Psalms 35:28

Verse 28. And my tongue shall speak] I, who am chiefly concerned, and who have received most, am under the greatest obligation; and it will require the constant gratitude and obedience of my whole life to discharge the mighty debt I owe.

ANALYSIS OF THE THIRTY-FIFTH PSALM

This Psalm may be divided into three parts: - I. A prayer for defence against his enemies. In which he prays, 1. For protection, Ps 35:1-3; Ps 35:17; Ps 35:19; Ps 35:22-25. And, 2. Imprecates evil to fall on their counsels and designs.

II. A bitter complaint against the malice of his enemies, which he pours out into the ears of God as motives to plead his cause, Ps 35:7; Ps 35:11-16; Ps 35:19-21.

III. An expression of his trust and confidence in God for help and deliverance; his joy in it, Ps 35:9; Ps 35:10; his thanks for it, Ps 35:18; Ps 35:28; and a motive to others to do the like, Ps 35:27.

1. In the courts of men and princes, innocent persons are often oppressed by false accusations and calumnies, persecuted and overborne by power.

He then, first, prays to God to be his Advocate, his Patron, and his Protector: 1. "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive against me." 2. "Fight against them that fight against me," c. 3. "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Assure me of thy favour.

He secondly, begins an imprecation against his enemies: 1. "Let them be confounded and put to shame," Ps 35:4. 2. "Let them be as chaff before the wind," Ps 35:5. 3. "Let their way be dark and slippery," Ps 35:6. 4. "Let destruction come upon him unawares," Ps 35:8.

And here he inserts some reasons for his petition and imprecation: -

1. From the justice of his cause, and their injustice: "Without cause they hid for me their net," Ps 35:7.

2. From his gratitude that, being delivered, he would be thankful: "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord," c., Ps 35:9; Ps 35:10.

3. From his enemies' dealings with him, Ps 35:11-17.

II. He then enters upon his complaint and lays to their charge,

1. Perfidiousness, extreme malice, and perjury: "False witnesses did rise," c.

2. Ingratitude. They rewarded me evil for good. Good he did to them for, when they were afflicted, he fasted and prayed for them.

3. They were cruel to him: "In my adversity they rejoiced."

4. They mocked him and made him their cruel sport: "The abjects gathered themselves together against me," c.

5. And a conspiracy in all, Ps 35:20-21.

Then he returns again to his petition and expostulates with God, wondering that he should be so patient with them: "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from destruction," c.

And, to move God the sooner to do it, he repeats his former reason, Ps 35:9, engaging himself to be thankful: "I will give thee thanks in the great congregation I will praise thee among much people."

He continues his suit to the end of the Psalm; sometimes praying, at others imprecating.

1. He deprecates: "Let not my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me, neither let them wink with the eye," c. And that God may be the readier to hear him, and stay their joy and triumph, he subjoins these reasons: 1. "For they speak not peace." 2. "They devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land." 3. They are impudent, lying people: "Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me," c. This is a truth this is not hidden from thee: "This thou hast seen," and from them to thee I turn my eyes and thus renew my prayer: -

1. "Keep not silence." Do not appear to neglect my cause; nor to let them pass on with impunity.

2. "Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment," c. Defend me, and confound them: -

3. "Judge me according to thy righteousness," which suffers not the just to be always oppressed.

4. "Let them not rejoice over me," and, in me, over the truth, and over a just cause.

5. "Let them not say in their hearts, So would we have it," c.

6. But rather let that befall them which I have prayed for: "Let them be ashamed, - brought to confusion, - and clothed with shame and dishonour, that magnify themselves against me."

III. In the conclusion he expresses his trust and confidence in God and intimates that if he be heard, then he, and the whole Church, and all good men, will rejoice together.

1. To them he first directs his speech: "Let them shout for joy that favour my righteous cause yea, let them say continually; Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant."

2. He then declares what effect this will have upon him in particular: "My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long."

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

Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness [and] of thy praise all the day long.

Ver. 28. And my tongue, &c.] I do solemnly promise that thy praises shall never die on my hand, &c.

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.

28. (Psa 35:28) And my tongue shall utter thy righteousness—all the day (long) thy praise. The and connects the verse with what precedes, as the effect with its occasion or its muse. This connection may be made clear in our idiom by the use of a more definite particle, such as then or so.—The verb used in this verse is applied elsewhere both to articulate and inarticulate animal sounds. The nearest equivalent in English is to utter. For a secondary or derived sense of the same verb, see above, on Psa 1:2. —All the day long, or every day, common expressions for continually, always.—The righteousness of the first clanse is the object of the praise in the second. The righteousness of God here mentioned has reference to the Psalmist's righteousness in Psa 35:27. By vindicating this, the divine justice or fidelity acquires, as it were, a new claim to the praises of the justified sinner, which he here declares himself resolved to pay.

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

In this praise of God's equitable government (Psa 5:8) the writer promises ever to engage.

Next: Psalms Chapter 36

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

28. shall speak] ‘Shall speak musingly, in the low murmur of one entranced by a sweet thought.’ Cheyne.

of thy righteousness] For Jehovah’s righteousness (Psa_35:24) will have been manifested in delivering His servant.

all the day long] ‘Tota die Deum laudare quis durat? Suggero remedium, unde tota die laudes Deum, si vis. Quidquid egeris bene age, et laudasti Deum.… In innocentia operum tuorum praepara te ad laudandum Deum tota die.’ St Augustine.

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.

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness,.... In vindicating his cause, and bringing his enemies to shame and confusion, as well as of the glory and excellency of that righteousness of his, by which he was justified in his sight, and from whence his inward peace and prosperity flowed:

and of thy praise all the day long; for the many mercies, temporal and spiritual, he was every day favoured with.

Next: Psalms Chapter 36

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

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness - That is, I will praise thee as a righteous God.

And of thy praise - Of that which is a ground or reason for praise. I will speak continually of that in God and in his doings which make it proper that he should be praised.

All the day long - Continually; constantly. Every new proof of the kindness of God to him would lead to new acts of praise; and his life, as ours should be, would be a continual expression of thanksgiving.

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

Verse 28. Unceasing praise is here vowed to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue would talk and sing, and glorify the Lord. O for such a resolve carried out by us all!

[Verse] 28. ["My tongue shall speak of thy righteousnesses and of thy praise all the day long."] See now I have made a discourse something longer; ye are wearied. Who endureth to praise God all the day long? I will suggest a remedy whereby thou mayest praise God all the day long if thou wilt. Whatever thou dost, do well, and thou hast praised God. When thou singest a hymn, thou praisest God, but what doth thy tongue, unless thy heart also praise him? Hast thou ceased from singing hymns, and departed that thou mayest refresh thyself? Be not drunken, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou go away to sleep? Rise not to do evil, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou transact business? Do no wrong, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou till thy field? Raise not strife, and thou hast praised God. In the innocency of thy works prepare thyself to praise God all the day long. [Augustine.]

[Verse] 28. A blessed theme, a fitting tongue, an endless speech.

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

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long (comp. vers. 9, 10, and 18). David means to premise perpetual gratitude and thankfulness. He will not merely return thanks publicly, once for all, in the great congregation (ver. 18), but will continue to praise God always.

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