Psalms 54:7

Psa 54:7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen [his desire] upon mine enemies.

Ver. 7. For he hath delivered me] i.e. He surely will. This is the language of faith; this is the triumph of trust.

And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies] This was not an evil eye of envy or private revenge; such as was that of him, who, when he saw a pit full of man’s blood, cried out, O formosmn spectaculum! O brave sight! or that of Antichrist, who hath oft glutted his eyes with many such goodly bloody sights; as when he caused the massacre of Paris to be painted in his palace, and had the admiral’s head sent him for a present; but as admiring God’s justice on his enemies, and love towards his people, he was well pleased with such a providence, and beheld it with comfort (Thuan.). The Arabic rendereth it, Oculus meus requievit. My eye rested. Tremellius, mine eye beholdeth mine enemies; I dare now boldly look them in the face, being strengthened with thy night, &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.

9. (Psa 54:7). For out of all distress he hath delivered me, and on my enemies my eye has looked. In his confident assurance of a favourable issue, he speaks of it, though future, as already past. The sudden change of person, may be avoided by translating the first verb, it (i.e. thy name) has delivered me, according to the prayer in Psa 54:3 (1). My eye has looked or gazed, with an implication of delight, or at least of acquiescence, which is commonly conveyed by this construction. This kind of satisfaction in the execution of God's threatenings is sinful only when combined with selfish malignity. Apart from this corrupt admixture, it is inseparable from conformity of will and coincidence of judgment with God. The same kind and degree of acquiescence which is felt by holy angels in heaven may surely be expressed by saints on earth, especially in their collective capacity as a church, in whose name the Psalmist is here speaking, and not merely in his own or that of any other individual.

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

We may lawfully rejoice for God’s judgments against the wicked, if our affections be pure.

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

mine eye . . . desire--(compare Psa 59:10; Psa 112:8), expresses satisfaction in beholding the overthrow of his enemies as those of God, without implying any selfish or unholy feeling (compare Psa 52:6-7).

Next: Psalms Chapter 55

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

Verse 7. For he hath delivered me] Saul had now decamped; and was returned to save his territories; and David in the meanwhile escaped to En-gedi. God was most evidently the author of this deliverance.

Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.] It is not likely that this Psalm was written after the death of Saul; and therefore David could not say that he had seen his desire. But there is nothing in the text for his desire; and the words might be translated, My eye hath seen my enemies-they have been so near that I could plainly discover them. Thus almost all the Versions have understood the text. I have seen them, and yet they were not permitted to approach me. God has been my Deliverer.

ANALYSIS OF THE FIFTY-FOURTH PSALM

There are three parts in this Psalm: -

I. David's prayer for help and salvation, Ps 54:1-3.

II. His confidence that he should have help, Ps 54:4-5.

III. His gratitude and obedience, Ps 54:6-7.

1. David's petition: 1. "Save me." 2. "Plead my cause." 3. "Hear my prayer." 4. "Give ear to my words." He is much in earnest; and yet does not desire his prayer to be heard unless his cause be just. If just, then let God plead it.

2. He produces two grounds upon which he petitions: 1. God's name. 2. God's strength. 1. He that calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; I call: "Save me in thy name!" 2. Thou art a powerful God, able to do it: "Save me in thy strength."

The greatness of his danger causes him to urge his prayer.

1. His enemies were strangers; from whom no favour could be expected.

2. They were violent oppressors - formidable, cruel tyrants, from whom he could expect no mercy.

3. They were such as could be satisfied with nothing less than his blood: "They rise to seek after my life."

4. They had no fear of God: "They have not set God before them."

II. Notwithstanding they are all that I have already stated; and, humanly speaking, I have nothing but destruction to expect; yet I will not fear: because, 1. God is with me. 2. He is against them.

1. "God is my helper:" as he has promised, so he has done, and will do, to me.

2. "God is with them also who uphold my soul. Selah." Behold this!

But he opposes them who oppose me; is an enemy to them who are mine enemies.

1. "He shall reward evil" to such: of this being assured, he proceeds to imprecate.

2. Destroy thou them: "Cut them off in thy truth." Thou hast promised that it shall be well with the righteous; and that snares, fire, and brimstone, shall be rained on the wicked. Let God be true: Fiat justitia; ruat coelum, pereat mundus. They must be cut off.

III. For such a mercy David promises not to be unthankful.

1. For this he would offer a princely sacrifice: "I will freely sacrifice."

2. He would praise the name of the Lord: "I will praise thy name."

For this he gives two reasons: -

1. That which internally moved him: "For it is good."

2. That which was outwardly impulsive; his deliverance. 1. His deliverance was great and effectual: "Thou hast delivered me out of all my trouble." 2. His danger was so imminent that, humanly speaking, there was no escape. The enemy was within sight who was bent on his destruction; yet he was delivered; and they were confounded. On these accounts it was right that he should sing praise, and offer sacrifice. To the grateful, God is bountiful.

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

(7) This verse does not actually state what has happened, but, according to a well-known Hebrew idiom should be rendered, When he shall have delivered, &c

Hath seen his desire.—Or, hath gloated on The Hebrews use the words seeing and looking very expressively, making the simple verb do almost what the eye itself can do: show hatred, love, triumph, defeat, wistfulness, disgust, &C (See Psa_35:21; Psa_52:6; Psa_59:10; Psa_92:11; Son_6:13; &c)

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

7. For he hath delivered me] Such a transition from the second person of Psa_54:6 to the third person is quite possible: cp. the converse transition in Psa_54:5 : but the subject of the verb maybe ‘the Name of Jehovah.’ Cp. Lev_24:11; Isa_30:27.

The perfect tense (‘hath delivered’ … ‘hath seen’) looks back from the hour of thanksgiving upon an answered prayer. Cp. Psa_52:9, “because thou hast done it.”

hath seen his desire] Cp. Psa_37:34; Psa_52:6; Psa_59:10; Psa_92:11; Psa_112:8; Psa_118:7. Such rejoicing over the fall of enemies is not of the spirit of the Gospel. But the ‘salvation’ for which the Psalmist prays is a temporal deliverance, which can only be effected at the expense of the implacable enemies who are seeking his life; and it will be a vindication of God’s faithfulness and a proof of His righteous government at which he cannot but rejoice. The defeat of evil and the triumph of good presented themselves to the saints of the O.T. in this concrete form, which sometimes has a ring of personal vindictiveness about it, yet, fairly considered, is in its real motive and character elevated far above a mere thirst for revenge. See Introd. pp. lxxxviii ff.

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 he hath delivered me out of all trouble,.... As he desired, Sa1 26:24; that is, out of all his present trouble; not that he had no more afterwards; for as soon as one trouble is gone, generally speaking, another comes; but as God delivered him out of his present distress, so he believed he would deliver him out of all his afflictions in future times;

and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies: or revenge, as the Targum supplies it; not that he delighted in the destruction of his enemies, but in the justice of God glorified thereby, and in the goodness of God to him, in delivering him from them; see Rev 18:20.

Next: Psalms Chapter 55

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

For he hath delivered me out of all trouble - This is spoken either in confident expectation of what would be, or as the statement of a general truth that God did deliver him from all trouble. It was what he had experienced in his past life; it was what he confidently expected in all time to come.

And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies - The words “his desire” are not in the original. A literal translation would be, “And on my enemies hath my eye looked.” The meaning is, that they had been overthrown; they had been unsuccessful in their malignant attempts against him; and he had had the satisfaction of “seeing” them thus discomfited. Their overthrow had not merely been reported to him, but he had had ocular demonstration of its reality. This is not the expression of malice, but of certainty. The fact on which the eye of the psalmist rested was his own safety. Of that he was assured by what he had witnessed with his own eyes; and in that fact he rejoiced. There is no more reason to charge malignity in this case on David, or to suppose that he rejoiced in the destruction of his enemies as such, than there is in our own case when we are rescued from impending danger. It is proper for Americans to rejoice in their freedom, and to give thanks to God for it; nor, in doing this, is it to be supposed that there is a malicious pleasure in the fact that in the accomplishment of this thousands of British soldiers were slain, or that thousands of women and children as the result of their discomfiture were made widows and orphans. We can be thankful for the mercies which we enjoy without having any malignant delight in those woes of others through which our blessings may have come upon us.

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

He speaks of it as a thing already done, either to express his assurance of it, or because this Psalm was made after it was done.

His desire; or, thy vengeance; which may be understood out of Psa 54:5. But there is no necessity of any supplement. The words in the Hebrew run thus,

mine eye hath looked upon mine enemies; either with delight, as this phrase signifies, Psa 22:17; 27:4, and elsewhere; or without fear or shame. I shall not be afraid to look them in the face, having God on my side.

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

Ver. 7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble. Up to that time deliverance had come, and for that danger also he felt that rescue was near. David lived a life of dangers and hair breadth escapes, yet he was always safe. In the retrospect of his very many deliverances he feels that he must praise God, and looking upon the mercy which he sought as though it were already received, he sang this song over it--

"And a new song is in my mouth,

To long loved music set,

Glory to thee for all the grace

I have not tasted yet."

Out of all trouble our covenant God is pledged to bring us, and therefore even now let us uplift the note of triumph unto Jehovah, the faithful preserver of them that put their trust in him. Thus far have we proved his promise good; he changes not, and therefore in all the unknown future he will be equally our guardian and defence, "showing himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."

And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. He knew that yet he should look on his haughty foes, gazing down on them in triumph as now they looked on him in contempt. He desired this as a matter of justice, and not of personal pique. His righteous soul exulted because he knew that unprovoked and gratuitous malice would meet with a righteous punishment. Could we keep out of our hearts all personal enmity as fully as the psalmist did in this Psalm, we might yet equally feel with him a sacred acquiescence and delight in that divine justice which will save the righteous and overthrow the malicious. In closing, let us trust that if we are as friendless as this man of God, we may resort in prayer as he did, exercise the like faith, and find ourselves ere long singing the same joyous hymn of praise.

Ver. 7. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. Or, mine eye hath looked upon mine enemies; that is, he was able to meet them without terror. Samuel Davidson, D.D., 1852.

Ver. 7. The reader will note that the words his desire are supplied by our translators, and are not in the original text. C. H. S.

Ver. 7. (first clause). The exclamation of the newly pardoned penitent, the cry of the delivered saint, the song of the ripe Christian, the shout of the glorified believer.

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

7. Hath delivered… hath seen—The past tense of the verbs is the language of faith, which speaks of future events as already accomplished, “and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Rom_4:17. Mine eye hath seen, etc.—The words his desire are not in the text, which simply reads, Mine eye has looked on my enemies; an expression to be interpreted idiomatically. Not merely that they had approached so near that he saw them in their retreat, which, indeed, is quite probable, but that he “calmly surveyed them without alarm, for he feels that the shield of God’s power and love is cast over him to protect him,” (Wordsworth,) with the idea further implied, that God had given him to see their downfall in the miscarriage of their plans, as in Psa_59:11; Psa_92:12, where “his desire” is not in the text.

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

For he hath delivered me out of all trouble. "The poet looks forward, and treats the future as past" (Cheyne). He sees the "troubles" over, the Ziphites disappointed and punished, himself not only preserved from the immediate danger, but altogether freed from trouble of every kind, and rejoices in the deliverance which he feels has been accorded him. And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. There is nothing about "desire" in the original, which seems rather to mean, "Mine eye has looked, calmly and leisurely, upon my (defeated) enemies" (so Dr. Kay).

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

to those who lie in wait for me Heb. לשררי, those who eye me, an expression of (Num. 24:17): “I see him (אשורנו), but not near.”

with Your truth Since You are truthful, and You said that You would wreak vengeance upon talebearers and those who pursue to kill, therefore, cut them off.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.