Psalms 27:12

12 Deliver me not over to the will of mine adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.

Psalms 27:12 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 27:12

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies
It is a dreadful thing for a man to be given up to his own heart's lusts, and to be delivered up into the hands of Satan; who would fain have even the people of God themselves in his hands, that he might distress them at pleasure, if not destroy them; and also to be suffered to fall into the hands of wicked men, whose tender mercies are cruel;

for false witnesses are risen up against me;
laying to his charge, that he sought to take away from Saul his crown and kingdom, and even his life, ( 1 Samuel 24:9 ) ;

and such as breathe out cruelty;
as Doeg the Edomite, whose tongue was as a sharp razor, and by whose hands four score and five priests were slain, on account of David's being supplied with bread by Ahimelech; the word is in the singular number; see ( Psalms 52:1-4 ) ( 1 Samuel 22:18 ) ; compare with this clause ( Acts 9:1 ) ; and Horace's phrase, "Spirabat amores" ^F12.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Carmin. l. 4. Ode. 13. v. 19.

Psalms 27:12 In-Context

10 For had my father and my mother forsaken me, then had Jehovah taken me up.

11 Teach me thy way, Jehovah, and lead me in an even path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over to the will of mine adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.

13 Unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living ...!

14 Wait for Jehovah; be strong and let thy heart take courage: yea, wait for Jehovah.