This Psalm is a remarkable instance of the identification of Christ with the house of Jacob in their latter-day extremity. We learn also the mistake of looking for the full meaning of any Psalm in any of the circumstances merely of the writer, as verse 5 abundantly shows.
The former point is brought before us in comparing verses 1, 2, 3 (1 and 2. are the thesis), 5, 10 and 11, and also 16. Verse 12 gives the character of the enemies; compare Dan. 7:1111I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. (Daniel 7:11). Verse 13 gives the end, the object of all this; verse 6 shows also their character; verse 14 their disappointment.
Though the subject of these Psalms be the same, we must not suppose they are tautological. Various are the characters in which sin, now come to a head, presents itself—pride, lust, tyranny, and ignorance of, and enmity against the Lord Christ taking part in the afflictions of His sin-afflicted and enemy-afflicted people; and many, correspondently, are the ways in which the position of Christ is shown towards God, towards them, and towards their enemies. In these characters, different Psalms represent Him, and them, and the faithfulness of God drawn down towards them in Him, and due in Him. Therefore He says, "0 righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me, and I have declared," etc., "that the love," etc.
1. Me y'vay (from my enemies).
We return in this Psalm again to outer enemies, the heathen. It is now “My God," and "0 Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel." He has taken up Israel as His people, dealing with the heathen, showing that "God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth."
3. This is the character of their evil. It is not now a matter of correction, but pride; in fact, their character is plainly marked.
11. This exhibits Christ owning them as His people, in this intercessional Psalm.
Note the “evening” and “morning" in verses 6, 14 and 16.