Psalm 57:3

3 He sent from heaven and saved me; he gave to reproach them that trampled on me: God has sent forth his mercy and his truth;

Psalm 57:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 57:3

He shall send from heaven, and save me
His angel, as the Targum adds; or his angels, as Kimchi; who are ministering spirits, sent forth by him, to encamp about his people, and guard them, as they did Jacob when in fear of Esau, ( Genesis 32:1 Genesis 32:2 ) ; or to deliver them out of trouble, as Peter when in prison, ( Acts 12:7 ) ; or rather the sense may be, that David did not expect any help and deliverance in an human way, by means of men on earth; but he expected it from above, from heaven, from God above, and which he believed he should have; and he might have a further view to the mission of Christ from heaven to save him, and all the Lord's people; and which he may mention, both for his own comfort, and for the strengthening of the faith of others in that important article;

[from] the reproach of him that would swallow me up.
Meaning Saul; see ( Psalms 56:1 Psalms 56:2 ) . The Targum renders it,

``he hath reproached him that would swallow me up for ever;''

and to the same sense the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, Arabic, and Syriac versions; disappointed them, and filled them with reproach, shame, and confusion.

Selah; on this word, (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

God shall send forth his mercy and his truth;
shall manifest and display the glory of these his perfections, his mercy and grace, his truth and faithfulness, in his deliverance and salvation; and which are remarkably glorified in salvation by Christ Jesus; and who himself may be called "his grace and his truth" ^F14, as the words may be rendered; he being the Word of his grace, and truth itself, and full of both; and by whom, when sent forth, grace and truth came, ( John 1:14 John 1:17 ) ; it may also intend a constant supply of grace, whereby God would show forth the truth of his promises to him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (wtmaw wdox) "gratiam et veritatem suam", Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Psalm 57:3 In-Context

1 Have mercy, upon me, O God, have mercy upon me: for my soul has trusted in thee: and in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until the iniquity have passed away.

2 I will cry to God most high; the God who has benefited me. Pause.

3 He sent from heaven and saved me; he gave to reproach them that trampled on me: God has sent forth his mercy and his truth;

4 and he has delivered my soul from the midst of lions’whelps: I lay down to sleep, though troubled. As for the sons of men, their teeth are arms and missile weapons, and their tongue a sharp sword.

5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth.

6 They have prepared snares for my feet, and have bowed down my soul: they have dug a pit before my face, and fallen into it themselves. Pause.

7 My heart, O God, is ready, my heart is ready: I will sing, yea will sing psalms.

8 Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I will awake early.

9 O Lord, I will give thanks to thee among the nations: I will sing to thee among the Gentiles.

10 For thy mercy has been magnified even to the heavens, and thy truth to the clouds.

11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth. Psalm 58:1 (This chapter is not yet available)