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Text -- Psalms 38:20 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done; though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: SICK; SICKNESS | Persecution | PSALMS, BOOK OF | Ingratitude | David | Conviction | Conscience | BRING | Afflictions and Adversities | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

JFB: Psa 38:19-20 - -- Still, while humbled before God, he is the victim of deadly enemies, full of malice and treachery.

Still, while humbled before God, he is the victim of deadly enemies, full of malice and treachery.

JFB: Psa 38:19-20 - -- Literally, "of life," who would take my life, that is, deadly.

Literally, "of life," who would take my life, that is, deadly.

Clarke: Psa 38:20 - -- Because I follow the thing that good is - The translation is as bad as the sentence is awkward. תחת רדפי טוב tachath rodpi tob , because ...

Because I follow the thing that good is - The translation is as bad as the sentence is awkward. תחת רדפי טוב tachath rodpi tob , because I follow goodness. There is a remarkable addition to this verse in the Arabic: "They have rejected me, the beloved one, as an abominable dead carcass; they have pierced my body with nails."I suppose the Arabic translator meant to refer this to Christ

None of the other Versions have any thing like this addition; only the Ethiopic adds, "They rejected their brethren as an unclean carcass."St. Ambrose says this reading was found in some Greek and Latin copies in his time; and Theodoret has nearly the same reading with the Arabic: Και απερῥιψαν με τον αγαπητον, ῳς νεκρον εβδελυγμενον· "And they cast me, the beloved, out, as an abominable dead carcass."Whence this reading came I cannot conjecture.

Calvin: Psa 38:20 - -- This is more fully confirmed in the following verse, in which he declares that they requited him evil for the good which he had done them. More than ...

This is more fully confirmed in the following verse, in which he declares that they requited him evil for the good which he had done them. More than this, however, is implied in the language of David. It implies that he not only abstained from all hurtful dealing towards his enemies, but that he had done them all the good which was in his power; and on this account the rage of the wicked is the less excusable, which not only moves them to do harm to others without cause, but which likewise cannot be appeased by any marks of kindness exercised towards them. It is indeed true, that there is nothing which wounds those of an ingenuous disposition of mind more than when wicked and ungodly men recompense them in a manner so dishonorable and unjust; but when they reflect upon this consolatory consideration, that God is no less offended with such ingratitude than those to whom the injury is done, they have no reason to be troubled beyond measure. To mitigate their sorrow, let this doctrine be the subject of their frequent meditation, That whenever the wicked, to whom we have endeavored to do good, shall requite us evil for good, God will certainly be their judge. In the last place, it is added, as the highest degree of their desperate wickedness, that they hated David because he studied to practice uprightness: They are opposed to me, because I follow that which is good It must be admitted, that those are froward and wicked in the extreme, nay, even of a devilish disposition, who hold uprightness in such abhorrence that they deliberately make war upon those who follow after it. It is, indeed, a very sore temptation, that the people of God, the more sincerely they endeavor to serve him, should procure to themselves so much the more trouble and sorrow; but this consideration ought to prove a sufficient ground of consolation to them, that they are not only supported by the testimony of a good conscience, but that they also know that God is ever ready, and that, too, for this very reason, to manifest his mercy towards them. On the ground of this assurance, they dare to appear in the presence of God, and entreat him, as it is his cause as well as theirs, that he would maintain and defend it. There can be no doubt that David, by his own example, has prescribed this as a common rule to all the faithful, rather to incur the hatred and ill-will of the world, than in the least degree to swerve from the path of duty, and without any hesitation to regard those as their enemies whom they know to be opposed to that which is just and righteous.

TSK: Psa 38:20 - -- render : Psa 7:4, Psa 35:12, Psa 109:3-5; 1Sa 19:4-6, 1Sa 23:5, 1Sa 23:12, 1Sa 25:16, 1Sa 25:21; Jer 18:20 because : Mat 5:10; Joh 10:32; 1Pe 3:13, 1P...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Psa 38:20 - -- They also that render evil for good - They whose characteristic it is to return evil for good, are opposed to me. This implies that those who w...

They also that render evil for good - They whose characteristic it is to return evil for good, are opposed to me. This implies that those who were now seeking his ruin had been formerly benefitted by him. They were persons who cherished no grateful recollection of favors bestowed on them, but who found a pleasure in persecuting and wronging their benefactor. Compare Psa 35:12-16. "Are my adversaries."Are now opposed to me; have become my enemies.

Because I follow the thing that good is - This properly means, Because I follow the good. The Hebrew word rendered "because"- תחת tachath - means properly the lower part; what is underneath; then, below; beneath. The idea here is, that the "underlying reason"of what they did was that he followed good, or that he was a righteous man; or, as we say, This was "at the bottom"of all their dealings with him. Sinner as he felt he was (and as he acknowledged he was) before God, and true as it was that his "sickness"was brought upon him by God for his sinfulness, yet the reason why "men"treated him as they did, was that he was a friend of God - a religious man; and their conduct, therefore, was sheer persecution. We may, with entire consistency, be very humble before God, and acknowledge that we deserve all that He brings upon us; and yet, at the same time, we may be sensible that we have not wronged men, and that their conduct toward us is wholly undeserved, is most ungrateful, is sheer malignity against us.

Poole: Psa 38:20 - -- They render evil for good they hate and persecute me, not only without any injury or provocation on my part, but as it were in requital of the good w...

They render evil for good they hate and persecute me, not only without any injury or provocation on my part, but as it were in requital of the good which I have done to them.

Because I follow the thing that good is because I love and diligently practise justice and godliness, which they hate, and which they take to be a reproach to them, and which I did exercise, as I had opportunity, in the punishment of such as they are. Compare Joh 15:19 1Jo 3:12 .

Gill: Psa 38:20 - -- They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries,.... See Gill on Psa 35:12; because I follow the thing that good is; or "follow good"; a...

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries,.... See Gill on Psa 35:12;

because I follow the thing that good is; or "follow good"; a good God, whom his soul followed hard after, Psa 63:8; the good Shepherd of the sheep, who led him into green pastures, whither he followed him, Psa 23:1; the good Spirit of God his guide, whom he walked after, Rom 8:1; good and holy men of God, whom he took for examples and copied after; and every good work, which he pursued with eagerness and pleasure; and all this drew upon him the hatred of his adversaries.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 38:20 Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”

Geneva Bible: Psa 38:20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow [the thing that] ( o ) good [is]. ( o ) He would rather have the hatred of...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Psa 38:1-22 - --1 David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case.

MHCC: Psa 38:12-22 - --Wicked men hate goodness, even when they benefit by it. David, in the complaints he makes of his enemies, seems to refer to Christ. But our enemies do...

Matthew Henry: Psa 38:12-22 - -- In these verses, I. David complains of the power and malice of his enemies, who, it should seem, not only took occasion from the weakness of his bod...

Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 38:15-22 - -- (Heb.: 38:16-23) Become utterly useless in himself, he renounces all self-help, for ( כּי ) he hopes in Jahve, who alone can help him. He waits f...

Constable: Psa 38:1-22 - --Psalm 38 In this psalm David expressed penitence that he had sinned against God and had thereby incurred...

Constable: Psa 38:12-21 - --2. David's hope 38:13-22 38:13-16 David paid no attention to the threats of his enemies because he believed God would vindicate him in response to his...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Hebrew title of this book is Tehilim ("praises" or "hymns"), for a leading feature in its contents is praise, though the word occurs in the title ...

JFB: Psalms (Outline) ALEPH. (Psa 119:1-8). This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. It is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two let...

TSK: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Psalms have been the general song of the universal Church; and in their praise, all the Fathers have been unanimously eloquent. Men of all nation...

TSK: Psalms 38 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Psa 38:1, David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case.

Poole: Psalms (Book Introduction) OF PSALMS THE ARGUMENT The divine authority of this Book of PSALMS is so certain and evident, that it was never questioned in the church; which b...

Poole: Psalms 38 (Chapter Introduction) THE ARGUMENT This is reckoned one of David’ s penitential Psalms. It was composed upon occasion of some sore disease, or grievous calamity; wh...

MHCC: Psalms (Book Introduction) David was the penman of most of the psalms, but some evidently were composed by other writers, and the writers of some are doubtful. But all were writ...

MHCC: Psalms 38 (Chapter Introduction) (Psa 38:1-11) God's displeasure at sin. (Psa 38:12-22) The psalmist's sufferings and prayers.

Matthew Henry: Psalms (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Psalms We have now before us one of the choicest and most excellent parts of all the Old Te...

Matthew Henry: Psalms 38 (Chapter Introduction) This is one of the penitential psalms; it is full of grief and complaint from the beginning to the end. David's sins and his afflictions are the ca...

Constable: Psalms (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is Tehillim, which means...

Constable: Psalms (Outline) Outline I. Book 1: chs. 1-41 II. Book 2: chs. 42-72 III. Book 3: chs. 73...

Constable: Psalms Psalms Bibliography Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89." In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus,...

Haydock: Psalms (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. INTRODUCTION. The Psalms are called by the Hebrew, Tehillim; that is, hymns of praise. The author, of a great part of ...

Gill: Psalms (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALMS The title of this book may be rendered "the Book of Praises", or "Hymns"; the psalm which our Lord sung at the passover is c...

Gill: Psalms 38 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 38 A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. This psalm was composed by David under some sore affliction, and when in great ...

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