_The Prophet, prevailing in a temptation, sheweth the occasion thereof, the prosperity of the wicked, the wound given thereby, diffidence; the victory over it, knowledge of god's purpose, in destroying of the wicked, and sustaining the righteous._ A Psalm of Asaph. _TITLE._ ףּלאס מזמור _MIZMOR LEASA... [ Continue Reading ]
MY FEET WERE ALMOST GONE— By these figurative expressions the Psalmist means, that he began to stagger in his faith, and was in danger of falling into a disbelief of God's providence. The _foolish_ and _wicked_ are used in the next verse as synonimous terms; because wickedness argues a manifest defe... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE PRIDE COMPASSETH THEM, &C.— That is, _They are holden,_ as the other translation has it, or _they are wholly possessed with pride:_ in like manner, as their necks are encompassed with a golden chain; which used to be worn by way of ornament. See Song of Solomon 4:9. Castalio renders the ne... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE CORRUPT, &C.— _They mock, and speak maliciously of oppression: they speak from on high. From on high,_ signifies, from the superior station to which they are advanced: or, from the bench of justice. See Psalms 94:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SET THEIR MOUTH AGAINST THE HEAVENS— i.e. _They blaspheme the God of heaven; and their tongue walketh,_ &c. i.e. is let loose to abuse and calumniate whomsoever they please.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HIS PEOPLE RETURN HITHER— _"Therefore God's people falleth off to them, and from thence they reap no small advantage."_ Green. Mudge renders it, _Therefore, let his people come before them, and waters in full measure would be wrung out from them._ This seems, says he, to continue the descr... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I SAY, I WILL SPEAK THUS, &C.— _Reckon_ or _reason thus:—I should offend against the generation of thy children; i.e._ "I should give the lie to the history of our forefathers." See Peters, and the first note. Others, by the _generation of God's children,_ understand all true believers: those who... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN UNDERSTOOD I THEIR END— This certainly cannot mean their destruction by death; for he had before expressly taken notice of their felicity or ease in this respect. Nor is it easy to say how the sanctuary, or any thing there, could inform him of the manner of the death of wicked men. This must be... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS MY HEART WAS GRIEVED— _I was disturbed with envy and indignation at the prosperity of the wicked._ The word rendered _a beast,_ in the next verse, is a term aptly applied in Scripture to one who is wholly taken up with the things before him, and who has no sense of, or regard to things, future... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT GUIDE ME WITH THY COUNSEL, &C.— See Psalms 49:15. That the future wretched state of wicked men is understood in the preceding verses, seems further evident, from its being opposed to the happy state of the righteous in this verse; where the very term _glory_ is used, whereby the happiness... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I MAY DECLARE ALL THY WORKS— The end breaks off a little abruptly, for want of what the LXX read, _in the gates of the daughters of Zion._ REFLECTIONS.—1st, The prosperity of the wicked has been a common temptation to the saints of God. The Psalmist was staggered at it, and musing, on the myst... [ Continue Reading ]