1 A prayer of Dauid. Heare the right, O Lord, attend vnto my crie, giue eare vnto my prayer, that goeth not out of fained lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence: let thine eyes beholde the things that are equall.
3 Thou hast prooued mine heart, thou hast visited me in the night, thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing: I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse.
4 Concerning the workes of men, by the word of thy lips, I haue kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Hold vp my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
6 I haue called vpon thee, for thou wilt heare me, O God: incline thine eare vnto me, and heare my speach.
7 Shewe thy marueilous louing kindnesse, O thou that sauest by thy right hand, them which put their trust in thee, frō those that rise vp against them.
8 Keepe me as the apple of the eye: hide mee vnder the shadowe of thy wings,
9 From the wicked that oppresse me, from my deadly enemies, who compasse me about.
10 They are inclosed in their owne fat: with their mouth they speake proudly.
11 They haue now compassed vs in our steps: they haue set their eyes bowing downe to the earth:
12 Like as a lyon that is greedie of his pray, and as it were a yong lyon lurking in secret places.
13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him downe: deliuer my soule from the wicked, which is thy sword:
14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which haue their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: They are full of children, and leaue the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousnesse: I shall bee satisfied, when I awake, with thy likenesse.
David's integrity. (1-7) The character of his enemies. His hope of happiness. (8-15)
1-7 This psalm is a prayer. Feigned prayers are fruitless; but if our hearts lead our prayers, God will meet them with his favour. The psalmist had been used to pray, so that it was not his distress and danger that now first brought him to his duty. And he was encouraged by his faith to expect God would notice his prayers. Constant resolution and watchfulness against sins of the tongue, will be a good evidence of our integrity. Aware of man's propensity to wicked works, and of his own peculiar temptations, David had made God's word his preservative from the paths of Satan, which lead to destruction. If we carefully avoid the paths of sin, it will be very lead to destruction. If we carefully avoid the paths of sin, it will be very comfortable in the reflection, when we are in trouble. Those that are, through grace, going in God's paths, should pray that their goings may be held up in those paths. David prays, Lord, still hold me up. Those who would proceed and persevere in the ways of God, must, by faith prayer, get daily fresh supplies of grace and strength from him. Show thy marvellous loving-kindness, distinguishing favours, not common mercies, but be gracious to me; do as thou usest to do to those who love thy name.
8-15 Being compassed with enemies, David prays to God to keep him in safety. This prayer is a prediction that Christ would be preserved, through all the hardships and difficulties of his humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and is a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. Those are our worst enemies, that are enemies to our souls. They are God's sword, which cannot move without him, and which he will sheathe when he has done his work with it. They are his hand, by which he chastises his people. There is no fleeing from God's hand, but by fleeing to it. It is very comfortable, when we are in fear of the power of man, to see it dependent upon, and in subjection to the power of God. Most men look on the things of this world as the best things; and they look no further, nor show any care to provide for another life. The things of this world are called treasures, they are so accounted; but to the soul, and when compared with eternal blessings, they are trash. The most afflicted Christian need not envy the most prosperous men of the world, who have their portion in this life. Clothed with Christ's righteousness, having through his grace a good heart and a good life, may we by faith behold God's face, and set him always before us. When we awake every morning, may we be satisfied with his likeness set before us in his word, and with his likeness stamped upon us by his renewing grace. Happiness in the other world is prepared only for those that are justified and sanctified: they shall be put in possession of it when the soul awakes, at death, out of its slumber in the body, and when the body awakes, at the resurrection, out of its slumber in the grave. There is no satisfaction for a soul but in God, and in his good will towards us, and his good work in us; yet that satisfaction will not be perfect till we come to heaven.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.