11. Slay them not, &c.] Do not utterly destroy them, lest my countrymen lose the remembrance of it: but let them remain a just monument of thine anger. Travell. 14. — like a dog, &c.] Dogs are found in great numbers in the cities of the East, and crowd the streets. They do not appear to belong to any particular persons, as our dogs do, nor to be fed distinctly by such as might claim some interest in them, but get their food as they can. Harmer. 15. — and grudge if they be not satisfied.] And murmur because they are not satisfied. Dr. Chandler. See the margin. Nothing gives us such support, and administers such confidence and courage to expect a deliverance from God Almighty out of any persecution or danger that invades us, as the consciousness of innocence. Not that we may conclude, that guiltless men cannot be oppressed, even to the loss of their lives, as well as their fortunes; or, that evil men cannot prevail against those who are less evil than they: we may not only be very innocent in those particulars of which we are condemned and brought into misery, but therefore condemned, because we are known to be innocent; and yet we may be guilty enough in other particulars, to deserve a greater punishment and misery than we undergo: and since every sin is in opposition to God's will and directions, it is his usual method to punish sinners by others who are most opposite to the sins they practised. Our deliverance therefore may be for a time deferred, till the fire of adversity hath well purged the dross and corruption which our prosperity had contracted, and we shall then find, that our constancy and patience in suffering hath made God propitious to us, and provided a crown of glory for our reward. Lord Clarendon. Psalm LX. — Shushan-eduth.] The meaning of this word is quite uncertain. — to teach.] Either, that David might teach posterity what things he had done; or, implying that this Psalm was given to the chief musician, that he might teach the infernoun ones. Rosenmuller. — Aram] The Syrians; so called, because they were the descendants of Aram the son of Shem, Gen. x. 22. Poole. — naharaim] Those Syrians that lived between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Bp. Patrick. — Aram-zobah.] Those Syrians that lived adjoining to the former, in that part of Syria called Zobah, 2 Sam. vii. 5. Bp. Patrick. — when Joab returned, &c.] See 1 Kings xi. 15, 16. Ver. 2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble; &c. These expressions are figurative, and allude to the convulsions of the state, which had lately happened in the war between the house of Saul and David. Street. 3. Thou hast shewed &c.] Thou hast inflicted grievous punishments upon us. Bp. Patrick. — thou hast made us to drink &c.] Thou hast filled us with no less harrow and trembling, than men who are intoxicated with strong and stupifying drink. Poole. 4. Thou hast given a banner &c.] But now, thou hast granted the desires of thy faithful servants according to thy promise; thou hast united them under me their king, to whom they should all repair as soldiers do to their standard. Bp. Patrick, Travell. 6. — in his holiness;] In his sanctuary. Mudge. — I will divide Shechem, &c.] The valley of Succoth lay on the east side of Jordan in the tribe of Gad; and so probably did the Shechem here mentioned. At this time they both seem to have been in the hand of the enemy; and David declares here, that, as soon as he had taken them, he would divide them among his own people. Green. 7. Gilead is mine, &c.] Gilead is on my side, and Manasseh is on my side; Ephraim is the helmet of my head; Judah is my sceptre. In this verse the tribes are mentioned which would accompany him in this expedition. Gilead, as it is here distinguished from Manasseh, must mean the tribe of Gad, which was a very warlike tribe. Ephraim seems to have been fixed upon for his helmet to protect his head, as being the most numerous and warlike tribe. Green. — lawgiver;] Or rather, sceptre; the word in the original signifies a ruler's staff, or some ensign of authority. Judah was another very warlike tribe. The 8. Moab is my washpot; &c.] Meaning, I will reduce these my enemies to the vilest servitude: I will treat Moab as my washpot; I will use the Edomites as slaves, holding forth my shoes that they may pluck them off. Bp. Patrick, Poole. — Philistia, triumph thou because of me.] That is, receive me as thy conqueror with demonstrations of joy.