Psalms 38:16

Psa 38:16 For I said, [Hear me], lest [otherwise] they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify [themselves] against me.

Ver. 16. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise, &c.] He spread their vile speeches before the Lord, as afterwards good Hezekiah did Rabshakeh’s letter; and as it was said of Charles V., that he spake more to God than to men; so did David. His former silence, therefore, was not either from stupidity (a sheep bitten by a dog is as sensible thereof as a swine, though he make not so great a noise) or inability to make his own defence, if it had been to any purpose, for he was both innocent and eloquent; but he thought it far better to sustain himself in faith and patience, and meekly to commit himself to God in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. Besides, he feared lest if he spake at all in this case, he should speak unadvisedly with his lips (as it is very easy to exceed), and so give occasion to the enemy to triumph, as the Papists did over Luther, for his hot and hasty speeches.

When my foot slippeth] Or, When my tongue lasheth out in the least, they desire no other sport, but lay it in my dish as a foul disgrace. My motto, therefore, shall be, and my practice according, Taceo, Fero, Spero, I say nothing, but suffer, and hope for better.

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.

For I said - This is the prayer to which he referred in the previous verse. He prayed that he might not be permitted to fall away under the influence of his sins and sufferings; that his faith might remain firm; that he might not be allowed to act so as to justify the accusations of his enemies, or to give them occasion to rejoice over his fall. The entire prayer Psa 38:16-18 is one that is based on the consciousness of his own weakness, and his liability to sin, if left to himself; on the certainty that if God did not interpose, his sins would get the mastery over him, and he would become in his conduct all that his enemies desired, and be in fact all that they had falsely charged on him.

Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me - literally, “For I said, lest they should rejoice over me.” It is the language of earnest desire that they might “not” thus be allowed to rejoice over his fall. The same sentiment occurs substantially in Psa 13:3-4. The motive is a right one; alike

(a) in reference to ourselves personally - that our foes may not triumph over us by the ruin of our character; and

(b) in reference to its bearing on the cause of virtue and religion - that that cause may not suffer by our misconduct; compare Psa 69:6.

When my foot slippeth -

(a) When my foot really has slipped, or when I have committed sin (as the psalmist did not deny that he had done, Psa 38:3-5, Psa 38:18); or

(b) when it “might” occur “again” (as he felt was possible); or

(c) if I deviate in the slightest degree from perfect virtue; if I inadvertently do anything wrong.

The slipping of the foot is an indication of the want of firmness, and hence, it comes to represent the falling into sin.

They magnify themselves against me - See Psa 35:26. They exult over me; they triumph; they boast. They “make themselves great” on my fall, or by my being put down. This he says

(a) they were disposed to do, for they had shown a disposition to do it whenever he had fallen into sin;

(b) he apprehended that they would do it again, and they had already begun to magnify themselves against him, as if they were certain that it would occur.

He did not deny that there was ground to fear this, for he felt that his strength was almost gone Psa 38:17, and that God only could uphold him, and save him from justifying all the expectations of his enemies.

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

17. (Psa 38:16). For I said, Lest they rejoice respecting me; in the slipping of my foot they have (already) magnified (themselves) against me. His tranquillity did not arise from insensibility to danger, but from confidence in God. He was not without fear that his enemies might triumph over him, as they were already disposed to do, when he merely stumbled, but did not actually fall.

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

That is, if they see that thou succor me not in time, they will mock and triumph, as though thou hadst forsaken me.

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

Verse 16. When my foot slippeth] They watched for my halting; and when my foot slipped, they rejoiced that I had fallen into sin!

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

16 For I said, lest they rejoice over me. Here he also confirms his faith and his earnestness in prayer from this consideration, that if he should be forsaken of God, his enemies would triumph. This indignity, on their part, is of no small weight in inducing God to help us; for the wicked, in thus magnifying themselves against us, and indulging in derision, not only make war with our flesh, but also directly assail our faith and endeavor to destroy whatever there is of religion and the fear of God in our hearts. What is the object of all their mockery, but to persuade us that what God has promised is vain and worthless? The Psalmist immediately adds, that it is not without cause that he is struck with the fear that his enemies would rejoice over him, since he had already had experience of their proud boastings. We are taught from this passage, that in proportion as our enemies increase in insolence and cruelty towards us, or, seeing us already overwhelmed by a heavy load of adversities, in their proud disdain trample us under their feet, we ought to cherish the greater hope that God will come to our help.

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.

(16) Lest.—It is better to carry on the force of the particle of condition:

For I said, Lest they should rejoice over me:

Lest, when my foot slipped, they should vaunt themselves against me.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. For I said, Lest they rejoice over me (R.V.). This was the plea which he urged in his prayer (Psa_25:2; Psa_35:19). The enemies of the godly man rejoice at his calamities, for they see in them a proof of God’s disfavour (Psa_41:11).

when my foot slippeth] Lit. is moved, a metaphor for misfortune of any kind (Psa_13:4).

magnify themselves] Cp. Psa_35:26.

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.

For I am ready to halt,.... Meaning either that there was a proneness in him to sin; see Jer 20:10; or that he was subject to affliction and adversity, as the same word is rendered in Psa 35:15; and the words are either a reason and argument used with the Lord, to hear and keep his foot from slipping, that so his enemies might not rejoice over him, and magnify themselves against him; as they would do should he fall into sin or into any calamity, both which he was liable to: or they are a reason why he was so calm and quiet under the ill usage he met with from friends and enemies, because he was "ready for halting", or "prepared" (o) for it; he considered that he was born for trouble and adversity; that God had appointed him to it, and it was appointed for him, and therefore he was quiet under it; see Job 5:6; he was prepared to meet it; he expected it, it being the common lot of God's people; and therefore when it came upon him it was no strange thing to him. The Septuagint version, and those that follow that, render the words, "I am ready for scourges"; and Jerom applies them to Christ, who was ready to undergo scourges, sufferings, and death itself, for his people;

and my sorrow is continually before me; that is, for his sin, which was ever before him, stared him in the face, lay heavy on his conscience, and appeared very terrible and loathsome to him; his sorrow for it was without intermission, and was a godly sorrow, a sorrow for sin, as committed against a God of love, grace, and mercy: or he may mean, that his affliction, which was grievous to him, was continually upon him night and day: our Lord himself, David's antitype, was a man of sorrows all his days.

(o) V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.

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

I said, to wit, in my heart and prayers; I used this argument, which I knew was prevalent.

Rejoice over me in my destruction, which also will reflect upon thee; who hast undertaken to defend and save me, and for whose sake I suffer so much from these wicked men, Psa 38:20.

When my foot slippeth; when I fall either into any gross sin, or into any misery, or into both, as I have now done.

They magnify themselves against me; they triumph in the accomplishment of their designs or desires.

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

Ver. 16. For I said, hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me. The good man was not insensible, he dreaded the sharp stings of taunting malice; he feared lest either by his conduct or his condition, he should give occasion to the wicked to triumph. This fear his earnest desires used as an argument in prayer as well as an incentive to prayer. When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. The least flaw in a saint is sure to be noticed; long before it comes to a fall the enemy begins to rail, the merest trip of the foot sets all the dogs of hell barking. How careful ought we to be, and how importunate in prayer for upholding grace! We do not wish, like blind Samson, to make sport for our enemies; let us then beware of the treacherous Delilah of sin, by whose means our eyes may soon be put out.

None.

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Psalms 38:17*

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

16. Lest… they should rejoice over me—This is urged as the reason for the divine interference; or, if this verse should be made to connect with Psa_38:14, it would be the reason for David’s silence before his enemies, as in Psa_39:1-2. The reader will understand that the sentence is elliptical, the words “hear me” and “otherwise” being supplied by the translators.

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

For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me; rather, for I said, I will be silent, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me. I feared lest by answering rashly or intemperately I might give my enemies occasion against me. I knew by experience that, when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. They are always on the watch to catch at any slip on my part, and make it a ground for magnifying themselves and denying me. Hence my silence.

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

When - When I fall into any misery, they triumph in the accomplishment of their desires.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.