TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 57:1–6. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The title of this psalm has one word new in it, Al-taschith - Destroy not. Some make it to be only some known tune to which this psalm was set; others apply it to the occasion and matter of the psalm. Destroy not; that is, David would not let Saul be destroyed, when now in the cave there was a fair opportunity of killing him, and his servants would fain have done so. No, says David, destroy him not, Sa1 24:4, Sa1 24:6. Or, rather, God would not let David be destroyed by Saul; he suffered him to persecute David, but still under this limitation, Destroy him hot; as he permitted Satan to afflict Job, Only save his life. David must not be destroyed, for a blessing is in him (Isa 65:8), even Christ, the best of blessings. When David was in the cave, in imminent peril, he here tells us what were the workings of his heart towards God; and happy are those that have such good thoughts as these in their minds when they are in danger!
I.He supports himself with faith and hope in God, and prayer to him, Psa 57:1, Psa 57:2.
Seeing himself surrounded with enemies, he looks up to God with that suitable prayer: Be merciful to me, O Lord! which he again repeats, and it is no vain repetition: Be merciful unto me. It was the publican's prayer, Luk 18:13. It is a pity that any should use it slightly and profanely, should cry, God be merciful to us, or, Lord, have mercy upon us, when they mean only to express their wonder, or surprise, or vexation, but God and his mercy are not in all their thoughts. It is with much devout affection that David here prays, "Be merciful unto me, O Lord! look with compassion upon me, and in thy love and pity redeem me." To recommend himself to God's mercy, he here professes,
1.That all his dependence is upon God: My soul trusteth in thee, Psa 57:1. He did not only profess to trust in God, but his soul did indeed rely on God only, with a sincere devotion and self-dedication, and an entire complacency and satisfaction. He goes to God, and, at the footstool of the throne of his grace, humbly professes his confidence in him: In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, as the chickens take shelter under the wings of the hen when the birds of prey are ready to strike at them, until these calamities be over-past.
(1.)He was confident his troubles would end well, in due time; these calamities will be over-past; the storm will blow over. Non si male nunc et olim sic erit - Though now distressed, I shall not always be so. Our Lord Jesus comforted himself with this in his sufferings, Luk 22:37. The things concerning me have an end.
(2.)He was very easy under the divine protection in the mean time.
[1.]He comforted himself in the goodness of God's nature, by which he is inclined to succour and protect his people, as the hen is by instinct to shelter her young ones. God comes upon the wing to the help of his people, which denotes a speedy deliverance (Psa 18:10); and he takes them under his wing, which denotes warmth and refreshment, even when the calamities are upon them; see Mat 23:37.
[2.]In the promise of his word and the covenant of his grace; for it may refer to the out-stretched wings of the cherubim, between which God is said to dwell (Psa 80:1) and whence he gave his oracles. "To God, as the God of grace, will I fly, and his promise shall be my refuge, and a sure passport it will be through all these danger." God, by his promise, offers himself to us, to be trusted; we by our faith must accept of him, and put our trust in him.
2.That all his desire is towards God (Psa 57:2): "I will cry unto God most high, for succour and relief; to him that is most high will I lift up my soul, and pray earnestly, even unto God that performs all things for me." Note,
(1.)In every thing that befalls us we ought to see and own the hand of God; whatever is done is of his performing; in it his counsel is accomplished and the scripture is fulfilled.
(2.)Whatever God performs concerning his people, it will appear, in the issue, to have been performed for them and for their benefit. Though God be high, most high, yet he condescends so low as to take care that all things be made to work for good to them.
(3.)This is a good reason why we should, in all our straits and difficulties, cry unto him, not only pray, but pray earnestly.
3.That all his expectation is from God (Psa 57:3): He shall send from heaven, and save me. Those that make God their only refuge, and fly to him by faith and prayer, may be sure of salvation, in his way and time. Observe here,
(1.)Whence he expects the salvation - from heaven. Look which way he will, in this earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but he looks for it from heaven. Those that lift up their hearts to things above may thence expect all good.
(2.)What the salvation is that he expects. He trusts that God will save him from the reproach of those that would swallow him up, that aimed to ruin him, and, in the mean time, did all they could to vex him. Some read it, He shall send from heaven and save me, for he has put to shame him that would swallow me up; he has disappointed their designs against me hitherto, and therefore he will perfect my deliverance.
(3.)What he will ascribe his salvation to: God shall send forth his mercy and truth. God is good in himself and faithful to every word that he has spoken, and so he makes it appear when he works deliverance for his people. We need no more to make us happy than to have the benefit of the mercy and truth of God, Psa 25:10.
II.He represents the power and malice of his enemies (Psa 57:4):
My soul is among lions. So fierce and furious was Saul, and those about him, against David, that he might have been as safe in a den of lions as among such men, who were continually roaring against him and ready to make a prey of him. They are set on fire, and breathe nothing but flame; they set on fire the course of nature, inflaming one another against David, and they were themselves set on fire of hell, Jam 3:6. They were sons of men, from whom one might have expected something of the reason and compassion of a man; but they were beasts of prey in the shape of men; their teeth, which they gnashed upon him, and with which they hoped to tear him to pieces and to eat him up, were spears and arrows fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their tongue, with which they cursed him and wounded his reputation, was as a sharp sword to cut and kill; see Psa 42:10. A spiteful tongue is a dangerous weapon, wherewith Satan's instruments fight against God's people. He describes their malicious projects against him (Psa 57:6) and shows the issue of them: "They have prepared a net for my steps, in which to take me, that I might not again escape out of their hands; they have digged a pit before me, that I might, ere I was aware, run headlong into it." See the policies of the church's enemies; see the pains they take to do mischief. But let us see what comes of it.
1.It is indeed some disturbance to David: My soul is bowed down. It made him droop, and hang the head, to think that there should be those that bore him so much ill-will. But,
2.It was destruction to themselves; they dug a pit for David, into the midst whereof they have fallen. The mischief they designed against David returned upon themselves, and they were embarrassed in their counsels; then when Saul was pursuing David the Philistines were invading him; nay, in the cave, when Saul thought David should fall into his hands, he fell into the hands of David, and lay at his mercy.
III.He prays to God to glorify himself and his own great name (Psa 57:5):
"Whatever becomes of me and my interest, be thou exalted, O God! above the heavens, be thou praised by the holy angels, those glorious inhabitants of the upper world; and let thy glory be above or over all the earth; let all the inhabitants of this earth be brought to know and praise thee." Thus God's glory should lie hearer our hearts, and we should be more concerned for it, than for any particular interests of our own. When David was in the greatest distress and disgrace he did not pray, Lord, exalt me, but, Lord, exalt thy own name. Thus the Son of David, when his soul was troubled, and he prayed, Father, save me from this hour, immediately withdrew that petition, and presented this in the room of it, For this cause came I to this hour; Father, glorify thy name, Joh 12:27, Joh 12:28. Or it may be taken as a plea to enforce his petition for deliverance: "Lord, send from heaven to save me, and thereby thou wilt glorify thyself as the God both of heaven and earth." Our best encouragement in prayer is taken from the glory of God, and to that therefore, more than our own comfort, we should have an eye in all our petitions for particular mercies; for this is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which regulates and directs all the rest, Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
6 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
One thing you can count on: Corruption does not save those who get into it. On the contrary, it sets itself up against them, tears them down and brings about their doom. Woe to those people against whom this prophecy is written! For the evil they pursue is sharper than a two-edged sword, and it will first slay those who lay hold of it. Even their own tongue, as the psalmist points out, “is a sharp sword, and their teeth are spears and arrows.”
Casting away therefore all anxiety and superfluous care, let us return to ourselves; and let us adorn the body and the soul with the ornament of virtue; converting our bodily members into instruments of righteousness and not instruments of sin.And first of all, let us discipline our tongue to be the minister of the grace of the Spirit, expelling from the mouth all bitterness and malice and the practice of using disgraceful words. For it is in our power to make each one of our members an instrument of wickedness or of righteousness. Hear then how people make the tongue an instrument, some of sin, others of righteousness! “Their tongue is a sharp sword.” But another speaks thus of his own tongue: “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” The former worked destruction; the latter wrote the divine law. So one was a sword, the other a pen, not according to its own nature but according to the choice of those who employed it. For the nature of this tongue and of that was the same, but the operation was not the same.
I have read the document sent from the East by our friend and good brother to a distinguished member of the Senate, Pammachius, which you have copied and forwarded to me. It brought to my mind the words of the prophet: “The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” But for these wounds that people inflict on one another with the tongue we can hardly find a physician; so I have turned to Jesus, the heavenly physician, and he has brought out for me from the medicine chest of the gospel an antidote of sovereign power; he has assuaged the violence of my grief with the assurance of the righteous judgment that I shall have at his hands. The potion that our Lord dispensed to me was nothing else than these words: “Blessed are you when people persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” With this medicine I was content, and, as far as the matter concerned me, I had determined for the future to keep silence; for I said to myself, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?” (that is, you and me, unworthy though we are). And, if it was said of him, “He is a deceiver, he deceives the people,” I must not be indignant if I hear that I am called a heretic and that the name of mole is applied to me because of the slowness of my mind or indeed my blindness. Christ who is my Lord, yes, and who is God over all, was called “a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners.” How can I, then, be angry when I am called a carnal man who lives in luxury?
But if, after all these preceding actions of yours, you also shouted, "Crucify, crucify," hear what the prophet also shouts against you, "The sons of men, their teeth are weapons and arrows, their tongue a sharpened sword." See with what weapons, with what arrows, with what sword you have put to death a just man when you said that it was not lawful for you to put anyone to death. So it is that, although the chief priests had not come themselves but had sent others to arrest Jesus, the Evangelist Luke in the same place in his narrative said, "But Jesus said to those who had come to him," namely, "the chief priests and the magistrates of the temple and the elders, 'Have you come out, as it were, against a thief?' " and so on. Since, therefore, the chief priests [came] not themselves but in those whom they have sent for arresting Jesus, what else does it mean than that they themselves came in their power of giving the order? So all who shouted with ungodly voices for him to be crucified, they themselves killed him, not indeed by themselves but yet by him who was driven to this sacrilegious crime by their shouting.
"And has drawn out," he says, "my soul from the midst of the lions' whelps" [Psalm 57:4]. Why do you say, "And has drawn out my soul"? For what had you suffered, that your soul should be drawn out? "I have slept troubled." Christ has intimated His death....
See the kind of murder, brothers. The devil is called a murderer, not armed with a sword, not girded with a weapon; he came to humankind, he planted an evil word, and he killed him. Do not, then, think that you are not a murderer when you persuade your brother to do evils; if you persuade your brother to do evils, you kill him. And, that you may know that you kill him, hear the psalm: "The sons of men, their teeth are weapons and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword."
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Summary
Psalm 57:4 vividly portrays David's perilous existence and the malevolent nature of his adversaries. He describes his innermost being as being surrounded by savage, predatory forces, likened to ferocious lions, and by individuals consumed by destructive rage, as if "set on fire." These enemies, though human, wield words and actions as lethal weapons, their accusations and slander piercing like spears and arrows, and cutting with the precision and deadliness of a sharp sword, underscoring the intense spiritual, psychological, and relational warfare he endured.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 57 is designated as a "Michtam of David," a term suggesting a psalm of deep reflection, possibly for instruction or a protective quality, set "when he fled from Saul in the cave." This superscription directly connects the psalm to the historical narratives found in 1 Samuel 22 or 1 Samuel 24, where David, though divinely anointed as king, is a hunted fugitive relentlessly pursued by a jealous and irrational King Saul. The psalm commences with an urgent plea for divine mercy and refuge "under the shadow of [God's] wings" (Psalm 57:1), establishing a profound contrast between the overwhelming danger articulated in verse 4 and David's unwavering trust in God's ultimate protection. Verse 4 serves as the raw, visceral articulation of the existential threat from which David desperately seeks deliverance, setting the stage for his subsequent declarations of resolute trust and his commitment to praise God despite his dire circumstances (Psalm 57:7-11).
Historical & Cultural Context
David's period of flight from King Saul represents a prolonged and precarious chapter in his life, marked by constant evasion and hiding in the wilderness strongholds and caves of Judah. The imagery of "lions" is particularly resonant within the ancient Near Eastern context, where lions were not merely symbolic but a real and terrifying threat in the wild, embodying untamed, predatory power and imminent danger. The phrase "sons of men" clarifies that David's persecutors are not literal beasts but human adversaries, intensifying the poignancy of the betrayal and malice he experiences from his own kind. The "spears and arrows" and "sharp sword" are direct references to the common weaponry of the era, yet here they are employed metaphorically to depict the devastating power of words. In a society where honor, reputation, and social standing were paramount, slander, false accusations, and malicious gossip could inflict damage as profound and far-reaching as physical wounds, leading to social ostracism, economic ruin, or even a death sentence.
Key Themes
Psalm 57:4 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the Psalter and biblical theology. Firstly, it vividly underscores the theme of intense persecution and suffering of the righteous. David, despite his innocence and divine anointing, faces relentless and malicious opposition, highlighting the sobering reality that faithfulness to God does not exempt one from profound hardship and hostility in a fallen world. Secondly, the verse masterfully portrays the destructive power of malicious speech and slander. By depicting the enemies' "teeth" and "tongue" as lethal weapons, David emphasizes that verbal assaults can inflict deep psychological and social wounds, destroy reputations, and incite violence, a theme frequently echoed in wisdom literature such as Proverbs 18:21 and expounded upon in the New Testament by James 3:6. Finally, by juxtaposing this profound and terrifying threat with David's subsequent expressions of unwavering trust and determined praise, the psalm develops the crucial theme of God as a secure refuge and deliverer amidst overwhelming danger, demonstrating that even when surrounded by the most savage and destructive adversaries, hope and salvation are ultimately found in the Lord's unfailing mercy and faithfulness (Psalm 57:1 and Psalm 57:7).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (H3833) refers to a lion, specifically noting that it can denote a lioness as the fiercer of the species. In Scripture, lions are frequently used metaphorically to represent powerful, ruthless, and destructive adversaries. David's use of this imagery conveys not only the physical threat but also the savage, relentless, and devouring intent of his enemies, suggesting they seek to tear him apart and consume his very life or reputation. The ferocity implied by the term underscores the extreme danger and the predatory nature of his persecutors.
This word (H3857) is a primitive root meaning "to lick" and, by implication, "to blaze" or "to burn." When applied to David's enemies, it vividly suggests individuals consumed by intense rage, malice, or destructive passion. Their words and actions are depicted as having a fiery, consuming quality, aiming to inflict pain, ignite conflict, spread destruction, or consume David with their intense hostility. It speaks to the burning hatred and destructive intent that characterizes his persecutors.
The Hebrew word (H3956) literally means "tongue," referring to the organ of speech. However, in this context, it is a potent metonymy for speech, words, and communication itself. By describing it as a "sharp sword," David highlights the cutting, piercing, and potentially lethal nature of verbal assaults. This emphasizes that his enemies' primary weapons are not merely physical but also verbal—slander, false accusations, curses, and malicious gossip—which can inflict deep psychological, social, and spiritual wounds, just as a sword inflicts physical ones.
Verse Breakdown
"My soul [is] among lions:"
David expresses a profound sense of existential threat and vulnerability. His "soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh), representing his very being, life force, and inner self, is depicted as being surrounded by savage, predatory forces. This metaphor vividly conveys the feeling of being utterly exposed to overwhelming danger, as if at any moment he could be torn apart or devoured by ruthless adversaries. It speaks to a deep, internal sense of being hunted and imperiled.
"[and] I lie [even among] them that are set on fire,"
This clause introduces another powerful metaphor for David's enemies. "Them that are set on fire" (from the root לָהַט, lâhaṭ, meaning "to burn, to blaze") suggests individuals consumed by intense rage, malice, or destructive passion. Their words and actions are like "fiery darts" that aim to inflict pain, ignite conflict, spread destruction, or consume David with their intense hostility. It speaks to the burning hatred and destructive intent of his persecutors, suggesting an unquenchable desire to harm him.
"[even] the sons of men,"
This phrase clarifies that the "lions" and "them that are set on fire" are not literal beasts or abstract forces, but human beings. This makes the threat even more poignant and insidious, as the betrayal, cruelty, and relentless pursuit come from fellow humans, underscoring the capacity for profound malevolence within humanity and the deep pain of being persecuted by one's own kind. It highlights the personal and relational nature of the attacks.
"whose teeth [are] spears and arrows,"
Here, David employs a vivid simile to describe the destructive nature of his enemies' verbal attacks. Their "teeth," typically used for biting and tearing, are likened to "spears and arrows"—weapons designed for piercing, wounding, and killing from a distance. This imagery powerfully conveys the aggressive, biting, and injurious nature of their words, suggesting sharp, penetrating accusations and attacks that aim to inflict deep and lasting harm, even from afar.
"and their tongue a sharp sword."
This final clause culminates the imagery of verbal assault. The "tongue," representing speech, is directly equated with a "sharp sword"—a weapon renowned for its cutting, piercing, and deadly efficacy. This metaphor emphasizes the precision, deadliness, and destructive power of the enemies' slander, falsehoods, and malicious words, which cut to the core, destroy reputations, and aim to bring about David's downfall or death with surgical precision.
Literary Devices
Psalm 57:4 is exceptionally rich in Metaphor and Simile, creating a vivid and visceral portrayal of David's profound peril. The primary Metaphor is the direct comparison of his enemies to "lions" and "them that are set on fire," immediately conveying their predatory, savage, and destructive nature without using "like" or "as." This intensifies the sense of immediate, life-threatening danger and the consuming nature of their malice. The verse then transitions to Simile when describing the enemies' verbal weapons: their "teeth [are] spears and arrows" and their "tongue a sharp sword." These comparisons use the implied "are like" to draw explicit parallels between physical weapons and the devastating, piercing, and cutting impact of their words. The verse also employs Personification, attributing the actions or qualities of inanimate, lethal objects (spears, arrows, sword) to human body parts (teeth, tongue), further emphasizing the active, malicious intent and the direct, personal nature of the verbal assaults. The cumulative effect of these devices is to paint a powerful and disturbing picture of overwhelming, relentless, and deeply personal persecution, where words become as lethal and destructive as any physical weapon.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse serves as a profound testament to the reality of spiritual and verbal warfare that believers can face. David's experience of being surrounded by "lions" and "fiery" adversaries, whose words are weapons, echoes the broader biblical theme that the righteous often suffer at the hands of the wicked. It highlights the insidious nature of slander, false accusations, and malicious gossip, demonstrating that verbal assaults can be as destructive as physical violence, capable of tearing down reputations, relationships, and even one's sense of self. The theological implication is that God's people are not immune to such attacks, but the psalm's broader context reminds us that God is a secure refuge and deliverer even in the face of such overwhelming hostility, calling us to seek His shelter and trust in His ultimate vindication.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 57:4 offers a stark and timeless mirror to the human experience of persecution, betrayal, and the devastating impact of malicious speech. In an age where digital platforms amplify words and where reputations can be shattered with a single post, rumor, or false accusation, David's ancient lament resonates with chilling relevance. This verse calls us to profound empathy for those who feel surrounded by hostility, whether it be from workplace gossip, social ostracism, cyberbullying, or spiritual attacks. It reminds us of the immense responsibility we bear with our own words, challenging us to consider whether our tongues are instruments of life or death, healing or harm, building up or tearing down. Furthermore, it encourages us, when we find ourselves in David's position—feeling surrounded by those whose words are weapons—to recognize the true nature of the opposition, often human but fueled by a deeper malice. It calls us to remember that our ultimate refuge and vindication lie not in retaliation or self-defense, but in the steadfast character of God, who sees, hears, and ultimately delivers His faithful ones.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "set on fire" imply that David's enemies were literally burning?
No, the phrase "them that are set on fire" (from the Hebrew root lâhaṭ, meaning "to burn" or "to blaze") is a powerful metaphor, not a literal description. It conveys that David's enemies were inflamed with intense rage, malice, or destructive passion. Their words and actions were like "fiery darts" that aimed to inflict pain, ignite conflict, and spread destruction, similar to the "fiery darts of the wicked one" mentioned in Ephesians 6:16. It speaks to the burning hatred and destructive intent that characterized their persecution of David, emphasizing their consuming desire to harm him.
How does this verse relate to other biblical passages about the tongue?
Psalm 57:4's vivid imagery of the tongue as a "sharp sword" connects strongly with numerous other biblical passages that warn about the destructive power of speech. For instance, Proverbs 18:21 famously states, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Similarly, James 3:6 describes the tongue as "a fire, a world of iniquity... it sets on fire the course of nature, and it is itself set on fire by hell." These passages collectively underscore the profound spiritual and practical impact of words, emphasizing their capacity to either build up or tear down, to heal or to wound, and to bring either life or destruction. David's experience in this psalm serves as a poignant illustration of this destructive potential.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Psalm 57:4 powerfully describes David's personal suffering and the verbal assaults he endured, it finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and experience of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the true Son of David and the perfect righteous sufferer, perfectly embodied the one surrounded by "lions" and "those set on fire." He faced relentless verbal persecution, false accusations, and slander from the religious leaders of His day, whose "tongues" were indeed "sharp swords" (Matthew 26:59-60). He was betrayed by those close to Him (John 13:21), mocked and reviled by the crowds (Matthew 27:39-44), and ultimately crucified by the "sons of men" who sought His utter destruction. Unlike David, who sometimes took matters into his own hands, Jesus perfectly endured this onslaught, committing Himself to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). His suffering, which included profound verbal abuse, betrayal, and the piercing of His body, was not for His own sin but for the sins of humanity, culminating in His decisive victory over the spiritual "lions" and the "fiery darts" of the enemy on the cross (Colossians 2:15). Thus, Psalm 57:4 foreshadows the ultimate persecution of the innocent Lamb of God, whose triumph brings deliverance, refuge, and eternal life to all who trust in Him (John 1:29).