Psalms 59:3

Psa 59:3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD.

Ver. 3. The mighty are gathered aqainst me] The seven sons of Saul, say the Rabbis, who were afterwards hanged, 2Sa 21:1-9, with a company of cut-throats attending them (R. Obad. Gaon in loc.).

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.

Ver. 3. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul. They were in ambuscade for the good man's life. He knew their design and cried to God to be rescued from it. Like wild beasts they crouched, and waited to make the fatal spring; but their victim used effectual means to baffle them, for he laid the matter before the Lord. While the enemy lies waiting in the posture of a beast, we wait before God in the posture of prayer, for God waits to be gracious to us and terrible towards our foes.

The mighty are gathered against me. None of them were absent from the muster when a saint was to be murdered. They were too fond of such sport to be away. The men at arms who ought to have been fighting their country's battles, are instead thereof hunting a quiet citizen; the gigantic monarch is spending all his strength to slay a faithful follower.

Not for my transgression, not for my sin, O Lord. He appeals to Jehovah that he had done no ill. His only fault was, that he was too valiant and too gracious, and was, besides, the chosen of the Lord, therefore the envious king could not rest till he had washed his hands in the blood of his too popular rival. We shall always find it to be a great thing to be innocent; if it does not carry our cause before an earthly tribunal, it will ever prove the best of arguments in the court of conscience, and a standing consolation when we are under persecution. Note the repetition of his declaration of integrity. David is sure of his innocence. He dares repeat the plea.

Ver. 3. (first clause). On the expression, they lie in wait for my soul, compare 1Sa 19:11, "And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life soul tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain; "and Ps 7:2, 5. E. W. Hengstenberg.

Ver. 3. The mighty are gathered against me, is rendered by Chandler, The mighty are turned aside to lay snares against me.

Ver. 3. The mighty are gathered against me. As if he would say, "But I am weak, be thou, however, my strength, and vindicate my innocence." Arnd.

Ver. 3-4. He pleads his own innocency, not as to God, but as to his persecutors. Note,

1. The innocency of the godly will not secure them from the malignity of the wicked. Those that are harmless like doves, yet for Christ's sake are hated of all men, as if they were noxious like serpents, and obnoxious accordingly.

2. Though our innocency will not secure us from troubles, yet it will greatly support and comfort us under our troubles. The testimony of our conscience for us, that we have behaved ourselves well toward those that have behaved themselves ill towards us, will be very much our rejoicing in the day of evil. If we are conscious to ourselves of our innocency, we may with humble confidence appeal to God, and beg of him to plead our injured cause which he will do in due time. Matthew Henry.

Ver. 3. (first clause). The subtleties of Satan. Watches for places, times, states, and ways in which to assail us. Errors in doctrine, practice, spirit, set forth to entrap us. "Ye are not ignorant of his devices." Or, the diabolical ambush, discovered by watchfulness, and defeated by faith.

Psalms 59:4*

Ver. 3-4. See Psalms on "Ps 59:3" for further information.

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

Psa 59:3. They lie in wait for my soul — For my life, to take it away. The mighty are gathered against me — They are all mighty, men of honour and estates, and interest in the court and country. They are in a confederacy, united by a league; and actually gathered together against me; combined both in consultation and action. Not for my transgression, nor for my sin — Without any provocation or cause given by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury. It was a noble vindication of David’s innocence, in that he could, in the most private retirement, and upon the most serious and deliberate reflection, thus solemnly appeal to God, that he was not chargeable with the least perfidy, wickedness, or crime, which could excite the hatred of his enemies, and give occasion to Saul to pursue him with such eagerness and malice, to his destruction.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. (Psa 59:3). (This I ask) because (such enemies as I have just described) have laid wait for my soul (or life); there assemble against me strong ones, not (for) my transgression, and not (for) my sin, Jehovah! Or, (it is) not my fault nor my sin, Jehovah.

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

For I am innocent to themwards, and have not offended them.

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

Verse 3. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul] For my life. See the passages referred to above.

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

(3) For, lo, they lie in wait . . .—Better, for look, they have laid an ambush.

Mighty.—Perhaps with the idea of insolence in their strength.

Not for my transgression . . .—Better, Without transgression or fault of mine, as in next verse.

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

3, 4. For, lo, strong ones have laid wait for my life,

They gather themselves together against me,

For no transgression or sin of mine, Jehovah.

For no iniquity (of mine) they run and station themselves:

Arouse thee to meet me, and behold.

Observe the tenses. Secret plots (cp. Pro_1:11; Mic_7:2) have long been going on: now they are preparing a more open attack (Psa_54:3; Psa_56:6). In this crisis he calls upon God to arouse Himself from His apparent slumber of indifference (Psa_44:23), and ‘meet him’ as with an army of relief. For ‘behold’ (lit. see) cp. Psa_10:14; Psa_25:18; Psa_31:7.

The transgression, sin, iniquity, of which he protests his innocence, might refer to offences against God, for which this persecution might have been sent as a punishment (1Sa_26:19); but more probably they refer to offences against his persecutors. Their hostility is unprovoked. Exactly the same words are used by David in protesting his innocence of treasonable designs against Saul, 1Sa_20:1; 1Sa_24:11.

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, lo, they lie in wait for my soul,.... As the men did that watched his house, when Saul sent to kill him; so the Jews sought and lay in wait to take away the life of Christ; and very often was it the case of the Apostle Paul, that he was in danger of his life, through the lying in wait of the Jews; so Satan makes use of cunning devices, stratagems, and wiles, to ruin the souls of God's people, if possible; and false teachers lie in wait to deceive them. The emphasis lies upon the word "soul", which is so precious, and the redemption of which has cost so much, even the blood of Christ;

the mighty are gathered against me; or, "dwell by me"; see Psa 56:6; around his house, the soldiers that Saul sent; and such were the enemies of Christ, Psa 69:4; the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, men of great authority and influence among the people; the kings of the earth and rulers, Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of the Jews, Act 4:26; yea, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and who are also those against whom the saints wrestle, and would be too mighty for them, were it not that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and the holy angels, are on their side;

not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord; as the cause of such usage and treatment. David was not without original sin, in which he was conceived and born; nor without inward corruptions, of which he often complained; nor without actual transgressions, and some very gross ones, and which he owned and confessed, and prayed for the pardon of: but in the case of Saul there was no transgression nor iniquity in him, as he declared to him himself, and appeals to God for the truth of it, Sa1 24:11. One of the words here used signifies "rebellion" (m); of this he was not guilty; he never entered into any treasonable measures, nor committed any treasonable practices, nor conspired against the life and crown of his sovereign; in this respect he was quite clear and innocent. Christ, his antitype, was entirely without sin, without original or actual transgression; he had no sin in his nature, nor committed any in his life; he had none inherent in him, only the sins of his people imputed to him; and therefore the usage he met with from men was very cruel and unjust. And as for the saints, though they are not free from sin, original and actual, yet in the case for which they suffer reproach, and are persecuted by men, they are not criminal; they have done nothing to deserve such usage; they do not suffer as evildoers, but as Christians, Pe1 4:15.

(m) "rebellionem meam", Gejerus, Michaelis.

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

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul - They lie in wait as wild beasts do for their prey, ready to spring upon it. The word used here is often employed to denote the act of lying in ambush; of watching in secret places to spring upon a victim: Jdg 9:32; Jdg 21:20; Psa 10:9. The word “soul” here means “life.” They lie in ambush that they may kill me.

The mighty are gathered against me - Strong men; hostile men; cruel men. Saul would employ on this occasion not the weak, the cowardly, the faint-hearted, but men of courage and strength; men who were unscrupulous in their character; men who would not be likely to be moved by entreaty, or turned from their purpose by compassion. It is not mere “strength” that is here referred to, but that kind of strength or courage which can be employed in a desperate enterprise, and which is suited to accomplish any scheme of wickedness, however daring or difficult.

Not for my transgression, nor for my sin - This is done not on account of my violating the laws of the land, nor because it is alleged that I am a sinner against God. David was conscious that he did not deserve this treatment from the hand of man. He bad been guilty of no wrong against Saul that exposed him to just punishment. He carried with him the consciousness of innocence as to any crime that could have made this treatment proper; and he felt that it was all the result of unjust suspicions. It was not improper for him to refer to this in his prayer; for, however he might feel that he was a sinner in the sight of God, yet he felt that a great and grievous wrong was done him by man; and he prayed, therefore, that a righteous God would interpose. See Psa 7:8, note; Psa 17:2, note; Psa 35:24, note; Psa 43:1, note.

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

Without any provocation or cause given them by me. I am a sinner before thee, O Lord, but I have done them no injury.

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

3. They lie in wait—It would seem that Saul had sent spies through the city to watch for David, in hopes of assassinating him privately, and that this had been going on for some time before the night when they finally surrounded his house, 1Sa_19:11. David, in simplicity, tells God all the movements of the enemy.

The mighty—The strong ones; the chiefs of the nation. There is no appeal to any human power above them, therefore he carries his cause directly to God.

Not… for my sin—I have committed no offence to cause this.

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

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul. The emissaries of Saul were sent to David"s house "to watch him, and to slay him in the morning". (1Sa_19:11) This seems to be the "lying in wait" intended. Warned by his wife, Michal, Saul"s daughter, David fled from his house during the night through a window, and so saved himself. (1Sa_19:12) The mighty (or, the strong ones) are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. Not in consequence of any wrong that I have done. It is noted, as characteristic of David"s early psalms, that he protests his absolute innocence in them.

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

they wait in ambush to take my life

David's enemies are in hiding and are waiting quietly for the time when they can attack him. (See: Idiom)

awake

Deciding to do something and beginning to do it is spoken of as waking up. AT: "do something" or "take action" (See: Idiom)

and see

What he wants God to see can be stated clearly. AT: "and see what is happening to me" or "and see what they are doing to me" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

might

transgress

sin

Yahweh

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