carry, to him one gives it to carry. The admonition proceeds on the principle that God is as willing as He is able to bear even the heaviest burden for us; but this bearing it for us is on the other side our own bearing of it in God's strength, and hence the promise that is added runs: He will sustain thee (כּלכּל), that thou mayest not through feebleness succumb. Psa 55:23 also favours this figure of a burden: He will not give, i.e., suffer to happen (Psa 78:66), tottering to the righteous for ever, He will never suffer the righteous to totter. The righteous shall never totter (or be moved) with the overthrow that follows; whereas David is sure of this, that his enemies shall not only fall to the ground, but go down into Hades (which is here, by a combination of two synonyms, בּאר שׁחת, called a well, i.e., an opening, of a sinking in, i.e., a pit, as e.g., in Pro 8:31; Eze 36:3), and that before they have halved their days, i.e., before they have reached the half of the age that might be attained under other circumstances (cf. Psa 102:25; Jer 16:11). By ואתּה אלהים prominence is given to the fact that it is the very same God who will not suffer the righteous to fall who casts down the ungodly; and by ואני David contrasts himself with them, as being of good courage now and in all time to come.
Psalm 56
Cheerful Courage of a Fugitive
2 BE gracious unto me, Elohim, for man is greedy after me, All the day he, fighting, oppresseth me.
3 Mine adversaries are greedy after me all the day, For many are they who proudly war against me.
4 In the day that I fear do I cling confidingly to Thee.
5 Through Elohim will I praise His word, In Elohim do I trust, without fearing : What can flesh do unto me ?
6 All the day long they wrest my words, Against me are all their thoughts for evil.
7 They band together, they set spies —
They watch my heels, because seeking after my life.
