--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 588 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/588/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 588. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/588/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2. ## 588. Psalms · 42 of 159 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/588/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/588/#p-N ### Verse 5 [¶1] Let the angel of the Lord chase them - By angel we may either understand one of those spirits, whether good or bad, commonly thus denominated, or any thing used by God himself as the instrument of their confusion. ### Verse 6 [¶3] Let their way be dark - Let them lose their way, be entangled in morasses and thickets, and be confounded in all their attempts to injure me. All these phrases are military; and relate to ambushes, hidden snares, forced marches in order to surprise, and stratagems of different kinds. ### Verse 7 [¶5] For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit - The word שחת shachath, a pit, belongs to the second member of this verse, and the whole should be read thus: For without a cause they have hidden for me their net, without a cause they have digged a pit for my life. They have used every degree and species of cunning and deceit to ruin me. ### Verse 8 [¶7] Let his net that he hath hid - See the notes on [Psa 7:15], [Psa 7:16]. ### Verse 9 [¶9] My soul - My life, thus saved: - [¶10] Shall be joyful in the Lord - I am so circumstanced at present as to be in the utmost danger of being destroyed by my foes; if I escape, it must be by the strong arm of the Lord; and to him shall the glory be given. ### Verse 10 [¶12] All my bones shall say - My life being preserved, all the members of my body shall magnify thy saving mercy. [¶13] Deliverest the poor - This is a general maxim: God is peculiarly mindful of the poor. Where secular advantages are withheld, there is the more need for spiritual help. God considers this, and his kind providence works accordingly. ### Verse 11 [¶15] False witnesses did rise up - There is no doubt that several of this kind were found to depose against the life of David; and we know that the wicked Jews employed such against the life of Christ. See [Mat 26:59], [Mat 26:60]. [¶16] They laid to my charge things that I knew not - They produced the most unfounded charges; things of which I had never before heard. ### Verse 12 [¶18] To the spoiling of my soul - To destroy my life; so נפש nephesh should be translated in a multitude of places, where our translators have used the word soul. ### Verse 13 [¶20] When they were sick - This might refer to the case of Absalom, who was much beloved of his father, and for whose life and prosperity he no doubt often prayed, wept, and fasted. [¶21] My prayer returned into mine own bosom - Though from the wayward and profligate life they led, they did not profit by my prayers, yet God did not permit me to pray in vain. They were like alms given to the miserable for God's sake, who takes care to return to the merciful man tenfold into his bosom. The bosom is not only the place where the Asiatics carry their purses, but also where they carry any thing that is given to them. ### Verse 14 [¶23] Mourneth for his mother - כאבל אם caabel em, as a mourning mother. How expressive is this word! ### Verse 15 [¶25] But in mine adversity they reioiced - How David was mocked and insulted in the case of Absalom's rebellion by Shimei and others, is well known. [¶26] The abjects - נכים nechim, the smiters, probably hired assassins. They were everywhere lying in wait, to take away my life. ### Verse 16 [¶28] With hypocritical mockers in feasts - These verses seem to be prophetic of the treatment of Christ. They did tear me, and I knew it not. They blindfolded and buffeted him; they placed him in such circumstances as not to be able to discern who insulted him, except by a supernatural knowledge. With hypocritical mockers in feasts may also relate prophetically to our Lord's sufferings. Herod clothed him in a purple robe, put a reed in his hand for a scepter, bowed the knee before him, and set him at naught. Here their hypocritical conduct (pretending one thing while they meant another) was manifest, and possibly; this occurred at one of Herod's feasts. ### Verse 17 [¶30] My darling - יחידתי yechidathi, my only one, [Psa 22:20]. My united one, or He that is alone. Perhaps this may relate to Christ. See the note on [Psa 22:20]. ### Verse 18 [¶32] I will give thee thanks in the great congregation - I hope to be able to attend at the tabernacle with thy followers, and there publicly express my gratitude for the deliverance thou hast given me. ### Verse 19 [¶34] That are mine enemies - Saul and his courtiers. ### Verse 21 [¶36] They opened their mouth wide - Gaped upon me to express their contempt. [¶37] And said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it - They said, האח האח heach, heach, the last syllable in each word being a protracted strongly guttural sound, marking insult and triumph at the same time. It is the word which we translate Ah, [Psa 35:25]. ### Verse 22 [¶39] This thou hast seen - I have no need to adduce evidences of these wrongs; thou, to whom I appeal, hast seen them. Therefore, ### Verse 23 [¶41] Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment - I have delivered my cause into thy hand, and appeal to thee as my Judge; and by thy decision I am most willing to abide. ### Verse 24 [¶43] Judge me, O Lord my God - The manner of his appeal shows the strong confidence he had in his own innocence. ### Verse 25 [¶45] Swallowed him up - בלענוהו billaanuhu, we have gulped him down.