David spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 1. Spoke, and so forth By comparing this with the 17th Psalm, we may be convinced how much the Hebrew varies, particularly if we examine also the MSS. Kennicott specifies no less than 600 variations in this one canticle, and refutes the opinion of those who say that the 17th Psalm is a second edition, corrected by David’s own hand, as the MSS. frequently shew that inaccuracies of the printed copies. He has collated them with Walton’s Polyglott. The variations are not however all distinct from each other, sometimes twenty MSS. having the same various readings, and may of the relate to the letter v. See Diss. ii. p. 565. We shall give the explication in the order of the Psalms. The collation of parallel passages is of infinite advantage. Frequently ( Bible.) the words differ so as to explain one another.—Saul. He is specified as the most dangerous. David, by divine inspiration, thanks God for his deliverance from all his enemies, both corporal and spiritual, enjoying peace of mind on account of his sins being forgiven, and all his opponents repressed. Worthington.—This year, the thirty-seventh of David’s reign, was free from any commotion. Yet the king seems to have given way to a little vanity, on account of the many valiant men whom God had collected in his service; (Calmet. 23) and hence he consented to the unfortunate resolution of numbering his subjects. Salien, A. 3016.