Psalms · Chapter 10

Verse 1. Why standest thou afar off, O Lord?] This Psalm makes a part of the preceding in the Vulgate and Septuagint; and in four of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS. It seems to belong to the time of the captivity, or the return of the captives. It was probably made in reference to Sanballat, and the other enemies or the Jews. There is a great similarity between this and Psalms 13., 14., 35., and 53. In these, as Calmet remarks, we find the same complaints, the same sentiments, and almost the same expressions.

God is represented here as standing at some distance, beholding the oppression of his people, and yet apparently disregarding it.

Verse 1. Why standest thou afar off — As one unconcerned in the indignities offered to thy name, and the injuries done to thy people? Why hidest thou thyself — Withdrawest thy presence and aid, and the light of thy countenance which was wont to shine upon us? Why art thou as a person concealing himself, so as not to be found of those who would petition for aid or counsel? In times of trouble? — When we most need thy pity and succour. Do not add affliction to the afflicted. God’s withdrawing his presence and favour from his people is very grievous to them at any time, but particularly in times of trouble. For when outward blessings are afar off, and, as it were, hidden from them, then especially do they want the inward support and comfort which his gracious presence affords. But that we have not this, is generally our own fault. We stand afar off from God by unbelief and love of the world, and then complain, that God stands afar off from us, and does not favour us with manifestations of his love and mercy.

Verse 1. Why standest thou afar off, oh Lord? This is the prayer of David against some very wicked and neighbouring prince, who through pride and thirst for gold, was lurking like a lion, and murdering the poor. In religion he was an atheist: he said in his heart, I shall not be moved. God hath forgotten, he hideth his face; he will never call me to account for the effusion of blood. Therefore, through the pride of his countenance, he will not seek after God. In war, he was a coward, he crouched in secret places, that the poor might fall by his strong ones, the captains of his bands. In public, as in private life, he was a prince without faith, full of fraud and deceit. If any one complained of injustice, he was requited with cursing and blasphemy. What could David do but cry for help against those restless Cains that murder the earth. “Arise, oh Lord, that the man of the earth may no more oppress” the peaceful poor.

But it is not one wicked and restless tyrant only, of whom David complains; it is thousands of rich and infidel characters, who launch the reins to passion, and scorn the restraints of equity, the bonds of marriage, and the duties they owe to God. Through the pride of their countenance they despise confession, and fill up their measure, till God in anger sends them strong delusion, or the efficacy of error, that they may be damned.

1. Why—Not a demand for the reason of delay, but a plaintive appeal for help. Afar off… hidest… thyself—Not literally, but in appearance— seemest to hide thyself.

Verse 2. The wicked in his pride] On no principle of nature or reason can we account for a wicked man persecuting a humble follower of God because of his religion. The devil hates godliness; and the wicked man hates it also, because the devil is in his heart.

Verse 2. The wicked in his pride — The pride of his heart which makes him forget God, despise the poor, and oppress others: Hebrew, twagb, begaa-vath, in his exaltation; doth persecute the poor — With great earnestness and burning fury, as the verb qld, dalak, here used, signifies: as if he had said, The use which he makes of that power and authority to which thou hast advanced him is to persecute those whom he ought to protect and cherish.

2. Wicked—The man who breaks law and departs from right with knowledge and of set purpose. The term is used five times in the psalm. It is not an ideal picture, but a living description of an actual state of society under the misrule and outrages of the worst conceivable men. Poor—This is the oppressed class,—the opposite of the “wicked.” The title includes the ideas both of humble and afflicted; and under different original words is given seven times. Called, also, the “innocent,” “fatherless,” “oppressed.” Verses 8, 14, 17.

V. 3. Boasteth-He glorieth in his very sins which are his shame, and especially in the satisfaction of his desires.

Verse 3. Boasteth of his heart’s desire] Boasts among his fellows how often he has gratified such and such passions, in such and such circumstances. This shows the excess of a depraved and imbruted spirit. He who can boast of his iniquity, is in the broad road to perdition. Should such a one repent and turn to God, it would be equal to any miracle. Blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.] Or, he blesseth the covetous, he abhorreth the Lord. Those who are like himself he commends, and with them he associates; and they abhor the Lord-they have a mortal hatred against every thing that is holy; and they are under the full influence of that carnal mind which is enmity to the Lord.

Verse 3. The wicked boasteth himself of — Hebrew, llh, hillel, glorieth, or, praiseth himself, upon, concerning, or, because of his heart’s desire — twat wvpn, naphsho taavath, the concupiscence, or, lust of his soul, which latter word is added to denote the vehemence and fervency of his desire. He glorieth in his very sins, which are his shame, and especially in the satisfaction of his desire, how wickedly soever he obtains it. And blesseth the covetous — As he applaudeth himself, so he commends others that eagerly pursue and get abundance of gain, though it be by fraud and violence, accounting such the only happy men; whom the Lord abhorreth — So his judgment, as well as practice, is contrary to God. But the latter part of this verse is differently rendered in some other versions, namely, The covetous blesseth himself in those things which the Lord abhorreth, namely, in his unjustly gotten riches. See also the margin.

3. Blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth—Literally, he blesseth the covetous, and blasphemeth Jehovah. This preserves the antithesis. “Covetous,” here, is not only the man of evil desire, but the man that robs and commits violence to gratify it.

V. 4. Countenance-So called, because though pride be properly seated in the heart, yet it is manifest in the countenance.

Verse 4. Will not seek after God] He is too proud to bend his knee before his Judge; he is too haughty to put on sackcloth, and lay himself in the dust, though without deep repentance and humiliation he must without doubt perish everlastingly.

Verse 4. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance — By which he scorns to stoop to God, or to own any superior, but makes himself his last end, and his own will and lust his only rule; and is full of self-confidence and a conceit of his own self-sufficiency and permanent felicity. He says the pride of his countenance, because, though pride be properly seated in the heart, yet it is manifested in the countenance; will not seek after God — Will not seek and inquire into the mind and will of God, that he may order his life according thereto, so as to please God; nor will he seek to him by prayer for his favour and blessing. The words, after God, however, are not in the Hebrew, and may be omitted, and then the sense will be, He will not search, or consider, namely, his actions; will not trouble himself to inquire whether they be just or unjust, pleasing or offensive to God; but, without any care or consideration, rushes into sin, and does whatever seems right in his own eyes. God is not in all his thoughts — He hath no serious thought of, nor regard to, God, or his word, which ought to govern him, nor his threats or judgments, which should keep him in awe. Or, as the Hebrew may be rendered, All his thoughts are, There is no God, namely, no such God as minds the affairs of the world and the actions of men, or that punishes sinners. “The psalmist hath here given us the true character of an ungodly man. By a long disuse of devotion, and open neglect of divine worship, he gradually forgets every duty he owes his Maker; and when he has for some time habituated himself to live without God in the world, he then begins to doubt his very existence; he then begins to forget that in him we live, and move, and have our being.” See Dodd and Delaney.

4. Will not seek—He takes no pains to inquire if there be a God, or a moral government which holds men accountable. Thoughts—Devices, schemes. In all his plans he makes no account or recognition of God.

V. 5. Judgments-Thy threatenings denounced against, and punishments inflicted upon sinners. Are far-He doth not regard or fear them: yea he despises them, being confident that he can blow them away with a breath. This is a gesture of contempt or disdain, both in scripture, and other authors.

Verse 5. His ways are always grievous] Or, He is travailing in pain to bring forth iniquity at all times. He is full of lust, or irregular and unholy desires; he conceives and brings forth sin; and sin being finished, time, place, and opportunity concurring, death is soon brought forth. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight] He is so blinded with sin, that he cannot see the operations of God’s hand.

He puffeth at them.] He whistles at them; insults God, and despises men. He overthrows them with his breath; he has only to give orders, and they are destroyed. “Bring me the head of Giaffer,” said an Asiatic despot. The head was immediately brought! No trial, no judge, no jury; but the despot’s will and caprice.

Verse 5. His ways are always grievous — The whole course of his conduct is vexatious to all that are within his reach, but especially to the poor, who cannot defend themselves, and to just and good men, whom he hates and persecutes. Thy judgments — Either thy laws, which are often called judgments, or rather, thy threatenings denounced against, and punishments inflicted upon, sinners; are far above out of his sight — He neither discerns, nor regards, nor fears, nor thinks of them, but goes on securely and resolutely in his wicked courses. In other words, though all his actions tend to molest and injure his neighbours, and he is always bringing forth some mischief or other, yet that thou wilt judge him for it, is the furthest thing from his thoughts. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them — He doth not regard or fear them; yea, he despises them, being confident that he can blow them away with a breath. This is an expression of contempt and disdain, both in Scripture and other authors.

5. Grievous—Rather, firm, sure, prosperous, as the true etymology would give it. See Hebrew of Job 20:21. This also agrees with what follows. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight—Divine judgments are delayed. God suffers the plans of “the wicked,” for a time, to succeed, and as retribution is beyond the reach of his sensible vision, he seems to himself to be prosperous and safe. His enemies, he puffeth at them—An expression of scorn. He treats all opposition with contempt and derision.

Verse 6. I shall not be moved] I have whatever I covet. I hold whatsoever I have gotten. I have money and goods to procure me every gratification.

Verse 6. He hath said in his heart — He thinks and persuades himself; I shall not be moved — From my place and happy state: I shall never be in adversity — Because I am not in adversity, I never shall be in it. His present prosperity makes him secure for the future. Compare Revelation 18:7. “Prosperity,” says Dr. Horne, “begets presumption, and he who has been long accustomed to see his designs succeed, begins to think it impossible they should ever do otherwise. The long-suffering of God, instead of leading such a one to repentance, only hardens him in his iniquity.”

6. Never be in adversity—To generation and generation I shall not be in evil: not be troubled.

V. 7. Tongue-Under his fair and plausible speeches, mischief is hid and covered. Vanity-Or, injury, the vexation or oppression of other men.

Verse 7. His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud] What a finished character! A blasphemer, a deceitful man, and a knave!

Verse 7. His mouth is full of cursing — Of oaths and blasphemies against God; of reviling and execration of other men, especially of those that are good, and those that stand in his way, and hinder his wicked designs; and, perhaps, also of oaths and imprecations against himself, by which he endeavours to gain credit, and to make his neighbours secure, and so to make way for the deceit and fraud here next mentioned. He sticks at nothing that may serve his ends: for he makes no conscience of calling for one curse after another upon himself to confirm those promises which he never intends to keep, or to swear that which he knows is false, that by these impious means he may deceive those who rely on his word or oath. Under his tongue — Under his fair and plausible speeches; is mischief — Mischievous wickedness lies hid, and vanity, or iniquity, as the word ˆwa, aven, is often rendered, or injury; the vexation or oppression of other men, which he covers with these fair pretences.

7. Cursing… deceit… fraud—The word “cursing” may be rendered false swearing, as in Hosea 10:4; connected with lying, (Hosea 4:2, Psalm 59:12,) or execration, invoking a curse upon others; or it may mean an oath with a curse or imprecation added to sanction the statement, as in Numbers 5:21, 22. The first seems to be the true sense. “Deceit,” Hebrew, deceits; the plural for intensity. This applies to the external false show and promise of his words. “Fraud;” the internal guile, the falsity of his intentions. Under his tongue—Words under the tongue are words concealed, as yet unspoken, but ready for an occasion. Some suppose an allusion is here made to the poison sac of the serpent, which lies at the root of the fang tooth. See Job 20:12, 13. Mischief and vanity—Literally, labour and iniquity, as if he were in restless toil of secreting and fashioning wicked and deceitful words.

V. 8. Sitteth-Not within the villages, but in the ways bordering upon them, or leading to them, as robbers use to do. Are set-Heb. Are hid. He watches and looks out of his lurking-place. He alludes still to the practices of robbers.

Verse 8. He sitteth in the lurking places] In this and the following verse there appears to be an allusion to espionage, or setting of spies on a man’s conduct; or to the conduct of an assassin or private murderer. He sitteth in lurking places-in secret places; his eyes-spies-are privily set; he lieth in wait secretly: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He is like a hunter that lays his traps and gins, digs his pits, sets his nets; and when the prey falls into them, he destroys its life.

Verses 8, 9. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages — Not within the villages, but in the ways bordering upon them, or leading to them, as robbers used to do. In the secret places — That he may avoid the shame and punishment of men; which is the only thing that he fears. His eyes are privily set — Hebrew, wnpxy, jitzponu, delitescunt, lie hid; skulk, or lurk. He watches, and looks out of his lurking place, to spy what passengers come that way. The allusion is still to the practice of robbers. As a lion in his den — Which lurks and waits for prey. He doth catch — ãtjy, jachtop, snatch, or seize upon; the poor — Namely, with violence, and to devour or destroy him; when he draweth him — Or rather, by drawing him, or, after he hath drawn him, as wkvmb, bemashecho, properly signifies, into his net. He lays snares for him, and when he takes him he tears him in pieces.

8. In… lurking places—In ambush. Villages—Unwalled towns; hence more exposed to depredations. Privily set—The word may mean to hide, or to intently watch, like a scout or a spy.

Verses 8, 9. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages — Not within the villages, but in the ways bordering upon them, or leading to them, as robbers used to do. In the secret places — That he may avoid the shame and punishment of men; which is the only thing that he fears. His eyes are privily set — Hebrew, wnpxy, jitzponu, delitescunt, lie hid; skulk, or lurk. He watches, and looks out of his lurking place, to spy what passengers come that way. The allusion is still to the practice of robbers. As a lion in his den — Which lurks and waits for prey. He doth catch — ãtjy, jachtop, snatch, or seize upon; the poor — Namely, with violence, and to devour or destroy him; when he draweth him — Or rather, by drawing him, or, after he hath drawn him, as wkvmb, bemashecho, properly signifies, into his net. He lays snares for him, and when he takes him he tears him in pieces.

9. Secretly as a lion—The figure is now borrowed from the habits of beasts of prey, the most perfect for secrecy, wariness, deceit, and cruelty. In his den—Rather, in his covert, or covered place, where he watches for prey. Draweth him into his net—The figure changes to the method of the hunter in catching wild animals.

V. 10. Croucheth-Like a lion (for he continues the same metaphor) which lies close upon the ground, partly that he may not be discovered, and partly that he may more suddenly and surely lay hold on his prey.

Verse 10. He croucheth] Of the scoffing, mocking, insulting, and insidious conduct of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, the fourth and sixth chapters of Nehemiah give abundant proof; and possibly the allusion is to them. The lion squats down and gathers himself together, that he may make the greater spring.

Verse 10. He croucheth and humbleth himself — Like a lion (for he continues the same metaphor) which lies close upon the ground, partly that he may not be discovered, and partly that he may more suddenly and surely lay hold on his prey. “When the lion means to leap,” says the Jewish Arabic translator, “he first coucheth that he may gather himself together; then he rouseth himself, and puts out his strength, that he may tear his prey: therefore when he speaketh thee fair, beware of him: for this is but his deceit.” That the poor may fall — Or, taking the verb lpn, naphal, actively, (as Joshua 11:7; Job 1:15,) that he may fall upon the poor; that, having first couched and lain down, and then of a sudden rising, he may leap and fall upon his prey, like a lion. By his strong ones — His strong members, his teeth or paws.

10. Croucheth—The figure now changes back to the habits of the beast of prey. The lion never runs upon his prey, but always first crouches flat, and then springs upon his victim. Strong ones—His terrible jaws, teeth, and prehensile armament; or the plural may be used for the abstract, strength.

Verse 11. God hath forgotten] He hath cast off this people, and he will never more re-establish them. So Sanballat thought.

Verse 11. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten — Namely, the poor, (verse 10,) or, the humble. He forgets or neglects their oppressions and prayers, and doth not avenge their cause, as he hath said he would do. He hideth his face — Lest he should see. He takes no notice of their sufferings, lest he should be engaged to help them. He will not encumber himself with the care of things done upon the earth, but leaves it wholly to men to manage their affairs as they think fit. He will never see it — Namely, the oppression of the poor, or the design of oppressors against them.

11. God hath forgotten—This is the common error of the wicked. Because judgment is delayed they are emboldened to say, “God hideth his face,” does not see it, takes no legal notice of crime. See verse 13; Psalm 73:11; Ezekiel 8:12.

Verse 12. Arise, O Lord] Hear their reproaches see their guile, consider thy oppressed people. “Lift up thine hand,” threaten them, that they may desist and repent. If they repent not let them be punished.

Verses 12, 13. Lift up thy hand — To rescue the poor, and to smite their oppressors; forget not the humble — Show, by thy appearing for their vindication, that thou dost remember and regard them. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? — Why dost thou, by giving them impunity, suffer and occasion them to despise thee?

12. Arise, O Lord—Against the blasphemous unbelief and wickedness already described, the psalmist calls upon Jehovah, the Almighty, to show his power and justice in defence of his own law and covenant promise. Lift up thy hand—An allusion, probably, to the custom of oriental masters in giving their orders to servants by the motion of the hand. Thus Baron de Tott: “The muzar aga, (or high priest,) coming into the hall, and approaching the pasha, whispered something in his ear, and we observed that all the answer he received from him was a slight horizontal motion with his hand, after which the vizier, instantly resuming an agreeable smile, continued the conversation. We then left the hall of audience and came to the foot of the great staircase, where we remounted our horses. Here nine heads, cut off and placed in a row on the outside of the first gate, completely explained the sign which the vizier had made use of in our presence.” See note on Psalm 123:2.

V. 13. Contemn-Why dost thou by giving them impunity, suffer and occasion them to despise thee?

Verse 13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?] How is it that the Lord permits such persons to triumph in their iniquity? The longsuffering of God leadeth them to repentance.

Verses 12, 13. Lift up thy hand — To rescue the poor, and to smite their oppressors; forget not the humble — Show, by thy appearing for their vindication, that thou dost remember and regard them. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? — Why dost thou, by giving them impunity, suffer and occasion them to despise thee?

13. Thou wilt not require it—Thou wilt not search it out, to make men legally answerable for their conduct. On this assumption the hope of the wicked is founded.

V. 14. Requite-Heb. to give (to restore or pay the mischief which they have done to others) with thy hand, by thy own extraordinary providence, because the oppressed were destitute of all other succours. Fatherless-Of such as have no friend or helper, one kind of them being put for all.

Verse 14. Thou hast seen it] Nothing can escape thy notice. Thou hast not forgotten thy justice, though judgment is not speedily executed on an evil work. But thou wilt requite it with thy hand. By thy power thou wilt cast down and destroy the wicked.

The poor committeth himself unto thee] To thee he has given up his body, his soul, and his cause; with the full conviction that thou who art the helper of fatherless, will not forget him.

Verse 14. Thou hast seen it — Or, But thou hast seen it, and therefore they are horribly mistaken, as they will find to their cost; for thou beholdest — And not as an idle spectator, but with an eye of observation and vindication; mischief and spite — All the malicious, spiteful, and injurious conduct of wicked men toward those who are more righteous than they; to requite it with thy hand — Hebrew, to give (to restore, to repay to them the mischief they have done to others) by the hand of thy extraordinary providence, because the oppressed were destitute of all other succours. The poor committeth himself unto thee — Hebrew, Ëyl[ bz[y, jagnazob gnalecka, leaveth to thee the care of his person and righteous cause. Thou art the helper of the fatherless — Of such poor and oppressed ones as have no friend nor helper; one kind of them being put for all. “We may collect from hence,” says Dodd, “that there were two kinds of infidels at the time this Psalm was written; one of whom made God a sort of epicurean deity, and supposed him not to concern himself with the moral government of the world; the other altogether denied his being,” verse 4.

14. Thou hast seen it—The psalmist repels their blasphemy. God does behold human actions with legal cognizance. To requite it—The word rendered “requite” signifies to give, but the connexion determines what this giving is, namely, according to desert, judicial retribution. The poor committeth himself unto thee—Literally, the poor will abandon himself to thee. He seeks, he accepts, no other refuge. Here is the faith that meets, and rebukes, and conquers fundamental scepticism. Fatherless—Such as have no earthly protector.

V. 15. Seek-Search for it, and punish these wicked atheists. ‘Till-No such wickedness be left in the world, or at least in the church.

Verse 15. Break thou the arm] Destroy his power, deprive him of his influence, that he may be no longer able to oppress.

Seek out his wickedness till thou find none.] All his public haunts and private ways shall be investigated; thou wilt bring all his villanies to light, and continue to inflict punishment, while there is a crime to punish. Or, “Continue to judge and punish transgressors, till not one is to be found.” This agrees with the following verse.

Verse 15. Break thou the arm of the wicked — That is, their strength, the instrument of their violence and cruelty. Deprive them of all power to do mischief. Seek out his wickedness — Search for it, and punish these wicked atheists; till thou find none — Till no such wickedness be left in the world, or at least, in the church. “This,” says Dr. Horne, “may be either a prayer or a prediction, implying that the time will come when the power of Jehovah will dash in pieces that of the enemy, by the demolition either of sin or the sinner, until wickedness be come utterly to an end, and righteousness be established for ever in the kingdom of Messiah.”

15. Seek out—Thou wilt seek out. This stands opposed to the doctrine of the wicked in verse 13, where, using the same word, they say: “God will not require, or seek out,” the sin, to punish it.

V. 16. Is king-To whom it belongs to protect his subjects. Therefore his peoples case is never desperate, seeing he ever lives to help them. The heathen-The Canaanites; whom God, as king of the world, expelled, and gave their land to his people. By which great example he confirms his faith and hope for the future. His land-Out of Canaan, which God calls his land, because he gave it to them, and fixed his presence and dwelling in it.

Verse 16. The Lord is king for ever] He has, and ever will have, the supreme power.

The heathen are perished out of his land.] They are all either cut off or converted. This may refer to the Canaanites. What a mercy that we can say this of our own country! Once it was entirely heathen; now not one heathen family in the whole land.

Verse 16. The Lord is king — To whom it belongs to protect his subjects. Therefore thou wilt save the humble, and punish the oppressors; for ever and ever — Therefore his people’s case is never desperate, seeing he ever lives and reigns to help them, and, therefore, he will help them in his time, sooner or later. The heathen — Either, 1st, Those impious Israelites who oppressed David and other good men, whom, although they were reputed Israelites by themselves and others, yet he might call heathen for their heathenish opinions of God and his providence, and for their ungodly and unrighteous lives. Compare Isaiah 1:9, and Amos 9:7. Or, 2d, The Canaanites whom God, as king of the world, did expel or destroy, and gave their land to his people. By which great example David confirms his faith and hope for the future. Are perished out of his land — Out of Canaan, which God calls his land, Leviticus 25:23, because he chose it for them, Ezekiel 20:6, and gave it to them, and fixed his presence and dwelling in it.

16. The Lord is King—Strong faith in the government of God triumphs. It breaks through the darkness like the sun through the rifted cloud. The heathen—The goyim, gentile nations, clearly designating who these wicked oppressors are. See Psalm 9:5, 15, 19.

V. 17. Prepare-By thy grace and good spirit, that they may so pray as thou wilt hear.

Verse 17. Lord, thou hast heard] Thou hast not permitted thy tempted and afflicted followers to pray in vain.

Thou wilt prepare their heart] See the economy of the grace of God: 1. God prepares the heart; 2. Suggests the prayer; 3. Hears what is prayed;

4. Answers the petition. He who has got a cry in his heart after God, may rest assured that that cry proceeded from a Divine preparation, and that an answer will soon arrive. No man ever had a cry in his heart after salvation, but from God. He who continues to cry shall infallibly be heard.

Verses 17, 18. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble — And, therefore, wilt still hear it, being unchangeable, and the same for ever. Thou wilt prepare their heart — By kindling therein holy desires by thy Holy Spirit, strengthening their faith, collecting their thoughts, and raising their affections to things above, that they may so pray as that thou wilt hear: or, that they may be made fit to receive the mercies they desire, which, when they are, they shall have their prayers answered. Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear — In due time, though, for a season, thou seemest to turn a deaf ear to their requests. To judge the fatherless, &c. — That is, to defend them, and give sentence for them against their enemies. That the man of the earth — Earthly and mortal men, who, though great and powerful, are of no better origin than those whom they oppress, but are made of the dust, and must return to it; may no more oppress — Which they have wickedly done, and thereby have presumed, most audaciously, to contend with thee their Maker and Judge. Therefore it is time for thee to suppress such insolence, and to show how unable they are to stand before thee.

V. 18. To judge-To give sentence for them, and against their enemies. The man-Earthly and mortal men, who yet presume to contend with thee their maker.

Verse 18. That the man of the earth may no more oppress.] I believe the Hebrew will be better translated thus: “That he may not add any more to drive away the wretched man from the land.” Destroy the influence of the tyrant; and let him not have it again in his power to add even one additional act of oppression to those which he has already committed. How many for the sake of their religion, and because they would serve God with a pure conscience, have, by wicked lords, proud and arrogant land owners, been driven off their farms, turned out of their houses, deprived of their employments, and exposed to wretchedness! While they served the devil, and were regardless of their souls, they had quiet and peaceable possession; but when they turned to the Lord, and became sober and industrious, attended the means of grace, read their Bible, and were frequent in prayer, then the vile man of the earth drove them from their dwellings! In the sight of such Philistines, piety towards God is the highest of crimes. What a dreadful account must these give to the Judge of the fatherless and the oppressed!

Verses 17, 18. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble — And, therefore, wilt still hear it, being unchangeable, and the same for ever. Thou wilt prepare their heart — By kindling therein holy desires by thy Holy Spirit, strengthening their faith, collecting their thoughts, and raising their affections to things above, that they may so pray as that thou wilt hear: or, that they may be made fit to receive the mercies they desire, which, when they are, they shall have their prayers answered. Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear — In due time, though, for a season, thou seemest to turn a deaf ear to their requests. To judge the fatherless, &c. — That is, to defend them, and give sentence for them against their enemies. That the man of the earth — Earthly and mortal men, who, though great and powerful, are of no better origin than those whom they oppress, but are made of the dust, and must return to it; may no more oppress — Which they have wickedly done, and thereby have presumed, most audaciously, to contend with thee their Maker and Judge. Therefore it is time for thee to suppress such insolence, and to show how unable they are to stand before thee.

18. Man of the earth—Man, (vwna), enosh,) frail man, as in Psalm 9:19, 20, is not here designated as simply made of earth, but as having his abode here, and choosing this world as his portion. See note on Psalm 17:14. Oppress—The word commonly means to affright, terrify, and the sentence may read: “That frail man of the earth shall not continue to terrify.” This is in harmony with the wish expressed Psalm 9:19, 20. Let not man continue to be a terror to his fellow man, but let God appear for judgment, and let all fear him.