Psalms 59:5

Psa 59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

Ver. 5. Awake to visit all the heathen] These pagan Israelites, who might have some heathens also among them, Saul’s slaughtermen, men fleshed in blood.

Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors] Heb. that treacherously work iniquity, that do it consulto et data opera, desperadoes, reprobates, destined to eternal destruction.

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.

Psa 59:5. O Lord, &c., the God of Israel — In covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou promisest to protect and bless. Awake to visit all the heathen — Or, these heathen, who, though they are Israelites by birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathen. Be not merciful — Hebrew, אל תחן, al tachon, Thou wilt not be merciful, that is, Thou canst not with honour, nor according to thy word, be merciful, to any wicked transgressors — Hebrew, כל בגדי און, cal bogedee aven, perfidious transgressors, or, more literally, prevaricators of wickedness; that is, such as are guilty of great treachery and perfidiousness, meaning such as, with pretences of friendship, persecuted him and other good men, out of malice, and against their own consciences. But neither can God, in consistency with the perfections of his nature, and the truths of his word, show mercy to any incorrigible offenders.

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

6. (Psa 59:5). And thou, Jehovah, God, (Lord of) Hosts, God of Israel, awake to, visit all the nations; spare not all traitors of iniquity. Selah. The accumulation of divine names is not unmeaning, but suggestive of reasons why the prayer should be answered, to wit, because He to whom it was addressed was not only the Eternal, Self-existent God, the Sovereign of the Universe, but the God of Israel, and therefore bound by covenant to save his people. All the nations, i.e. such as are the enemies of God and of his people; and if whole nations are thus dealt with, how much more may Jehovah be expected to destroy his individual enemies? Traitors of iniquity, wicked traitors. The depth of the feeling here expressed is further

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

Seeing it appertaineth to God’s judgments to punish the wicked, he desiresth God to execute his vengeance on the reprobate, who maliciously persecute his Church.

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

Verse 5. O Lord God of hosts] This was a proper view to take of God. when Israel, a handful of poor distressed captives were surrounded and oppressed by the heathen chiefs above mentioned, and their several tribes. But Jehovah, God of hosts, was the God of Israel; and hence Israel had little to fear.

Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors.] Do not favour the cause of these wicked men. They are בגדי און bogedey aven, "changers of iniquity:" they go through the whole round of evil; find out and exercise themselves in all the varieties of transgression. How exactly does this apply to Nehemiah's foes! They sought, by open attack, wiles, flattery, foul speeches, fair speeches, threats, and ambuscades, to take away his life. Do not show them favour, that they may not succeed in their wicked designs. The prayer here is exactly the same in sentiment with that of Nehemiah, Ne 4:4-5. Hear, our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach upon their own heads;-cover not their iniquity, "and let not their sin be blotted out."

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

(5) Therefore . . .—Better, Yea, even Thou . . . Not only is there an emphatic “thou,” but the passion of prayer cannot exhaust itself without piling up all the customary names of the Divine Being.

God of Israel.—This is added so emphatically because of the “heathen,” against whom aid is invoked.

All the heathen . . . wicked transgressors.—These two terms are not synonymous, but contrasted. There were not only foreign, but domestic foes, viz., the party who, pretending to be loyal Israelites, were yet intriguing with the foreigners. The literal “coverers of wickedness” implies concealment and treachery.

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

5. Yea, do Thou, Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to visit all the nations:

Be not gracious to any treacherous workers of iniquity.

Thou is emphatic, and the address virtually means, ‘since Thou art God of hosts, and God of Israel.’ The first title implies that He has the power (Psa_46:7, note), the second that He is under the obligation, to interpose and ‘visit,’ hold inquisition concerning, the nations, to punish them for their offences. But who are meant by the ‘nations’ or ‘heathen’? Are they the enemies against whom the Psalmist is praying, and identical with the ‘treacherous workers of iniquity,’ mentioned in the next line? If so, the Psalmist’s enemies are foreigners, for usage does not justify the interpretation of gôyîm as ‘heathenishly minded men’; and if the Psalm is in its original form, it cannot have been written by David with reference to Saul and his myrmidons. But it is possible that, as in Psalms 7, the prayer for a judgement upon personal enemies is expanded into a prayer for a judgement upon all the enemies of Israel: and in that general judgement the treacherous Israelites who are iniquitously plotting against the Psalmist’s life will meet their due reward. Similarly in Psa_59:8, ‘them’ will refer to the Psalmist’s personal enemies, ‘the heathen’ or ‘nations’ to the enemies of Israel. It is also possible, as has been suggested above, that the Psalm has been altered for liturgical use.

The anomalous form of the combination Jehovah the God of hosts here and in Psa_80:4; Psa_80:19; Psa_84:8 (Jehovah Elôhîm Tsebâôth not Jehovah Elôhç Tsebâôth) makes it probable that the original reading was simply Jehovah of hosts, and that God is the substitution of the Elohistic editor for Jehovah, which however, has survived or has been restored along with it.

Be not gracious is the opposite to the Psalmist’s prayer for himself, Psa_56:1, Psa_57:1.

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.

Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts,.... Of the armies in heaven, the angels, and of all the inhabitants of the earth; who are all under him, and at his dispose, and can do among them and with them whatsoever he pleases;

the God of Israel; of the people of Israel, literally understood; and mystically of all the elect of God, Jews and Gentiles. The former epithet is expressive of his power, this of his grace and goodness in a covenant way; and both encouraged the psalmist to address him on the following account:

awake to visit all the Heathen: either the wicked Israelites that rose up against David, and sought to take away his life, who behaved like Heathens towards him, and were accounted as such by him; and the petition is, that God would arise and punish them, everyone of them, according to their deserts: or else the Gentiles, properly so called, whom he desires the Lord would visit, either in a way of grace, by sending the Gospel to them, and taking out of them a people for his name, as he did, Act 15:14; foreseeing, by a spirit of prophecy, that the Jews would be rejected for their ill usage of the Messiah; See Gill on Psa 59:1, title: or in a way of punishment for their idolatry and impiety; and particularly the antichristian states and powers, called the Heathen, and Gentiles, and nations of the earth, Psa 10:16; may be here meant; whom God will visit for their idolatry, blasphemy, and bloodshed;

be not merciful to any wicked transgressors; that are perfidiously and abominably wicked, as Judas Iscariot, the Romish antichrist. The Targum renders it, "princes of a lie"; that speak lies in hypocrisy, and are given up to believe a lie, as the followers of antichrist. God is merciful to wicked men and to transgressors, but not to wicked transgressors; apostates may be meant, such as deal perfidiously and treacherously, as the word (o) used signifies; who sin wilfully and knowingly, after they have received the knowledge of the truth; sin against light and evidence, and obstinately and wickedly persist therein: who sin the sin against the Holy Ghost, the sin unto death, which is not to be prayed for, Jo1 4:16; or otherwise this may seem to be contrary to the command and example of Christ, Mat 5:44.

Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa 3:2.

(o) "perfide agentibus", Junius & Tremellius.

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

Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts - God of armies: commanding all the armies of heaven - the angels, and the stars and constellations drawn out in the form of armies; thou, thus endowed with all power, and able to subdue all people though arrayed and combined for purposes of evil - awake to my help. On the meaning of the phrase “God of hosts,” see the notes at Isa 1:9.

The God of Israel - The God of the Hebrew people - the descendants of Jacob or Israel - the Protector of thy people - awake to help me, one of those who, being of that covenant people, come under the promise of protection.

Awake to visit all the heathen - On the word here rendered “heathen” - גוים gôyim - see the notes at Psa 2:1. It is from the use of this word in this verse and in Psa 59:8, as remarked in the Introduction to the psalm, that DeWette infers that the psalm could not have been composed on the occasion referred to in the title, and argues, that this term could not be applied by David to Saul and his followers. This objection, however, will lose its force if the word is understood as denoting people who had the usual character of pagans, who were fierce, bloody, savage, cruel. In this sense the word might be employed with reference to those who were engaged in seeking the life of David. David, using the common word “heathen” or “nations,” as denoting those who are wicked, cruel, harsh, prays that God would awake to visit them; that is, to visit them for purposes of punishment, or so to visit them as to prevent their carrying out their designs.

Be not merciful to any tricked transgressors - That is, Arrest and punish them “as” transgressors, or “being” transgressors. This prayer is not inconsistent with a desire that such people might be converted, and “thus” obtain mercy; but it is a prayer that God would not suffer them, being wicked people, to go at large and accomplish the work of wickedness which they designed. See General Introduction Section 6. (5) (e).

Selah - A musical pause. See the notes at Psa 3:2.

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

The God of Israel; a God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen; or, these heathens, or Gentiles; who though they are called and accounted Israelites by their birth, yet in truth, and in their dispositions and manners, are mere heathens and barbarians; in which respect such men are elsewhere called strangers, Psa 54:3, men of Sodom and Gomorrah, Isa 1:10, and as Ethiopians, Amo 9:7; as among us ungodly Christians are oft called Jews, or Turks or heathens.

Be not merciful; for indeed thou canst not with thine honour, nor according to thy word, be merciful to any such incorrigible offenders.

Wicked transgressors; or, perfidious transgressors; such as persecute me, and other good men, out of malice, and against their own consciences, which tell them that I am innocent, and with pretences of friendship. He might well pray so vehemently against such, not only for his own preservation, but for the just and necessary vindication of God’s honour, and for the public good of mankind, whose common interest it was that such vile miscreants should be taken out of the way.

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

Ver. 5. Thou, thyself, work for me personally, for the case needs thine interposition.

Therefore, because I am unjustly assailed, and cannot help myself.

O Lord, ever living, God of Hosts, able to rescue me;

the God of Israel, pledged by covenant to redeem thine oppressed servant;

awake to visit all the heathen, arouse thy holy mind, bestow thy sacred energies, punish the heathen among thine Israel, the false hearted who say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. And when thou art about the business, let all the nations of thine enemies, and all the heathenish people at home and abroad know that thou art upon circuit, judging and punishing. It is the mark of a thoughtful prayer that the titles which are in it applied to God are appropriate, and are, as it were, congruous to the matter, and fitted to add force to the argument. Shall Jehovah endure to see his people oppressed? Shall the God of hosts permit his enemies to exult over his servant? Shall the faithful God of a chosen people leave his chosen to perish? The name of God is, even in a literal sense, a fortress and high tower for all his people. What a forceful petition is contained in the words, "awake to visit"! Actively punish, in wisdom judge, with force chastise.

Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Be merciful to them as men, but not as transgressors; if they continue hardened in their sin, do not wink at their oppression. To wink at sin in transgressors will be to leave the righteous under their power, therefore do not pass by their offences but deal out the due reward. The psalmist feels that the overthrow of oppression which was so needful for himself must be equally desirable for multitudes of the godly placed in like positions, and therefore he prays for the whole company of the faithful, and against the entire confraternity of traitors.

Selah. With such a subject before us we may well pause. Who would not sit still and consider, when vengeance is being meted out to all the enemies of God? How wrong is that state of mind which hates to hear of the punishment of the wicked!

Ver. 5. O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel. In time of straits we should set our eyes most upon those styles of God which most serve to strengthen our faith, especially such as hold forth his power and goodwill to employ his power for us. David Dickson.

Ver. 5. Lord God of hosts. YAHVEH, Elohim, Tsebaoth; as in Ps 80:4, 19 84:8. Compare 2Sa 5:10 1Ki 19:10, 14 Ps 89:8. From "The Psalms translated from the Hebrew, with Notes chiefly exegetical." By William Kay, D.D., 1871.

Ver. 5. Lord God of hosts. Some have thought this equivalent to God of battles; the true force of the epithet, however, is, "Sovereign of the stars, material hosts of heaven, and of the angels their inhabitants." A. A. Hodge, in "Outlines of Theology, "1866.

Ver. 5.

1. God of hosts, and therefore able;

2. God of Israel, and therefore willing. Andrew A. Bonar.

Ver. 5. O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel. This title furnishes an admirable topic.

Psalms 59:6*

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

5. O Lord God of hosts—Jehovah God of armies. A term denoting his boundless power.

God of Israel—A title denoting his covenant relation to his people, and his consequent special care of them, implying that David’s cause was the cause of Israel.

Awake to visit all the heathen—Awake to punish the nations, that is, the heathen or Gentile nations. From this it would appear the issue lay between the “God of Israel,” and the “heathen nations.” We know that Doeg, the Edomite, (1Sa_22:22,) was influential in Saul’s court, and instigated him to desperate measures, and it is not improbable that behind Doeg, an Edomitish policy, through the leading men of his nation, operated to make this venal man a political tool for the weakening and overthrow of the new kingly government of Israel. This intrigue brought Edom into direct conflict with Jehovah’s designs concerning David. See on Psa_59:8. In the same way, Haman the Agagite, a descendant of the royal family of Amalek, sought to revenge his nation upon the Jews. Esther 3

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

Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel. (comp. Psa_69:6, also "a psalm of David Awake to visit all the heathen. "All" is emphatic, and means not only those without the covenant, but also those within the wicked Israelites. It is noted that Saul"s instruments consisted of two classes actual heathen, such as Doeg the Edomite; and irreligious Israelites, as the Ziphites and others, who were no better than heathen. Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. "The Hebrew words denote treachery and faithlessness" (Cook). They are scarcely applicable to open foreign enemies.

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

The God - A God in covenant with all true Israelites, whom thou hast promised to protect and bless. The heathen - Or, these heathens, who though they are Israelites by birth; yet in their dispositions they are mere Heathens. Be not - For indeed thou canst not according to thy word, be merciful to such incorrigible offenders.

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

arise

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

all the nations

The word "nations" here represents the people of the nations that do not honor God. AT: "the people of all the nations" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

Yahweh of hosts

Israel

raise

punish

nation

mercy

evil

transgress

selah

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

Without iniquity I did not sin against them.

and prepare themselves Ready to kill.

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.