Psalm 27:10

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 27:10. When my father and mother forsake me — That is, the nearest and dearest friends I have in the world, from whom I may expect most relief, and with most reason; when they either die, or are at a distance from me, or are unable to help me in the time of need, or are unkind to me, or unmindful of me, and will not help me; when I am as helpless as ever poor orphan was that was left fatherless and motherless, then I know the Lord will take me up, as a poor wandering sheep is taken up, and saved from perishing. His time to help those that trust in him is when all other helpers fail, when it is most for his honour and their comfort: with him the fatherless find mercy. This promise has often been fulfilled in the letter of it. Forsaken orphans have been taken under the special care of Divine Providence, which has raised up relief and friends for them that way that one would not have expected. God is a surer and better friend than our earthly parents are, or can be.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:7-14 Wherever the believer is, he can find a way to the throne of grace by prayer. God calls us by his Spirit, by his word, by his worship, and by special providences, merciful and afflicting. When we are foolishly making court to lying vanities, God is, in love to us, calling us to seek our own mercies in him. The call is general, Seek ye my face; but we must apply it to ourselves, I will seek it. The word does us no good, when we do not ourselves accept the exhortation: a gracious heart readily answers to the call of a gracious God, being made willing in the day of his power. The psalmist requests the favour of the Lord; the continuance of his presence with him; the benefit of Divine guidance, and the benefit of Divine protection. God's time to help those that trust in him, is, when all other helpers fail. He is a surer and better Friend than earthly parents are, or can be. What was the belief which supported the psalmist? That he should see the goodness of the Lord. There is nothing like the believing hope of eternal life, the foresights of that glory, and foretastes of those pleasures, to keep us from fainting under all calamities. In the mean time he should be strengthened to bear up under his burdens. Let us look unto the suffering Saviour, and pray in faith, not to be delivered into the hands of our enemies. Let us encourage each other to wait on the Lord, with patient expectation, and fervent prayer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When my father and my mother forsake me - If they should do it. The psalmist supposes it possible that this might occur. It does occur, though very rarely; but the psalmist means to say that the love of God is stronger and more certain than even that of a father or mother, since he will never forsake his people. Though every other tie that binds heart to heart should dissolve, this will remain; though a case might occur in which we could not be sure of the love that naturally springs out of the most tender earthly relationships, yet we can always confide in His love. See the notes at Isaiah 49:15.

Then the Lord will take me up - Margin, "will gather me." The margin expresses the usual meaning of the word. It is sometimes used as referring to the hospitable reception of strangers or wanderers into one's house: Judges 19:15, Judges 19:18; Joshua 20:4. The meaning here is, that if he should be forsaken by his nearest earthly friends, and be an outcast and a wanderer, so that no one on earth would take him in, the Lord would then receive him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. In the extremity of earthly destitution (Ps 31:11; 38:11), God provides (compare Mt 25:35).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Forsake me; or, leave me; as being unable to help me, and rather a burden than a help to me; for which reason David desired them to leave him, and disposed of them in another place, 1 Samuel 22. Or his father and mother were now dead. Or by his father and mother he may signify his near relations and friends, which forsook him in the time of trouble, as men usually do. Or the words may be rendered, though my father and mother should forsake me. Then; or, yet, as the Hebrew vau frequently signifies.

Will take me up; or, will receive me, to wit, to himself, as this verb is used, Joshua 20:4 Judges 19:15 Matthew 23:37.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

When my father and my mother forsake me,.... Which is not to be understood strictly and literally of his parents, that were in that near relation to him according to the flesh, nor of anything that had past; not of his parents leaving him to shift for himself, after having brought him up; nor of his father being unmindful of him, when Samuel came to anoint one of his sons to be king; nor of any slight and neglect of him by them when persecuted by Saul; nor of their inability to help him then; see 1 Samuel 22:3; but this is to be understood of something supposed yet to come; and it seems best to interpret it of his nearest and dearest friends, his closest adherents, best counsellors, and most firm allies; that when they should fail and drop him, his God would not leave him: the design of it is to set forth the love and care of God, as superior to that of the most affectionate friends; see Isaiah 49:14;

then the Lord will take me up; like a foundling in the street, and such are called, in the Talmudic language, "persons gathered up" (i); and so the words may be rendered here, "then the Lord will gather me" (k); into his arms and bosom, and under the wings of his protection, and at last to himself in glory.

(i) T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 69. 1.((k) "colliget me", Pagninus, Montanus; "collegit me", Musculus, Vatablus, Gejerus; so Ainsworth.

Geneva Study Bible

{f} When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

(f) He magnifies God's love toward his, which far passes the most tender love of parents towards their children.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. When my father &c.] Or, as R.V.,

For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but &c.

A proverbial expression. (Comp. ‘bereavement to my soul,’ Psalm 35:12). Though he is friendless and forsaken as a deserted child, Jehovah will adopt him and care for him. His love is stronger than that of the closest human relations. Cp. Isaiah 49:15; Psalm 103:13.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. We are not to gather from this that David's father and mother had forsaken him. They were probably dead at the time of his flight from Absalom. What David means is that, even if forsaken by his nearest and dearest, he would not be forsaken by God. The expression is proverbial. Psalm 27:10

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The requests are now poured forth with all the greater freedom and importunity, that God may be willing to be entreated and invoked. The Hiph. הטּה signifies in this passage standing by itself (cf. Job 24:4): to push aside. The clause עזרתי היית does not say: be Thou my help (which is impossible on syntactical grounds), nor is it to be taken relatively: Thou who wast my help (for which there is no ground in what precedes); but on the contrary the praet. gives the ground of the request that follows "Thou art my help (lit., Thou has become, or hast ever been) - cast me, then, not away," and it is, moreover, accented accordingly. Psalm 27:10, as we have already observed, does not sound as though it came from the lips of David, of whom it is only said during the time of his persecution by Saul, that at that time he was obliged to part from his parents, 1 Samuel 22:3. The words certainly might be David's, if Psalm 27:10 would admit of being taken hypothetically, as is done by Ewald, ֗362, b: should my father and my mother forsake me, yet Jahve will etc. But the entreaty "forsake me not" is naturally followed by the reason: for my father and my mother have forsaken me; and just as naturally does the consolation: but Jahve will take me up, prepare the way for the entreaties which begin anew in Psalm 27:11. Whereas, if כי is taken hypothetically, Psalm 27:11 stands disconnectedly in the midst of the surrounding requests. On יאספני cf. Joshua 20:4.