1.
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Title. A Psalm. See App-65 .
Hear = Answer.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
God of my righteousness = My righteous God. Genitive of relation or object.
Have mercy = be gracious, or show favour to.
2.
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
how long = until when. Ellipsis correctly supplied.
leasing = falsehood. Anglo-Saxon = leasung ; Mid. Eng. = lesing.
Selah. Connecting and contrasting his enemies' acts with his own sure defence. See App-66 .
3.
But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
set apart. All depended on Jehovah's favour (Numbers 14:8 ). Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "hath given distinction to".
him that is godly: i.e. a subject of grace.
4.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Stand in awe, &c. = Stand in awe and [so] sin not. sin. Hebrew. chata'
still = silent.
Selah. Connecting their sin with its being put away. See App-66 .
5.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
Offer the sacrifices. No Art. Hebrew. zabah. App-43 .
sacrifices of righteousness = righteous sacrifices. Genitive of Character. How could they offer these while in rebellion against the Lord's Anointed?
trust = confide. Hebrew. batah. See App-69 .
6.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
that say . . . good. See note on Psalms 144:12-15 .
lift Thou up. No priest with David to give the blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 . See 2 Samuel 15:32-37 .
countenance. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia .
7.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
gladness. This was true "good".
their corn. See note on Psalms 144:15 .
wine = new wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27 .
8.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
and sleep = sleep at once. This reference is to 2 Samuel 17:2 . See note there.
makest = wilt make.
safety = confidence.
To the chief Musician. See App-64 .
upon Nehiloth; better, nehaloth = concerning inheritances. Referring to Jehovah ' s favour as being the true inheritance of godly Israelites, as shown in verses: Psalms 4:3 , Psalms 4:6 , Psalms 4:7 . Compare Psalms 144:12-15 , the other Nehaloth Psalm. See App-65 .