Psalm 56:2

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Swallow me up.—The root idea of the Hebrew word so rendered is by no means clear. In many passages where it is used the meaning given here by the LXX., “trample on,” will suit the context quite as well as, or even better than, the meaning, “pant after,” given in the Lexicons. (See Job 5:5; Isaiah 42:14; Ecclesiastes 1:5; Amos 2:7; Amos 8:4.) And this sense of bruising by trampling also suits the cognate verb, shûph, used only three times (Genesis 3:15; Job 9:17; Psalm 139:11). Symmachus also here has “bruise,” or “grind.” On the other hand in Psalm 119:131; Job 7:2, &c, we want the idea of “haste” or “desire.” Possibly the original meaning of “trample” may have passed through the sense of physical haste to that of passion. Or we may even get the sense of “greedily devouring” by the exactly similar process by which we come to talk of devouring the road with speed. The same verb is used in the next verse with an object.

Fighting.—Better, devouring. (Comp. Psalm 35:1.)

O thou most High.—Heb., marôm, which is here not a vocative, but an adverbial accusative, “proudly,” in pride.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

56:1-7 Be merciful unto me, O God. This petition includes all the good for which we come to throne of grace. If we obtain mercy there, we need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free, rich mercy. We may flee to, and trust the mercy of God, when surrounded on all sides by difficulties and dangers. His enemies were too hard for him, if God did not help him. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them. As we must not trust an arm of flesh when engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when stretched out against us. The sin of sinners will never be their security. Who knows the power of God's anger; how high it can reach, how forcibly it can strike?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mine enemies - Margin, "mine observers." The Hebrew word here used means properly to twist, to twist totogether; then, to be firm, hard, tough; then, "to press together," as a rope that is twisted - and hence, the idea of oppressing, or pressing hard on one, as an enemy. See Psalm 27:11; Psalm 54:5. In the former verse the psalmist spoke of an enemy, or of "one" that would swallow him up (in the singular number), or of "man" as an enemy to him anywhere. Here he uses the plural number, implying that there were "many" who were enlisted against him. He was surrounded by enemies. He met them wherever he went. He had an enemy in Saul; he had enemies in the followers of Saul; he had enemies among the Philistines, and now when he had fled to Achish, king of Gath, and had hoped to find a refuge and a friend there, he found only bitter foes.

Would daily swallow me up - Constantly; their efforts to do it are unceasing. A new day brings no relief to me, but every day I am called to meet some new form of opposition.

For they be many that fight against me - His own followers and friends were few; his foes were many. Saul had numerous followers, and David encountered foes wherever he went. "O thou Most High." The word used here - מרום mârôm - means properly height, altitude, elevation; then, a high place, especially heaven, Psalm 18:16; Isaiah 24:18, Isaiah 24:21; then it is applied to anything high or inaccessible, as a fortress, Isaiah 26:5. It is supposed by Gesenius (Lexicon), and some others, to mean here "elation of mind, pride," - implying that his enemies fought against him with elated minds, or proudly. So the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and Luther render it; and so DeWette understands it. Yet it seems most probable that our translators have given the correct rendering, and that the passage is a solemn appeal to God as more exalted than his foes, and as one, therefore, in whom he could put entire confidence. Compare Psalm 92:8; Psalm 93:4,; Micah 6:6.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. enemies—watchers (Ps 54:5).

most High—As it is not elsewhere used absolutely for God, some render the word here, arrogantly, or proudly, as qualifying "those who fight," &c.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Mine enemies, Heb. my observers, that narrowly look to all my paths, and watch for my haltings, and for an opportunity to destroy me.

Many that fight against me: they trust to their great numbers, wherein they know themselves to be much superior to me.

O thou Most High; who from thine high place beholdest all their plots, and canst most easily disturb and blast them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up,.... For not one man only, but many, were his enemies; who observed and watched him, and were eagerly desirous of his ruin. The believer has many enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, seeking to devour and destroy him, though they cannot;

for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High; he appeals to God, who dwells on high, and sees all things, for the truth of this, that he had many enemies both at Gath and in Israel; as well as applies to him for help, he being higher than they. Some render the words, "for they be many that fight against me from on high" (q), or "highly" (r), proudly and haughtily. Aben Ezra gives a very different sense,

"I have many angels on high that fight for me.''

But "marom", is an epithet of God, as in Psalm 92:8; and so it is interpreted by Jarchi and Kimchi; and also by the Targum, which renders it, O God most High; and adds,

"whose throne is on high;''

which is approved by Gussetius (s).

(q) "a sublimi", Junius & Tremellius; "ex alto", Cocceius; so Arab vers. and Michaelis. (r) "Elato animo", Musculus; so some in Vatablus; "superbe", Gejerus. (s) Ebr. Comment. p. 783.

Geneva Study Bible

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up [or, crush me] all the day long:

For many are they that fight against me haughtily.

For they that lie in wait for me see note on Psalm 54:5. The word rendered O thou most High in A.V. is not Elyôn, the word usually so rendered (e.g. Psalm 57:2), but mârôm. This word is applied to God, as in Micah 6:6, “the high God,” Psalm 92:8, “Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore:” but it can hardly stand by itself as a vocative, and probably means ‘with a high hand,’ ‘haughtily.’ Cp. Psalm 73:8. ‘Be thou exalted’ in Psalm 57:5; Psalm 57:11 is derived from the same root. The Psalmist prays that God will prove His own supreme exaltation against these self-exalted braggarts. P.B.V. are in hand = are busying themselves.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Mine enemies; literally, my watchers - those who keep a continual guard over me. If David had been seized and made a prisoner by the Philistine lords, this expression would be very appropriate. Would daily swallow me up; rather, pant after me all day. For they be many that fight against me. The "lords of the Philistines" were, doubtless, "many;" they seem to have, all of them, opposed themselves to David (1 Samuel 29:2-9). O thou Most High. This rendering is now generally abandoned, since marom (מָרום), "height," is nowhere else used in this sense. Dr. Kay, Hengstenberg, and the Revised Version render "proudly;" Professor Cheyne, "with high looks." Psalm 56:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

אלהים and אנושׁ, Psalm 56:2 (Psalm 9:20; Psalm 10:18), are antitheses: over against God, the majestic One, men are feeble beings. Their rebellion against the counsel of God is ineffective madness. If the poet has God's favour on his side, then he will face these pigmies that behave as though they were giants, who fight against him מרום, moving on high, i.e., proudly (cf. ממּרום, Psalm 73:8), in the invincible might of God. שׁאף, inhiare, as in Psalm 57:4; לחם, as in Psalm 35:1, with ל like אל, e.g., in Jeremiah 1:19. Thus, then, he does not fear; in the day when (Ges. ֗123, 3, b) he might well be afraid (conjunctive future, as e.g., in Joshua 9:27), he clings trustfully to (אל as in Psalm 4:6, and frequently, Proverbs 3:5) his God, so that fear cannot come near him. He has the word of His promise on his side (דּברו as e.g., Psalm 130:5); בּאלהים, through God will he praise this His word, inasmuch as it is gloriously verified in him. Hupfeld thus correctly interprets it; whereas others in part render it "in Elohim do I praise His word," in part (and the form of this favourite expression in Psalm 56:11 is opposed to it): "Elohim do I celebrate, His word." Hitzig, however, renders it: "Of God do I boast in matter," i.e., in the present affair; which is most chillingly prosaic in connection with an awkward brevity of language. The exposition is here confused by Psalm 10:3 and Psalm 44:9. הלּל does not by any means signify gloriari in this passage, but celebrare; and באלהים is not intended in any other sense than that in Psalm 60:14. בּטח בּ is equivalent to the New Testament phrase πιστεύειν ἐν. לא אירא is a circumstantial clause with a finite verb, as is customary in connection with לא, Psalm 35:8, Job 29:24, and עב, Proverbs 19:23.