Introduction
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
This psalm presents varied and quite opposite states of mind. It was written under a sense of great desertion, though recognising a marked and recent deliverance. The author is beset on every side with enemies who hunt him, like wily trappers, with every artifice of falsehood and deceit. He has no friend or refuge but God, to whom he speaks in the most delightful spirit of confidence and praise. The production obviously belongs to the period of the Sauline persecutions, and, from a comparison of Psalms 31:21 with 1 Samuel 23:7, we may refer it to the occasion of his escape from Keilah. The occurrence of בהפזי , ( behaphzee,) in my haste, Psalms 31:22, same as in 1 Samuel 23:26, would seem to identify it with his escape from Maon, but internal evidence would decide rather for Keilah. See the notes.
The psalm falls into three principal divisions: Psalms 31:1-8, the prayer; Psalms 31:9-18, the complaint, with prayer against his enemies; Psalms 31:19-24, thanksgiving and praise, with recognition of his recent deliverance.
TITLE:
Chief Musician See on title of Psalms 4:0.
A Psalm of David To which the Septuagint adds εκστασεως , concerning his terror, or, more probably, flight, as in Psalms 31:22, where the same word occurs, which see.
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