as sick men are wont to tosse up and down in their beds, not knowing how to lye at ease; but, alas, get nothing hereby, but the wearying and vexing of their minds with anxious and distracting thoughts, all proving vain, and their sorrow rather encreasing dayly upon them then otherwise, till God is pleased to send them re∣lief. I know there are some understand this word dayly as implying the greatnesse of Davids sorrow, in that it lay heavy upon his heart even in the day time, when businesses are wont to free men from such carking cares: but our Translation will hardly bear such an Exposition.
Vers. 3. Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.] Some understand this thus, Keep me waking and watchfull, lest if I grow secure and fall asleep, my sleep prove like that of those that die in their sleep. But by desiring that God would lighten his eyes, he rather desires either first, that God would inform him by the counsell of his spirit what course he should take, lest otherwise he should perish, being left to himself; and so these words may have reference to that he had said in the foregoing verse, How long shall I take counsell in my soul, &c. or secondly, that God would chear up his fainting spirit, and comfort his soul, by delivering him out of his troubles, and causing the light of his countenance again to shine upon him, lest he should die in his sorrow and misery: for indeed as sorrow and fain∣ting do usually darken the eyes, whence is that Lam. 5.17. For this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes are dim; so when the spirits are cheared and the heart comforted, it may well be tearmed an enlightening of the eyes. See 1 Sam. 14.27. and the Note 2 Sam. 22.29: or thirdly, (which I like the best, though all three may be comprehended) that God would protect his life, and that by pre∣serving him out of the hands of his enemies, Saul and others. For the Lords giving and preserving of life is often expressed in the Scripture by the enlightening of the eyes, as Prov. 29.13. The poor and the deceitfull meet together; the lord lighteneth both their eyes; and Joh. 1.4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Vers. 4. Lest mine enemies say, I have prevailed against him, &c.] To wit, notwith∣standing my confidence in thee; which must needs, Lord, tend to thy dishonour: and those that trouble me rejoyce when I am moved, that is, when I am overthrown, and moved from that condition wherein at present I am, or trusted to have been.
Vers. 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy, &c.] As if he had said, Let them doe what they will, be things never so bad with me, I will never be moved from this hold.
Vers. 6. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.] That is, when God shall have dealt bountifully with me, I will for that sing praise unto his name.