
Text -- Psalms 35:5 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
JFB -> Psa 35:5-6
JFB: Psa 35:5-6 - -- A terrible fate; driven by wind on a slippery path in darkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence (2Sa 24:16; Act 12:23).
Clarke -> Psa 35:5
Clarke: Psa 35:5 - -- Let the angel of the Lord chase them - By angel we may either understand one of those spirits, whether good or bad, commonly thus denominated, or an...
Let the angel of the Lord chase them - By angel we may either understand one of those spirits, whether good or bad, commonly thus denominated, or any thing used by God himself as the instrument of their confusion.
Calvin -> Psa 35:5
Calvin: Psa 35:5 - -- The same thing he expresses more clearly in the following verse, praying that the angel of the Lord would drive them through dark and slippery places...
The same thing he expresses more clearly in the following verse, praying that the angel of the Lord would drive them through dark and slippery places, so that reason and understanding might fail them, and that they might not know whither to go, nor what to become, nor have even time given them to draw their breath. We need not be surprised that this work should be assigned to the angels, by whose instrumentality God executes his judgments. At the same time, this passage may be expounded of the devils as well as of the holy angels, who are ever ready to execute the divine behests. We know that the devil is permitted to exercise his dominion over the reprobate; and hence it is often said that “an evil spirit from God came upon Saul,” (1Sa 18:10.) But as the devils never execute the will of God, unless compelled to do it when God wishes to serve himself of them; the Sacred Scriptures declare that the holy and elect angels are in a much higher sense the servants of God. God, then, executes his judgments by the wicked and reprobate angels; but he gives the elect angels the pre-eminence over them. On this account, also, good angels only are called rightfully “principalities,” as in Eph 3:10; Col 1:16, and other similar passages. If it is objected that it is not meet that the angels, who are the ministers of grace and salvation, and the appointed guardians of the faithful, should be employed in executing judgment upon the reprobate, the explanation is simply this, that they cannot watch for the preservation of the godly without being prepared for fighting — that they cannot succor them by their aid without also opposing their enemies, and declaring themselves to be against them. The style of imprecation which the Psalmist here employs can be explained only by bearing in mind what I have elsewhere said, namely, that David pleads not simply his own cause, nor utters rashly the dictates of passion, nor with unadvised zeal desires the destruction of his enemies; but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit he entertains and expresses against the reprobate such desires as were characterised by great moderation, and which were far removed from the spirit of those who are impelled either by desire of revenge or hatred, or some other inordinate emotion of the flesh.
TSK -> Psa 35:5

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Psa 35:5
Barnes: Psa 35:5 - -- Let them be as chaff before the wind - As chaff is driven away in winnowing grain. See the notes at Psa 1:4. And let the angel of the Lord...
Let them be as chaff before the wind - As chaff is driven away in winnowing grain. See the notes at Psa 1:4.
And let the angel of the Lord chase them - Drive them away, or scatter them. Angels are often represented in the Scriptures as agents employed by God in bringing punishment on wicked people. See 2Ki 19:35; Isa 37:36; 1Ch 21:12, 1Ch 21:30; 2Sa 24:16.
Poole -> Psa 35:5
Poole: Psa 35:5 - -- As chaff before the wind i.e. dispersed and chased from place to place, finding rest and safety no where.
The angel of the Lord whom God useth to d...
As chaff before the wind i.e. dispersed and chased from place to place, finding rest and safety no where.
The angel of the Lord whom God useth to defend his people, and to destroy their enemies.
Haydock -> Psa 35:5
Set himself, "persevering" in wickedness. (St. Augustine)
Gill -> Psa 35:5
Gill: Psa 35:5 - -- Let them be as chaff before the wind,.... As they are; see Psa 1:4;
and let the angel of the Lord chase them; either a good angel, who is the Lord...
Let them be as chaff before the wind,.... As they are; see Psa 1:4;
and let the angel of the Lord chase them; either a good angel, who is the Lord's, his creature that ministers unto him, and is ready to obey his orders; and who, as he encamps about the saints and protects them, so he is able to destroy their enemies; as one angel in a night destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, and another the whole army of the Assyrians, Exo 12:29; an angel of the Lord, who is swift to fly, and so to chase and overtake, and able to execute whatever is the will of the Lord; or else an evil angel, who is the Lord's, being made by him, though not made evil by him; and who is under his restraints, and can do nothing but by his permission; and who sometimes is employed by the Lord, as the executioner of his wrath upon wicked men; is suffered to distress and torture their consciences in this life, and hereafter drag them into everlasting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Psa 35:1-28
TSK Synopsis: Psa 35:1-28 - --1 David prays for his own safety, and his enemies confusion.11 He complains of their wrongful dealing.22 Thereby he incites God against them.
MHCC -> Psa 35:1-10
MHCC: Psa 35:1-10 - --It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of th...
Matthew Henry -> Psa 35:1-10
Matthew Henry: Psa 35:1-10 - -- In these verses we have, I. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the restless rage and malice of his persecutors. He was God's s...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Psa 35:4-8
Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 35:4-8 - --
Throughout the next two strophes follow terrible imprecations. According to Fürst and others the relation of בּושׁ and חפר is like that of ...
Constable -> Psa 35:1-28; Psa 35:1-10
Constable: Psa 35:1-28 - --Psalm 35
David lamented the unjustified opposition of his enemies in this psalm and called on God to del...
