Psalm 71:10

For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

71:1-13 David prays that he might never be made ashamed of dependence upon God. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace. The gracious care of Divine providence in our birth and infancy, should engage us to early piety. He that was our Help from our birth, ought to be our Hope from our youth. Let none expect ease or comfort from the world. Those who love the Lord, often are hated and persecuted; men wondered at for their principles and conduct; but the Lord has been their strong refuge. The faithful servants of God may be assured that he will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For mine enemies speak against me - That is, they said substantially, as it is stated in Psalm 71:11, that God had forsaken him, and that therefore, they would arise and punish him, or treat him as an outcast from God.

And they that lay wait for my soul - For my life; or, to take my life. The margin here - as the Hebrew - is, "watch," or "observe." The "watchers for my life;" that is, they who watch for an opportunity to take my life, or to destroy me.

Take counsel together - About the best means of accomplishing their object.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10, 11. The craft and malicious taunts of his enemies now led him to call for aid (compare the terms used, 2Sa 17:12; Ps 3:2; 7:2).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Lay wait for my soul, or watch it, that they may find occasion to destroy it, and that it may not escape their hands.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For mine enemies speak against, me,.... Or "say unto me" (y) what is expressed in the following verse, "God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me" (z); not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it,

"for mine enemies speak evil against me;''

or concerning me. David had his enemies, and many, as Ahithophel, and others, who spake against him to the people, and thereby drew many with them into rebellion against him; and particularly Shimei spoke against him, and cursed him, calling him a bloody man, a man of Belial, 2 Samuel 16:7;

and they that lay wait for my soul; or "life"; that laid snares for him; or lay in ambush, and sought for an opportunity to take away his life: or "they that keep my soul", or "life" (a); that were his bodyguards that were about his person for the preservation of him; and so the Targum seems to understand it;

take counsel together; lay schemes and form plots how to destroy him, as Ahithophel did, 2 Samuel 16:20.

(y) "dixerunt mihi", Montanus. (z) "De me loquuti sunt, vel loquuntur", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis. (a) "custodientes animam meam", Pagninus, Montanus; "custodiebant", V. L.

Geneva Study Bible

For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. against me] R.V. concerning me. Cp. Psalm 3:2; Psalm 41:5. What they say follows in Psalm 71:11.

they that lay wait for my soul] Or, they that watch for my life.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - For mine enemies speak against me. The psalmist's weakness encourages his enemies to make their attacks. They begin by speaking against him - calumniating him (2 Samuel 15:3, 4), and shortly they will proceed to acts. And they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together; or, "they that watch for my soul" (Revised Version). Psalm 71:10

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Brought safely through dangers of every kind, he is become כּמופת, as a wonder, a miracle (Arabic aft from afata, cognate afaka, הפך, to bend, distort: a turning round, that which is turned round or wrenched, i.e., that which is contrary to what is usual and looked for) to many, who gaze upon him as such with astonishment (Psalm 40:4). It is his God, however, to whom, as hitherto so also in time to come, he will look to be thus wonderfully preserved: מחסי־עז, as in 2 Samuel 22:33. עז is a genitive, and the suffix is thrown back (vid., supra, p 171) in order that what God is to, and does for, the poet may be brought forward more clearly and independently [lit. unalloyed]. Psalm 71:8 tells us what it is that he firmly expects on the ground of what he possesses in God. And on this very ground arises the prayer of Psalm 71:9 also: Cast me not away (viz., from Thy presence, Psalm 51:13; Jeremiah 7:15, and frequently) in the time (לעת, as in Genesis 8:11) of old age - he is therefore already an old man (זקן), though only just at the beginning of the זקנה. He supplicates favour for the present and for the time still to come: now that my vital powers are failing, forsake me not! Thus he prays because he, who has been often wondrously delivered, is even now threatened by foes. Psalm 71:11, introduced by means of Psalm 71:10, tells us what their thoughts of him are, and what they purpose doing. לי, Psalm 71:10, does not belong to אויבי, as it dies not in Psalm 27:2 also, and elsewhere. The ל is that of relation or of reference, as in Psalm 41:6. The unnecessary לאמר betrays a poet of the later period; cf. Psalm 105:11; Psalm 119:82 (where it was less superfluous), and on the contrary, Psalm 83:5. The later poet also reveals himself in Psalm 71:12, which is an echo of very similar prayers of David in Psalm 22:12, Psalm 22:20 (Psalm 40:14, cf. Psalm 70:2), Psalm 35:22; Psalm 38:22. The Davidic style is to be discerned here throughout in other points also. In place of הישׁה the Ker substitutes חוּשׁה, which is the form exclusively found elsewhere.