_A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015._ The second book of Psalms, according to the Hebrew division, ends with the last, and here begins the third book, consisting of a new collection of seventeen Psalms, most of them very disconsolate and full of sad complaints. Eleven of these, according to our translation of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Truly_, or _nevertheless_, &c. The beginning is abrupt, and sufficiently intimates that he had a great conflict within himself about the matter here spoken of, and that many doubts and objections were raised in his mind concerning it. But, at last, light and satisfaction broke forth upon him, like... [ Continue Reading ]
_But as for me_ Yet I must acknowledge with grief and shame, concerning myself, that notwithstanding all my knowledge of this truth, and my own experience and observation of God's dealings with me and other good men; _my feet were almost gone_ My faith in God's promises and providence was almost ove... [ Continue Reading ]
_For there are no bands in their death_ They are not violently dragged to an untimely death, either by the hand and sentence of the magistrate, which yet they deserve, or by any sudden and unexpected stroke of Divine Providence, like the fruit forced from the tree before it is ripe, but are left to... [ Continue Reading ]
_They are not in trouble as other men_ They escape even common calamities. _Therefore pride compasseth them about_ Discovers itself on every side, in their countenances, speech, behaviour. _Their eyes stand out with fatness_ They live in great plenty and prosperity. _They are corrupt_ Dissolute and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore his people return hither_ “It seems impossible to ascertain,” says Dr. Horne, “with any degree of precision, the meaning of this verse, or to whom it relates. Some think it intends those people who resort to the company of the wicked, because they find their temporal advantage by it; whil... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they say_ Namely, the ungodly, described in the preceding verses, (verse the 10th coming in by way of parenthesis,) or the people confederate with them, or that fall back to them. For these and such like opinions and speeches are often ascribed to the carnal and wicked in Scripture, but never t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world_ This is their condition and behaviour in it. “The temptation is now stated in its full force. As if he had said, These worthless, ungodly, blasphemous wretches, whose characters I have been delineating, these are the men who prosper in the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain_, &c. Hence I have been tempted to think, that religion is a vain and unprofitable thing; that “all my faith, my charity, and my devotion; all my watching and fastings, in short, all the labour and pains I have taken in the way of goodness, have been altogeth... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I say, I will speak thus_ I will give sentence for the ungodly in this manner. _I should offend against the generation of thy children _ By grieving, discouraging, and condemning them, and by tempting them to revolt from thee and thy service. By the _generation of God's children_ must be underst... [ Continue Reading ]
_When I thought to know this_ To find out the reason and meaning of this mysterious course of Divine Providence, _it was too painful for me_ I found it too hard a task to attain satisfaction, as to these points, by my own meditations and reasonings. Indeed, it is a problem not to be solved by the me... [ Continue Reading ]
_Until I went into the sanctuary of God_ Till I consulted with the oracle, or word of God. He alludes to the practice of those times, which was in dark and difficult cases to resort to God's sanctuary, and the oracle in it, for satisfaction. _Then understood I their end_ There I learned that their p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou didst set them in slippery places_ Their happiness hath no firm foundation; it is very unstable, like a man's standing on very slippery ground. _Thou castedst them down into destruction_ The same hand which raised them will soon cast them down into utter ruin. “Worldly prosperity,” says Dr. Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_They are brought to desolation as in a moment_ Their fall is wonderful, both for its greatness, and for its suddenness. _They are utterly consumed with terrors_ With the horrors of their own minds; or rather, with God's judgments unexpectedly seizing upon them. _As a dream when one awaketh_ Their h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thus my heart was grieved_ I was disturbed, so as I have expressed, with envy and indignation at the prosperity of the wicked. Hebrew, יתחמצ לבבי, _jithchamets lebabi, my heart was in a ferment_, or, had _wrought itself up into a ferment_, namely, with unbelieving thoughts, and reasonings on the ab... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nevertheless_ Notwithstanding all my temptations, and my gross folly in yielding to them; _I am continually with thee_ In thy favour and under thy care. Although I gave thee just cause to cast me off, yet thou didst continue thy gracious presence with me, and kindness to me. _Thou hast holden me by... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shall guide me_, &c. As thou hast kept me hitherto, in all my trials, so I am persuaded thou wilt lead me still into, and in, the right way, and keep me from straying from thee, or falling into evil or mischief; _with thy counsel_ By thy gracious providence, executing thy purpose of mercy to m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whom have I in heaven but thee?_ To seek to, or trust in, to court or covet an acquaintance with? God is in himself more glorious than any other being, and must be in our eyes infinitely more desirable. He, and he alone, is the felicity and chief good of man. He, and none but he, who made the soul,... [ Continue Reading ]
_My flesh and my heart faileth_ I find, by sad experience, my own weakness and inability to encounter such temptations, and bear, with becoming patience and resignation, such troubles, as I frequently meet with; yea, I find myself a frail, dying creature, that shall shortly return to the dust. Both... [ Continue Reading ]
_For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish_ That is, they that forsake thee and thy ways, preferring the prosperity of this present evil world to thy love, and favour, and service; they who estrange themselves from an acquaintance with thee, and a conformity to thee; who are alienated from th... [ Continue Reading ]
_But it is good for me to draw near to God_ But whatsoever they do, I am abundantly satisfied that it is, as my duty, so my interest and happiness, to cleave unto thee by faith, love, and obedience, and diligent attendance upon all thy ordinances. _I have put my trust in the Lord God_ I depend on hi... [ Continue Reading ]