Psalm 57:1

1 Ein gülden Kleinod Davids, vorzusingen, daß er nicht umkäme, da er vor Saul floh in die Höhle. Sei mir gnädig, Gott, sei mir gnädig! denn auf dich traut meine Seele, und unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel habe ich Zuflucht, bis daß das Unglück vorübergehe.

Psalm 57:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 57:1

Be merciful unto me, O God
Or "be gracious to me" ^F11; which words are repeated by him. "Be merciful", or "gracious, unto me"; to show the greatness of his distress, the eagerness, vehemency, and importunity he used in prayer; his case requiring a speedy answer, and immediate relief; and that he expected only from the mercy and grace of God; (See Gill on Psalms 56:1);

for my soul trusteth in thee;
or "in thy word"; as the Targum; and in thee only, both as the God of providence and the God of grace; and a great act of faith this was to trust in the Lord in such circumstances; and it was not a bare profession of trust, but it was hearty and sincere; his "soul" trusted in the Lord; he trusted in him with all his heart and soul, and trusted him with his soul or life: and this he makes a reason or argument for mercy; seeing, as the mercy of the Lord is an encouragement to faith and hope; so the Lord has declared, that he takes pleasure in those that hope and trust in it; wherefore mercy may be expected by such;

yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge;
or "I will hope" {l}; the meaning is, that he would betake himself to the power and protection of God, and make him his refuge from the enemy: the allusion is either to the hen, or any other bird covering its young with its wings, when a bird of prey is near, till that is gone; or to the cherubim, whose wings overshadowed the mercy seat, between which the glory of God dwelt; and so the Targum,

``in the shadow of thy Shechinah, or glorious Majesty, will I trust;''

which agrees with his applying to the mercy seat, or to God on a throne of grace and mercy: and here he determines to abide,

until [these] calamities be overpast;
the storm of them was over, which was very black and threatening. The Targum is,

``until the tumult is over;''

and so the Syriac version; until Saul and his men were gone, of whom he was afraid. The Septuagint version, and those that follow it, render the words "until sin passeth away"; the cause of these troubles; unless sin is put for sinful men; and so the sense is as before; see ( Isaiah 26:20 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (ynnx) "gratiam fac mihi", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; so Piscator, Ainsworth.
F12 (hoxa) "sperabo", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "spero", Tigurine version, Musculus, Michaelis.

Psalm 57:1 In-Context

1 Ein gülden Kleinod Davids, vorzusingen, daß er nicht umkäme, da er vor Saul floh in die Höhle. Sei mir gnädig, Gott, sei mir gnädig! denn auf dich traut meine Seele, und unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel habe ich Zuflucht, bis daß das Unglück vorübergehe.

2 Ich rufe zu Gott, dem Allerhöchsten, zu Gott, der meines Jammers ein Ende macht.

3 Er sendet vom Himmel und hilft mir von der Schmähung des, der wider mich schnaubt. (Sela.) Gott sendet seine Güte und Treue.

4 Ich liege mit meiner Seele unter den Löwen; die Menschenkinder sind Flammen, ihre Zähne sind Spieße und Pfeile und ihre Zungen scharfe Schwerter.

5 Erhebe dich, Gott, über den Himmel, und deine Ehre über alle Welt.