Psalm. 26:7-9,1
Hear O Lord, my voice with which I have cried to Thee, alleluia; my heart hath said to Thee, I have sought Thy face, Thy face, O Lord, I will seek: turn not away Thy face from me, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? V. Glory be to the Father.
Haydock
Verse 7. To thee, is understood in Heb. and the Rom. Sept. H.
Verse 8. Face hath. Heb. pointed, “faces seek ye.” But Sept. S. Jer. Chal. &c. take no notice of these points; and even Prot. marg. has, “My heart said unto thee, Let my face seek thy face;” (Bert.) though in the text they derange the words, and add, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said,” &c. H. — Seek. “I have sought for no reward besides thee.” S. Aug. — I have earnestly desired to see thee face to face. 1 Cor. xiii. 12. W.
Verse 9. Decline not. Heb. “put not away.” Prot. But the Vulg. seems preferable. — Forsake. Sept. (Compl. and Ald.) mh aposkorakishV, “send me not to the crows,” an expression borrowed from profane authors, who said, “to the crows,” when they held a person in sovereign contempt. Theod. Bert. — Grabe substitutes this word, though the Alex. and Vat. MSS. agree with us. H. — There seems to be a gradation in the condition of the reprobate here observed. God hides his countenance, withdraws, abandons, and despises them; and they only perceive their misery, when it is too late. Bert. — David implores aid in this life, and deprecates the divine anger, looking upon himself as an orphan, whom God takes under his special protection. W.
Verse 1. Anointed. Heb. has only, David. The rest of the title occurs only in some copies of the Sept. (Euseb. C.) and is not of divine authority. Yet if any attention be paid to it, we must suppose that David composed this psalm before his second anointing, as he speaks of great dangers. But this is all uncertain. Bert. — For dangers threatened David even after he had been declared king. H. — Before Samuel anointed him, he was not endued with the spirit of prophecy. See 1 K. xvi. 13. 2 K. ii. 4. and v. 3. C. — Some suppose that he alludes to the entertainment given him by Abimelech, (v. 5 and 12. Theod.) or to that night when, fearless of danger, he took away Saul’s cup; (Ferrand) while Abenezra and De Muis rather believe, that he composed this psalm when his people dissuaded him from going out to battle. 2 K. xxi 17. It expresses the sentiments of the Levites in captivity, (C.) and most beautifully consoles the just in distress. David did not write this for himself alone, but for all future generations. Hence it is not necessary to discover the particular circumstances of his life, to which this and many other psalms allude; nor is there any difficulty in explaining away the various imprecations, as they are not directed against any individual, but relate to all the enemies of the soul; while they foretell what the wicked shall suffer. Bert. — Afraid. “Find one more powerful, and then fear.” S. Aug. — God both giveth light and strength, so that no enemy can hurt his servants. Lu. xxi. 15. W.