6. The Lord is on my side, or, he is “for me.” Once his justice was against me, but now he is my reconciled God, and engaged on my behalf. The psalmist naturally rejoiced in the divine help; everyone turned against him, but God was his defender and advocate, accomplishing the divine purposes of his grace. The expression may also be translated “to me”—that is to say, Jehovah belongs to me, and is mine. What infinite wealth is here! If we do not magnify the Lord we are of all men most brutish. I will not fear. He does not say that he would not suffer, but that he would not fear: the favor of God infinitely outweighed the hatred of men; therefore setting the one against the other he felt that he had no reason to be afraid. He was calm and confident, though surrounded with enemies, and so may all believers be, for thus they honor God. What can man do unto me? He can do nothing more than God permits; at the very uttermost he can only kill the body, but he has no more that he can do. God having purposed to set his servant upon the throne, the whole race of mankind can do nothing to thwart the divine decree: the settled purpose of Jehovah’s heart could not be turned aside, nor its accomplishment delayed, by the most rancorous hostility of the most powerful of men.
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