Bible Commentaries

Verses 1-13

Psalms 39:9

During the suffering of his last illness Calvin was heard repeating the words of Hezekiah: 'I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward,' followed by those of this Psalm; 'I was dumb; I opened not my mouth, because Thou didst it.'

John Ker.

Psalms 39:13

There is no mistaking the reality which prayer, in the sense of communion with God, was to him. When he heard of his appointment as Master he was staying in a friend's house. 'He leant his head against the mantelpiece and prayed aloud, "Oh spare me a little that I may recover my strength, before I go hence and be no more seen".'

Life of Benjamin Jowett.

References. XXXIX. International Critical Commentary, vol. i. p. 344. XXXIX. 1. R. C. Trench, Sermons in Westminster Abbey, p. 114. XXXIX. 1, 2. C. Vince, The Unchanging Saviour, p. 21. J. B. Mozley, University Sermons, p. 223. XXXIX. 4. J. Budgen, Parochial Sermons, vol. i. p. 157. XXXIX. 4, 5. Bishop Bethell, Sermons, vol. i. p. 154. XXXIX. 12. J. Budgen, Parochial Sermons, vol. i. p. 166. XL. International Critical Commentary, vol. i. p. 350. XL. 3. J. Stalker, The New Song, p. 9. XL. 5. W. L. Alexander, Sermons, p. 191. XL. 7. H. Scott Holland, Logic and Life, p. 110. XL. 7, 8. Bishop Bethell, Sermons, vol. i. p. 478.