1. is a prayer of Christ in the person of His Church, as Augustine says, asking for forgiveness of sins and grace and deliverance from enemies.
Title: A Psalm of David.
V. 1. Aleph. I long for you, O Lord (levavi animam meam).
2. that is, I pray. For it is the description of a prayer which is an ascension or lifting up of the soul to God. It should be noted that this psalm is alphabetical, but two letters are missing, Kuph and Waw. The others are also not arranged appropriately, so that one can see that the prophet did not take great care in their arrangement.
V. 2. Beth. My God, I hope in you, do not let me be put to shame.
You are my God, but I am nothing to myself. In you I trust, because I cannot trust myself; in you I shall not be put to shame, for in me I am put to shame. Before a man sees in himself that he is nothing, he himself is God, trusts in himself, boasts of himself; but when the challenge comes, all this becomes shame, and he is ashamed of himself beyond measure.
That my enemies do not rejoice over me.
(4) That is, I pray thee that I may not be put to shame, nor be a laughing-stock and a delight to mine enemies. For what is more pleasing to the enemies than that he should be put to shame whom they hate?
(5) But the prophet seems to speak in a very general way, and for that reason in a dark way, so that one cannot know which enemies, which disgrace he fears. But the sequence and context of this psalm shows that he is tormented by arrogant works saints, and fears that he will in truth be disgraced before God by his sins, as they have disgraced him.
1) of whose works almost the entire Psalter or 2) at least the largest part of it reports. Yes, such people also cause a great deal of trouble to the truly righteous and humble.
V. 3. gimel. For no one will be put to shame who waits for you.
Here is the same verb [XXX, which the interpreter here rendered by confundentur] that he translated above [v. 2] by erubescam. But "wait" are those who do not fall away in mockery and misfortune, nor by foolish prayer dictate to GOtte the time or manner of salvation.
But to shame they must become, the loose despisers (iniqua agentes supervacue).
This is, they will be put to shame (confundentur), in the future tense, or: Would that God would put them to shame (confundantur), in the present tense, so that they may be saved. Here he begins to reveal who the enemies are and in what they persecute him, namely, those who prefer the statutes of men to the law of GOD. That is why he says supervacue, that is, in a useless way (in vanum) they do righteous things, because in truth they are rather ungodly things. Thus the Jews persecute the apostles, the heretics the Christians, the proud the humble. Therefore it follows:
V. 4. Daleth. Lord, show me your ways.
8 That is, let not them teach me their ungodly ways, but teach me thyself inwardly by the Holy Spirit what ways please thee. Not as the Jews once prayed [Ex. 20:19], "Do not let God speak to us, lest we die." Rather, speak to us, O Lord, that we may live. They are alive and fear death; we are dead and desire life.
1) Erlanger: exxrodant instead of: exprodrant.
2) Instead of M, ant should probably be read.
And teach me your paths.
It is a tautology, a repetition of what was said before. For when God teaches through Himself, He does not speak letters and syllables, but gives living love. His teaching is our doing and our fulfilling of the
Law. Therefore, what the prophet prays in this verse is the same as what we usually pray: Lord, give me your grace to do what you have commanded. Give what you command, and command what you will, says Augustine 2c.
End.
At the end of the table of contents in the book published by the children and heirs of Veit Dietrich the following is still found:
At Coburg in the castle Doctor Luther wrote on the wall:
[I shall not die, but live, and declare the work of the Lord.
Ps. 1, 6.
The way of the wicked perishes.
But it takes a long time. Wait.
Ps. 74, 21.
The poor and miserable praise your name, O Lord.
Because the others are not allowed to do yours.