Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 59:7

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 59:7. They belch out with their mouth — They use the lowest insult, the basest abuse. They deal in sarcasm, ridicule, slander, and lies.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 59:0 Wild dogs

At the time of writing this psalm, David had not yet fled to Gath and Adullam. He was still at Saul’s court, but his repeated military successes stirred up Saul’s jealousy, resulting in another attempt by Saul to spear him (1 Samuel 19:1-10). David escaped to the safety of his own house. Saul then laid a plot to murder him at his home, and David escaped only narrowly (1 Samuel 19:11-17). This psalm concerns the attempt on David’s life at his house.

The psalm opens with a plea for protection against those whose intention is to murder David (1-2). Bloodthirsty people hide in the dark, awaiting the opportunity to kill an innocent man (3-5). David likens them to a pack of wild dogs that prowl the streets at night, seeking some helpless victim that they can attack and tear to pieces (6-7). But they are powerless against God, and therefore they are powerless against those whom he defends (8-10).
David knows that God will destroy these violent people, but he does not want them killed in a way that would appear to be the result of natural causes. He wants their death to occur in such a way that people will see clearly that it is a direct judgment from the righteous God (11-13).
Meanwhile the hungry dogs still prowl. Each night they return, eagerly looking for their victim (14-15). God, however, still guards David, and each morning David praises him afresh for his faithful protection (16-17).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth; Swords are in their lips: For who, say they, doth hear? But thou, O Jehovah, wilt laugh at them; Thou wilt have all the nations in derision. Because of his strength I will give heed unto thee; For God is my high tower.”

“Like a dog” David here compared his lurking enemies to scavenger dogs, which were the bane of ancient Oriental cities. Then the figure changes, and we see that these “dogs” are men continually speaking evil against David.

“They belch out with their mouth” This refers to the slanderous, obscene, and derogatory tales they were telling against David. Notice too that the final line here in Psalms 59:7 is blasphemous, indicating that they did not believe in God at all.

Throughout the psalm thus far, David pleads for God’s deliverance on the following grounds: (1) the wickedness of his enemies (Psalms 59:2); the danger of eminent death to himself (Psalms 59:3); (3) his own innocence (Psalms 59:3-4); and (4) the profane atheism of his enemies (Psalms 59:7).Adapted from MH, Vol. III, p. 456.

“Because of his strength” Rawlinson pointed out that there is no “because of” in the original language (as witnessed by the italics). Several manuscripts here have “my strength” as in Psalms 59:17; and all the ancient versions have ’my strength.’The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8-B, p. 12. The RSV has, “O my strength, I will sing praises to thee; for thou, O God, art my fortress”; and this certainly seems preferable above the ASV.

This verse is a refrain, and the RSV here makes it conform exactly to Psalms 59:17 where the refrain recurs.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Behold, they belch out with their mouth - The word rendered “belch out” means properly to boil forth; to gush out, to flow; and then, to pour forth copiously, or in a running stream, as a fountain does. Hence, the word means also to pour out “words” - words that flow freely - words of folly, abuse, or reproach. Proverbs 15:2, “the mouth of fools poureth out (Margin, belcheth or babbleth) foolishness.” Proverbs 15:28, “the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things;” that is, “gushes over” with wicked things - as a fountain overflows. In this place, the word means that the enemies of David who were in pursuit of his life, poured out reproaches and threatenings like a gushing fountain.

Swords are in their lips - Their words are as sharp swords. See the notes at Psalms 57:4.

For who, say they, doth hear? - That is, no one hears who will be able to punish us. They dread no man; and they have no fear of God. Compare the notes at Psalms 10:11. The words “say they” are, however, supplied here by the translators, and are not in the original; and the language “may” be understood as that of David himself, “as if” no one heard; that is, It is no wonder that they thus pour out words of reproach, for who “is” there to hear and to punish them? The former interpretation, however, is to be preferred. The language expresses the feelings of the enemies of David, who indulged freely in language of abuse and reproach “as if” there were none to hear.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

In the verse which follows, he describes their fierceness. The expression, prating, or belching out with their mouth, denotes that they proclaimed their infamous counsels openly, and without affecting concealment. The Hebrew word נבע, nabang, means, metaphorically, to speak, but properly, it signifies to gush out, ⁽³⁶⁴⁾ and here denotes more than simply speaking. He would inform us, that not content with plotting the destruction of the innocent secretly amongst themselves, they published their intentions abroad, and boasted of them. Accordingly, when he adds, that swords were in their lips, he means that they breathed out slaughter, and that every word they spoke was a sword to slay the oppressed. He assigns as the cause of their rushing to such excess of wickedness, that they had no reason to apprehend disgrace. It may be sufficiently probable, that David adverts here, as in many other places, to the gross stupidity of the wicked, who, in order to banish fear from their minds, conceive of God as if he were asleep in heaven; but I am of opinion that he rather traces the security with which they prosecuted their counsels, and openly proclaimed them, to the fact, that they had long ere now been in possession of the uncontrolled power of inflicting injury. They had succeeded so completely in deceiving the people, and rendering David odious by their calumnies, that none had the courage to utter a word in his defense. Nay, the more atrociously that any man might choose to persecute this victim of distress, from no other motive than to secure the good graces of the king, the more did he rise in estimation as a true friend to the commonwealth.

(364) Ainsworth reads, “to utter or well out, as from a fountain;belch orbabble, as Proverbs 15:2, ‘As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her malice.’” “Le mot Hebrieu signifie se repandre en paroles ,etc.;” i. e. , “The Hebrew word signifies to break out in words, and it here denotes the oft repeated and passionate expressions which proceed from the mouth of persons actuated by hatred and rage, as in Psalms 94:4. To it the word bark answers very well, which is borrowed from dogs, and expresses the noise made by these animals; and this word is here the more apposite, that David in the preceding verse compares his enemies to dogs which incessantly run about and do nothing but bark.” —Martin.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 59:1-17

Psalms 59:1-17 is another one of those "destroy not" prayers of David, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him. His wife, Michael, let him out of the window in a basket and David escaped. But the men were watching the house of David to kill him. And David wrote this psalm on that occasion.

Deliver me from my enemy, O God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from the bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgressions, nor for my sin, O LORD ( Psalms 59:1-3 ).

It was just because of Saul's jealousy; it wasn't that David had done anything wrong.

They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. Thou therefore, [O God,] O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all of the heathen: be not merciful to the wicked transgressors ( Psalms 59:4-5 ).

Just be merciful to me, Lord, in my wickedness. Isn't that the way that it goes?

They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and they go around about the city ( Psalms 59:6 ).

Here are these guys out there and they are barking like dogs, and David knew who they were.

They belch out with their mouth: and swords are in their lips: and who, say they, that does hear? But thou, O LORD, shall laugh at them; and thou shalt have all of the heathen in derision. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defense. The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desires upon my enemies. Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 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 of which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. 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 troubles. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy ( Psalms 59:7-17 ).

So three times over in the psalm, God is spoken of as David's defense. And it's surely neat to have God as our defense. Now, I have discovered that God will be my defense as long as I let Him be my defense. But if I seek to take up my own defense, then God will let me defend myself. And I have found that I really can't defend myself adequately. And so I have learned not to seek to defend myself, but to leave my defense completely in the hands of God. Now, if you want God to defend you, then you have to just commit yourself to the hands of God and not seek to defend yourself. God is my defense. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 59

The occasion for this individual lament psalm was evidently the event the writer of 1 Samuel recorded in Psalms 19:8-14, namely: Saul’s attempt to kill David in his bed at home. David asked God to defend him from the attacks of bloodthirsty men and to humiliate them so everyone might recognize God’s sovereignty.

"The focus of the psalm is on God-the Deliverer (Psalms 59:1-9) and the Judge (Psalms 59:10-17)." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 201.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The psalmist compared his enemies to wild dogs that gain courage with the cover of night to threaten arrogantly and attack. Their offensive weapons included their words that were similar to swords in their destructive power (cf. Psalms 55:21; Psalms 57:4; Psalms 64:6).

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. David’s triumph over his enemies 59:6-10

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Behold, they belch out with their mouth,.... Bark like dogs, so Aben Ezra; or "bubble out" u, as a fountain bubbles out with water; so they cast out their wickedness in great abundance; see Jeremiah 6:7; the phrase denotes the abundance of evil things and wicked speeches that came out of their mouths, which showed the naughtiness of their hearts; so David's enemies blustered and threatened what they would do to him could they find him; and Christ's enemies poured out their wicked charges of blasphemy and sedition against him, in great plenty, and without proof;

swords [are] in their lips; the words of their lips were like sharp swords; see Psalms 55:21; threatening the most severe and cruel things: or, besides their lips, and what they belched out with their mouths, they took swords in their hands in a literal sense; as Saul's messengers did to kill David, and as Judas and his band of men, who came to take Christ as a thief, with swords and staves, Matthew 26:55;

for who, [say they], doth hear? what they uttered with their mouths and lips, in a blustering and threatening manner; though they were overheard by men, who carried what they said and designed to do to Michal, David's wife. The meaning may be, they would say what they pleased, and did not care who heard them, having nothing to fear from any, they having their orders from the king; see Psalms 12:4; and so the Targum,

"behold they belch out with their mouths words which are sharp as swords, and with their lips saying, we shall prevail; for who is he that hears, and can punish?''

Aben Ezra's note is,

"they thought that God did not hear their counsels;''

and therefore the next words are in direct opposition to them; but so to think is monstrous stupidity and brutishness, Psalms 94:4; some take the words to be the words of David, complaining that the civil magistrate, none of the judges, took notice of or punished such who belched out their lies and calumnies against him, saying, "for who doth hear?" no man.

u יביעון "scaturient", Montanus; "copiose eructant", Gejerus.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David,

when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him.

      1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.   2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.   3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.   4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.   5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.   6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.   7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

      The title of this psalm acquaints us particularly with the occasion on which it was penned; it was when Saul sent a party of his guards to beset David's house in the night, that they might seize him and kill him; we have the story 1 Samuel 19:11. It was when his hostilities against David were newly begun, and he had but just before narrowly escaped Saul's javelin. These first eruptions of Saul's malice could not but put David into disorder and be both grievous and terrifying, and yet he kept up his communion with God, and such a composure of mind as that he was never out of frame for prayer and praises; happy are those whose intercourse with heaven is not intercepted nor broken in upon by their cares, or griefs, or fears, or any of the hurries (whether outward or inward) of an afflicted state. In these verses,

      I. David prays to be delivered out of the hands of his enemies, and that their cruel designs against him might be defeated (Psalms 59:1; Psalms 59:2): "Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! thou art God, and cast deliver me, my God, under whose protection I have put myself; and thou hast promised me to be a God all-sufficient, and therefore, in honour and faithfulness, thou wilt deliver me. Set me on high out of the reach of the power and malice of those that rise up against me, and above the fear of it. Let me be safe, and see myself so, safe and easy, safe and satisfied. O deliver me! and save me." He cries out as one ready to perish, and that had his eye to God only for salvation and deliverance. He prays (Psalms 59:4; Psalms 59:4), "Awake to help me, take cognizance of my case, behold that with an eye of pity, and exert thy power for my relief." Thus the disciples, in the storm, awoke Christ, saying, Master, save us, we perish. And thus earnestly should we pray daily to be defended and delivered form our spiritual enemies, the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of our own hearts, which war against our spiritual life.

      II. He pleads for deliverance. Our God gives us leave not only to pray, but to plead with him, to order our cause before him and to fill our mouth with arguments, not to move him, but to move ourselves. David does so here.

      1. He pleads the bad character of his enemies. They are workers of iniquity, and therefore not only his enemies, but God's enemies; they are bloody men, and therefore not only his enemies, but enemies to all mankind. "Lord, let not the workers of iniquity prevail against one that is a worker of righteousness, nor bloody men against a merciful man."

      2. He pleads their malice against him, and the imminent danger he was in from them, Psalms 59:3; Psalms 59:3. "Their spite is great; they aim at my soul, my life, my better part. They are subtle and very politic: They lie in wait, taking an opportunity to do me a mischief. They are all mighty, men of honour and estates, and interest in court and country. They are in a confederacy; they are united by league, and actually gathered together against me, combined both in consultation and action. They are very ingenious in their contrivances, and very industrious in the prosecution of them (Psalms 59:4; Psalms 59:4): They run and prepare themselves, with the utmost speed and fury, to do me a mischief." He takes particular notice of the brutish conduct of the messengers that Saul sent to take him (Psalms 59:6; Psalms 59:6): "They return at evening from the posts assigned them in the day, to apply themselves to their works of darkness (their night-work, which may well be their day-shame), and then they make a noise like a hound in pursuit of the hare." Thus did David's enemies, when they came to take him, raise an out cry against him as a rebel, and traitor, a man not fit to live; with this clamour they went round about the city, to bring a bad reputation upon David, if possible to set the mob against him, at least to prevent their being incensed against them, which otherwise they had reason to fear they would be, so much was David their darling. Thus the persecutors of our Lord Jesus, who are compared to dogs (Psalms 22:16), ran him down with noise; for else they could not have taken him, at least no on the feast-day, for there would have been an uproar among the people. They belch out with their mouth the malice that boils in their hearts, Psalms 59:7; Psalms 59:7. Swords are in their lips; that is, reproaches that would my heart with grief (Psalms 42:10), and slanders that stab and wound my reputation. They were continually suggesting that which drew and whetted Saul's sword against him, and the fault is laid upon the false accusers. The sword perhaps would not have been in Saul's hand if it had not been first in their lips.

      3. He pleads his own innocency, not as to God (he was never backward to own himself guilty before him), but as to his persecutors; what they charged him with was utterly false, nor had he ever said or done any thing to deserve such treatment from them (Psalms 59:3; Psalms 59:3): "Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord! thou knowest, who knowest all things." And again (Psalms 59:4; Psalms 59:4), without my fault. Note, (1.) The innocency of the godly will not secure them from the malignity of the wicked. Those that are harmless like doves, yet, for Christ's sake, are hated of all men, as if they were noxious like serpents, and obnoxious accordingly. (2.) Though our innocency will not secure us from troubles, yet it will greatly support and comfort us under our troubles. The testimony of our conscience for us that we have behaved ourselves well towards those that behave themselves ill towards us will be very much our rejoicing in the day of evil. (3.) If we are conscious to ourselves of our innocency, we may with humble confidence appeal to God and beg of him to plead our injured cause, which he will do in due time.

      4. He pleads that his enemies were profane and atheistical, and bolstered themselves up in their enmity to David, with the contempt of God: For who, say they, doth hear?Psalms 59:7; Psalms 59:7. Not God himself, Psalms 10:11; Psalms 94:7. Note, It is not strange if those regard not what they say who have made themselves believe the God regards not what they say.

      III. He refers himself and his cause to the just judgment of God, Psalms 59:5; Psalms 59:5. "The Lord, the Judge, be Judge between me and my persecutors." In this appeal to God he has an eye to him as the Lord of hosts, that has power to execute judgment, having all creatures, even hosts of angels, at his command; he views him also as the God of Israel, to whom he was, in a peculiar manner, King and Judge, not doubting that he would appear on the behalf of those that were upright, that were Israelites indeed. When Saul's hosts persecuted him, he had recourse to God as the Lord of all hosts; when those maligned him who in spirit were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel he had recourse to God as the God of Israel. He desires (that is, he is very sure) that God will awake to visit all the nations, will make an early and exact enquiry into the controversies and quarrels that are among the children of men; there will be a day of visitation (Isaiah 10:3), and to that day David refers himself, with this solemn appeal, Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah--Mark that. 1. If David had been conscious to himself that he was a wicked transgressor, he would not have expected to find mercy; but, as to his enemies, he would say he was no transgressor at all (Psalms 59:3; Psalms 59:4): "Not for my transgression, and therefore thou wilt appear for me." As to God, he could say he was no wicked transgressor; for, though he had transgressed, he was a penitent transgressor, and did not obstinately persist in what he had done amiss. 2. He knew his enemies were wicked transgressors, wilful, malicious, and hardened in their transgressions both against God and man, and therefore he sues for justice against them, judgment without mercy. Let not those expect to find mercy who never showed mercy, for such are wicked transgressors.