_FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF EVILDOERS, NEITHER BE THOU ENVIOUS AGAINST THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY._ Psalms 37:1.-The theme is, God will award the righteous and the unrighteous their respective deserts in due time; fret not, then, against, but trust in the Lord, and do good (Psalms 37:1). The alphabet... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THEY SHALL SOON BE CUT DOWN LIKE THE GRASS, AND WITHER AS THE GREEN HERB._ For they ... like the grass. 'The multitude of hypocrites flourishes and covers the world so completely, that they alone seem almost to exist, as the green grass covers the earth. But, in God's sight, what are they? Hay... [ Continue Reading ]
_TRUST IN THE LORD, AND DO GOOD; SO SHALT THOU DWELL IN THE LAND, AND VERILY THOU SHALT BE FED._ Trust in the Lord, and do good - the right course, when seeing the prosperity of the ungodly, instead of giving way to the temptation to anger and envy (Psalms 37:1). SO SHALT ... THE LAND - Psalms 37:... [ Continue Reading ]
_DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD; AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE DESIRES OF THINE HEART._ Delight thyself also in the Lord - a promise in the very terms of the precept. In resting heartily in the Lord, thou shalt have supreme delight thereby. So Bacon's well-known saying, 'It is heaven on earth for a... [ Continue Reading ]
_COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD; TRUST ALSO IN HIM; AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS._ Commit thy way unto the Lord - Hebrew, gol, 'roll thy way upon Yahweh.' The image is of one rolling off from his own shoulders a burden which be is not able to bear, upon the shoulders of another, who is able to bear... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SHALL BRING FORTH THY RIGHTEOUSNESS AS THE LIGHT, AND THY JUDGMENT AS THE NOONDAY._ And he shall bring forth thy righteousness ... Afflictions which are now the portion of the godly (2 Timothy 3:12) seem to east a slur on their righteousness; but in "the manifestation of the sons of God" (R... [ Continue Reading ]
_REST IN THE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM: FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF HIM WHO PROSPERETH IN HIS WAY, BECAUSE OF THE MAN WHO BRINGETH WICKED DEVICES TO PASS._ Rest in the Lord - Hebrew, _ DOWM_ (H1826); 'Be still (silent) TO [la-] the Lord' - i:e., with an eye to the Lord, who will speak more e... [ Continue Reading ]
_CEASE FROM ANGER, AND FORSAKE WRATH: FRET NOT THYSELF IN ANY WISE TO DO EVIL._ Fret not thyself ... to do evil. The Hebrew х_ 'AK_ (H389)] is, 'inflame not thyself ... ONLY for evil' - i:e., which can have no other result but evil. To meet evil with evil is only to aggravate the mischief, and add... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR EVILDOERS SHALL BE CUT OFF: BUT THOSE THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD, THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH._ For evil-doers shall be cut off - therefore beware lest by anger and revenge thou takest thy portion with them. David resisted the temptation once and again in Saul's case. THESE THAT WAIT UPON THE... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND THE WICKED SHALL NOT BE: YEA, THOU SHALT DILIGENTLY CONSIDER HIS PLACE, AND IT SHALL NOT BE._ For yet ... (shall) not (be): yea, thou ... and it (shall) not (be) - the place that now knoweth him shall know him no more. The Hebrew ellipsis vividly sets before the eye the... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH; AND SHALL DELIGHT THEMSELVES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF PEACE._ But the meek ... abundance of peace. On "the meek," cf. Psalms 9:12, note, 'the humble.' Being men of peace now, they shall be the fit administrators in the coming kingdom of the Prince of Peace upon ear... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WICKED PLOTTETH AGAINST THE JUST, AND GNASHETH UPON HIM WITH HIS TEETH._ The wicked plotteth ... David admits that the present power and malice of the wicked might at first sight seem to negative his inspired assertion, that the meek shall inherit the very earth where the wicked are now so pow... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LORD SHALL LAUGH AT HIM: FOR HE SEETH THAT HIS DAY IS COMING._ The Lord shall laugh at him - rather. 'The Lord laughs at him' (Psalms 2:4). "Laugh" implies the deep contrast there is between the lofty pretensions and seeming greatness of the wicked on the one hand, and their real impotence and... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN OUT THE SWORD, AND HAVE BENT THEIR BOW, TO CAST DOWN THE POOR AND NEEDY, AND TO SLAY SUCH AS BE OF UPRIGHT CONVERSATION._ The wicked ... sword ... Their sword ... heart - (Psalms 7:15; Matthew 26:52; Revelation 13:10.) [Teth (T)]... [ Continue Reading ]
_A LITTLE THAT A RIGHTEOUS MAN HATH IS BETTER THAN THE RICHES OF MANY WICKED._ A little that a righteous man hath (is) better than the riches of many wicked - The little that one righteous man hath is better than the laborious accumulations of MANY wicked men. The Hebrew for "riches" х_ HAAMOWN_ (H... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THE ARMS OF THE WICKED SHALL BE BROKEN: BUT THE LORD UPHOLDETH THE RIGHTEOUS._ For the arms ... be broken. The wicked man's arm, the instrument of executing his schemes, when once broken, can neither injure the godly nor save himself (Psalms 10:15). This is why (Psalms 37:16) the "little" prop... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LORD KNOWETH THE DAYS OF THE UPRIGHT: AND THEIR INHERITANCE SHALL BE FOR EVER._ The Lord knoweth ... - in contrast to Psalms 37:13, "The Lord ... seeth that his (the wicked man's) day (of destruction) is coming." "The Lord knoweth" (i:e., taketh account of) implies Yahweh's special providence;... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE WICKED SHALL PERISH, AND THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD SHALL BE AS THE FAT OF LAMBS: THEY SHALL CONSUME; INTO SMOKE SHALL THEY CONSUME AWAY._ But the wicked shall ... fat of lambs - not, as Gesenius translates, 'as the beauty of the meadows' (karim) - i.e., the grass; cf. Psalms 37:2. The Hebrew... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WICKED BORROWETH, AND PAYETH NOT AGAIN: BUT THE RIGHTEOUS SHEWETH MERCY, AND GIVETH._ The wicked borroweth ... the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth - not so much a representation of what the wicked and the righteous respectively are willing, or not willing, through injustice, to do, as of w... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR SUCH AS BE BLESSED OF HIM SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH; AND THEY THAT BE CURSED OF HIM SHALL BE CUT OFF._ For such ... inherit the earth; and they that ... cut off - the ground of the penniless destitution of "the wicked," and of the abundance possessed by "the righteous," whereby he can "give" as... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD: AND HE DELIGHTETH IN HIS WAY._ The steps of a (good) man. The Hebrew х_ GEBER_ (H1397)] for 'a man' is literally a hero, a valiant man. So "valiant for the truth," Jeremiah 9:3. Compare with the sentiment, 1 Samuel 2:9. HE DELIGHTETH IN HIS WAY - th... [ Continue Reading ]
_THOUGH HE FALL, HE SHALL NOT BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN: FOR THE LORD UPHOLDETH HIM WITH HIS HAND._ Though he fall ... for the Lord ... with his hand - in answer to the objection that one sees the godly often low in the world; granted-but the Lord will not let him remain so. Yahweh takes him by the hand... [ Continue Reading ]
_I HAVE BEEN YOUNG, AND NOW AM OLD; YET HAVE I NOT SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN, NOR HIS SEED BEGGING BREAD._ I have been young ... righteous forsaken - i:e., forsaken utterly (cf. Psalms 37:28). He comprises all ages in the ideal character that speaks as a father would address his children. NOR HI... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE IS EVER MERCIFUL, AND LENDETH; AND HIS SEED IS BLESSED._ HE IS EVER MERCIFUL, AND LENDETH - `all the day' (Hebrew, for "ever"). He hath at once the will and the power to be liberal (cf. Psalms 37:21), [camekh (c)]... [ Continue Reading ]
_DEPART FROM EVIL, AND DO GOOD; AND DWELL FOR EVERMORE._ Depart ... for evermore - i:e, and so shalt thou dwell for evermore. A promise similar to Psalms 37:3; Psalms 37:11. So the fifth commandment, "that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THE LORD LOVETH JUDGMENT, AND FORSAKETH NOT HIS SAINTS; THEY ARE PRESERVED FOR EVER: BUT THE SEED OF THE WICKED SHALL BE CUT OFF._ For the Lord loveth judgment. On account of His essential justice ("judgment") the Lord cannot 'forsake' finally His saints (Psalms 37:25). THEY ARE PRESERVED FO... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL INHERIT THE LAND, AND DWELL THEREIN FOR EVER._ The righteous ... dwell therein for ever - (Psalms 37:27, last clause, note.) The full realization of the promise shall be in the 'new heavens and the new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness' (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MOUTH OF THE RIGHTEOUS SPEAKETH WISDOM, AND HIS TONGUE TALKETH OF JUDGMENT._ The mouth ... and his tongue ... judgment. The law ... his heart ... shall slide. As previously he has mentioned the consolations of the godly, so now, lest any should appropriate these without being the kind of perso... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WICKED WATCHETH THE RIGHTEOUS, AND SEEKETH TO SLAY HIM._ The wicked - (Luke 11:53; Psalms 10:8.) THE LORD WILL NOT LEAVE ... The question at issue between the wicked and the righteous is as a suit at law, wherein God is judge. God will not give the issue against the godly-literally, '(will n... [ Continue Reading ]
_WAIT ON THE LORD, AND KEEP HIS WAY, AND HE SHALL EXALT THEE TO INHERIT THE LAND: WHEN THE WICKED ARE CUT_ _ OFF, THOU SHALT SEE IT._ Wait on the Lord - returning to the truth in Psalms 37:7. AND KEEP HIS WAY - the way which His Word prescribes. WHEN THE WICKED ... SHALT SEE IT. As now thou has... [ Continue Reading ]
_I HAVE SEEN THE WICKED IN GREAT POWER, AND SPREADING HIMSELF LIKE A GREEN BAY TREE._ I have ... great power - `in formidable power' х_ `AARIYTS_ (H6184)] (cf. Job 5:3). SPREADING ... GREEN BAY TREE - rather, 'as a green (tree) that groweth in his own soil;' indigenous; one not yet transplated, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_YET HE PASSED AWAY, AND, LO, HE WAS NOT: YEA, I SOUGHT HIM, BUT HE COULD NOT BE FOUND._ He passed ... was not. One could scarcely believe one's eyes, that such a flourishing sinner could so quickly and so utterly perish. Such was the fate of Saul. [shin (sh)]... [ Continue Reading ]
_MARK THE PERFECT MAN, AND BEHOLD THE UPRIGHT: FOR THE END OF THAT MAN IS PEACE._ Mark ... (man) ... for the end of (that) man (is) peace. As there is no Hebrew for "that" before "man" [not _ LAA'IYSH_ (H376), but _ Lª'IYSH_ (H376)], most critics translate (cf. Psalms 37:11, "the meek ... abundance... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE SALVATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS OF THE LORD: HE IS THEIR STRENGTH IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE._ The Hebrew copula [wª-] before the last letter of the alphabet connects this strophe with all that precedes, as its summary.... [ Continue Reading ]