Comment: This Psalm is entitled a Maskil of David. So we know the author (King David) and a maskil is a wisdom psalm. We are looking at the first half of the psalm today. There are three divisions in today’s portion.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
3 because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me. Comment: a) v 1-3: God is spoken to humbly and then David states three reasons for being in his present state of anguish; i) because the opposition is so vociferous ii) because of the wickedness of the wicked iii) because of anger, trouble and a grudge which they hold against David personally.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.” Comment: b) v 4-8: David is in such a state of terror that he is so overwhelmed that he wants to flee away from his responsibilities and enjoy the simple of pleasures of life away from all ‘politics’!
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace. Comment: c) v 9-11: Does ‘divide their tongues’ refer back to the tower of Babel and thus is asking for them confusion and division? David states what is on his mind – the city is obsessed with strife/violence! Endless meetings in the nights in secret places (on the walls)! Oppression and fraud in the business centres (the market place).
Surely it is not surprising that David is driven to his knees before the God who has appointed him leader! What, what should he do? Await tomorrow’s installment as the Psalm continues…..
Isaiah 40: 31. – they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Prayer: Your word says that You give wisdom to those who ask! I humbly pray please give the wisdom that I need to make a success of my life, as I seek to follow You, Lord Jesus.
As I read it! 