psalms 37:6 .
From the hand of the mighty] God sayeth his, not only from the virulent tongues, but from the violent hands also of the mighty, that might overcome not right, that the poor fall not by his strong ones, or into his strong paws and parts, Psalms 10:10, where oppressors are fitly compared to lions lying in wait for their prey. Now to be thus saved from the slaying sword, the slandering tongue, and the oppressing hand, is complete salvation.