---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 57"
description: "PSALM 57   :-. Altaschith—or, \"Destroy not.\" This is
perhaps an enigmatical allusion to the critical circumstances
connected with the history, for which c"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57"
---

PSALM 57

. *Altaschith*—or, "Destroy not." This is
perhaps an enigmatical allusion to the critical circumstances
connected with the history, for which compare [1 Samuel 22:1](../../../kjv/1-samuel/22/1);
[1 Samuel 26:1-3](../../../kjv/1-samuel/26/1-3). In Moses' prayer
([Deuteronomy 9:26](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/9/26)) it is a prominent
petition deprecating God's anger against the people. This explanation
suits the fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth also. Asaph uses it for the
seventy-fifth, in the scope of which there is allusion to some
emergency. *Michtam*—(See on [Deuteronomy 9:26](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/9/26), title). To an earnest cry for divine aid, the Psalmist
adds, as often, the language of praise, in the assured hope of a
favorable hearing.

**1. my soul**—or self, or life,
which is threatened.
**shadow of thy wings**—
([Psalms 17:8](../../../kjv/psalms/17/8); [Psalms 36:7](../../../kjv/psalms/36/7)).
**calamities**—literally,
"mischiefs" ([Psalms 52:2](../../../kjv/psalms/52/2);
[Psalms 55:10](../../../kjv/psalms/55/10)).

**2. performeth**—or, completes
what He has begun.

**3. from . . . swallow me up**—that
pants in rage after me ([Psalms 56:2](../../../kjv/psalms/56/2)).
**mercy and . . . truth**—
([Psalms 25:10](../../../kjv/psalms/25/10); [Psalms 36:5](../../../kjv/psalms/36/5)),
as messengers ([Psalms 43:3](../../../kjv/psalms/43/3)) sent to
deliver him.

**4.** The mingled figures of wild
beasts ([Psalms 10:9](../../../kjv/psalms/10/9); [Psalms 17:12](../../../kjv/psalms/17/12))
and weapons of war ([Psalms 11:2](../../../kjv/psalms/11/2))
heighten the picture of danger.
**whose . . . tongue**—or
slanders.

**5.** This doxology illustrates his
view of the connection of his deliverance with God's glory.

**6.** (Compare [Psalms 7:15](../../../kjv/psalms/7/15);
[Psalms 9:15](../../../kjv/psalms/9/15); [Psalms 9:16](../../../kjv/psalms/9/16)).

**7. I will . . . praise**—both
with voice and instrument.

**8. Hence**—he addresses his
glory, or tongue ([Psalms 16:9](../../../kjv/psalms/16/9);
[Psalms 30:12](../../../kjv/psalms/30/12)), and his psaltery, or
lute, and harp.
**I myself . . .
early**—literally, "I will awaken dawn," poetically
expressing his zeal and diligence.

**9, 10.** As His mercy and truth,
so shall His praise, fill the universe.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 57"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Psalms 57","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"PSALM 57   :-. Altaschith—or, \"Destroy not.\" This is\nperhaps an enigmatical allusion to the critical circumstances\nconnected with the history, for which c","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms","name":"Psalms"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/psalms/57","name":"57"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```