Ver. 1. The Lord is my light] That is, my comfort and direction, he that dissolveth all my clouds of terrors within and troubles without. To these all he opposeth God’s all sufficiency, as making for him, and as being all in all unto him, light, salvation, strength of life, what not? and therehence his full assurance; and such a masculine magnanimity as feareth not the power of men and devils, be they who they will, and do what they can. Animo magno nihil est magnum. When a man can out of this consideration, God is my light (in things of the mind) and my salvation (in things of the body, as Aben Ezra expoundeth it), contemn and reckon all things else as matters of small moment, it shows he hath in truth apprehended God; and this is true holy magnanimity. The Lord is the strength of my life,] He that keeps life and soul together, saith Aben Ezra, as the spirits do soul and body; and therefore, Quis potest me interimere, saith Kimchi, who can do me to death? Of whom shall I be afraid] Faith fortifieth the heart against distrustful fears, which it quelleth and killeth. In a fright it runneth to the heart, as the blood doth, and relieveth it, setting it εξω βελων και φοβου, out of the gunshot of creature annoyances. Expertus loquor; for
Ver. 2. When the wicked, even mine enemies, came upon me] Made impression upon me, with utmost violence and open mouth, as if they would have devoured me, like a cannibal; or as a lion doth a sheep, inhumanissime, ferarumque more, saith Junius, barbarously and beastly. They stumbled and fell] Irritis conatibus corruerunt, they utterly lost their design, as did those Amalekites who had sacked Ziklag, 1 Samuel 30:16-19, and Saul often. If a man stumble and fall not, he gets ground; but if after much blundering he kiss the ground, he falleth with a force. David’s enemies did so, corruerunt et conciderunt; they were irreparably ruined.
Ver. 3. Though an host should encamp against me] See Psalms 3:6, [See Trapp on “Ps 3:6”] We should propound the worst to ourselves (the best will bring with it, as we say), especially if we find our faith to be in heart and vigour, as here David’s was. Though war should rise against me] War is a complex evil, and is, therefore, called so by a specialty: Isaiah 45:7, “I make peace, and create evil,” that is, war. Sin, Satan, and war have all one name, saith a learned divine; evil is the best of them: the best of sin is deformity; of Satan, enmity; of war, misery. In this will I be confident] In this? In what? In this one ensuing petition, saith Aben Ezra; or, in this that I have said before, “The Lord is my light and my salvation”; in this confident gloriation of mine, which is such as an unbeliever is a perfect stranger unto.
Ver. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord] One thing above the rest. Every one of God’s suppliants, have some special request that he mainly insisteth on; and King David’s was the liberty of God’s sanctuary, and enjoyment of his public ordinances, ut cultu Dei libero et legitimo uti possit (Jun.). Hoc primus petit, hoe postremus omittit. This was dearer to him than wife, children, goods, all. This suit he knew to be honest, and, therefore, he began it; and being so, he is resolved never to give it over, but to prosecute it to the utmost, and to persevere in prayer (which is a great virtue, Romans 12:12) till he had prevailed. That will I seek after] As God’s constant remembrancer, who loveth to be importuned, and, as it were, jogged by his praying people. Herein David showed himself a true Israelite, a prince of God, and, as Nazianzen styleth Basil the Great, Ανηρ επιθυμιων των του πνευματος, a man of desires flowing from the Spirit. He knew well that a faint suitor doth but beg a denial. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord] i.e. In the place where was the ark, with the prophets, priests, Levites, Asaph and his brethren, &c., with whom David desired to be taken up in the service of God, free from secular cares and delights, at times convenient. Pyrrhus told Cyneas that when he had finished his wars once he would then sit still and be merry. The Roman generals, when they had once triumphed over their enemies, might take their ease and pleasure for ever after. But good David resolves to improve his rest, whenever God shall grant it him, to perpetual piety; “That I may dwell,” saith he, or sit “in the house of Jehovah all the days of my llfe”: this was the height of his ambition, this was David’s delight. To behold the beauty of the Lord] Heb. the delight, amenity, or pleasantness of Jehovah: hoc est cultum Dei ordinatum, saith Kimchi, those ceremonial services which were their gospel, and Christ in figure, Hebrews 8:5, whom David desired to contemplate. And to inquire in his temple] Heb. Early to inquire, that is, earnestly, what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is. Here it was that David used to seek satisfaction and resolution of his doubts and scruples when at any time he was gravelled, Psalms 73:16,17. Some render it, ut lustrem templum eius.