Psa 55:8-15 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 8. The windy storm ] From the sweeping wind and tempest-Absalom and his party and the mutinous people in general.

‏ Psalms 55:8-15

Verse 8. The windy storm] From the sweeping wind and tempest-Absalom and his party and the mutinous people in general.

Verse 9. Destroy, O lord] Swallow them up-confound them.

Divide their tongues] Let his counsellors give opposite advice. Let them never agree, and let their devices be confounded. And the prayer was heard. Hushai and Ahithophel gave opposite counsel. Absalom followed that of Hushai; and Ahithophel, knowing that the steps advised by Hushai would bring Absalom's affairs to ruin, went and hanged himself. See 2Sa 15:1-17:29.

Violence and strife in the city.] They have been concerting violent measures; and thus are full of contention.

Verse 10. Day and night they go about] This and the following verse show the state of Jerusalem at this time. Indeed, they exhibit a fair view of the state of any city in the beginning of an insurrection. The leaders are plotting continually; going about to strengthen their party, and to sow new dissensions by misrepresentation, hypocrisy, calumny, and lies.

Verse 12. It was not an enemy] It is likely that in all these three verses Ahithophel is meant, who, it appears, had been at the bottom of the conspiracy from the beginning; and probably was the first mover of the vain mind of Absalom to do what he did.

Verse 14. Walked unto the house of God in company.] Or with haste; for the rabbins teach that we should walk hastily TO the temple, but slowly FROM it.

Verse 15. Let death seize upon them] This is a prediction of the sudden destruction which should fall on the ringleaders in this rebellion. And it was so. Ahithophel, seeing his counsel rejected, hanged himself. Absalom was defeated; and, fleeing away, he was suspended by the hair in a tree, under which his mule had passed; and being found thus by Joab, he was despatched with three darts; and the people who espoused his interests were almost all cut off. They fell by the sword, or perished in the woods. See 2Sa 18:8.

Let then go down quick into hell] Let them go down alive into the pit. Let the earth swallow them up! And something of this kind actually took place. Absalom and his army were defeated; twenty thousand of the rebels were slain on the field; and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured, 2Sa 18:7, 8. The words might be rendered, "Death shall exact upon them; they shall descend alive into sheol." And death did exact his debt upon them, as we have seen above.