God seems to be ignorant of what is taking place, or indifferent to
it. The Psalmist, however, does not really believe this, or he would
not appeal to God at all.
2B. RM 'They (the poor) are taken in the devices that they (the
wicked) have imagined.'... [ Continue Reading ]
This Ps. has no title. Its relationship to Psalms 9 has been discussed
in intro. to that Ps. It reflects a time of great social disorder, in
which wickedness and violence are rampant, and the righteous are
sorely oppressed. It falls roughly into two parts. The wrongs which
call for redress are descr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BLESSETH THE COVETOUS, etc.] RV 'And the covetous renounceth, yea,
contemneth the Lord.'... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL NOT SEEK, etc.] RV '_saith_, He (God) will not require _it_': see
Psalms 10:13. GOD _is_ NOT, etc.] RV 'all his thoughts are, There is
no God.'... [ Continue Reading ]
ALWAYS GRIEVOUS] RV 'firm at all times.' He seems to prosper in all
his plans. PUFFETH] in scorn and contempt.... [ Continue Reading ]
FRAUD] RV 'oppression.' VANITY] RV 'iniquity.' Part of this v. is
quoted in Romans 3:14 as a description of human depravity in general.... [ Continue Reading ]
The brigand life here described has never been uncommon in Eastern
lands, and the picture given is by no mearis metaphorical: see
Proverbs 1:10. POOR] RV 'helpless,' RM 'hapless,' a word found only
here and in Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 1:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
RM 'And being crushed he (the poor) boweth down, and the helpless fall
by his strong ones' (by the wicked man's followers).... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Psalms 10:1; Psalms 10:4. The blindness of God, which the Psalmist
knows is only apparent, is what the wicked man really believes in.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST SEEN _it_] A direct contradiction of the wicked man's
thought in Psalms 10:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
BREAK.. THE ARM] destroy the power.... [ Continue Reading ]
The faith of the Psalmist here asserts itself. THE HEATHEN] RV 'the
nations.' The past extermination of the Canaanites, or some repulse of
foreign invaders, is regarded as a pledge that God will remove the
present troublers of society.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAN OF THE EARTH] RV 'the man which is of the earth.' The word is
again 'frail man.' Foreign enemies and evil-doers at home must alike
be made to feel their impotence against God.... [ Continue Reading ]