Psalm 141:8

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8, 9) Comp. Psalm 25:15.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 141:8. But mine eyes are unto thee — But in this sore distress I fix my thoughts on thee, O God, the Lord, the only living and true God, and governor of all things; in thee is my trust, &c. — In thee I repose an assured confidence that thou wilt not leave me without support and protection, much less wilt thou abandon me to the malice of those that seek to take away my life. This verse, says Mr. Peters, shows us what was David’s support under his extraordinary trials: it was a firm trust in God, as the great Lord and Ruler of the world: and a steady resolution to obey him in all things. “Among the sayings of Pythagoras this was one, απλωσον σεαυτον, simplify thyself, that is, ‘reduce thy conduct, if possible, to one single aim, and pursue it without weariness, or distraction.’ If this single aim be, to approve ourselves to God by such a course of life as he prescribes; to adhere strictly to our duty, with an eye to him who has commanded it, and patiently submit the issue of things to his all-wise and gracious providence; we have then hit upon that principle which here appears to have animated David, and may, with confidence, address our prayers to the great Lord and Sovereign of the world in all our straits and difficulties, as he does in the following part of the Psalm.” Leave not my soul destitute — Hebrew, make not my soul naked: deprive it not of thy favour and protection: or, do not pour out my soul, namely, unto death, as the same word, ערה, is used, Isaiah 53:12. In the language of the Holy Scriptures, God is said to do what he only permits or suffers to be done. But whether David here prays to have his life preserved from danger, or his soul from sin, may admit of a question. The words will suit with either explanation, and probably he might intend both; but chiefly the latter. We have seen, from Psalm 141:4, how earnestly he begs that God would protect him by his grace from complying with the idolatrous practices of the heathen, to whom he was about to flee for refuge; and it is remarkable that, in his last speech to Saul, he particularly dwells upon the danger to which his religion was exposed, 1 Samuel 26:19. They have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve other gods. As if he had said, “They have done what lies in their power to drive me to idolatry, by forcing me into a country where I shall have the strongest temptations to it.” This was a thing he seems to have dreaded more than death; and therefore he prays against it in the next verse.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

141:5-10 We should be ready to welcome the rebuke of our heavenly Father, and also the reproof of our brethren. It shall not break my head, if it may but help to break my heart: we must show that we take it kindly. Those who slighted the word of God before, will be glad of it when in affliction, for that opens the ear to instruction. When the world is bitter, the word is sweet. Let us lift our prayer unto God. Let us entreat him to rescue us from the snares of Satan, and of all the workers of iniquity. In language like this psalm, O Lord, would we entreat that our poor prayers should set forth our only hope, our only dependence on thee. Grant us thy grace, that we may be prepared for this employment, being clothed with thy righteousness, and having all the gifts of thy Spirit planted in our hearts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord - My hope is in thee. I do not rely on my own power. I do not trust in my armed forces. I know that they are weak, dispirited, scattered - like strewed bones - like the chips and splinters lying around the place where wood is chopped. I look, therefore, solely to God. I believe that he "will" interpose; and now that my enemy has placed himself in this position, I do not need to resort to stealthful arts - to dishonorable acts - to assassination - as my friends advise, but the object will be accomplished, and I shall be placed on the throne by the act of God, and in a manner that will not subject my name and memory to reproach by a base and treacherous deed.

In thee is my trust - I rely on thee alone.

Leave not my soul destitute - My life; my all. Do not now leave me without thy gracious interposition; do not suffer this juncture to pass by without such an interposition as will end the war, and restore peace to me and to a distracted land.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

PSALM 141

Ps 141:1-10. This Psalm evinces its authorship as the preceding, by its structure and the character of its contents. It is a prayer for deliverance from sins to which affliction tempted him, and from the enemies who caused it.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Or, naked, as this word signifies, Psalm 137:7, and Aaron is said to have made the people naked, Exodus 32:25, i.e. deprived of thy favour and protection. Or, do not pour out my soul, to wit, unto death, as this word is used, Isaiah 53:12.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord,.... Not only the eyes of his body, lifted up to God in prayer, this being a prayer gesture, John 11:41; but the eyes of his mind, or understanding, especially the eyes of faith and love; for it is expressive of his affection to God, his holy confidence in him, and humble hope and expectation of good things from him, in this his time of distress: his eyes were to him and him only, both for temporal food for himself and his men; and for spiritual food, for all supplies of grace, for wisdom and direction, for strength and assistance, for protection and deliverance;

in thee is my trust; not in himself, nor in his friends, nor in any creature, prince or potentate, but in the Lord, as the God of nature, providence, and grace; to which he was encouraged by his lovingkindness to him; by the everlasting strength in him; by what he had done for others and for him in times past; by the provisions he has made in his covenant and promises for those that trust in him, who are of all men most happy;

leave not my soul destitute; of daily food, of help and assistance, of the presence, spirit, and grace of God; or "naked" (g), and defenceless, but let it be surrounded or protected by almighty power and grace; or "pour not out my soul" (h), that is, unto death; suffer me not to be taken by enemies and slain; see Isaiah 53:12. The Targum is,

"in the Word (of the Lord) I trust, do not empty my soul,''

or "evacuate" (i) it, as Aben Ezra; that is, out of his body; for he observes, that the soul fills the body.

(g) "ne nudes", Junius & Tremellius; so Piscator. (h) "Ne effandas", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus. (i) "Ne evacues", Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Geneva Study Bible

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. But mine eyes] The conjunction must be rendered For, which gives no sense in connexion with Psalm 141:7. It must introduce the reason for the prayers of Psalm 141:1-4, or for the resolution to continue in prayer with which Psalm 141:5 ends. The impossibility of connecting Psalm 141:8 with Psalm 141:6-7 is an additional reason for thinking that these verses are misplaced.

mine eyes are unto thee] The attitude of expectant prayer. Cp. Psalm 25:15, note.

O God the Lord] Jehovah, Lord. Cp. Psalm 140:7, and see note on Psalm 109:21.

in thee is my trust] In thee have I taken refuge. He has put himself under Jehovah’s protection, and appeals to Him on the ground of this relationship. Cp. Psalm 2:12; Psalm 7:1; Psalm 57:1, and many other passages.

leave not my soul destitute] Rather, as R.V. marg., pour not thou out my life, suffer me not to perish. Cp. Isaiah 53:12. The figure is explained by the identification of life with the blood.

8–10. Concluding expression of confidence, with prayer for preservation and deliverance.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord. I, however, the psalmist says, do not despair - I look to thee, O Jehovah the Lord (comp. Psalm 40:7) - in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. The last clause is, literally, pour not out my soul; i.e. destroy me not - do not spill my life on the ground (comp. Isaiah 53:12). Psalm 141:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

If Psalm 141:7 is not merely an expression of the complaint, but at the same time of hope, we now have no need to give the כּי the adversative sense of imo, but we may leave it its most natural confirmatory signification namque. From this point the Psalm gradually dies away in strains comparatively easy to be understood and in perfect keeping with the situation. In connection with Psalm 141:8 one is reminded of Psalm 25:15; Psalm 31:2; with Psalm 141:9., of Psalm 7:16; Psalm 69:23, and other passages. In "pour not out (תּער with sharpened vowel instead of תּער, Ges. ֗75, rem. 8) my soul," ערה, Piel, is equivalent to the Hiph. הערה in Isaiah 53:12. ידי פח are as it were the hands of the seizing and capturing snare; and יקשׂוּ לּי is virtually a genitive: qui insidias tendunt mihi, since one cannot say יקשׁ פח, ponere laqueum. מכמרים, nets, in Psalm 141:10 is another hapaxlegomenon; the enallage numeri is as in Psalm 62:5; Isaiah 2:8; Isaiah 5:23, - the singular that slips in refers what is said of the many to each individual in particular. The plural מקשׁות for מקשׁים, Psalm 18:6; Psalm 64:6, also occurs only here. יחד is to be explained as in 4:9: it is intended to express the coincidence of the overthrow of the enemies and the going forth free of the persecuted one. With יחד אנכי the poet gives prominence to his simultaneous, distinct destiny: simul ego dum (עד as in Job 8:21, cf. Job 1:18) praetereo h.e. evado. The inverted position of the כּי in Psalm 18:10-12 may be compared; with Psalm 120:7 and 2 Kings 2:14, however (where instead of אף־הוּא it is with Thenius to be read אפוא), the case is different.