Title. "A Song or Psalm of Asaph." This Psalm, according to the title was composed by Asaph. In accordance with this, we read in 1st Chronicles chapter 20 verse 14 that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel who is probably the author of the psalm. Our psalm is a true picture of the state of feeling which prevailed throughout the people during the danger under Jehoshaphat. According to the history of Chronicles, they praised God at that time, in the midst of their danger, and with a loud voice. And here, in this title, this psalm is called "A Song" (of praise); and so it is, although it is in the form of a prayer. It is a song of triumph sung before victory; all the distress is simply committed to God.
Verse 1. "Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God." In Scripture, there are several reasons why the Lord keeps silence when His people are in danger and sits still when there is most need to give help and assistance. For one thing, the Lord does it to try their faith, as we see clearly in Matthew 8 verse 24, where it is said that our Lord Christ was asleep: "There arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish." We read more fully in Mark 4 and Luke 8, that he left them (when the ship was covered with waves, and they were rowing for their lives) to sleep peacefully in the ship until, when they awoke him, he rebuked them for their little faith: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Truly, the Lord will not suffer his people to be overwhelmed: that is certain; but he will suffer them to come very near, that the waves cover them - but all to try their faith. I find another reason in Isaiah 59, and that is: the Lord doth keep silence in the midst of the troubles of his people, to try men's uprightness, and discover who will stick to God, and His cause, and His people, out of uprightness of heart. For if God should always appear for his cause, God and his cause should have many favourites and friends. But, sometimes God leaves his cause, and leaves his people, and leaves his gospel and his ordinances to the wide world, to see who will plead for it and who will stick to it.
Verse 1. "Keep not thou silence, O God ..." Is the Lord silent? Then be not thou silent, but cry unto him till he breaks the silence.
Verse 2. "For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult ..." The whole world is like an army - a brigade of men, as it were - under a general, and God is "the Lord of hosts" - that is, the Lord of his armies. Now, when there is a tumult in an army, they complain to the officers, to the general especially, and he must come and suppress it. Therefore, says the psalmist, Thou, O Lord of Hosts, thou art the general of the world: lo, there is a tumult in the world - there is a mutiny.
Verse 3. "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones." This representation of God's people is worthy of our notice: - "Thy hidden ones." We often hide to preserve. This is the meaning of the word in the parable, with regard to the discovery of the treasure in the field; "which when a man hath found, he hideth it." His aim is not to conceal, but to secure, and the cause is but for the effect. Thus God's people are hidden. He hid Noah in the ark, and the waters that drowned the world could not find him. When his judgments were coming over this land, "Come my people," saith he, "enter thou into the chambers and shut thy doors about thee; hide thee also for a little season, until the indignation be overpast." Hence the promise, "Thou shalt hide them in secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." Hence the confidence expressed by David, "In the time of trouble he shall hide me; he shall set me upon a rock." The Saviour could say, "In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me." And, "All the saints are in his hand." They are kept by the power of God through faith, unto salvation. For he himself is their "refuge", and their "hiding place". They are his "hidden ones".