Psalms 35:24

Psa 35:24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

Ver. 24. According to thy righteousness] i.e. For the honour of thy justice, wherein else thou art likely to suffer.

And let them not rejoice over me] For I quarter arms, as I may so say, with thee, Lord; and my disgrace will reflect upon thee.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. (Psa 35:24) Judge me according to thy righteousness, Jehovah, my God, and let them not rejoice respecting me. "Do me justice, clear me from aspersion, grant an attestation of my innocence, in the exercise and exhibition of thine own essential rectitude, and in accordance with that covenant relation which exists between us; and thus, in the most effectual manner, take away from my malignant enemies all pretext and occasion for exulting in my overthrow, or otherwise triumphing at my expense." With the last clause compare Psa 30:2 (1) above, where he thanks God for the very favour which he here asks. The verb in this clause may be referred to men in general, or with still greater probability to the enemies described in the preceding context.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is the justice of God to give to the oppressors affliction and torment, and to the oppressed aid and relief, 2 Thess. 1:6.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 24. Judge me, O Lord my God] The manner of his appeal shows the strong confidence he had in his own innocence.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. Judge me, O Jehovah my God! David here confirms the prayer of the preceding verse that God would be his defender, and would maintain his righteous cause. Having been for a time subjected to suffering as one who had been forsaken and forgotten, he sets before himself the righteousness of God, which forbids that he should altogether abandon the upright and the just. It is, therefore, not simply a prayer, but a solemn appeal to God, that as he is righteous, he would manifest his righteousness in defending his servant in a good cause. And certainly, when we seem to be forsaken and deprived of all help, there is no remedy which we can employ, more effectual to overcome temptation than this consideration, that the righteousness of God, on which our deliverance depends, can never fail. Accordingly, the Apostle Paul, in exhorting the faithful to patience, says in 2 Thessalonians 1:6,

“It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”

Now David again appeals to God in this place, and entreats him to manifest his righteousness in restraining the insolence of his enemies: for the more proudly they assail us, God is so much the more ready to help us. Besides, by again introducing them as speaking, he portrays in a graphic style the cruelty of their desires; and by this he means to show, that if things should happen according to their wishes, they would set no limit to their frowardness. But as the more they vaunt themselves, the more they provoke the wrath of God against them, David with good reason uses this as an argument to encourage his hope, and employs it for his support and confirmation in prayer.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

24. Judge me] Do me justice. Cp. Psa_7:8; and for the plea, according to thy righteousness, see Psa_7:17; Psa_31:1.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness,.... Either that righteousness of his, by which he justifies his people, which Christ has wrought out, God has accepted of, and imputes; and which, though revealed in the Gospel, was witnessed to by the law and prophets, and was known to the saints under the Old Testament, and particularly to David; see Rom 4:6; or the perfection of his justice, his essential righteousness displayed in all his works and actions, and in the government of the world; according to this the psalmist desired to be judged; not with respect to his person before God, but with respect to his cause before men, by delivering him from his enemies, and taking vengeance on them: thus Christ also was judged according to the strict justice or righteousness of God; for as sin was righteously condemned in his flesh, being imputed to him, and found upon him; so he was, according to the justice of God, acquitted, discharged, and justified in the Spirit, when he arose from the dead; and afterwards righteous judgment was executed on his enemies the Jews, when wrath came upon them to the uttermost: and his people are also dealt with according to the righteousness of God; who acts as a righteous God, as just and faithful in forgiving their sins, on account of the blood of Christ being shed for it; and in justifying their persons by his righteousness, and by giving them the crown of righteousness laid up for them; and at last by rendering tribulation to them that have troubled them;

and let them not rejoice over me; meaning his enemies, as in Psa 35:15; that is, let them not go on to rejoice; let them have no occasion for it, but deliver me out of their hands.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Judge me, O Lord my God - Pronounce judgment, or judge between me and my enemies. Compare the notes at Psa 26:1.

According to thy righteousness - That is, “rightly.” Let there be a righteous judgment. The character of God, or the righteousness of God, is the highest standard of equity and justice, and the psalmist asks that he would manifest his real character as judge in interposing in behalf of an injured and oppressed man, and doing justice to him. When we are right in our own cause we may ask a just God to interpose and determine between us and our enemies according to his own nature. As between ourselves and our fellow-men we may bring our cause with this plea before a righteous God; as between ourselves and God, we can make no appeal to his “justice,” but our only hope is in his “mercy.”

And let them not rejoice over me - Let them not carry out their purposes; let them not be successful, so that they can appeal to the result as if they were right, and thus obtain a triumph over me. Compare Psa 35:19.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thy righteousness; whereby thou usest and lovest to defend the innocent, and to punish their oppressors.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Verse 24. The appeal is here repeated; the plaintiff feels that the joy of his accusers will be shortlived as soon as impartial justice rules. The oppressors' wrong, the proud man's contumely, the fool's grimace all, all will cease when the righteous Lord sits down upon the judgment seat.

[Verse] 24. ["O Lord my God."] O Jehovah my God; here is another precious word. He takes Jehovah to be his God, in opposition to those who make idols, or riches, or their own lusts their God. He claims a full possession of all that is in the great I AM. Even though he views him as a judge he lays the hand of faith upon his God, and flinches not even before the blaze of his righteousness. It is a noble word, a grand utterance of faith; he who can pronounce that word "my" from his inmost soul in such a connection may well laugh to scorn all his enemies. [C. H. S.]

None.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. According to thy righteousness—An appeal to God’s knowledge of the right as to the points at issue with his enemies. Justice, not private victory, is his plea with God.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness, Let thy law of righteousness be the rule by which I am judged, and my enemies also. Then the victory will remain with me; thou wilt not let them rejoice over me.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

do not let them rejoice over me

"do not let them be glad because I am suffering"

say in their heart

This is an idiom that means to say to oneself. AT: "say to themselves" (See: Idiom)

Aha

This is an exclamation that is used when something is suddenly seen or understood. It emphasizes what follows. AT: "Yes" (See: Exclamations)

we have what we wanted

It is implied that the writer's enemies wanted him to be declared guilty. AT: "he has been declared guilty just as we desired" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

We have devoured him

The writer's enemies speak of his destruction as if they were wild animals who had eaten him. AT: "We have swallowed him up" or "We have destroyed him" (See: Metaphor)

May they be put to shame and may they be confounded who rejoice at my distress

"May those who rejoice at my distress be put to shame and confounded"

May they be put to shame

"May they feel shame"

may they be confounded

"may they be confused" or "may they be humiliated"

May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor

This can be stated in active form. AT: "May you clothe with shame and dishonor those who exalt themselves over me" (See: Active or Passive)

exalt themselves over me

"consider themselves better than I am" or "think they have the right to treat me badly"

clothed with shame and dishonor

Here shame and dishonor are spoken of as if they were shameful clothes that the writer could wear. These abstract nouns can be stated as verbs. AT: "shamed and dishonored" (See: Abstract Nouns and Metaphor)

shame and dishonor

These terms mean about the same thing and are used to emphasize how degraded they will be. (See: Doublet)

translationWords

God

righteous

joy

heart

devour

shame

dishonor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.