David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case
(Title.) This deeply penitential Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David under some grievous affliction, either bodily or mental, or both, after his illicit intercourse with Bathsheba

to bring Ps 70:1

rebuke Ps 6:1 88:7,15,16 Isa 27:8 54:8 Jer 10:24 30:11 Hab 3:2 Heb 12:5-11

hot De 9:19

2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

thine Ps 21:12 64:7 Job 6:4 La 3:12

thy hand Ps 32:4 39:10,11 De 2:15 Ru 1:13 1Sa 5:6,11 6:9

3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

soundness Ps 31:9 2Ch 26:19 Job 2:7,8 33:19-22 Isa 1:5,6

neither Ps 6:2 51:8 102:3,5

rest. [heb.] peace or health
because Ps 51:8 90:7,8 La 3:40-42

4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

mine Ps 40:12 Ezr 9:6

as an Le 7:18 Isa 53:11 La 1:14 Mt 11:28 1Pe 2:24

5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

My wounds. The soul being invisible, its distempers are also so; therefore the sacred writers describe them by the distempers of the body. (See the Parallel Texts on these verses.) On reading these and similar passages, say Bp. Lowth, some, who were but little acquainted with the genius of Hebrew poetry, have pretended to enquire into the nature of the disease with which the poet was afflicted; not less absurdly in my opinion, that if they had perplexed themselves to discover in what river he was plunged, when he complains that `the deep waters had gone over his soul.' Ps 38:5 32:3 Isa 1:5,6 Jer 8:22

6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

troubled [heb.] wearied
bowed Ps 35:14 42:5 57:6 145:14

mourning Ps 6:6 31:10 42:9 43:2 88:9 Job 30:28 Isa 38:14

7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

my loins Ps 41:8 2Ch 21:18,19 Job 7:5 30:18 Isa 38:14

8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

roared Ps 22:1,2 32:3 Job 3:24 30:28 Isa 59:11

9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

Lord, instead of [adonay, `Lord'] several MSS read [yehowah,] Jehovah

groaning Ps 102:5,20 Joh 1:48 Ro 8:22,23,26,27 2Co 5:2

10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

heart Ps 42:1 119:81-83 143:4-7 Isa 21:4

the light Ps 6:7 69:3 88:9 119:123 1Sa 14:27-29 La 2:11 5:16,17

gone from [heb.] not with

11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

lovers Ps 31:11 Job 6:21-23 19:13-17 Mt 26:56 Joh 16:32

stand Lu 10:31,32

sore [heb.] stroke
Kinsmen. or, neighbours
afar off Lu 22:54 23:49

12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

lay snares Ps 10:9 64:2-5 119:110 140:5 141:9 2Sa 17:1-3 Lu 20:19,20

speak Ps 35:20 62:3,4 2Sa 16:7,8 Lu 20:21,22

13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

Ps 39:2,9 2Sa 16:10-12 Isa 53:7 1Pe 2:23

14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

that heareth Am 5:13 Mic 7:5 Mr 15:3-5 Joh 8:6

15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

In thee. or, thee do I wait for
do Ps 39:7 123:1-3

hear. or, answer Ps 138:3

Lord. Here also, instead of [adonay], one hundred and two MSS read [yehowah,] Jehovah

16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

For I said Ps 13:3,4 35:24-26

foot Ps 94:18 De 32:35

magnify Ps 35:26

17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

to halt [heb.] for halting Ps 35:15 Mic 4:6,7

sorrow Ps 38:6 6:6 77:2 Isa 53:3-5

18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

For Ps 32:5 51:3 Job 31:33 Pr 28:13

sorry 2Co 7:7-11

19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

But Ps 3:1 25:19 56:1,2 59:1-3

are lively [heb.] being living are strong. Instead of [chaymin], `lively' Bp Lowth would read chinmon `without cause'--`but mine enemies without cause have strengthened themselves.' As this emendation renders this member of the sentence parallel to the other, it is by no means improbable Ps 35:19 79:5

they that Ps 35:19 69:4 Mt 10:22 Joh 15:18-25 Ac 4:25-28

20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

render Ps 7:4 35:12 109:3-5 1Sa 19:4-6 23:5,12 25:16,21 Jer 18:20

because Mt 5:10 Joh 10:32 1Pe 3:13,17,18 4:14-16 1Jo 3:12

21 Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

O my God Ps 22:1,11,19,24 35:21,22

22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

Make Ps 40:13,17 70:1,5 71:12 141:1

to help me [heb.] for my help
O Lord Ps 27:1 62:2,6 Isa 12:2