Psalm 35:3

3 Bring forth a sword, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

Psalm 35:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 35:3

Draw out also the spear
An offensive weapon; expressive of the vengeance which God sometimes takes of the enemies of his people, when he bends his bow, shoots his arrows, whets his glittering sword, and his hand takes hold of judgment;

and stop [the way] against them that persecute me;
that they might not overtake him; God can hinder, and he sometimes does hinder persecutors from overtaking his people in their straits; and as he hedges up their way with thorns, that they cannot proceed as they have begun, so he hedges up the way of their enemies; interposes himself and his power, and is a wall of fire about them; a wall for the defence and security of his saints, and a wall of fire for the consumption of those that rise up against them. The words may be rendered, "draw out the spear and sword, to meet those that persecute me" ^F16; for (rygo) is a noun, and signifies a sword shut up in its scabbard; from whence "sagaris" comes, which is kind of a sword;

say unto my soul, I [am] thy salvation;
Christ is the salvation of his people; he is the only person appointed, provided, promised, and sent to be the Saviour; and he is the alone author of salvation it is wrought out by him, and it is in him, and in him only; and therefore he is called their salvation, and the salvation of God: and they are interested in the salvation which is in him; it was designed, prepared, and wrought out for them, and for them only; and is applied unto them by the Spirit, and they shall perfectly enjoy it to all eternity: find yet sometimes they are at a loss about their interest in it, and desire might be made known unto them, which was the case of the psalmist here; they, as he, see their necessity it, and that there is no comfort nor safety without it they are wonderfully delighted with the excellency of it, that it is so great in itself, so suitable to them, so complete and perfect, and of an everlasting duration yet, what through the hidings of God's face, the temptations of Satan, the greatness of their sins, and the prevalence of unbelief, they cannot tell how to believe their interest in it; yet most earnestly desire the Lord would show it to them, and assure them of it; which favour, when granted, is by the witnessings of the Spirit to their spirits, that they are the children of God, and the redeemed of the Lamb: and this is said particularly to them; it is not a discovery of salvation by Christ in general; that they have before; but it is a saying to their souls, that it is theirs; and when this is spoken bathe to the soul by the Spirit of God, it is effectual; and removes unbelief at once, and fills with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 So Grotius, Amama, Ainsworth, and some in Mollerus.

Psalm 35:3 In-Context

1 Judge thou, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.

3 Bring forth a sword, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

5 Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

7 For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.

8 Let a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.

9 But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

11 Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.

13 But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my own bosom.

14 I behaved agreeably towards them as if it had been our neighbour or brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

15 Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew it not: they were scattered, but repented not.

16 They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.

17 O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.

18 I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise thee.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

20 For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in their anger.

21 And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

22 Thou hast seen it, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not thyself from me.

23 Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, even to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, it is pleasing to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.

26 Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words against me.

27 Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall meditate on thy righteousness, and on thy praise all the day.