The title:
A Psalm of David for Jeduthun to sing high.
(1) This psalm was made by David and arranged to be sung by Jeduthun the singer and his companions "on high," that is, with a bright voice; as we read in the first book of Chronicles, Cap. 26, 1. ff. that David ordered some singers to sing high with bright cymbals or bells; but some to sing low with harps, before the golden ark. So he made special psalms for each choir and had them made.
V. 1. 1) My soul is silent to God, for from Him comes my salvation.
David was a well-trained and experienced man, who, having been educated and tried at the court of King Saul, had seen many a wicked trick, how the court jailers pretended to the king for the sake of money and honor, and placed all their comfort at the king's mercy, and did everything for his love that he wanted, whether it was against God or man. Because of this, he had to suffer much evil from them, since they saw that the king himself was hostile to him and wanted to kill him. Just as Herod caught Peter to please the Jews and persecuted the Christians [Acts 12:3]. Just as we still see in the courts of lords, and have always seen, that the courtiers and financiers, when they see what pleases the princes and lords, and there is hope of catching something, they confidently do and say what they think pleases them; God grant that the poor or the righteous may perish or remain above, so that they may only become rich and high. Yes, this happens not only in the courts of lords, but in all classes of the world. For it is the way of the world that remains so, that one pretends for the sake of enjoyment, and relies on the favor and help of men, and thereby despises God, and gives up the
1) The counting of the verses here is different from that of the Bible, because the title is not counted as a verse.
2) In the old editions: im.
They are allowed to praise God's word and all righteousness as if they were the very best.
(3) Against such ungodly men David made this psalm as a salutary lesson and warning, teaching us not to rely on men, even if they were lords and kings, but on God alone, and warning us, for there is no good end. As he also says in the 146th Psalm, v. 3. 4: "Do not rely on princes, on the children of men, for he cannot help. For his spirit must go forth, and come again to his earth, and then all his counsels are lost." As if he were to say, "If the favor of men were constant throughout life (which it is not, for: Today friend, tomorrow foe, and as one says especially of princes: Prince's grace, April weather), yet their life is not certain for an hour. Why then do you rely on them, and for their sake despise God, who remains forever, and do such evil against him and your neighbor?
4. so here he sets himself as an example, as he who in Saul's time saw many of them who relied on Saul, and for his sake did what displeased God and man, but when Saul was dead, they were left with all the shame; like the son of Doeg, who came after Saul's death, and wanted David to pretend that he had slain Saul, 2 Sam. 1,3 ) 10.
Therefore he speaks here: It is not for me to place my comfort in princes or men, as the godless courtiers do. I also want to be obedient to the king, to serve him, to seek and promote his best, to help and advise, to support him with body and goods; but that I should rely on him to make me rich, glorious or blessed, that I will leave. For tomorrow the weather would turn, and he would pursue me. And it came to pass, that David was first the dearest of all.
3) The Erlangen edition has: "2 Neg. 2 (2 Sam. 11.)," the latter printed from Walch.
I was the servant of Saul, then the most hostile, and I also had to learn that the benevolence of princes is April weather (especially when they are not God-fearing but godless princes). If, then, I did wickedly against God and man for the sake of my lord or of a man, where would I stay if God and man were angry with me? Let the favor of princes and men depart from me, and let the favor of God remain with me. If God's favor remains with me, then the image of man will be found; if it is not found, then let it go to the devil, God's favor is enough for me. But if I lose God's grace, then man's grace will not remain with me; so I will go to the devil with my prince, both with God's and man's displeasure. 1) Then I have done well and made a good job of it.
(6) That he says, "My soul is silent to God," is spoken in Hebrew, where it reads, "My soul's silence is against or to God, that is, I am silent, and shirk among the wicked, who rely on men and lords, throbbing and defying. But I command myself to God, insist and defy Him secretly and silently, so that they do not know it, and take me for a fool, that I do not also lead out, and confidently join in the pestering, and seek money. O what a strange company is there around such a court servant! Saul, the wicked king, had such a servant, and David was a rose among thorns among such wicked courtiers. As without doubt a pious man can be at court, but he must be among the thorns and wait for the thorns at all times.
7. "For from him comes my salvation," he says; that is. Dear, no one will help me but God; he is certain. From him, from him, it is said, from him comes my salvation, that is, all my happiness, wealth, welfare, and what I should have and need. But the wicked say thus: My most holy father the pope, my most gracious emperor, my most gracious king of France, my most gracious lord of Mainz, my most gracious lord of Saxony 2c. will help me. Yes, it lacks otherwise
1) Erlanger: "Hulde"; not a misprint, as "Unhuld" is noted as a variant of Walch.
not that they will die tomorrow, or need help and counsel themselves, as much or more than you do.
V. 2 For he is my refuge, my salvation, my protection; therefore I will abide.
(8) Of course, because you believe this, you are safe, even though it rained and snowed on Turkish and Tartar emperors and angry kings and princes for nine years with all their power, and all the devils with them.
(9) I have translated "refuge" because in Hebrew it is "Zur" [XXX], which means a rock. For we are called a stronghold when we rely on it and take comfort in it. So now he says, "I know that my salvation comes from him. Why? Because I have not set any man, however great, powerful or rich he may be, as a refuge, comfort or salvation for me, nor have I set my heart or hope on him, but I have chosen God for this purpose, from whom alone all happiness and salvation shall and will come to me.
(10) So he calls God his "rock" or "stronghold" because he put his heart's sure and certain confidence in him. His "salvation" because he believes and does not doubt that God will help him with happiness and salvation, even though Saul and all the people abandoned him and gave him nothing, neither village nor city. His "slit" because he hopes and is certain that God will defend him against all evil, even though Saul and all his courtiers seek his destruction and death.
What a fine soul is this, who can sing such a song to God. But how strange it is, since otherwise one finds all courts, and cities, and countries full, which can sing such little songs to the great merchants sometimes for ten guilders, or even less.
V. 3. How long do you pursue the man, that you all slay him as a hanging wall and a broken fence?
12. I would masterfully strike out the verse, even if I had to set myself as an example; but it says [v. 5.], "My soul is silent to GOD." David experienced it that
The hypocrites of the lords are so skillful. Because the king's grace was shining, there was nothing more glorious than David; everyone wanted to be a friend and to love David; and yet their hearts thought, "Let the devil take you away this hour, so that I may take your place and become the king's beloved. But when the king became hostile to him, what they had thought before burst out; every one wanted to court the king, and to do the best for David's destruction; no one was lazy, all of them, all of them wanted to strangle him with such and such a hand; then it went on in the court: Oh that the boys would endure the pestilence, Vitus' dance, and all the curses! especially when the king or his ear-melchers heard it. This is what he says here: "How long do you pursue one," and do you all want him to die? As if he should say: How long do you cling to a man, and despise God, that you are ready to murder for his sake, and seek it day and night? But you have it good to do now, because I am now as an inclined wall and a broken fence. For a wall and a fence that are already hanging to the ground are soon helped to fall down completely.
When a prince, lord, or great lord presses a man, the wall and the fence hang; then the pennies of search come and make themselves believe that their hour has come to cool their little coin and to become knights, and they trample him underfoot, whom they should help up more cheaply, and support the fence and underlay the wall. That is to say, to pull the beard of the dead lion, which they should not have touched alive.
014 So they that helped David to oppress, when Saul was at enmity with him, must take off their little hat before him, because he was by grace. But the world does not do otherwise; one may follow it. Christ himself had to have someone (Judas the betrayer) to help him underfoot, since he was already wanted by the Jews to die; as he says Ps. 41:10: "He who eats my bread helps to trample me underfoot. It goes like this, and must go like this, both in the spiritual and in the temporal regiment, that the bold heroes fight the dead lion, who cannot defend themselves against a living dog. So much is the consolation of men.
V. 4. but they think to overthrow his height, lies please them; with the mouth they bless, but inwardly they curse. Sela.
(15) It is only for this reason that they push him down, and they take his place. For so it is in the world: if a man rise a little, there is no rest till he come to the lowest. Such an evil spirit is the prince of the world, the devil, that he cannot suffer anyone to be great in body, much less to suffer spiritual goods.
Lies please them.
(16) That is, they deal in vain deceit, that they may accomplish such things; they give good words, and there is nothing behind them. This is their pleasure and favor, and they may speak and boast most kindly to him whom they want to destroy, and yet they think, "That all the plague may pass you over! That is, "they praise with their mouths, but inwardly they curse"; that is, in their hearts they wish him all heartache, and yet they say, "My kind services before, what I can do, you will always find me willing. There rely, and bake not, behold what thou shalt eat.
17 O such deceitfulness is most delicious when it comes to spiritual matters of the gospel, where the false brethren and the riffraff want to be Christian brethren, and are desperate ravishers and knaves; yet they think nothing else than that they float above and have honor, yet they have a mouth full of blessings, and how they seek God's honor and the truth.
V. 5. But my soul is silent to God, for my hope is in Him.
(18) Since Saul's courtiers, all the world, even the false spirits are all so false, what should a pious heart do here? Nothing else, but keep silent and be still, let them lie, deceive, think and do evil, and command his cause and himself to God, and hope in him, let them serve men and princes with such lies and false evil deeds, and hope in them, it will be found which hope is the best.
V. 6. God is my refuge, my salvation, and my protection; I will abide.
(19) This verse he repeats again in defiance of false men, and to comfort his heart and the heart of us all. For with it he concludes his example and teaching, in which he taught us what the world is, and how it does, that we should boldly despise it. What is said in the other verse, you may also say here, for it is one verse.
V. 7. With God is my salvation, my glory, the rock of my strength, my confidence is in God.
20 Here he begins to warn and admonish. For he holds God and man against each other. As if to say, "Well, you have heard my example of how things are done in the world, and especially in pants, since the head and best of the world. Now then, hold them up against each other, God and man, and you will certainly find it as I have found it, namely, that "with God is my salvation, my honor," 2c., that is, God wants to and can help, He gives health, happiness and salvation, on which one may rely. He is also my "honor", that is, he also gives good, power and dignity enough, which is honest thing and is kept. For "honor" in the Scripture means not only the good report, but the goods of which the report resounds, as Matt. 6:29: "I say unto you, that Solomon in all his honor was not clothed as one." And Psalm 106:20: "They changed their honor into the image of a calf," that is, their God and worship. But the wicked seek all these things from princes and men.
(21) "The rock of my strength" is the foundation and defiance from which my power and rule are derived. "Strength" means here, as well as almost at all ends, the power or authority to rule, as there is in principality, kingdom, that he may grasp it all in this verse. "My salvation", that is, all my happiness and welfare; "my honor", that is, all my goods and fortune; "my strength", that is, all my power and authority. Summa Summarum: Is there anything I can have on earth, be it health, strength, wealth, honor, reputation, power, authority, and all with each other, that I do not want emperors, kings, princes, nor
If he does not command or trust any man, or if he does not wait for him, he shall stand and fall, abide and go with God. If he keeps it, it is kept, though all the world would fall. If he falleth, it falleth, though all the world would hold it. So also: "My confidence is in God," that is, not only will I wait for all good things from him, but I will defy all adversity under his protection, for I know that he will not abandon me. People always leave, and no confidence is certain.
V. 8. Hope in him always, you nations, pour out your heart before him; God is our confidence. Sela.
(22) Because God is such toward me, O follow me faithfully; he will be such to all of us. I have experienced it, therefore I can advise you comfortingly. Let Saul, pope, emperor, king, princes and everyone be angry; do not be afraid; hope in God, he is not lacking. Again: Let Saul, pope, emperor, king, princes and everyone laugh, comfort, promise, do not hope in them, do not rely on them, they are uncertain, both in 1) body and courage. Body falls, courage changes soon, God remains firm; so that you may rely on God at both times, be it good or bad. But if something is wrong with you, well, there is good counsel, "pour out your heart before him"; only complain freely, do not touch him. Whatever it may be, throw it out before him in heaps, as if you were opening your heart completely to a good friend. He will gladly listen to it, and will also gladly help and advise you. Do not be afraid of him, and do not think it is too much or too big. Come out confidently, and if it should be vain sacks full of want. All out, he is greater, and is able and willing to do more than our infirmities are. Just don't deny him, he is not a man to whom one could put too much begging and pleading. The more you ask, the more he will hear you. Pour out only purely and everything, do not drip and zipple. For he will not dribble nor wriggle, but will shower you with a flood of sin.
23. "He is our confidence," our refuge, and no one else. For all others
1) Erlanger: ohn.
find too little that they could let our hearts pour out before them. If I should let out a drop of my heart before the emperor, he himself would have to become a beggar. For he could not satisfy me. What should I then provide myself to him, or have recourse to him, if I should pour out my heart at all, and should do this all the time? It is nothing with people, as follows:
V. 9. but men are vain, people find falsely, on the scales 1) they weigh more lightly than vain.
(24) Thou hast heard what God is; now hear what men are. There is nothing in them, saith he; if thou trustest in them, be sure that thou trustest in nothing; thou shalt surely lack. Yes, he says, if one were to put on a scale, in one bowl the people, in the other vain or nothing, then the people would be lighter than nothing. We Germans make such Hebrew speech thus: Men are less than nothing; what they call vain, that is called nothing to me. As Solomon says, Ecclesiastes 1:2: "It is all vain and a mere vanity," that is, it is nothing with humanity, and nothing at all.
25 Here you ask: How is man nothing, since he is God's creature and creature? Answer: David does not speak of the creature itself, but of the use of the creature; that is, man is a good thing, but he is not really needed. A prince, king, emperor is also a good thing, but one does not really need them. How so? Well, one wants to trust in them and build on them. In such a custom they are nothing. Why is that? They are uncertain, both of their lives and hearts. Sand and water are also good things, but if I were to build a house on them, they would be nothing, and less than nothing. But if I drink water and wash myself, it is not nothing, but a good, useful thing. For it was created for this purpose, and this is its custom. So also ruler, king, emperor, is created, that they keep peace in the land 2c., there they are God's creature and a good thing. But that I should trust in them is nothing. He does not say: Nolite obedire principibus, sed: Nolite
1) Erlanger: would be.
confidere in principibus. Confidere belongs to God alone. I should not sell dirt for gold. Dirt has its custom; but that it should be like gold, that is nothing. For you see that this psalm speaks of faith, trust, confidence, abandonment, all of which titles are too high for men and princes. Although the world does nothing but trust in men and trust nothing in God, that is, it is nothing and trusts in nothing.
But how are men lighter or less than nothing? What can be less than nothing? Answer: What is nothing, no one cares for; but he who trusts in what is nothing has two losses: one, that he finds nothing; the other, that he loses what he puts into it. For he who has nothing bad, has a simple nothing, 2) and uses nothing on it. But he that trusteth in men, because he findeth nothing, loseth also that which he hath hoped for, and so his hope and his food is destroyed because of the nothingness, 2) which he hoped for. Therefore it is well said that a man is less than nothing. For the world does not leave its trust in men, so it is not lacking that it trusts in nothing for nothing. O glorious praise to us all, who are called men, that we are less than nothing. So finely one can help the other.
V. 10 Do not rely on injustice and violence, and do not be vain. If riches fall to you, do not set your heart on them.
27 Here he concludes the psalm with woe, and rebukes the wicked with God's power, judgment and punishment, saying, "You are tickled and pleased to be at court, and to have a gracious lord in Saul; you are safe, think yourselves secure, do not ask questions about it, and even laugh at the fact that you do me wrong, and mock and harm me and my kind. We must suffer it from you, you must not be punished. For your lord is watching over you, and you are relying on him. But I counsel you not to do so. Do not be too sure and certain. Do not be vain, that is, do not rely so much on princes and men who are nothing. For thereby you will
2) In the issues: not.
you vain nothingness, that is, you deal with nothing, and do nothing, [you will also] lack everything.
(28) Yes, I will say further: Even if wealth is rightly given to you by God, do not rely on it, and do not make Mammon your god. For wealth is not given for the purpose of building upon it and defying it, which is also nothing and vain; but that one should use and enjoy it, and share it with others 2c. But men do not leave it, they both build and defy on princes and goods, that is, everywhere on nothing, and act on nothing. For good makes courage; but it is not good, and does not sustain courage. "To have one's heart set on it" is as much as to accept it; "not to have one's heart set on it" is not to accept it, and so to have it as if one did not have it. For so it is in the Hebrew: Ponere super cor, ober, ponere in corde, to take it and let it go to the heart. In the hands should be the good, not in the heart; as Paul says 1 Cor. 7, 31: "that we should need the world as if we did not need it" 2c.
V. 11: For God has spoken once, I have heard twice, that there is power with God.
29 We say this in German: One thing I know, of that I am sure; for God Himself has spoken it, who cannot lie, that God is a Lord, which I have heard more than once; that is, do not be so vain and godless; but if not, but you want to defy men, well, then I say to you that with God there is power, that He is the right emperor, king, prince and lord, even over you and your lords, as over all. Let this be said to you. For God Himself has said it, and I have also heard it many times, and have experienced how He has proved it, and has cast down the mighty from the throne. See to it that [it] does not happen to you in this way with your Lord. Let Saul be Saul, let emperors be emperors, let princes be princes, let men be men,
fear God. For it is a small word, "that God is mighty"; but it has a great and many a cry. It has often been said that He will not spare you, nor will He fail you, though you despise Him and are vain, and for the sake of men offend us and do us wrong.
V. 12. And with thee, O Lord, is goodness, that thou pay every man according to his due.
(30) Just as he has power to punish all the wicked mightily, and cannot escape him; for he alone is Lord, and all rule is his and his; so again, he is also kind and merciful, that he helps the wretched, and cannot suffer them to perish, and finally to succumb to hypocrites and saints, and be forsaken. But as it is written in Luke 1:52, even as he casteth out the mighty from their seats, so he exalteth the lowly also; the former by his power, the latter by his goodness; as follows:
31. that thou mayest recompense every man according to his deserts. He repays the wicked with violence, just as they have used violence; he repays the wretched with kindness and grace, just as they have been kind and patient, without violence. But the world does not ask anything about it, always continues with its vanity and iniquity. God also allows this to happen and continues with his power and goodness, so that the one word, among all the other words of God, may only become many examples, and many histories of the one text occur, how he overthrows and breaks the great men, as a mighty Lord, and helps the wretched abandoned, as a gracious, kind father.
32 Thus he did with Saul and David. So he does now with the priest and the gospel, with the bishops and the Christians, and will do it still more, until they perish, and learn that it is true what David says here: It is one word of God that he is mighty and good; but it is heard many times and often experienced. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
36 Erl. 38, 408-ui. Interpretation of the four consolation psalms. Pf. 94. w. v, 49-52. 37