---

In the malice of his enemies David sees the rod of God's chastisement, and, therefore makes his prayer to God for deliverance. The struggle has lasted so long, the grief is so bitter, that his health has given way, and he has been brought to the gates of the grave. But ere long light and peace visit him, and he breaks forth into the joy of thanksgiving.

I. A PICTURE OF COMPLICATED DISTRESS.

1. Danger from outward foes. Producing constant fear and anxiety, and perhaps threatening his life.

2. A sense of being under the chastising hand of God. The malice of his enemies was regarded as the rod by which God in his anger was punishing him - an Old Testament view. "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten" - the New Testament view.

3. These two things caused the prostration of both body and soul. Mental troubles are the causes of our severest afflictions and sufferings. Threatened by man, frowned upon by God, laid low by disease, - that is the picture here given.

II. ARGUMENTS USED IN SUPPORT OF THE CRY FOR DELIVERANCE. "Let thine anger cease;" "Forgive my sins."

1. Because of the extremity of my sufferings. He "languished ' (ver. 2). His "bones were terrified" (ver. 2). His "soul sore vexed" (ver. 3). His bed swam with his tears (ver. 6). His eye wasted and grew dim with his grief (ver. 7). It is an appeal to the Divine pity. "He will not keep his anger for ever."

2. His power of endurance was exhausted. "0 Jehovah, how long?" I cannot endure the severity of thy judgments. "How long?" was all Calvin said in his most intense grief. Here it means, "Do not quite destroy me, for I am well-nigh spent. Still a cry for mercy.

3. Because his death would put an end to his power to praise God. "There is here the childlike confidence which fears not to advance the plea that God's glory is concerned in granting his request." And that is the ground of all true prayer - the granting will honour thee. Those in Sheol lived a spectral, shadowy life, apart from the light of God's presence, and could not praise him. "The living, the living, he shall praise thee." The meaning here is - it is pleasing to God to be praised, and pleasing to himself to praise.

III. THE TRIUMPH OF RELIEVING, PENITENTIAL PRAYER. Salvation from his enemies had become a patent fact. God had forgiven, and he was safe, and could now rejoice. The psalm epitomizes his experience, and that accounts for the sudden change in the eighth verse. Our sins are our greatest foes, and when God, through Christ, forgives them, that is the hour of our greatest triumph. - S.

---

---

KJV: {To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.} O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

WEB: Yahweh, don't rebuke me in your anger, neither discipline me in your wrath.