_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 ]