15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat. They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;) To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks. Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 59
Commentary on Psalms 59 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 59
Ps 59:1-17. See on Ps 57:1, title, and for history, 1Sa 19:11, &c. The scope is very similar to that of the fifty-seventh: prayer in view of malicious and violent foes, and joy in prospect of relief.
1. defend me—(Compare Margin).
rise up … me—(Compare Ps 17:7).
2. (Compare Ps 5:5; 6:8).
4, 5. prepare, &c.—literally, "set themselves as in array."
awake—(Compare Ps 3:7; 7:6), appeals to God in His covenant relation to His people (Ps 9:18).
6, 7. They are as ravening dogs seeking prey, and as such,
belch out—that is, slanders, their impudent barkings.
7. for who, say they—For the full expression with the supplied words, compare Ps 64:5.
8. (Compare Ps 2:4; 37:13).
9. By judicious expositors, and on good grounds, this is better rendered, "O my strength, on Thee will I wait" (Ps 59:17).
defence—(Compare Ps 18:3).
10. prevent me—(Ps 21:3).
see my desire—in their overthrow (Ps 54:7).
enemies—as in Ps 5:8.
11. Slay them not—at once (Jud 2:21-23); but perpetuate their punishment (Ge 4:12; Nu 32:13), by scattering or making them wander, and humble them.
12. let them even be … taken in their pride—while evincing it—that is, to be punished for their lies, &c.
13. Though delayed for wise reasons, the utter destruction of the wicked must come at last, and God's presence and power in and for His Church will be known abroad (1Sa 17:46; Ps 46:10, 11).
14, 15. Meanwhile let the rapacious dogs prowl, they cannot hurt the pious; yea, they shall wander famished and sleepless.
15. grudge if, &c.—literally, "they shall stay all night," that is, obtain nothing.
16, 17. Contrast the lot of God's servant, who employs his time in God's praise.
sing aloud … in the morning—when they retire famishing and disappointed, or it may denote delightful diligence in praise, as in Ps 30:5.