Commentary on the Psalms, Psalms 1-72

COMMENTARY ON PSALM 39

COMMENTARY ON PSALM 39 To the end, for Jeduthun. A song of David. ome historians attributed the psalm to Jeduthun , saying he wrote it. The title teaches the opposite , however, that the psalm is David’s but was given over for singing to Jeduthun, because he was entrusted with the choir of singers. And “To the end” refers us forward, since it portrays the lowliness of human nature and gives us a glimpse of its end. Now, the mighty David uttered this psalm when pursued by Absalom and berated by Shimei, and it has great similarity with the preceding one.1 (2) [1145] I said, I shall guard my ways so as not to sin with my tongue. I placed a guard on my mouth when the sinner took up a position against me. I kept mute and was humiliated, I made no mention of good deeds, and my grief was renewed (vv. 1–2). When the mighty David was in flight from the coup of his parricide son, Shimei came across him, threw clods at him, and abused him personally, calling him lawbreaker and man of blood. The divine David, on the other hand, called upon his habitually sound values and not only wreaked no vengeance on him but even forbade any of his troops to fire at him, saying, “Let him be; he curses me for a reason, that the Lord told him to abuse David. Who will say to him, Why are you doing this? Hopefully the Lord may see my lowliness, and the Lord may repay me with good for his curse this day.”2 (3) So the verses of this psalm have a close relationship with 1. The title prompts Theodoret to rehearse his position on authorship and the meaning of psalm titles outlined in the preface. He prefers to stay with Davidic authorship, though aware of musicians of David’s time like Jeduthun (mentioned in 1 Chron 16.41). There he also states his belief that psalms can both refer to current historical events and have a wider, prospective reference. The titles belong to the psalms from the beginning, in his view, and are not liturgical directions superimposed later. 2. Cf. 2 Sam 16.5–12. 233 this incident: he kept a tight control on his tongue, he is saying, realizing this member is particularly liable to fail, and constantly hedging it in with a kind of wall. This was especially the case when Shimei opposed him, though in no way wronged: he called him a sinner as though unrighteous; then it was he said, I kept mute and was humiliated, I made no mention of good deeds. Now, this was very much like the words spoken by him in the incident, “Let him curse me, because the Lord bade him abuse David. Hopefully the Lord may see my lowliness, and may deliver me today from the hand of my foes.” He says this here, too, I am like a mute, with absolutely no one to listen to me, and I humbled myself, awaiting advantage from that. And my grief was renewed. Abused by that fellow, he is saying, I recalled the sin brazenly committed by me and was struck by darts from that source, considering that it was on that account that I was abused, toppled by a coup, driven from the palace, and forced to flee. This, too, bears a close relationship with the incident: the phrase, “The Lord bade him abuse David,” recalls the sin, since the chastisement happens on that account. (4) My heart became hot within me, and in my meditation fire burned (v. 3). [1148] Symmachus rendered it this way, “My heart became hot within me, in my reflection I was burnt up with fire.” Remembering my sin, he is saying, I was burning with the fire of discouragement. I spoke with my tongue, Make known my end to me, Lord, and what is the number of my days so that I may know what is left to me (vv. 3–4). In other words, while I made no reply to the one abusing me, I begged the Lord of all to make clear to me the end of my life, longing earnestly for death. Lo, you made my days handbreadths, and my being is as nothing before you (v. 5). This in turn Symmachus rendered thus, “Lo, you have given my days like a fingers’ span, and my living is as nothing before you.” I long for...