--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 699 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/699/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 699. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/699/" --- # 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. ## 699. Psalms · 153 of 159 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/699/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/699/#p-N ### Verse 2 [¶1] Enter not into judgment - אל תבוא al tabo. Do not come into court, either as a Witness against me, or as a Judge, else I am ruined; for thou hast seen all my ways that they are evil, and thy justice requires thee to punish me. Nor can any soul that has ever lived be justified in the sight of thy justice and righteousness. Had I my desert from thee, I should have worse than even my unnatural son intends me. O what a relief is Jesus crucified to a soul in such circumstances! ### Verse 3 [¶3] He hath made me to dwell in darkness - Literally, in dark places. This may be understood of David's taking refuge in caves and dens of the earth, to escape from his persecuting son; yea, even to take refuge in the tombs, or repositories of the dead. ### Verse 4 [¶5] Therefore is my spirit - I am deeply depressed in spirit, and greatly afflicted in body. [¶6] My heart within me is desolate - It has no companion of its sorrows, no sympathetic friend. I am utterly destitute of comfort. ### Verse 5 [¶8] I remember the days of old - Thou hast often helped me, often delivered me. I will therefore trust in thee, for thy mercy is not clean gone from me. ### Verse 6 [¶10] I stretch forth my hands - This is a natural action. All in distress, or under the influence of eager desire, naturally extend their hands and arms, as if to catch at help and obtain succor. [¶11] As a thirsty land - Parched and burned by the sun, longs for rain, so does my thirsty soul for the living God. ### Verse 7 [¶13] Hear me speedily - מהר maher, make haste to answer me. A few hours, and my state may be irretrievable. In a short time my unnatural son may put an end to my life. ### Verse 8 [¶15] Cause me to hear thy Loving-kindness in the morning - This petition was probably offered in the night-season. David had despatched his messengers in all directions; and prays to God that he might by the morning get some good news. [¶16] Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk - Absalom and his partisans are in possession of all the country. I know not in what direction to go, that I may not fall in with them: point out by thy especial providence the path I should take. ### Verse 9 [¶18] I flee unto thee to hide me - That I may not be found by my enemies, who seek my life to destroy it. ### Verse 10 [¶20] Teach me to do thy will - רצונך retsonecha, thy pleasure. To be found doing the will of God is the only safe state for man. [¶21] Thy Spirit is good - The Author of every good desire and holy purpose. [¶22] Lead me - Let it lead me by its continued inspirations and counsels. [¶23] Into the land of uprightness - "Into a right land," Chaldee. Into the place where I shall be safe. The old Psalter has, Thi goste gude sal lede me into rygt lande. ### Verse 11 [¶25] Quicken me - I am as a dead man, and my hopes are almost dead within me. ### Verse 12 [¶27] And of thy mercy - To me and the kingdom. [¶28] Cut off mine enemies - Who, if they succeed, will destroy the very form of godliness. The steps he has already taken show that even morality shall have no countenance, if Absalom reign. [¶29] I am thy servant - Whoever is disloyal to me, I will love and serve thee. [¶30] For a full explanation of this Psalm, as applied to penitents, see the analysis. ### Introduction [¶32] The psalmist praises God for his goodness, [Psa 144:1], [Psa 144:2]. Exclamations relative to the vanity of human life, [Psa 144:3], [Psa 144:4]. He prays against his enemies, [Psa 144:5-8]; and extols God's mercy for the temporal blessings enjoyed by his people, [Psa 144:9-15]. [¶33] The Hebrew, and all the Versions, attribute this Psalm to David. The Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Arabic, term it, A Psalm of David against Goliath. The Syriac says, "A Psalm of David when he slew Asaph, the brother of Goliath." Calmet thinks, and with much probability, that it was composed by David after the death of Absalom, and the restoration of the kingdom to peace and tranquillity. From a collation of this with Psalm 18, of which it appears to be an abridgment, preserving the same ideas, and the same forms of expression, there can be no doubt of both having proceeded from the same pen, and that David was the author. There is scarcely an expression here of peculiar importance that is not found in the prototype; and for explanation I must refer generally to the above Psalm. ### Verse 1 [¶35] Teacheth my hands to war - To use sword, battle-axe, or spear. [¶36] And my fingers to fight - To use the bow and arrows, and the sling. ### Verse 2 [¶38] Who subdueth my people - Who has once more reduced the nation to a state of loyal obedience. This may refer to the peace after the rebellion of Absalom. ### Verse 3 [¶40] Lord, what is man - See the notes on [Psa 8:4], [Psa 8:5]. What is Adam, that thou approvest of him? Can he do any thing worthy of thy notice? Or the son of feeble perishing man, that thou shouldest hold him in repute? What care, love, and attention, dost thou lavish upon him! ### Verse 4 [¶42] Man is like to vanity - אדם להבל דמה Adam lahebel damah, literally, Adam is like to Abel, exposed to the same miseries, accidents, and murderers; for in millions of cases the hands of brothers are lifted up to shed the blood of brothers. What are wars but fratricide in the great human family? [¶43] His days are as a shadow - The life of Abel was promissory of much blessedness; but it afforded merely the shadow of happiness. He was pure and holy, beloved of his parents, and beloved of God; but, becoming the object of his brother's envy, his life became a sacrifice to his piety.