PSALM 37 THE ARGUMENT The design of this Psalm is to defend the providence of God, and to satisfy the minds of men in that great question, concerning the seeming inequality of God's dispensations, in afflicting good men, and giving prosperity to the worst of men; and to instruct God's people how to... [ Continue Reading ]
For their happiness, the matter of thy envy, is but shortlived.... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUST IN THE LORD; depend upon God's providence and promise for thy protection and sustentation, for their infidelity is the root of their wickedness. DO GOOD; continue in the practice of that which is good and well-pleasing to God. SO SHALT THOU DWELL IN THE LAND, i.e. upon this condition shalt dwe... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIGHT THYSELF IN THE LORD; in his favour and service, and in the study of his word and promises. THE DESIRES OF THINE HEART, i.e. thy just desires, or whatsoever is truly desirable and good for thee; which limitation is necessarily to be understood, both from divers places of Scripture, and from t... [ Continue Reading ]
THY WAY, i.e. all thy cares and business, thy desires and necessities. Commend them to God by fervent prayer, referring them to his good will, and expecting a happy issue of all from him. HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS, Heb. _he shall do_, or _work_, to wit, for thee, or what is fit to be done, or what t... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL BRING FORTH THY RIGHTEOUSNESS to the view of the world; from which it hath hitherto seemed to be hid or eclipsed by reproaches, and by grievous calamities, which most men are apt to mistake for tokens and punishments of great wickedness. AS THE LIGHT; it shall be as visible to men as the li... [ Continue Reading ]
REST IN THE LORD, Heb. _Be silent unto_, or _for_, or _because of the Lord_, i.e. do not murmur nor repine at his dealings, but silently and quietly submit to his will, and adore his judgments, and, as it follows, wait for his help. This advice and command is pressed again and again, to teach us how... [ Continue Reading ]
CEASE FROM ANGER; either against the sinner for his success; or against God for so disposing of things, as Jonah Was, JONAH 4:1. TO DO EVIL; or, _at least so far as to do evil._ If any such anger or grief do secretly arise in thee, take care that it do not transport thee, either to reproach or distr... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE CUT OFF, to wit, from the earth, by comparing this with the next clause, and with PSALMS 34:16. Their end shall certainly be most miserable. SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH, according to God's promise oft made to such; which also for the most part was literally fulfilled in that state of the church... [ Continue Reading ]
Their time and prosperity is very short, and therefore no matter of envy. SHALL NOT BE, to wit, in the land of the living. He shall be dead and gone, as this phrase is commonly taken. DILIGENTLY CONSIDER HIS PLACE; industriously seeking to find him. IT SHALL NOT BE, i.e. his place, and estate, and g... [ Continue Reading ]
The meek, i.e. the godly, who are frequently thus called, as PSALMS 22:26, PSALMS 149:4; those who patiently bear God's afflicting hand, and meekly pass by injuries from ungodly men. The abundance of peace; partly of outward peace and prosperity, which God in his due time will give them; and princip... [ Continue Reading ]
Out of malice and rage. SEE POOLE ON "PSALMS 35:16".... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL LAUGH AT HIM, i.e. shall despise and deride all their hopes and endeavours against the good, as most vain and foolish. HIS DAY; either, 1. God's day, which is a usual phrase, as ISAIAH 2:12, ISAIAH 13:9. Or, 2. His own day, as 1 SAMUEL 26:10 EZEKIEL 21:25,29. Both signify the same thing, the... [ Continue Reading ]
They are furnished with all sorts of arms, and are ready to give the deadly blow. SUCH AS BE OF UPRIGHT CONVERSATION; such against whom they have no quarrel for any injury they have done them, but only for their integrity and righteousness, or because they are better than themselves, and will not co... [ Continue Reading ]
God will not only defend the upright from their mischievous designs, but will make them to fall upon their own heads.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because he hath it with many great and glorious advantages, with God's favour and blessings, with great serenity, and satisfaction of his own mind, which is infinitely more desirable and comfortable than all earthly possessions; _with the consolations of God's Spirit, and the assurance of everlastin... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a proof of what he said PSALMS 37:16. For what the wicked have shall suddenly be lost and gone, but God will maintain the righteous in their happy estate.... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWETH; observeth with singular care and affection THE DAYS OF THE UPRIGHT, i.e. their condition, and all things which do or may befall them, their dangers and fears, and suffering from ungodly men; and therefore will watch over them, and preserve them from all the designs and attempts of their ene... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED, for the disappointment of their hopes, but their hopes and desires shall be satisfied, as it follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
FAT OF LAMBS, which in an instant melteth before the fire. _Consume into smoke_, i.e. utterly and irrecoverably,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED BORROWETH, AND PAYETH NOT AGAIN; either through covetousness and injustice; or rather, because of that great penury into which God shall bring him; whilst the righteous is not only provided sufficiently for himself, but hath abundance and to spare for others. For he is here comparing the... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HIM, i.e. of the Lord, as appears both from PSALMS 37:20, where he is named, and from the nature of the thing, this being God's prerogative to bless or to curse men. And this he mentions, both as the foundation, and as the proof of the certainty of their future happiness.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF A GOOD MAN, or, _of that man_, to wit, the righteous or blessed man, expressed PSALMS 37:21,22. ORDERED,_ or directed_, or _disposed_, i.e. so governed as to attain the end and happy issue at which he aims. Or, _strengthened_, or _established_, so as he shall not stumble nor fall into mischief; f... [ Continue Reading ]
FALL; either, 1. Into sin, as this word is used, JEREMIAH 8:4 1 CORINTHIANS 10:12; or rather, 2. Into distress or trouble, as MICAH 7:8. NOT BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN, i.e. not totally nor irrecoverably ruined.... [ Continue Reading ]
This assertion seems to be contradicted by many experiences; nor can it be denied, that both good men and their children have sometimes been reduced to great want. QUEST. How then is this true? ANSW. 1. Some render the last clause thus, _nor_ (did I ever see) HIS SEED, (to wit, forsaken, as was now... [ Continue Reading ]
He is so far from begging from others, that he hath ability as well as inclination to give or lend to others, as need requires. HIS SEED IS BLESSED, not only with spiritual, but with temporal blessings. So far shall he be from wasting his estate, and undoing himself and family by his bounty and char... [ Continue Reading ]
Having therefore these glorious promises and privileges, let no man do any evil or unjust thing to enrich or secure himself, nor abstain from pious and charitable actions for fear of undoing himself by them; but let every man live in the conscionable discharge of all his duties to God and men, commi... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGMENT, i.e. just judgment, or righteousness, as that word is oft taken, as hath been showed again and again; either, 1. In himself, i.e. he loveth to execute judgment upon the wicked, and for the righteous; which he doth in the manner expressed in this Psalm. Or, 2. In the righteous themselves,... [ Continue Reading ]
INHERIT THE LAND: SEE POOLE ON "PSALMS 37:3". DWELL THEREIN FOR EVER: SEE POOLE ON "PSALMS 37:18".... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAKETH; and that freely, and customarily, and from his heart, as the next verse shows. Having showed in divers verses God's singular care over and respect to the righteous, he proceeds to give a character of them, and withal to assign one reason of the great difference of God's dealings with them... [ Continue Reading ]
According to God's command, DEUTERONOMY 6:6, and promise, HEBREWS 8:10. His thoughts, and meditations, and affections are fixed upon it. He doth not talk religiously in design, or with ostentation, but out of the abundance of his heart, MATTHEW 12:35. NONE OF HIS STEPS SHALL SLIDE: this passage desc... [ Continue Reading ]
WATCHETH, to find out a fit season or occasion to destroy him.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT LEAVE HIM IN HIS HAND, i.e. not give him up to his power and rage. NOR CONDEMN HIM, i.e. nor give his consent to the sentence of condemnation, which the wicked have pronounced against him, but will justify him, and vindicate his innocency and deliver him; for such negatives do oft imply the cont... [ Continue Reading ]
WAIT ON THE LORD; seeking and trusting to him, and to him only, for help and deliverance. KEEP HIS WAY; continue in the practice of thy duty, or in those ways which God hath prescribed to thee in his word, and do not use indirect and irregular means to deliver thyself. THOU SHALT SEE IT; thou shalt... [ Continue Reading ]
IN GREAT POWER, or _formidable_; not only himself out of danger, as it seemed, but terrible to others. AND SPREADING HIMSELF; and therefore firmly and deeply rooted. LIKE A GREEN BAY TREE, which is continually green and flourishing, yea, even in the winter season. Or, _like a green tree in its own n... [ Continue Reading ]
He was gone in an instant, like a tree blasted and blown down, or cut off and rooted out, and carried away in a moment. There was no monument nor remainder of him left.... [ Continue Reading ]
Though he may meet with troubles in his way, yet all shall end well with him; he shall be happy at last.... [ Continue Reading ]
TOGETHER; or, _alike_, one as well as another; all, without any exception or respect of persons. THE END OF THE WICKED SHALL BE CUT OFF, i. e. he shall be cut off at last, or in the end. His prosperity shall end in destruction. Or, _the posterity_ (as this word signifies, PSALMS 109:13 JEREMIAH 31:1... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SALVATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS OF THE LORD; and therefore it shall certainly come to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]