1._Fret not thyself because of the wicked. _David lays down this as a general principle, that the prosperity of the wicked, in which they greatly rejoice, should on no account vex or disquiet the children of God, because it will soon fade away. On the other hand, although the people of God are affli... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Put thy trust in Jehovah, and do good. _The inspired writer now goes on, in the second place, to say, that every thing in the end shall be well with the righteous, because they are under the protection of God. But as there is nothing better or more desirable than to enjoy the fostering and protec... [ Continue Reading ]
4._And delight thyself in Jehovah _This delight is set in opposition to the vain and deceitful allurements of the world, which so intoxicate the ungodly, that despising the blessing of God, they dream of no other happiness than what presents itself for the time before their eyes. This contrast betwe... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Roll _(22) _thy ways upon Jehovah. _Here David illustrates and confirms the doctrine contained in the preceding verse. In order that God may accomplish our desires, it behoves us to cast all our cares upon him in the exercise of hope and patience. Accordingly, we are taught from this passage how... [ Continue Reading ]
6._And he will bring forth thy righteousness as the light _This David says, in order to anticipate the misgivings which often trouble us when we seem to lose our labor in faithfully serving God, and in dealing uprightly with our neighbors; nay, when our integrity is either exposed to the calumnies o... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Be silent to Jehovah. _The Psalmist continues the illustration of the same doctrine, namely, that we should patiently and meekly bear those things that usually disquiet our minds; for amid innumerable sources of disquietude and conflict there is need of no small patience. By the similitude of _si... [ Continue Reading ]
The accumulation of terms which occurs in the next verse, in which he lays a restraint as with a bridle upon anger, allays wrath and assuages passion, it is not superfluous; but, as in necessary, he rather prescribes numerous remedies for a disease which it is difficult to cure. By this means, he re... [ Continue Reading ]
9._For the wicked shall be cut off. _It is not without cause that he repeatedly inculcates the same thing, namely, that the happiness and prosperity which the ungodly enjoy is only a mask or phantom; for the first sight of it so dazzles our senses, that we are unable to form a proper estimate of wha... [ Continue Reading ]
10_Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be. _This is a confirmation of the preceding verse. It might well have been objected, that the actual state of things in the world is very different from what David here represents it, since the ungodly riot in their pleasures, and the people of God pi... [ Continue Reading ]
12._The wicked plotteth against the righteous. _David here anticipates an objection which might have been taken to the preceding verse. Where, it might be said, can tranquillity and joy be found when the wicked are mad with rage, and plot every kind of mischief against the children of God? And how s... [ Continue Reading ]
14._The wicked draw their sword, and bend their bow. _David now goes on to say, that the ungodly, being armed with sword and bow, threaten with death the children of God; and this he does in order to meet the temptation which would otherwise overwhelm them. The promises of God do not have place in a... [ Continue Reading ]
In the 15th verse, David is not speaking of the laughter of God, but is denouncing vengeance against the ungodly, just as we have already seen in the second psalm, at the fourth verse, that although God, by conniving at the wicked, has often suffered them for a time to run to every excess in mirth a... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Better is the little of the righteous, etc _This verse, without any sufficient reason, has been variously rendered. The word המון _, hamon, _(32) which is rendered _abundance, _indeed, sometimes signifies a great multitude of men, and sometimes abundance of things; sometimes, too, an adjective o... [ Continue Reading ]
18_Jehovah knoweth the days of the upright _(34) It is not without good reason that David so frequently inculcates this doctrine, that the righteous are blessed because God provides for their necessities. We see how prone the minds of men are to distrust, and how much they are vexed by an excess of... [ Continue Reading ]
19_They shall not be ashamed in the season of adversity _This verse also shows us, that the faithful have no right to expect such exemption as the flesh would desire from affliction and trial, but they are assured of deliverance in the end; which, though it be indeed obtained, yet it is of such a na... [ Continue Reading ]
20_For the wicked shall perish. _The causal particle כי, ki, which is here translated _for, _might also be rendered as if used adversatively by _but _or _although, _unless, perhaps, some would prefer to expound the sentence as of much higher import. But the preferable interpretation is, that there i... [ Continue Reading ]
21_The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again _Those are mistaken who suppose that the wicked are here blamed for their treachery in carrying off the goods of others by fraud and deception; and that, on the other hand, the children of God are commended for their kindness in being always ready to rel... [ Continue Reading ]
23_The footsteps of a man are directed by Jehovah _Some join together these two things, first, that the footsteps of the godly are ordered by the grace of God, since men do not in their own strength follow what is just and right, but only in so far as the Spirit of God directs them; and hence the se... [ Continue Reading ]
24_Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down _This verse has generally been interpreted proverbially, and as meaning, that though the righteous may fall into sin, his fall is not deadly; but this is not at all in accordance with the design of the prophet, who is discoursing of the happiness... [ Continue Reading ]
25_I have been young, I am also become old. _The meaning of these words is not in the least doubtful, namely, that David, even when he was become an old man, had not seen any of the righteous, or any of their children, begging their bread. But here there arises a question of some difficulty with res... [ Continue Reading ]
26_He is daily merciful _The Psalmist here repeats what he had already said, that the grace of God is a fountain of all blessings which can never be exhausted; and, therefore, while it is displayed towards the faithful, they not only have enough for the supply of their own wants, but are able also l... [ Continue Reading ]
27_Depart from evil, and do good. _In this verse David argues, that, in order to realize the blessedness of which he has spoken, we must abstain from all evil, perform the duties of humanity, and exert ourselves in doing good to our neighbors. This doctrine is at variance with the dictates of corrup... [ Continue Reading ]
28_For Jehovah loveth judgement. _This, it ought to be observed, is a confirmation of the doctrine contained in the preceding sentence; and it is here made to rest upon a higher principle, namely, that God takes pleasure in righteousness and truth. The argument indeed appears to be incomplete; but a... [ Continue Reading ]
29_The righteous shall inherit the earth _The repetition of the same doctrine here is not superfluous, since it is so very difficult to impress it deeply upon our minds. For while all men seek after happiness, scarcely one in a hundred looks for it from God, but rather all, on the contrary, in makin... [ Continue Reading ]
30_The mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom _As it is customary with hypocrites confidently to draw to their own advantage whatever the Spirit of God declares concerning the just and upright, David here gives a definition of the righteousness which God requires on the part of his children, and d... [ Continue Reading ]
To this there is added integrity of heart: _The law of the Lord is in his heart. _This, though it should precede in point of order, is not improperly put in the second place here. For the Scriptures are not particular in observing an exact arrangement in the enumeration of virtues and vices. Besides... [ Continue Reading ]
32.and 33._The wicked watcheth the righteous, etc. _David here illustrates more plainly the nature of the possession of the earth, of which he had spoken, namely, that God preserves his own people, though they are beset with enemies round about. And hence we are again taught, that the faithful are n... [ Continue Reading ]
34_Wait upon Jehovah, and keep his way _David again returns to the style of exhortation, in order that the faithful, trusting to God’s promises and sustained by them, may not suffer themselves to be drawn hither and thither by any temptations through devious and sinful ways, but may persevere steadf... [ Continue Reading ]
35.and36_I have seen the wicked terrible, etc. _David here confirms from his own experience what I have just said, namely, that although the wicked are intoxicated with their prosperity, and held in admiration by all on account of it, yet their happiness is transitory and evanescent, and, therefore,... [ Continue Reading ]
37_Observe the perfect man _David exhorts the faithful diligently to consider every instance they may meet with of the grace of God, as well as of his judgment; but he teaches, at the same time, that it is in vain for any to sit in judgment upon the first aspect of things. When men do not wait patie... [ Continue Reading ]
39_The salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah _The sum of the whole is, that whatever may happen, the righteous shall be saved, because they are in the hand of God, and can never be forgotten by him. This ought to be particularly noticed, that those who are greatly afflicted may be sustained by... [ Continue Reading ]