Psalms 66:14

Psa 66:14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

Ver. 14. Which my lips have uttered] Heb. have opened, that is, which I have uttered diductis labiis, with lips wide open. Videmus qualiter vota nuncupari soleant, saith Vatablus, Here we see after what sort vows use to be made, when we are under any pressing affliction; but when once delivered, how heavily many come off in point of payment.

And my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble] Then men will promise anything for ease and release. But what saith the Italian proverb? Sciapato il morbo, fraudato il Santo, when the disease is cured the saint is defrauded. Horace calleth upon Mecaenas, who in his sickness had vowed to build a temple,

- Reddere victimas

Aedemque votivam memento:

Nos humilem feriemus agnam.

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.

14. (Psa 66:14) Which my lips uttered and my mouth spake in my distress. The first verb is a very strong and expressive one, in this connection not unlike our familiar phrases, bolted, blurted out, implying that he spoke from some irresistible impulse, and thus suggesting what is afterwards explicitly affirmed, that the vows in question were occasioned by extreme distress. The Hebrew verb originally means to open or distend the lips, whether as a gesture of mockery (Lam 2:16), or menace (Psa 22:14), or for the purpose of articulate speech (Job 35:16). That its absolute use, in special reference to vows spontaneously and hastily uttered, was familiar to the ancients, may be seen from Jdg 11:35-36. In my distress; the original expression is, in the distress to me. See above, on Psa 18:6.

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

Verse 14. When I was in trouble.] This is generally the time when good resolutions are formed, and vows made; but how often are these forgotten when affliction and calamity are removed!

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

(14) Uttered.—Literally, opened.

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

14. Wherewith my lips opened,

And which my mouth spake, when I was in distress.

For the first line cp. Jdg_11:35 f; but there is no reason to suppose that rash vows are here meant.

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.

Which my lips have uttered,.... Or "opened" (e); publicly and distinctly declared, and from which there is no going back; see Jdg 11:33;

and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble; this refers to the time when the people of God were under antichristian tyranny and bondage; and when they vowed and promised, that, if the Lord would deliver them, they would give him all praise and glory.

(e) "aperuerunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus.

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

Which my lips have uttered ... - Margin, “opened.” The Hebrew word, however - פצה pâtsâh - means properly to tear apart; to rend; and then, to open wide, as the mouth, for example - or the throat, - as wild beasts do, Psa 22:13. Then it means to open the mouth in scorn Lam 2:16; Lam 3:46; and then, to utter hasty words, Job 35:16. The idea would be expressed by us by the phrases to bolt or blurt out; to utter hastily; or, to utter from a heart full and overflowing to utter with very little care as to the language employed. It is the fullness of the heart which would be suggested by the word, and not a nice choice of expressions. The idea is, that the heart was full; and that the vows were made under the influence of deep emotion, when the heart was so full that it could not but speak, and when there was very little attention to the language. It was not a calm and studied selection of words. Such vows are not less acceptable to God than those which are made in the best-selected language. Not a little of the most popular sacred poetry in all tongues is of this nature; and when refined down to the nicest rules of art it ceases to be popular, or to meet the needs of the soul, and is laid aside. The psalmist here means to say, that though these vows were the result of deep feeling - of warm, gushing emotion - rather than of calm and thoughtful reflection, yet there was no disposition to disown or repudiate them now. They were made in the depth of feeling - in real sincerity - and there was a purpose fairly to carry them out.

When I was in trouble - When the people were in captivity, languishing in a foreign land. Vows made in trouble - in sickness, in bereavement, in times of public calamity - should be faithfully performed when health and prosperity visit us again; but, alas, how often are they forgotten!

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

Hitherto he spoke in the plural number, but now he begins to speak in the singular number; but still the speech is continued of the same person or persons; only sometimes the whole body speaks, and sometimes one man speaks in the name of all the rest.

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

Ver. 14. Which my lips have uttered, or vehemently declared; blurted out, as we say in common speech. His vows had been wrung from him; extreme distress burst open the doors of his lips, and out rushed the vow like a long pent up torrent, which had at last found a vent. What we were so eager to vow, we should be equally earnest to perform; but alas! many a vow runs so fast in words that it lames itself for deeds.

And my mouth hath spoken. He had made the promise public, and had no desire to go back; an honest man is always ready to acknowledge a debt.

When I was in trouble. Distress suggested the vow; God in answer to the vow removed the distress, and now the votary desires to make good his promise. It is well for each man to remember that he was in trouble: proud spirits are apt to speak as if the road had always been smooth for them, as if no dog dare bark at their nobility, and scarce a drop of rain would venture to besprinkle their splendour; yet these very upstarts were probably once so low in spirits and condition that they would have been glad enough of the help of those they now despise. Even great Caesar, whose look did awe the world, must have his trouble and become weak as other men; so that his enemy could say in bitterness, "when the fit was on him, I did mark how he did shake." Of the strong and vigorous man the nurse could tell a tale of weakness, and his wife could say of the boaster, "I did hear him groan; his coward lips did from their colour fly." All men have trouble, but they act not in the same manner while under it; the profane take to swearing and the godly to praying. Both bad and good have been known to resort to vowing, but the one is a liar unto God, and the other a conscientious respecter of his word.

Ver. 14. Which my lips have uttered. Hebrew, have opened; that is which I have uttered, diductis labiis, with lips wide open. Videmus qualiter vota nuncupari soleant, saith Vatablus. Here we see after what sort vows used to be made, when we are under any pressing affliction; but when once delivered, how heavily many come off in point of payment. John Trapp.

Ver. 14. Express mention is made of opened lips to indicate that the vows were made with great vehemence of mind, and in a state of need and pressure; so that his lips were broken through and widely opened. For the root, huk contains the idea of opening anything with violence; to break open, as the Latin expression is, rumpere labia. Hermann Venema.

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

Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. Vows were commonly made in a time of trouble, or, at any rate, of difficulty. (see Jud_1:11:30, 31 1Sa_1:11)

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