“Beware of the Dogs” Part 2
II. David’s Deliverance v.10-17
Back to 1 Sam 19:12-17
Suddenly after prayer, he knows what to do. Put the pillow in the bed. Take the rope Michael (me-kawl’) and let me down the wall.
1 Sam 19:12-1712 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster.17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? Now David will be able to express his zeal for righteousness.
A. David’s Protection v.10-15 Note: God never fails
1). His confidence was God going before him v.10 Psalm 59:10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
[The God of my mercy shall prevent me] Or rather, “My God-his mercy shall prevent me.” This is in accordance with the present reading of the Hebrew text, and is probably correct. The psalmist looks to God as his God, and then the feeling at once springs up that his mercy-favor-his loving-kindness – “would” “prevent” him. On the word “prevent”
The meaning here is, that God would “go before him,” or would “anticipate” his necessities.
[God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies] That is, He will let me see them discomfited, and disappointed in their plans. This is equivalent to saying that God would give him the victory, or would not suffer them to triumph over him.
2). His conviction was he wanted his people to be able to recognize God’s judgment v.11-12 Psalm 59:11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
[Slay them not, lest my people forget] The meaning of this seems to be, Do not destroy them at once, lest, being removed out of the way, the people should forget what was done, or should lose the impression which it is desirable should be produced by their punishment. Let them live, and let them wander about, as exiles under the divine displeasure, that they may be permanent and enduring proofs of the justice of God; of the evil of sin; of the danger of violating the divine law.
So, Cain wandered on the earth (Gen 4:12-14), a living proof of that justice which avenges murder; and so, the Jews still wander, a lasting illustration of the justice which followed their rejection of the Messiah. The prayer of the psalmist, therefore, is that the fullest expression might be given to the divine sense of the wrong which his enemies had done, that the salutary lesson might not be soon forgotten, but might be permanent and enduring.
[Scatter them by thy, power] Break up their combinations, and let them go abroad as separate wanderers, proclaiming everywhere, by being thus vagabonds on the earth, the justice of God.
[And bring them down] Humble them. Show them their weakness. Show them that they have no power to contend against God.
[O Lord our shield] The words “our” here, and “my” in the former part of the verse, are designed to show that the author of the psalm regarded God as “his” God, and the people of the land as “his,” in the sense that he was identified with them, and felt that his cause was really that of the people.
Psalm 59:12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
[For the sin of their mouth …] That is, in belching out words of reproach and malice, Ps 59:7.
[Let them even be taken in their pride] In the very midst of their schemes, or while confidently relying on the success of their plans. Even while their hearts are elated, and they are sure of success, let them be arrested, and let their plans be foiled.
[And for cursing and lying which, they speak] That is, on account of the false charges which they have brought against me, and of their bitter imprecations on me. The allusion is to the accusations brought against David, which were believed by Saul, and which were the foundation of the efforts made by Saul to take his life.
3). He wanted the persecutors (the dogs) to be able to recognize God’s justice v. 13-15 Psalm 59:13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
[Consume them in wrath] Or, in thy justice. The idea in the word “consume” here is to finish; to complete; to bring to an end. It does not mean to “burn” them as our word might seem to imply, nor is there any reference to the “mode” or “manner” in which their power was to be brought to an end. It is merely a prayer that all their plans might be frustrated; that there might be an entire completion of their attempts; or that they might be in no sense successful.
[Consume them] The expression is repeated for the sake of emphasis, implying a desire that the work might be “complete.”
[That they may not be] That things might be as if they were not in the land of the living.
[And let them know] Those who are now plotting my death.
[That God rules in Jacob] That God rules among his people, protecting them and guarding them against the attacks of their enemies; that he is their friend, and that he is the enemy of all those who seek to injure and destroy them.
[Unto the ends of the earth] Everywhere. All over the world. Let it be shown that the same principles of government prevail wherever man abides or wanders-that God manifests himself everywhere as the friend of right and the enemy of wrong. The phrase “the ends of the earth,” is in accordance with the prevailing conception that the earth was an extended plane and that it had limits or boundaries.
Psalm 59:14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
[And at evening let them return] The original here is the same as in Ps 59:6, with the exception of the word “and” at the beginning. This qualifies the sentence and makes the construction in our version proper. The language is that of confident triumph.
They came around the city to take David; they shouted and shrieked as dogs bark and howl when they come upon their prey. David asked God to interpose and save him; and then, says he, let them come if they will and howl around the city; they will find no prey; they will be like hungry dogs from whom their anticipated victim has escaped. Let them come, and howl and rage. They can do no harm. They will meet with disappointment; and such disappointment will be a proper punishment for their sins.
Psalm 59:15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
[Let them wander up and down for meat] Let them be like dogs that wander about for food, and find none. The idea is, that they would not find him, and would be then as dogs that had sought in vain for food.
[And grudge if they be not satisfied] Margin, if they be not satisfied, then they will stay all night. The marginal reading is most in accordance with the Hebrew. The sentence is obscure, but the idea seems to be that they would not be satisfied-that is, they would not obtain that which they had sought; and, like hungry and disappointed dogs, they would be compelled to pass the night in this miserable and wretched condition.
The word which our translators have rendered “grudge” – from luwn (OT:3885) – means properly to pass the night; then, to abide, to remain, to dwell; and then, in Hiphil, to show oneself obstinate and stubborn-from the idea of remaining or persisting in a bad cause; and hence, the word sometimes means to complain: Num 14:29; Ex 17:3.
It has not, however, the signification of grudging, though it might mean here to murmur or complain because they were disappointed. But the most natural meaning is that which the word properly bears-that of passing the night, as referring to their wandering about, disappointed in their object, and yet still hoping that they might possibly obtain it. The anticipated feeling in the mind of the psalmist is that which he would have in the consciousness of his own safety, and in the pleasure of knowing that they must sooner or later find out that their victim had escaped.
a. When God judges he wants repentance and if repentance does not come then judgment is carried to a further degree. They howled like dogs when they smelled blood, now they whine like the dog that they are!
B. David’s Praise v.16-17 1). Night is over and the day is at hand. I will praise the Lord. v.16 Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble
[But I will sing of thy power] That is, I will praise thee for the manifestation of thy power in rescuing me from danger.
[Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning] When the light dawns; when these troubles are over; when the night of calamity shall have passed by. There is an allusion here, probably, to the fact that they encompassed the place of his abode at night (Ps 59:6,14); but there is also the implied idea that that night was emblematic of sorrow and distress. The morning would come; morning after such a night of sorrow and trouble; a morning of joy and gladness, when he would feel that he had complete deliverance. Then would he praise God aloud.
[For thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble] That is, he looked to the time when he would feel this; when looking back he could say this; when in view of it he would praise God.
2). The dogs go back to their king to whine about David’s escape. 3). Even though David is probably in a cave somewhere He could say verse 17. Psalm 59:17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
[Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing] The source of strength to me; the real strength by which I have obtained deliverance is in thee. See the notes at Ps 18:1.
[For God is my defense] Margin, “My high place.” That is, God was to him “as” a high place, or a place of refuge; a place where he would be safe.
[And the God of my mercy] The God who has showed mercy to me; he from whom all these favors have sprung. Whatever means might be used to secure his own safety still he felt that his deliverance was to be traced wholly to God. He had interposed and had saved him; and it was proper, therefore, that praise should be ascribed to him.
The experience of David in the case referred to in this psalm should be an inducement to all who are in danger to put their trust in God; his anticipated feelings of gratitude, and his purpose to praise God when he should be delivered, should awaken in us the resolution to ascribe to God all the praise when we are delivered from impending troubles, and when our lives are lengthened out where we have been in imminent danger. Whatever may have been the means of our rescue, it is to be traced to the interposition of God.
(from Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
Conclusion: David was in Great Danger. His plea, his panic, and his peril were a hard position to be in. But David (just as we do) had a great deliverer. God was his protection and therefore we are able as David to Praise the Lord even in our darkest of trials.
