12 Don't deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Give me not up to the desire of mine oppressors. The Hebrew noun nphs, nephesh, signifies lust, will, or desire; and the language of David implies, Deliver me not up to the pleasure or lust of mine enemies, and thus he intimates, that they greedily gaped for his destruction. God delivers his people in two ways; either by appeasing the cruelty of the wicked, and rendering them meek; or, if he permit them to burn with fury, by restraining their power and violence, so that they desire and endeavor in vain to do mischief. The Psalmist afterwards adds, that he is persecuted both with slanders and false accusations, and also by open violence; for when he says, that they bring forth violence, [1] he means that they speak of nothing but of war and slaughter. We thus see that the holy man was miserably oppressed on every side. Even his integrity, which we know to have been singular, could not free him from bitter and deadly calumnies, and he was at the same time overwhelmed by the violence and force of his enemies. If the ungodly, therefore, should at any time rise against us, not only with menaces and cruel violence, but to give the semblance of justice to their enmity, should slander us with lies, let us remember the example of David, who was assaulted in both ways; nay, let us recall to mind that Christ the Son of God suffered no less injury from lying tongues than from violence. Moreover, this prayer was dictated for our comfort, to intimate that God can maintain our innocence, and oppose the shield of his protection to the cruelty of our enemies.
1 - Hammond renders the words "breathers or speakers of injury or rapine; chms, signifying injury or rapine, and phvch, speak." Ainsworth reads, "He that breatheth or puffeth out violent wrong.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies - Let them not accomplish their desires in regard to me; let them not be able to carry out their purposes. The word here rendered "will" means properly "soul," but it is used here evidently to denote "wish" or "desire." Compare Psalm 35:25.
For false witnesses are risen up against me - People who would lay false charges against him, or who would wrongfully accuse him. They charged him with crimes which he never committed, and they persecuted him as if he were guilty of what they alleged against him.
And such as breathe out cruelty - That is, they meditate violence or cruel treatment. They are intent on this; they pant for it. Saul of Tarsus thus "breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord." See the notes at Acts 9:1.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies - To their soul בנפש benephesh; their whole soul thirsts for my destruction. Let them not be gratified. They have suborned witnesses against me, but they are false witnesses: unmask their wickedness, and confound their counsels.
Deliver me not over unto the (g) will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
(g) But either pacify their wrath, or bridle their rage.
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 Psalm 52:1; compare with this clause Acts 9:1; and Horace's phrase, "Spirabat amores" (l).
(l) Carmin. l. 4. Ode. 13. v. 19.
will--literally, "soul," "desire" (Psalm 35:25).
enemies--literally, "oppressors." Falsehood aids cruelty against him.
breathe out--as being filled with it (Acts 9:1).
*More commentary available at chapter level.