Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. Free among the dead ] yŤpc µytmb bammethim chophshi, I rather think, means stripped among the dead. Both the fourth and fifth verses seem to allude to a field of battle: the slain and the wounded, are found scattered over the plain; the spoilers come among them, and strip, not only the dead, but those also who appear to be mortally wounded, and cannot recover, and are so feeble as not to be able to resist. Hence the psalmist says, "I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength," ver. 4. And I am stripped among the dead, like the mortally wounded ( µyllj chalalim) that lie in the grave. "Free among the dead," inter mortuos liber, has been applied by the fathers to our Lord's voluntary death: all others were obliged to die, he alone gave up his life, and could take it again, John x. 18. He went into the grave, and came out when he chose. The dead are bound in the grave; he was free, and not obliged to continue in that state as they were.
They are cut off from thy hand. ] An allusion to the roll in which the general has the names of all that compose his army under their respective officers. And when one is killed, he is erased from this register, and remembered no more, as belonging to the army; but his name is entered among those who are dead, in a separate book. This latter is termed the black book, or the book of death; the other is called the book of life, or the book where the living are enrolled. From this circumstance, expressed in different parts of the sacred writings, the doctrine of unconditional reprobation and election has been derived. How wonderful!
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The first words of the psalmist are the only words of comfort an support in this psalm. Thus greatly may good men be afflicted, and suc dismal thoughts may they have about their afflictions, and such dar conclusion may they make about their end, through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith. He complained most of God' displeasure. Even the children of God's love may sometimes thin themselves children of wrath and no outward trouble can be so hard upo them as that. Probably the psalmist described his own case, yet he leads to Christ. Thus are we called to look unto Jesus, wounded an bruised for our iniquities. But the wrath of God poured the greates bitterness into his cup. This weighed him down into darkness and the deep.
Original Hebrew במתים4191 חפשׁי2670 כמו3644 חללים2491 שׁכבי7901 קבר6913 אשׁר834 לא3808 זכרתם2142 עוד5750 והמה1992 מידך3027 נגזרו׃1504
