Verse 4. - They only consult to cast him down from his excellency;i.e. they have no other thought but this - to cast me down from my high station, while I have no other thought but to trust in God, and to look to him for support and protection (vers. 1, 2, 6). They delight in lies. Some indication of the "lies" circulated against David at this Time is given in 2 Samuel 15:3-5; 2 Samuel 16:7, 8. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly; literally, they bless with his mouth, which may be explained as meaning either, "They bless, each of them, with his mouth" (Kay, Cheyne), or "they Bless through the mouth of their leader " - i.e. Ahithophel (Canon Cook).
62:1-7 We are in the way both of duty and comfort, when our souls wait upon God; when we cheerfully give up ourselves, and all our affairs, to his will and wisdom; when we leave ourselves to all the ways of his providence, and patiently expect the event, with full satisfaction in his goodness. See the ground and reason of this dependence. By his grace he has supported me, and by his providence delivered me. He only can be my Rock and my salvation; creatures are nothing without him, therefore I will look above them to him. Trusting in God, the heart is fixed. If God be for us, we need not fear what man can do against us. David having put his confidence in God, foresees the overthrow of his enemies. We have found it good to wait upon the Lord, and should charge our souls to have such constant dependence upon him, as may make us always easy. If God will save my soul, I may well leave every thing else to his disposal, knowing all shall turn to my salvation. And as David's faith in God advances to an unshaken stedfastness, so his joy in God improves into a holy triumph. Meditation and prayer are blessed means of strengthening faith and hope.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency,.... Either from the excellency of God, from his greatness, and from his height, as Kimchi; or from his grace, as the Arabic version: that is, they consulted to discourage him from looking to God, his rock and fortress, and from trusting in him; or rather, from his own excellency, from what high estate of dignity and honour he was advanced to, or designed for, namely his kingly office. Saul and his courtiers consulted how to prevent his coming to the throne, and Absalom and Ahithophel how to pull him down from it, and seize his crown and kingdom; which latter best agrees with the expression here;
they delight in lies; in making and in spreading them, in order to hurt his character, and give his subjects an ill opinion of him; and thereby alienate their affections from him, and weaken their allegiance and obedience to him; see Revelation 22:15;
they bless with their mouth: saying, God bless the king, or save the king:
but they curse inwardly; they curse the king in their hearts, and when by themselves in private, when they imagine nobody hears them; see Ecclesiastes 10:20.
Excellency.--Rather, height, carrying on the metaphor of preceding verse.
they delight in lies; in making and in spreading them, in order to hurt his character, and give his subjects an ill opinion of him; and thereby alienate their affections from him, and weaken their allegiance and obedience to him; see Revelation 22:15;
they bless with their mouth: saying, God bless the king, or save the king:
but they curse inwardly; they curse the king in their hearts, and when by themselves in private, when they imagine nobody hears them; see Ecclesiastes 10:20.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.