I. PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE (1-3). THE APPEAL OF FAITH. I. J:he Requests (1-2). 2. The Reason (3). Designs of the Enemy. Sdah. II. PROFESSION OF DEPENDENCE UPON GOD (4-5a). ANCHOR OF FAITH. m. PETITION FOR DESTRUCTION OF ENEMIES (sb ). ARGUMENT OF FAITH. "In Thy faithfulness!' IV. PRAISE FOR DELIVERANCE (6-7). THE ANTICIPATION OF FAITH. I. The Rendition ( 6). 2. The Reason (7). Defeat of the Enemy. SUPERSCRIPT.-Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said unto Saul, "Doth not David hide himself with us?" SUBSCRIPT.-For the Chief Musician; upon Neginoth. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-The rid¡ indi(:ates both writer and occasion, see historical record 1 Sam. xxiii. 14-15, 19-24; xxvi. 1-4. Ziph was a small town fifteen miles S.E. of Hebron in the territory of Judah. It seems that its inhabitants displayed treachery on two occasions, see xxxi., notes. "Neginoth," see Ps. iii. note. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION .-Here is furtlier instruction for the last days (Maschil), days of fierce persecution for the"Jewish remnant. Like David, many of these godly ones will meet treachery while being hunted and harassed by Antichrist and his followers (c£ Luke xxi. 16 ff.), yet faith triumphs in the anticipation of divine deliverance.
PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Might is one attribute of" the Name" (1). If men set God before them, they would never persecute the godly (3). Can you say, "God is my Helper?" (4). He helps by upholding (4). We have a present God for present needs (4). God's character is pledged to fulfil His word (sh). All our worship should be voluntary (6). God is good (6). Where there is no trouble, there is no triumph (7). Faith sees the future as the present (7). God leads His people out of the turmoil of trouble into the "pastures of peace" (7). VERSE NOTES I. Salvation here is external, i.e. from enemies; (b) i.e. "Do me justice ... " 3. Cf. l Sam. xxiii. 15; "strangers" prob. re£ to the men of Keilah, who were Canaanites by race; "seek" ctr. the seeking, liii. 2. 4. (b) Br. "Adonai' (the Lord) is the Upholder of my soul." 5. See marg.; "enemies," s.H.w. elsewhere in Psalter only v. 8; xxvii. II; lvi. 2; lix. IO; (b) hr. "In faithfulness destroy Thou them." 6. Note the titlÏ "Jehovah" in contrast to the general usage in Book II. 7. "he" or, "it," i.e. the Name, = Jehovah Himself revealed as the covenant keeping God of His people; "trouble" or, strait; (b) "hath seen" = looked upon the defeat of his foes.
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