Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 56

Be merciful. See Ps. 51:1; 57:1. Man. Heb. ’enosh, “man in his frailty” (see on Ps. 8:4). The contrast between “God,” the Powerful One, and ’enosh is strong. Swallow me up. The LXX reads “trample me down.” Compare v. 2. Daily. Compare vs. 2, 5.

O thou most High. Heb. marom, not used elsewhere as a title of the Deity, and it is doubtful whether it is so intended here. A slight change in vowel pointing yields the reading “from a height,” which may be interpreted as meaning “haughtily.”

I will trust. The keynote of the psalm. When fear oppresses, by an act of will we may put our trust in God. There is in such a resolution a sound basis for Christian experience. We need to assert our trust.

What flesh can do. See Matt. 10:28. Verse 4 is the refrain of the psalm, and is repeated in augmented form in vs. 10 and 11.

They gather. The devious methods employed to pursue the psalmist are represented by the rapid succession of clauses without expressed grammatical connection. Soul. See on Ps. 16:10.

Shall they escape by iniquity? The Hebrew of the clause thus translated is obscure. If the KJV rendering is correct the psalmist is inquiring in effect, Can they find safety in wickedness? Can it be possible that the enemies owe their apparent safety to their great wickedness? The people. Literally, “the peoples.” The psalmist may here be extending the range of the word “enemies” to include all wicked people, all wickedness, in his imprecation (see p. 624).

Tellest. Dost number, recount, or keep count of (see on Ps. 48:12). David turns abruptly from imprecation to tender petition for himself. My wanderings. See 1 Sam. 21:10. Put thou my tears. As though God took note of his tears, drop by drop. The illustration is a recognition of God’s tender solicitude for His child. Bottle. Heb. no’d, the skin bottle that was used by the Easterners as a container for water, milk, wine, etc. The psalmist prays that his tears may be placed in a skin bottle, that they may be remembered before God. Book. Compare Ps. 69:28; 139:16;; Mal. 3:16. “In the book of God’s remembrance … every act of sacrifice, every suffering and sorrow endured for Christ’s sake, is recorded” (GC 481).

This I know. The psalmist is sure that God is on his side. Such certainty brooks no defeat. We do well to count the “I know’s” of Christian experience (see Job 19:25; Ps. 20:6; 135:5; 140:12; 2 Tim. 1:12).

Will I praise. This entire clause is a forceful addition to the earlier refrain (v. 4).

Man. Heb. ’adam (see on Ps. 8:4); the clause that stands parallel in v. 4 reads “flesh.”

Thy vows. Two verses of thanksgiving conclude the poem (the “twin psalm,” Ps. 57, closes with a refrain, without verses of this type, having only 11 verses in all). The psalmist has vowed to express his gratitude to God for answering his prayer. He now proceeds to fulfill his obligation. Praises. Heb. todoth, also representing “thank offerings” (see Jer. 17:26; 33:11).

Before God. The phrase suggests agreement with the will of God. God said to Abraham: “Walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Gen. 17:1). Light of the living. Compare Job 33:30.