1._Lord, why standest thou afar off? _We here see how the prophet, seeking a remedy for his calamities, which were apparently past hope, directly addresses himself to God at the very commencement. And the rule which we should observe, when we are in trouble and sorrow, is this: We should seek comfor... [ Continue Reading ]
2._The ungodly in his pride, etc _Before uttering his prayer against the ungodly, the Psalmist briefly sets forth their wickedness in cruelly vexing the afflicted, for no other reason but because they disdain and despise them, through the pride with which they are inflated. And their cruelty is not... [ Continue Reading ]
3._For the ungodly praiseth himself. _This verse is variously explained. Literally the reading is, _For praiseth the wicked or ungodly; _and it is therefore necessary to supply some word, but what word is disputed. (196) Some translate the words, _ungodly _and _violent man, _in the accusative case,... [ Continue Reading ]
4._The ungodly, in the pride of his countenance, etc _Others translate the words, _The ungodly man, by reason of the violence of his anger, _or, _in the pride which he displays, does not inquire after God. _But this partly perverts the meaning, and partly weakens the force of what David intended to... [ Continue Reading ]
There is a great diversity of opinion among interpreters respecting the first clause of this verse. The translators of the Septuagint version, thinking the word יחילו,_yachilu, _which is in the future tense, derived from the root חלל, _chalal, _which it is not, have rendered it, _his ways are defile... [ Continue Reading ]
The Psalmist confirms these statements in the next verse, where he tells us that the persons of whom he speaks are fully persuaded in their hearts that they are beyond all danger of change. _He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved from generation to generation _The ungodly often pour forth proud... [ Continue Reading ]
7._His mouth is full of cursing. _The scope of these four verses is this: If God intends to succor his servants, it is now a proper time for doing so, inasmuch as the lawlessness of the ungodly has burst forth to the utmost possible excess. In the first place, he complains that their tongues are ful... [ Continue Reading ]
8._He will sit in the ensnaring places of the villages. _(217) I have purposely avoided changing the verbs of the future tense into another tense, because they imply a continued act, and also because this Hebrew idiom has extended even to other languages. David, therefore, describes what ungodly men... [ Continue Reading ]
In the next verse, he sets forth their cruelty in a light still more aggravated, by another comparison, saying, that they thirst for their prey _like lions in their dens _Now, it is a step higher in wickedness to equal in cruelty wild beasts than to make havoc after the manner of robbers. It is wort... [ Continue Reading ]
He again repeats all this in the tenth verse, giving a beautiful and graphic description of the very mien or gesture of such wicked men, just as if he set before our eyes a picture of them. _They crouch low, _says he, _and cast themselves down, _(220) that they may not, by their cruelty, frighten aw... [ Continue Reading ]
11._He hath said in his heart. _The Psalmist again points out the source from which the presumption of the ungodly proceeds. Because God seems to take no notice of their wicked practices, they flatter themselves with the hope of escaping unpunished. As, however, they do not openly utter with their m... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Arise, O Jehovah. _It is a disease under which men in general labor, to imagine, according to the judgment of the flesh, that when God does not execute his judgments, he is sitting idle, or lying at ease. There is, however, a great difference with respect to this between the faithful and the wic... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Why doth the wicked despise God? _It is, indeed, superfluous to bring arguments before God, for the purpose of persuading him to grant us what we ask; but still he permits us to make use of them, and to speak to him in prayer, as familiarly as a son speaks to an earthly father. It should always... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Thou hast seen it; for thou, etc _Here David, suddenly kindled with a holy zeal, enters into conflict, and, armed with the shield of faith, courageously repels these execrable opinions; but as he could derive no advantage by making his appeal to men, he has recourse to God, and addresses him. As... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Break thou the arm. _This form of expression just means breaking the power of the wicked. And it is not simply a prayer; it may also be regarded as a prophecy. As the ungovernable fury of our enemies very often makes us lose courage, as if there were no means by which it could be restrained, Dav... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Jehovah is King for ever and ever. _David now, as if he had obtained the desires of his heart, rises up to holy rejoicing and thanksgiving. When he calls God _King for ever and ever, _it is a token of his confidence and joy. By the title of _King, _he vindicates God’s claim to the government of... [ Continue Reading ]
17._O Jehovah, thou hast heard the desire of the needy. _In these words the prophet confirms what I have just now said, that when hypocrites prevail in the Church, or exceed the faithful in number, we ought, unceasingly, to beseech God to root them out; for such a confused and shameful state of thin... [ Continue Reading ]
18._That thou mayest judge. _Here the Psalmist applies the last sentence of the preceding verse to a special purpose, namely, to prevent the faithful, when they are unjustly oppressed, from doubting that God will at length take vengeance on their enemies, and grant them deliverance. By these words h... [ Continue Reading ]