Psalms 71:10

Psa 71:10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

Ver. 10. For mine enemies] Who, rather than their lives, would bereave me of mine; these would double murder me, first by detraction, and then by deadly practice.

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 71:10. For my enemies have said (so) to me, i.e. have told me that God would forsake or had forsaken me, and as a proof that hey believe it, the watchers of my soul, those who watch and lie in wait for its destruction, have consulted together, i.e. against me, which they would not have done if they had really believed me to be under the Divine protection. Instead of to me in the first clause, we may read of (i.e. concerning) me, without any violation of usage or material change of meaning. See above, on Psa 3:2.

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

71:10 In their plotting, the psalmist’s enemies take counsel and scheme together (2:2; 21:11; 31:13; 35:4; 63:9-10).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. Lay wait for my soul] They seek to destroy my life.

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

10. For my enemies have said of me, etc. He pleads, as an argument with God to show him mercy, the additional circumstance, that the wicked took greater license in cruelly persecuting him, from the belief which they entertained that he was rejected and abandoned of God. The basest of men, as we all know, become more bold and audacious, when, in tormenting the innocent, they imagine that this is a matter in which they have not to deal with God at all. Not only are they encouraged by the hope of escaping unpunished; but they also boast that all comes to pass according to their wishes, when no obstacle presents itself to restrain their wicked desires. What happened to David at that time is almost the ordinary experience of the children of God; namely, that the wicked, when once they come to believe that it is by the will of God that his people are exposed to them for a prey, give themselves uncontrolled license in doing them mischief. Measuring the favor of God only by what is the present condition of men, they conceive that all whom he suffers to be afflicted are despised, forsaken, and cast off by him. Such being their persuasion, they encourage and stimulate one another to practice every thing harassing and injurious against them, as persons who have none to undertake and avenge their cause. But this wanton and insulting procedure on their part ought to encourage our hearts, since the glory of God requires that the promises which he has so frequently made of succouring the poor and afflicted should be actually performed. The ungodly may flatter themselves with the hope of obtaining pardon from him; but this foolish imagination does not by any means lessen the criminality of their conduct. On the contrary, they do a double injury to God, by taking away from him that which especially belongs to him.

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.

10. against me] R.V. concerning me. Cp. Psa_3:2; Psa_41:5. What they say follows in Psa_71:11.

they that lay wait for my soul] Or, they that watch for my life.

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 mine enemies speak against, me,.... Or "say unto me" (y) what is expressed in the following verse, "God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me" (z); not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it,

"for mine enemies speak evil against me;''

or concerning me. David had his enemies, and many, as Ahithophel, and others, who spake against him to the people, and thereby drew many with them into rebellion against him; and particularly Shimei spoke against him, and cursed him, calling him a bloody man, a man of Belial, Sa2 16:7;

and they that lay wait for my soul; or "life"; that laid snares for him; or lay in ambush, and sought for an opportunity to take away his life: or "they that keep my soul", or "life" (a); that were his bodyguards that were about his person for the preservation of him; and so the Targum seems to understand it;

take counsel together; lay schemes and form plots how to destroy him, as Ahithophel did, Sa2 16:20.

(y) "dixerunt mihi", Montanus. (z) "De me loquuti sunt, vel loquuntur", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis. (a) "custodientes animam meam", Pagninus, Montanus; "custodiebant", V. L.

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

For mine enemies speak against me - That is, they said substantially, as it is stated in Psa 71:11, that God had forsaken him, and that therefore, they would arise and punish him, or treat him as an outcast from God.

And they that lay wait for my soul - For my life; or, to take my life. The margin here - as the Hebrew - is, “watch,” or “observe.” The “watchers for my life;” that is, they who watch for an opportunity to take my life, or to destroy me.

Take counsel together - About the best means of accomplishing their object.

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

Lay wait for my soul, or watch it, that they may find occasion to destroy it, and that it may not escape their hands.

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

Ver. 10. For mine enemies speak against me. Dogs howl over a dying lion. When David's arm was able to chastise his foes, they were yet impudent enough to slander him, and he fears that now they will take fresh license in the hour of his weakness. The text most properly means that his enemies had said that God would forsake him; and, therefore, he is the more earnest that the Lord's faithful dealings may give them the lie.

And they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together. The psalmist had enemies, and these were most malicious; seeking his utter destruction, they were very persevering, and staid long upon the watch; to this they added cunning, for they lay in ambush to surprise him, and take him at a disadvantage; and all this they did with the utmost unanimity and deliberation, neither spoiling their design by want of prudence, nor marring its accomplishment by a lack of unity. The Lord our God is our only and all sufficient resort from every form of persecution.

None.

None.

Psalms 71:11*

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

For mine enemies speak against me. The psalmist"s weakness encourages his enemies to make their attacks. They begin by speaking against him calumniating him, (2Sa_15:3, 2Sa_15:4) and shortly they will proceed to acts. And they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together; or, "they that watch for my soul" (Revised Version).

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

watch for my life

It is implied that they are watching for an opportunity to take his life. The euphemism "to take a life" means to kill. AT: "watch for an opportunity to take my life" or "wait for an opportunity to kill me" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Euphemism)

They say

This can be translated to make explicit that they are talking about him. AT: "They say about me" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

pursue and take him

"follow him when he runs away, and kill him"

translationWords

adversary

life

forsake

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

For my enemies said of me My enemies said of me, and took counsel together, saying, “God has forsaken him.” We shall not be punished because of him since he has already stumbled in sin.

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.