Psalms 27:9-14

9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not abandon nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 If my father or my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will receive me.

11 Teach me, O Yahweh, your way, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

12 Do not give me over to the desire of my enemies, because false witnesses have arisen against me, and [each] breathing out violence.

13 Surely I believe [that I will] see the goodness of Yahweh in [the] land of [the] living.

14 Wait for Yahweh. Be strong and let your heart show strength, and wait for Yahweh.

Psalms 27:9-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 27

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. The Septuagint interpreters add to this title, "before he was anointed". David was anointed three times, first when a youth in his father's house; but this psalm could not be written before that time, because he had not had then any experience of war, nor could be in any immediate apprehension of it, as here suggested; he was anointed a second time, after the death of Saul at Hebron, by the men of Judah; before that time indeed he had been harassed by Saul, and distressed by the Amalekites, and was driven from the public worship of God, to which he has a respect, Ps 27:4; and he was a third time anointed, by the elders of Israel, king over all Israel; and between the death of Saul and this unction there was a war between the house of David and the house of Saul; but what is referred to is not certain, nor is it of moment, since these words are neither in the Hebrew text, nor in the Chaldee paraphrase. Theodoret is of opinion this psalm was written by David when he fled from Saul, and came to Ahimelech the priest.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "and [each] a witness of violence"
• [b]. Hebrew text is uncertain