15 But at my halting they rejoiced, and gathered together: the slanderers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, crushing it while there is no deliverer.
For mine enemies speak against me, and they that watch for my soul consult together, Saying, God hath forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver.
But the Jews having been stirred up to jealousy, and taken to [themselves] certain wicked men of the lowest rabble, and having got a crowd together, set the city in confusion; and having beset the house of Jason sought to bring them out to the people;
And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
But the passers-by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou art Son of God, descend from the cross. [And] in like manner the chief priests also, mocking, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others, himself he cannot save. He is King of Israel: let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe on him. He trusted upon God; let him save him now if he will [have] him. For he said, I am Son of God. And the robbers also who had been crucified with him cast the same reproaches on him.
Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with [them] to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat [him] on his head.
For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side: Report, and we will report it. All my familiars are watching for my stumbling: Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him; and we shall take our revenge on him.
Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.
His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.
My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down [among] them that breathe out flames, the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
A thing of Belial cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he is laid down, he will rise up no more.
Let them not say in their heart, Aha! so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine adversity; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net which he hath hidden catch himself: for destruction let him fall therein.
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock. Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished? Withered up through want and hunger, they flee into waste places long since desolate and desert: They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food. They are driven forth from among [men] -- they cry after them as after a thief -- To dwell in gloomy gorges, in caves of the earth and the rocks: They bray among the bushes; under the brambles they are gathered together: Sons of fools, and sons of nameless sires, they are driven out of the land. And now I am their song, yea, I am their byword. They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face. For he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me; so they cast off the bridle before me. At [my] right hand rise the young brood; they push away my feet, and raise up against me their pernicious ways;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 35
Commentary on Psalms 35 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 35
David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles.
In singing this psalm, and praying over it, we must take heed of applying it to any little peevish quarrels and enmities of our own, and of expressing by it any uncharitable revengeful resentments of injuries done to us; for Christ has taught us to forgive our enemies and not to pray against them, but to pray for them, as he did; but,
A psalm of David.
Psa 35:1-10
In these verses we have,
Psa 35:11-16
Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them-perjury and ingratitude.
Psa 35:17-28
In these verses, as before,