Psalms 35:13

But as for me, when they were sick,.... Or under any disorder or distress of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Saul and his courtiers, before David was persecuted

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. When they were sick ... I humbled - `afflicted' (cf. Isaiah 58:3-6).

Sick; or in any other great misery. Sackcloth; which was the habit of mourners, . I humbled my soul, Heb. I afflicted my soul, (of which phrase see ,31 23:27,32, &c.,) partly with fasting, and partly with compassion and fervent prayers for them. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom: according to this translation the sense may be this, and, or but, or although my fastings and prayers did them no good, neither abated their malice, nor prevailed with God for them, so far as I desired, but returned to me without success, like a gift sent to an uncivil person, who disdainfully rejects it, and returns it to the giver. But, 1. This is not true, that his prayers returned empty to him, and did them no good, for they prevailed with God for their recovery, as appears by the following verses. 2. This doth not seem to suit well with the context; for both in the foregoing and following words he is only describing what he did for them, and not what the effects of it were, which he describes in the succeeding verses. Others therefore render the words otherwise; either, 1. Thus, and my prayer in my bosom returned, i.e. I did daily and frequently repeat my prayers for them, and that not only in public, when I joined with others in a fast-day appointed for them, which might be done in policy or for ostentation; but also in secret, between God and my own soul, and that with a sincere and hearty affection: for what is done secretly and affectionately, is said to be done in the bosom, , although indeed there is in those places another proposition; which may possibly alter the case. Or, 2. (which seems the truest sense) And as for my prayer, (to wit, which I joined with my fasting on their behalf,) let it return (nothing being more frequent than for future verbs to be put imperatively) into my own bosom; i.e. if any shall think or say that my fasting for them was but counterfeit or politic, and that I did not pray for them, but rather against them, as I do in this Psalm, and that under all this show I secretly wished their death or destruction; my earnest desire is, that the all-seeing and heart-searching God would grant unto me, when I come into their circumstances, the same things which I begged for them, whether good or evil. And this sense agrees with the common use of this phrase in Scripture, where whatsoever is repaid to any man is said to be rendered into his bosom, as ,7 Jeremiah 32:18 , as elsewhere it is said to return upon his head.

Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing [was] sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.Ver. 13. But as for me, when they were sick] i.e. Any way afflicted, when they ailed anything. My clothing was sachcloth] I put myself in mourners’ habit; Incedebam atratus, to testify my good affection toward them. I humbled my soul with fasting] In die designate, in a solemn day set apart for the purpose; as the ð with a patach showeth (Kimehi). Ieiunium est humilitas mentis, miserationis expensa, charitatis illecebra, allevamentum infirmitatis, alimentum salutis, saith Ambrose, Fasting is the affliction of the soul, the cost of compassion, &c. And my prayer returned into mine own bosom] i.e. Though they had no benefit by it, yet myself had; for no faithful prayer is ineffectual; like Jonathan’ s bow, it never returned empty, 2 Samuel 1:22. I received the fruit of my prayers for them upon my bosom.

(13) And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.—This has been most variously explained. The context evidently implies something done for the benefit of the whilome friends for whom, in their sickness, the poet had worn sackcloth, and had fasted and adopted all the other signs of mourning. We must therefore set aside (1) the idea of fruitless prayer, in spite of the analogy of Mat 10:13, Luke 10:6. (2) The notion that the answer to the prayer came back to the psalmist himself, instead of to those for whom it was offered, must also be set aside. And (3) we must reject the notion of secret, i.e., silent prayer, in spite of Pro 17:23; Proverbs 21:14, since all the “outward and visible” signs of mourning are indicated, and the very object was to show sympathy and interest. There remains (1) the literal, and my prayer turned upon my bosom, referring to the posture described in Psalms 35:14. (Comp. 1 Kings 18:42, where, however, there is no express mention of prayer.) The words were, as it were, muttered into his bosom. This is the view of Ewald and Delitzsch, but seems prosaic. (2)The far more probable meaning, my prayer came back again and again to my bosom, i.e., was repeated over and over again; just as we say, “the thought recurred to my mind.” (Comp. the common phrase for thoughts coming upon the heart, Jeremiah 3:16; Jeremiah 7:31, etc.) The Hebrew verb has this frequentative sense in one of its conjugations.

Verse 13. When they were sick] This might refer to the case of Absalom, who was much beloved of his father, and for whose life and prosperity he no doubt often prayed, wept, and fasted. My prayer returned into mine own bosom.] Though from the wayward and profligate life they led, they did not profit by my prayers, yet God did not permit me to pray in vain. They were like alms given to the miserable for God's sake, who takes care to return to the merciful man tenfold into his bosom. The bosom is not only the place where the Asiatics carry their purses, but also where they carry any thing that is given to them.

13. The ‘good’ he had done to them. His sympathy when they were in trouble was no mere formality. He prayed for their recovery, humbling himself before God with mourning and fasting (Psalms 69:10-11; 2 Samuel 12:16; Joe 2:12), that their sin might be forgiven and their sickness removed. humbled] R.V., afflicted. It is the technical term for fasting in the Law. See Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 16:31; Leviticus 23:27; Leviticus 23:32; Numbers 29:7; Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 58:5. and my prayer returned into mine own bosom] An obscure phrase; not to be explained of the attitude of earnest prayer with head bent down on the bosom so that the prayer which came from his heart seemed to return thither again (1 Kings 18:42 does not justify this explanation): nor again, that his prayer returned to him without effecting its object (Matthew 10:13), for there would be no point in his prayer being unanswered: but rather, my prayer shall return into mine own bosom. They have recompensed him evil for good; but his prayer will not be unrewarded. As the causeless curse returns with interest into the bosom whence it issues (Psalms 79:12), so the prayer at least brings back a blessing to its offerer (Jeremiah 18:20).

But as for me - The psalmist now contrasts their conduct with his own.

13. When they were sick—It is plain David refers to an actual experience. He had put on sackcloth, fasted and prayed, when those had been “sick” who now rejoiced at his fall.