‏ Psalms 35

* David prays for safety. (1-10) He complains of his enemies.

(11-16) And calls upon God to support him. (17-28)1-10 It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the

most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of

the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of

the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in his sufferings,

the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour

temptation, all beseech the Almighty to appear in their behalf,

and to vindicate their cause. We are apt to justify uneasiness

at the injuries men do us, by our never having given them cause

to use us so ill; but this should make us easy, for then we may

the more expect that God will plead our cause. David prayed to

God to manifest himself in his trial. Let me have inward comfort

under all outward troubles, to support my soul. If God, by his

Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need

desire no more to make us happy. If God is our Friend, no matter

who is our enemy. By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the

just judgments of God that would come upon his enemies for their

great wickedness. These are predictions, they look forward, and

show the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom. We must

not desire or pray for the ruin of any enemies, except our lusts

and the evil spirits that would compass our destruction. A

traveller benighted in a bad road, is an expressive emblem of a

sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation.

But David having committed his cause to God, did not doubt of

his own deliverance. The bones are the strongest parts of the

body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with

all his strength. If such language may be applied to outward

salvation, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in

Christ Jesus! 11-16 Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse:

this was the character of David's enemies. Herein he was a type

of Christ. David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them

in afflictions. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do

not mourn for themselves. We shall not lose by the good offices

we do to any, how ungrateful soever they may be. Let us learn to

possess our souls in patience and meekness like David, or rather

after Christ's example. 17-28 Though the people of God are, and study to be, quiet, yet

it has been common for their enemies to devise deceitful matters

against them. David prays, My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue

it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim

thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if

I were a stranger. He who exalted the once suffering Redeemer,

will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not

destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ,

their Surety. They trust their souls in his hands, they are one

with him by faith, are precious in his sight, and shall be

rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks in heaven