Psalms · Chapter 73

V. 1. A clean heart-To all true Israelites, who love God, and serve him in spirit and truth.

Verse 1. Truly God is good to Israel] Captives as they were, they still had many blessings from God; and they had promises of deliverance, which must be fulfilled in due time.

Such as are of a clean heart.] Those who have a clean heart must have inward happiness: and, because they resemble God, they can never be forsaken by him.

Verse 1. 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 the sun from under a cloud, and overcame and silenced his scruples, in consequence of which he lays down this conclusion. God is good to Israel — Though he may sometimes seem negligent of, and harsh and severe toward, his people; yet, if all things be considered, it is most certain, and hereafter will be made manifest, that he is really and superlatively good, that is, most kind and bountiful, and a true friend to them, and that they are most happy in possessing his favour, and have no reason to envy sinners their present and seeming felicity. Even to such as are of a clean heart — To all true Israelites, who love God with their whole hearts, and serve him in spirit, in truth, and uprightness: see John 4:23; Romans 2:28, 29. So this clause limits the former, and takes off a great part of the force of the objection, indeed the whole of that which was drawn from the calamities which befell the hypocritical and half-hearted Israelites, who were vastly the greater number of that people.

1. Truly God is good to Israel—The psalmist has now passed through his temptation, and, being reassured, can “set to his seal [set his seal to it] that God is true.” John 3:33. The “truly,” certainly, here, is his amen or verily to the divine dealings, which now he perceives are “good,” not only in the sense of benevolence, but of moral fitness. This had been the point of his wavering. “Good to Israel,” here, indicates that he is not speaking on his own behalf merely, as reciting only a personal experience, but as the spokesman of the nation. It was God’s dealing with the nation that had stumbled him, which now he acknowledges “good.” The Hebrew word here rendered “good” is a broad term, and signifies the quality of perfect moral excellence. A clean heart—The pure of heart. Such was Israel by profession, and the really pure should receive the promise.

V. 2. My feet-My faith in God’s providence, was almost overthrown.

Verse 2. My feet were almost gone] I had nearly given up my confidence. I was ready to find fault with the dispensations of providence; and thought the Judge of all the earth did not do right.

Verses 2, 3. 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 overthrown by the force of temptation; and I was almost ready to repent of my piety, verse 13, and to follow the example of ungodly men. My steps had well nigh slipped — Hebrew, wkpv, shuppechu, were almost poured forth, namely, like water upon the ground, which is unstable, and runs hither and thither with great disorder and uncertainty, till it be irrecoverably lost. So was I almost transported by my unruly fancies and passions into unworthy thoughts of God, and a sinful course of life. For I was envious at the foolish — I was vexed and murmured to see the wicked, notwithstanding their guilt and desert of punishment, in a very flourishing condition, and I thought it very hard that pious men should not equal, if not exceed, them in such happiness; especially when I saw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continued in their prosperity. With great propriety are the wicked, and those that live as if there were no God, called the foolish; for nothing can show greater folly.

2. But as for me—The psalmist at once turns aside to trace the causes and extent of his doubts as to the goodness and equality of God’s ways. Literally, And I—my feet almost turned aside, or swerved. The almost, here, shows that the temptation had taken hold of him; he had halted and wavered, and but little was wanting to complete the triumph of evil. The next line carries forward the figure. My steps had well nigh slipped—The word translated “well nigh” literally means, nothing was wanting. Everything was complete to give practical effect to the temptation. Had he remained in that state he would have fallen; but he went into “the sanctuary of God,” verse 17. This saved him. Slipped—Literally slipped out, or poured out, like water, and so he had been “well nigh” lost.

Verse 3. I was envious at the foolish] I saw persons who worshipped not the true God, and others who were abandoned to all vices, in possession of every temporal comfort, while the godly were in straits, difficulties, and affliction. I began then to doubt whether there was a wise providence; and my mind became irritated. It seems to have been a maxim among the ancient heathens, Qeou oneidov touv kakouv eudaimonein, “The prosperity of the wicked is a reproach to the gods.” But they had no just conception of a state of future rewards and punishments. Besides, man could not bear prosperity. If men had uninterrupted comforts here, perhaps not one soul would ever seek a preparation for heaven. Human trials and afflictions, the general warfare of human life, are the highest proof of a providence as benevolent as it is wise. Were the state of human affairs different from what it is, hell would be more thickly peopled; and there would be fewer inhabitants in glory. There is reason to doubt whether there would be any religion upon earth had we nothing but temporal prosperity. Indeed, all the following verses are proofs of it.

Verses 2, 3. 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 overthrown by the force of temptation; and I was almost ready to repent of my piety, verse 13, and to follow the example of ungodly men. My steps had well nigh slipped — Hebrew, wkpv, shuppechu, were almost poured forth, namely, like water upon the ground, which is unstable, and runs hither and thither with great disorder and uncertainty, till it be irrecoverably lost. So was I almost transported by my unruly fancies and passions into unworthy thoughts of God, and a sinful course of life. For I was envious at the foolish — I was vexed and murmured to see the wicked, notwithstanding their guilt and desert of punishment, in a very flourishing condition, and I thought it very hard that pious men should not equal, if not exceed, them in such happiness; especially when I saw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continued in their prosperity. With great propriety are the wicked, and those that live as if there were no God, called the foolish; for nothing can show greater folly.

3. Envious at the foolish—I saw their prosperity, and thought they were more favoured than I, and I was dissatisfied. See Psalm 37:1; Proverbs 23:17; Malachi 3:14, 15.

V. 4. No bands-They are not dragged to death, by the sentence of the magistrate, which they deserve.

Verse 4. No bands in their death] Many of the godly have sore conflicts at their death. Their enemy then thrusts sore at them that they may fall; or that their confidence in their God may be shaken. But of this the ungodly know nothing. Satan will not molest them; he is sure of his prey; they are entangled, and cannot now break their nets; their consciences are seared, they have no sense of guilt. If they think at all of another world, they presume on that mercy which they never sought, and of which they have no distinct notion. Perhaps, “they die without a sigh or a groan; and thus go off as quiet as a lamb”—to the slaughter.

Verse 4. 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 hang on, till, through old age, they gently drop off themselves. Hebrew, twbxrj ˆya, een chartzuboth, There are no pangs, anguish, or agonies, in their death; they are not afflicted with sore and painful diseases, nor brought to the grave by grievous torments of body or mind; but after a long life, in firm and vigorous health, they enjoy a sweet and quiet death, and depart easily out of the world: “while others of a contrary character are worn with chronical, or racked with acute disorders, which bring them with sorrow and torment to the grave.” — Horne. But their strength is firm — Hebrew, µlwa ayrb, baria ulam, their strength is fat, that is, sound and good; the best of any thing being called fat, in Scripture, as Genesis 41:2; Daniel 1:15. They continue strong and healthful all their days, till at last they expire quietly, as a lamp goes out when the oil is spent.

4. No bands in their death—The word “bands” means tortures, pains, “intended of pains that produce convulsive contractions.”—Delitzsch. Not “no pangs till their death,” which some have adopted in order to harmonize the verse with verses 18, 19, but, following the English version, consider that “the psalmist is describing here, not the fact, but what seemed to him to be the fact, in a state of mind which he [afterwards] confesses to have been unhealthy.”—Perowne. See Job 21:13. Their strength is firm— They enjoy life to the last.

V. 5. As other men-As good men frequently are.

Verses 5-9. 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 licentious, letting loose the reins to all manner of wickedness. And speak wickedly concerning oppression — Wickedly boasting of their oppressions; either of what they have done, or of what they intend to do in that way. They speak loftily — Arrogantly presuming upon their own strength, and despising both God and men. They set their mouth against the heavens — That is, against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants. Their tongue walketh through the earth — Using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.

5. Neither… plagued like other men—They seem to be exempt from the perplexities and diseases common to mortal men. The word rendered “plagued” signifies to smite, and is frequently used for any judgment of God, whether of disease or other calamity, as in 2 Chronicles 26:20; Isaiah 53:4; 2 Kings 15:5. They are not smitten with judgments “like other men.” So, in his gloom and doubt, the psalmist thought.

Verse 6. Pride compasseth them about as a chain] Perhaps there is an allusion here to the office which some of them bore. Chains of gold, and golden rings, were ensigns of magistracy and civil power. As these chains encompassed their necks, or the rings their wrists and fingers, as the signs of the offices in virtue of which they acted; so smj chamas, violence, oppressive conduct, encompassed them. They made no other use of their great power, than to oppress the poor and the needy; and to drive things to extremities. The Chaldee, instead of a chain, represents this as a crown or diadem, which they had formed out of the plunder of the poor and defenceless.

Verses 5-9. 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 licentious, letting loose the reins to all manner of wickedness. And speak wickedly concerning oppression — Wickedly boasting of their oppressions; either of what they have done, or of what they intend to do in that way. They speak loftily — Arrogantly presuming upon their own strength, and despising both God and men. They set their mouth against the heavens — That is, against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants. Their tongue walketh through the earth — Using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.

Verse 6. Pride compasseth them about as a chain. Hebrews qn[ Anak, a torque of gold around their neck, from which their robes hung suspended. See on Deuteronomy 1:28. The giants are thought to have received this name from their huge torques.

6. Pride compasseth them… as a chain—Pride has stretched out their neck, or, has necklaced them. The neck is here alluded to and regarded as the seat of expression to pride, by which it is carried loftily and with rich ornamentation. See Psalm 75:5; Isaiah 3:6; Proverbs 1:9; Song of Solomon 4:9. Thrupp, who considers this psalm to belong to the occasion of Sennacherib’s invasion, thinks he sees here an allusion to the ornamental necklaces of the Assyrians, as described in Bonomi’s “Nineveh.” So also of the luxurious attire, colouring of eyelids, etc., in the following verses. As a garment—A robe, covering the entire person. See Psalm 109:18.

Verse 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness] “Their countenance is changed because of fatness.”—Chaldee. By fatness, or corpulency, the natural lines of the face are changed, or rather obliterated. The characteristic distinctions are gone; and we see little remaining besides the human hog.

They have more than heart could wish.] I doubt this translation. Whose heart ever said, I have enough, which had not its portion with God? It would be more literal to say, “They surpass the thoughts of their heart.” They have more than they expected, though not more than they wish.

Verses 5-9. 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 licentious, letting loose the reins to all manner of wickedness. And speak wickedly concerning oppression — Wickedly boasting of their oppressions; either of what they have done, or of what they intend to do in that way. They speak loftily — Arrogantly presuming upon their own strength, and despising both God and men. They set their mouth against the heavens — That is, against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants. Their tongue walketh through the earth — Using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.

7. They have more than heart could wish—Literally, They have surpassed the images of the heart. What the imagination or the corrupt heart pictures forth as desirable, they have even exceeded. Marginal reading: “They pass the thoughts of the heart.”

V. 8. And speak-Boasting of their oppressions.

Verse 8. They are corrupt] wqymy yamiku, they mock, act dissolutely. And speak wickedly concerning oppression] They vindicate excessive acts of government: they push justice to its rigour. They neither show equity, lenity, nor mercy; they are cruel, and they vindicate their proceedings.

Verses 5-9. 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 licentious, letting loose the reins to all manner of wickedness. And speak wickedly concerning oppression — Wickedly boasting of their oppressions; either of what they have done, or of what they intend to do in that way. They speak loftily — Arrogantly presuming upon their own strength, and despising both God and men. They set their mouth against the heavens — That is, against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants. Their tongue walketh through the earth — Using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.

8. They are corrupt—They are mockers. They treat serious subjects lightly and with derision. They… speak wickedly concerning oppression—In reference to their plans of deceit and violence to rob the poor and exalt themselves, they scorn alike the restraints of law and the rights of men. They speak loftily—Literally, They speak from on high, haughtily. See on verse 6.

V. 9. Against-Against God, blaspheming his name, and deriding his providence. Walketh-Using all manner of liberty, reproaching all sorts of persons.

Verse 9. Set their mouth against the heavens] They blaspheme God, ridicule religion, mock at Providence, and laugh at a future state. Their tongue walketh through the earth.] They find fault with every thing; they traduce the memory of the just in heaven, and ridicule the saints that are upon earth. They criticize every dispensation of God.

Verses 5-9. 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 licentious, letting loose the reins to all manner of wickedness. And speak wickedly concerning oppression — Wickedly boasting of their oppressions; either of what they have done, or of what they intend to do in that way. They speak loftily — Arrogantly presuming upon their own strength, and despising both God and men. They set their mouth against the heavens — That is, against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants. Their tongue walketh through the earth — Using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.

9. Against the heavens—More properly, in the heavens. They have ascended to the abode of God. Their haughtiness (verse 8) has now assumed and usurped divine prerogative, (as Isaiah 14:13, 14,) and they speak as from the throne of God. Walketh through the earth—That is, walketh proudly, stalketh. As they have blasphemed God by placing their mouth in the heavens, so they stalk through the earth, speaking contemptuously against the innocent and holy.

V. 10. Turn-To this wicked company. Waters-And partake of the same prosperity with their leaders. God seems to give them a full cup of consolation, as if he would wring out all his blessings upon them.

Verse 10. Therefore his people return hither] There are very few verses in the Bible that have been more variously translated than this; and, like the man in the fable, they have blown the hot to cool it, and the cold to warm it. It has been translated, “Therefore God’s people fall off to them; and thence they reap no small advantage.” And, “Therefore let his people come before them; and waters in full measure would be wrung out from them.” That is, “Should God’s people come before them, they would squeeze them to the utmost; they would wring out all the juice in their bodies.” The Chaldee has, “Therefore, are they turned against the people of the Lord, that they may bruise and beat them with mallets; that they may pour out to them abundance of tears.” The Vulgate, “Therefore shall my people return here, and days of abundance shall be found by them.” The Septuagint is the same. The Æthiopic, Arabic, and Syriac, nearly the same. The Hebrew text is,

wml wxmy מלא ומי הלם wm[ ישוב לכנ lachen yashub ammo (ym[ ammi) halom; umey male yimmatsu lamo; “Therefore shall my people be converted, where they shall find abundance of waters.” That is, The people, seeing the iniquity of the Babylonians, and feeling their oppressive hand, shall be converted to me; and I shall bring them to their own land, where they shall find an abundance of all the necessaries of life. I believe this to be the meaning; and thus we find their afflictions were sanctified to them; for they obliged them to return to God, and then God caused them to return to their own land. The Vulgate translates alm ymw umey male, “abundance of waters,” by et dies pleni, “and days of plenty;” for it has read ymy yemey, days, for ymw umey, and waters. Almost all the Versions support this reading; but it is not acknowledged by any MS. The old Psalter is here mutilated.

Verse 10. 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; while others are of opinion that the people of God are meant, who, by continually revolving in their thoughts the subject here treated of, namely, the prosperity of the wicked, are sore grieved, and enforced to shed tears in abundance.” Certainly a variety of discordant interpretations have been given of the verse. But a literal translation, which the following is, seems, in some degree at least, to determine its meaning. Therefore — Hebrew, ˆkl, lachen, on this account, his people shall return thither, and waters of fullness shall be wrung out to them — As if he had said, Because of the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflicted state of the righteous, his people, that is, the people of God, will be under a strong temptation to return; and many will actually return to the company of the ungodly, which they had forsaken, in order to share their prosperity: but in consequence thereof, waters of a full cup shall be wrung out to them, they shall bring upon themselves many chastisements and troubles, and shall be oppressed with grief and sorrow for their sin and folly. Waters, in Scripture, frequently signify afflictions, although, it must be acknowledged, they also often signify mercies and comforts; but the former, and not the latter sense of the metaphor, seems to be intended here: for when did, or do, the people of God receive mercies and comforts, or blessings of any kind, by returning to the sins and follies which they had forsaken, or to the society of the ungodly, from which they had withdrawn themselves? Do they not uniformly meet with chastisement and trouble? The clause, “waters of a full cup,” &c., may probably refer to the cups of liquor, mingled with poison, which were, in those days, given to criminals. The verse, it must be observed, is in the future tense, and it seems most natural, as Mr. Scott has remarked, to interpret it as expressive of the psalmist’s apprehension, that the prosperity of daring sinners would eventually prove a strong temptation, and a great source of sorrow to believers.

Ver. 10. Therefore his people return hither. The sense of the Hebrew is obscure; but the text seems to say that the righteous, shocked at the speeches of the wicked, return the more to God, and obtain his plenitude of blessings. This idea coincides with the conduct of Asaph.

10. Therefore his people return hither—That is, “God still suffers or requires his people to survey the painful spectacle, and drain the bitter draught presented by the undisturbed prosperity of wicked men.”— Alexander. This is the most natural and best sustained sense of this obscure passage. See Psalm 80:5. The verb bwv, (shoobh,) return, here denotes a subjective, or mental returning, as it often does; (see 2 Chronicles 6:24, 37, 38; Malachi 3:18;) and the adverbial pronoun, mlh, (halom,) hither, is not to be understood of place, but of subject. God’s people mentally turn to this subject to consider the mystery of providence in allowing this difference between a suffering Church and the prosperous wicked.

Verse 11. They say, How doth God know?] My people are so stumbled with the prosperity of the wicked, that they are ready in their temptation to say, “Surely, God cannot know these things, or he would never dispense his favours thus.” Others consider these words as the saying of the wicked: “We may oppress these people as we please, and live as we list; God knows nothing about it.”

Verse 11. 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 to any good man. Some such expressions as this were indeed charged on Job by his friends, but, although he had used many intemperate speeches, he utterly disowned such as these. How doth God know? Is there knowledge, &c. — As if they said, Since blasphemers of God and enemies of all goodness are crowned with so many blessings, how is it credible that there is a God who sees and orders the affairs of this lower world? For if God did know these things, and concerned himself with affairs here below, he certainly neither could nor would suffer them to be thus managed.

11. They say, How doth God know—If these words are supposed to be spoken by God’s people they simply express their wonder, not how God should know, but how his certain knowledge of these outrageous doings could be reconciled with his goodness; as if they would say, How can God know these things and yet allow them? But if they are the words of the wicked, as seems most natural, we must suppose them to be heathen, with whom limited knowledge and local jurisdiction of the gods were admissible facts; or, taking knowledge here in its judicial sense of legal cognizance, it may be only a denial by the wicked that God notices with a view to punish their acts, as Psalm 11:4, 5. Knowledge, in the second member of the verse, is to be taken in the sense of omniscience.

V. 12. Behold-These seem to be the words of the psalmist, summing up the matter.

Verse 12. These are the ungodly] The people still speak. It is the ungodly that prosper, the irreligious and profane.

Verse 12. 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 world, who succeed in every thing they undertake, and roll in riches! What are we to think of God, his providence, and his promises?”

12. Behold, these are the ungodly—The psalmist speaks and “describes the impression made upon him, the representative of real and living piety, by this contradiction between sight and faith, between the reality and the idea.”—Hengstenberg. These prosperous are “the ungodly.” Who prosper in the world—Who are the prosperous ones of the age. The word µlw[, (‘olam,) here denotes continuance, not the habitable globe. They increase in riches—An important element of prosperity, considering the relation of wealth to the supply of human wants and the gratification of the natural desires. The unequal distribution of property has always been a great stumblingblock to weak faith and a worldly mind.

V. 13. In vain-Hence I was sometimes tempted, to think that religion was a vain, unprofitable thing. True religion is here described by its two principal parts, the cleansing of the heart, and the hands.

Verse 13. I have cleansed my heart in vain] It is no advantage to us to worship the true God, to walk according to the law of righteousness, and keep the ordinances of the Most High.

Verses 13, 14. 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 altogether vain and fruitless; since, while the rebellious enemies of God enjoy the world and themselves at pleasure, I, who continue his servant, am in perpetual tribulation and affliction.” — Horne. True religion is properly and fully described in this verse, by its two principal parts and works, the cleansing of the heart from sinful lusts and passions, and of the hands, or outward man, from a course of sinful actions. And although it be God’s work to cleanse the heart, yet he says, I have cleansed it, because every pious man co-operates with God’s grace in cleansing his heart. Compare 2 Corinthians 6:1, and 7:1. And washed my hands in innocency — That is, kept my hands (the chief instruments of action, and, consequently, the rest of the members of my body) innocent and pure from evil practices. I have washed my hands, not only ceremonially with water, wherewith hypocrites satisfy themselves, but also morally, with the waters of God’s grace and Spirit, in innocency or purity. For all the day long I have been plagued, &c. — While their ungodliness hath been attended with constant prosperity, my piety hath been exercised with continual afflictions.

13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain— “Verily” has the force of wholly. Wholly in vain have I cleansed my heart. So it appeared, but this was his temptation: in verses 1, 22, after the temptation, he asserts the contrary. Washed my hands in innocency—In protestation of innocency. The allusion is to Deuteronomy 21:6, 7. Compare Matthew 27:24; Psalm 26:6. The Septuagint understands this as the language of personal experience, not as that of a representative man, and introduces “And I said, Verily I have washed,” etc.

Verse 14. For all the day long have I been plagued] Far from enjoying worldly prosperity, we are not only poor, but we are afflicted also; and every succeeding day brings with it some new trouble.

Verses 13, 14. 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 altogether vain and fruitless; since, while the rebellious enemies of God enjoy the world and themselves at pleasure, I, who continue his servant, am in perpetual tribulation and affliction.” — Horne. True religion is properly and fully described in this verse, by its two principal parts and works, the cleansing of the heart from sinful lusts and passions, and of the hands, or outward man, from a course of sinful actions. And although it be God’s work to cleanse the heart, yet he says, I have cleansed it, because every pious man co-operates with God’s grace in cleansing his heart. Compare 2 Corinthians 6:1, and 7:1. And washed my hands in innocency — That is, kept my hands (the chief instruments of action, and, consequently, the rest of the members of my body) innocent and pure from evil practices. I have washed my hands, not only ceremonially with water, wherewith hypocrites satisfy themselves, but also morally, with the waters of God’s grace and Spirit, in innocency or purity. For all the day long I have been plagued, &c. — While their ungodliness hath been attended with constant prosperity, my piety hath been exercised with continual afflictions.

14. Have I been plagued—I who have endeavoured after innocency and righteousness, (verse 13,) while the wicked “are not plagued like other men,” verse 5, which see on the word “plagued.” And chastened every morning— “Chastened” must be taken in the sense of rebuked, censured, for so it appeared to him, as Psalm 39:11; Proverbs 3:11. “Every morning” is put for every day, daily. This apparent smiting and rebuking the righteous every day, while the wicked live in affluence and ease, is the complaint of the Church only in times of special and prolonged persecution and oppression, such as the nation was now suffering. See introduction.

V. 15. Offend-By grieving, discouraging and tempting them to revolt from God.

Verse 15. If I say, I will speak thus] I have at last discovered that I have reasoned incorrectly; and that I have the uniform testimony of all thy children against me. From generation to generation they have testified that the Judge of all the earth does right; they have trusted in thee, and were never confounded. They also met with afflictions and sore trials, but thou didst bring them safely through all, didst sustain them in the worst, and sanctifiedst the whole to their eternal good.

Verse 15. 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 understood all true believers; those who have undertaken the service of God, and entered into covenant with him; part of which covenant and profession is to believe in God’s providence; which, therefore, to deny, question, or doubt of, is to break the covenant, to prevaricate, to deal perfidiously; according to the meaning of the word dgb, bagad, here rendered, offend. The reader will observe, that “the psalmist,” having particularly described the disease, “proceeds now, like a skilful physician of the soul, to prescribe a medicine for it, which is compounded of many salutary ingredients. And first, to the suggestions of nature, grace opposes the examples of the children of God, who never fell from their hope in another world, because of their sufferings in this. For a man, therefore, to distrust the divine goodness on that account, is to belie their hope, renounce their faith, and strike his name out of their list.”

15. If I say, I will speak thus—That is, If I say within myself, (as Psalm 14:1,) that I will openly declare thus—make this statement. I should offend—The same cautious reserve of speech is observed, Psalm 39:1, 2. The Hebrew word “offend,” means to betray, to deal falsely with, and thus it is translated in every case but two in our English Bible. And to openly declare as dogma that which was only a temptation under powerful pressure, would be to act like the wicked, or those who had fallen away to the wicked, and thus deal falsely, or betray God’s children into the hands of their scoffing enemies. The generation of thy children—Or, thy sons, sons of God, Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 John 3:1; the total body of the truly spiritual Israel. To have openly spoken, according to his doubts, would have placed him outside of the family of the true Israel, while his reserve and patient inquiry restored his faith and saved them.

V. 16. To know-To find out the reason of this providence.

Verse 16. When I thought to know this] When I reviewed the history of our fathers, I saw that, though thou hadst from time to time hidden thy face because of their sins, yet thou hadst never utterly abandoned them to their adversaries; and it was not reasonable to conclude that thou wouldst do now what thou hadst never done before; and yet the continuance of our captivity, the oppressive hardships which we suffer, and the small prospect there is of release, puzzle me again. These things have been very painful to me.

Verse 16. 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 mere light of nature; for if there were not another life after this, we could not fully reconcile the prosperity of the wicked with the justice of God. Here, then, we have “a second reason why a man should not be too forward to arraign God’s dispensations of injustice, namely, the extreme difficulty of comprehending the whole of them, which, indeed, is not to be done by the human mind, unless God himself shall vouchsafe it the necessary information.” — Horne.

16. When I thought to know this—The psalmist gives himself to meditation, and to weigh this matter which so perplexed him. It was too painful for me—Literally, It was grievousness, or labour, in my eyes: his unassisted reason could not trace it out, and it remained to him a mystery. See Ecclesiastes 8:17; Job 11:7.

V. 17. Until-‘Till I consulted the word of God. He alludes to the practice of those times, which was, in difficult cases to resort to God’s sanctuary, and the oracle therein. Their end-There I learned that their prosperity was short.

Verse 17. Until I went into the sanctuary] Until, in the use of thy ordinances, I entered into a deep consideration of thy secret counsels, and considered the future state of the righteous and the wicked; that the unequal distribution of temporal good and evil argued a future judgment; that the present is a state of trial; and that God exercises his followers according to his godly wisdom and tender mercy. Then light sprang up in my mind, and I was assured that all these exercises were for our benefit, and that the prosperity of the wicked here was a prelude to their destruction. And this I saw to be their end.

That this Psalm was written during the captivity, there is little room to doubt. How then can the psalmist speak of the sanctuary? There was none at Babylon; and at Jerusalem it had been long since destroyed? There is no way to solve this difficulty but by considering that yvdqm mikdeshey may be taken in the sense of holy places-places set apart for prayer and meditation. And that the captives had such places in their captivity, there can be no doubt; and the place that is set apart to meet God in, for prayer, supplication, confession of sin, and meditation, is holy unto the Lord; and is, therefore, his sanctuary, whether a house or the open field. Calmet thinks by holy meditations a view of the Divine secrets, to which he refers, Psalm 73:24, is here meant.

Verse 17. 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 prosperity was short, and would quickly have an end, and that a most terrible one; that their fair morning would be followed with a black and dreadful evening, and an everlasting night. “This is the third argument, with which we may repress the spirit of murmuring and distrust, so apt to be excited by the prosperity of the wicked; and it is one communicated to us by the word of God, which alone can acquaint us with what shall be the end, the final portion of sinners. This is an arrow from the heavenly quiver, which brings down our enemy at once, and lays Dagon prostrate before the ark.”

17. I went into the sanctuary of God—The word “sanctuary” is in the plural in Hebrew, which indicates that there were holy places where the word of God was read and taught. It may signify the total collection of the temple buildings, or other sacred places in the land for synagogue services. But the age of synagogues dates later than the occasion we have assigned to this psalm. If Psalm 74 belongs to the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judea, as is quite probable, then verse 8 proves that synagogues were earlier than the captivity. But the holy places of the text were probably the places within the temple buildings assigned for public teaching. It was here, in the sanctuaries, that the psalmist obtained the explanation of God’s equal ways with men. Then understood I their end—The “end,” here, is the period following the termination of life, that future where the results of this life are reached. The Hebrew word is clearly marked with this eschatological signification. See Psalm 37:37, 38; Proverbs 16:25; 19:20; 5:4-11, (English version, at the last.)

Verse 18. Thou didst set them in slippery places] Affluence is a slippery path; few have ever walked in it without falling. It is possible to be faithful in the unrighteous mammon, but it is very difficult. No man should desire riches; for they bring with them so many cares and temptations as to be almost unmanageable. Rich men, even when pious, are seldom happy; they do not enjoy the consolations of religion. A good man, possessed of very extensive estates, unblamable in his whole deportment, once said to me: “There must be some strange malignity in riches thus to keep me in continual bondage, and deprive me of the consolations of the Gospel.” Perhaps to a person to whom his estates are a snare, the words of our Lord may be literally applicable: “Sell what thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up thy cross, and follow me.” But he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions! May we not then say with the psalmist, Surely thou digest set them in slippery places, &c.?

Verse 18. 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. Horne, “is as the narrow and slippery summit of a mountain, on which, to answer the designs of his providence, God permits the wicked, during his pleasure, to take their station; till, at length, the fatal hour arrives, when, by a stroke unseen, they fall from thence, and are lost in the fathomless ocean of sorrow, torment, and despair.”

18-20. In these verses there is a rising climax in the description of the doom of the wicked. Surely—Answering to verily in New Testament. Slippery places—The figure is that of a narrow path along mountain crags where the rocks are smooth and treacherous. Thou castedst them down—The fall of the wicked is not accidental, nor simply consequential. God casts them down. The strong arm of law now interferes.

V. 19. Terrors-With God’s dreadful judgements unexpectedly seizing upon them.

Verse 19. Are they brought into desolation] This is often a literal fact. I have known several cases where persons, very rich, have by sudden losses been brought into desolation as in a moment; in consequence of which they were utterly consumed in terrors.

Verses 19, 20. 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 happiness is like that of a dream, wherein a man seems highly pleased and transported with ravishing delights, but when he awakes he finds himself deceived and unsatisfied. O Lord, when thou awakest — Arisest to punish them. Or rather, when they shall awake; namely, out of the pleasant dream of this sinful life, by death and the torments following. For the Hebrew is only ry[b, bagnir, in awaking, an expression which may be applied either to God or to them, as the context directs, and the latter application seems to agree best with the metaphor here before mentioned. Thou shalt despise their image — That is, all their felicity and glory, which, as indeed it ever was, so now shall evidently be discerned to be no real, or substantial and solid thing, but a mere image, or shadow, or vain show, which can neither abide with them, nor yield them satisfaction. Thus the word rendered pomp, Acts 25:23, is, in the Greek, fantasia, a mere fancy and imagination. And Psalm 39:6, man is said to walk in a vain show; in the LXX., en eikoni, in an image, the word used by these interpreters here. God is said to despise the image, when they awake, not really, for in that sense God ever did despise it, even when they were in the height of all their glory; but declaratively, things being often said to be done in Scripture when they appear or are manifest. The sense is, Thou shalt pour contempt upon them; make them despicable to themselves and others, notwithstanding all their riches; shalt raise them to shame and everlasting contempt. The LXX. render it, ton eikona autwn exoudenwseiv, Thou shalt bring to naught, or make nothing of their image. God will render utterly contemptible even in their own sight, as well as in that of himself, of his holy angels, and the spirits of the righteous, those imaginary and fantastic pleasures for which they have lost the substantial joys and glories of his heavenly kingdom. For it is evident that what the psalmist here affirms, concerning the end of the wicked, cannot be understood, consistently with the rest of the Psalm, of their temporal destruction, but must be interpreted of their future wretched state in another world, which is often represented, in Scripture, by death and destruction; and so, indeed, these verses explain it. How are they brought to desolation in a moment, that is, the moment when they pass out of this life to another. It is then only that the wicked will be thoroughly awakened to see their misery, especially if they die without much pain or anguish, in a stupid, thoughtless way, as seems to be intimated verse 4. And here let us reflect, with Dr. Horne, If “the sudden alteration which death makes in the state of a powerful and opulent sinner, cannot but affect all around him, though they behold but one part of it; how much more would they be astonished and terrified if the curtain between the two worlds were withdrawn, and the other half of the change exposed to view! Let faith do that which sight cannot do;” let it show us, that the life of the ungodly is a sleep; their happiness a dream, illusive and transitory; at best a shadow, afterward nothing; and that, at the day of death, the soul is roused out of this sleep, the dream vanishes, and the sinner finds himself consigned to everlasting torments, “and then the ungodly, however wealthy and honourable, will surely cease to be the objects of our envy.”

19. How are they brought into desolation—Literally, How have they been for a desolation! The strongest possible mode of expression. Not annihilation, but the utter ruin of their plans, their pleasures, their hopes, and their proud positions of power. In a moment—The suddenness and unexpectedness of their downfall augments their fears, so that now they are utterly consumed with terrors.

V. 20. They awake-Out of the pleasant dream of this vain life. Despise-Thou shalt make them despicable both to themselves and to all others; raise them to shame, and everlasting contempt. Image-All their felicity and glory, which shall be evidently discerned to be, no real or substantial thing, but a mere image or shadow.

Verse 20. As a dream when one awaketh] So their goods fled away. Their possession was a dream-their privation, real. Thou shalt despise their image.] While destitute of true religion, whatever appearance they had of greatness, nobility, honour, and happiness; yet in the sight of God they had no more than the ghost or shade of excellence which God is said here to despise. Who would be rich at such risk and dishonour?

Verses 19, 20. 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 happiness is like that of a dream, wherein a man seems highly pleased and transported with ravishing delights, but when he awakes he finds himself deceived and unsatisfied. O Lord, when thou awakest — Arisest to punish them. Or rather, when they shall awake; namely, out of the pleasant dream of this sinful life, by death and the torments following. For the Hebrew is only ry[b, bagnir, in awaking, an expression which may be applied either to God or to them, as the context directs, and the latter application seems to agree best with the metaphor here before mentioned. Thou shalt despise their image — That is, all their felicity and glory, which, as indeed it ever was, so now shall evidently be discerned to be no real, or substantial and solid thing, but a mere image, or shadow, or vain show, which can neither abide with them, nor yield them satisfaction. Thus the word rendered pomp, Acts 25:23, is, in the Greek, fantasia, a mere fancy and imagination. And Psalm 39:6, man is said to walk in a vain show; in the LXX., en eikoni, in an image, the word used by these interpreters here. God is said to despise the image, when they awake, not really, for in that sense God ever did despise it, even when they were in the height of all their glory; but declaratively, things being often said to be done in Scripture when they appear or are manifest. The sense is, Thou shalt pour contempt upon them; make them despicable to themselves and others, notwithstanding all their riches; shalt raise them to shame and everlasting contempt. The LXX. render it, ton eikona autwn exoudenwseiv, Thou shalt bring to naught, or make nothing of their image. God will render utterly contemptible even in their own sight, as well as in that of himself, of his holy angels, and the spirits of the righteous, those imaginary and fantastic pleasures for which they have lost the substantial joys and glories of his heavenly kingdom. For it is evident that what the psalmist here affirms, concerning the end of the wicked, cannot be understood, consistently with the rest of the Psalm, of their temporal destruction, but must be interpreted of their future wretched state in another world, which is often represented, in Scripture, by death and destruction; and so, indeed, these verses explain it. How are they brought to desolation in a moment, that is, the moment when they pass out of this life to another. It is then only that the wicked will be thoroughly awakened to see their misery, especially if they die without much pain or anguish, in a stupid, thoughtless way, as seems to be intimated verse 4. And here let us reflect, with Dr. Horne, If “the sudden alteration which death makes in the state of a powerful and opulent sinner, cannot but affect all around him, though they behold but one part of it; how much more would they be astonished and terrified if the curtain between the two worlds were withdrawn, and the other half of the change exposed to view! Let faith do that which sight cannot do;” let it show us, that the life of the ungodly is a sleep; their happiness a dream, illusive and transitory; at best a shadow, afterward nothing; and that, at the day of death, the soul is roused out of this sleep, the dream vanishes, and the sinner finds himself consigned to everlasting torments, “and then the ungodly, however wealthy and honourable, will surely cease to be the objects of our envy.”

20. As a dream when one awaketh—So unreal, so unworthy of their wakeful thoughts, it is soon dismissed and forgotten. O Lord, when thou awakest—To judgment. Image—Shadow, phantom. So unreal is their prosperity.

V. 21. Pricked-I was deeply wounded with disquieting thoughts.

Verse 21. Thus may heart was grieved] The different views which I got of this subject quite confounded me; I was equally astonished at their sudden overthrow and my own ignorance. I felt as if I were a beast in stupidity. I permitted my mind to be wholly occupied with sensible things, like the beasts that perish, and did not look into a future state; nor did I consider, nor submit to, the wise designs of an unerring Providence.

Verses 21, 22. Thus my heart was grieved — I was disturbed, so as I have expressed, with envy and indignation at the prosperity of the wicked. Hebrew, ybbl xmjty, jithchamets lebabi, my heart was in a ferment, or, had wrought itself up into a ferment, namely, with unbelieving thoughts, and reasonings on the above-mentioned subject. And I was pricked in my reins — I was heartily and deeply wounded in my spirit. So foolish was I, and ignorant — Of what I might have known and which, if I had known it aright, would have been perfectly sufficient to have prevented or silenced the disquieting thoughts and perplexing reasonings which have given me so much uneasiness. I was as a beast before thee — A most stupid and sottish creature, as though I had not only been devoid of grace, but of reason too. For reason itself, informed by the Holy Scriptures, sufficiently discovered, that, all things considered, I had no sufficient cause to envy the prosperity of wicked men. I minded only present things, as the brutes do, and did not look forward to and consider things to come, as reasonable creatures ought to do. Before thee — In thy sight, or judgment, and therefore in truth, Romans 2:2, howsoever I seemed to myself, or others, to have some degree of reason and discretion.

21. Thus my heart was grieved—Heart and reins are herein parallel terms, denoting the inmost nature,—the mind and soul, the intellective and sensitive being. The psalmist’s “heart” was “grieved,” and his “reins” were “pierced.” His mental sufferings were intense at being tempted to doubt the justice of God’s ways. The Hebrew particle translated “thus,” (verse 21,) connects with verse 16, and resumes the description of himself before he “went into the sanctuary of God,”—a condition which his now enlightened and awakened mind is shocked to contemplate.

V. 22. Nevertheless-Although I gave thee just cause to cast me off, yet thou didst continue thy care and kindness to me. Hast held-That my faith might not fail.

Verses 21, 22. Thus my heart was grieved — I was disturbed, so as I have expressed, with envy and indignation at the prosperity of the wicked. Hebrew, ybbl xmjty, jithchamets lebabi, my heart was in a ferment, or, had wrought itself up into a ferment, namely, with unbelieving thoughts, and reasonings on the above-mentioned subject. And I was pricked in my reins — I was heartily and deeply wounded in my spirit. So foolish was I, and ignorant — Of what I might have known and which, if I had known it aright, would have been perfectly sufficient to have prevented or silenced the disquieting thoughts and perplexing reasonings which have given me so much uneasiness. I was as a beast before thee — A most stupid and sottish creature, as though I had not only been devoid of grace, but of reason too. For reason itself, informed by the Holy Scriptures, sufficiently discovered, that, all things considered, I had no sufficient cause to envy the prosperity of wicked men. I minded only present things, as the brutes do, and did not look forward to and consider things to come, as reasonable creatures ought to do. Before thee — In thy sight, or judgment, and therefore in truth, Romans 2:2, howsoever I seemed to myself, or others, to have some degree of reason and discretion.

22. Foolish… ignorant… as a beast—Strong terms, expressive of his blindness and stupidity in his deceived and doubting state.

Verse 23. I am continually with thee] I now see that myself and my people are under thy guardian care; that we are continually upheld by thee; and while in thy right hand, we shall not be utterly cast down.

Verse 23. 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 thy right hand — Hast upheld me, that my faith might not fail, and I might not be overthrown by this, or any other temptation. “The remainder of the Psalm contains the most dutiful and affectionate expressions of a mind perfectly at ease, and reposing itself with comfortable assurance on the loving-kindness of the Lord, of which it had thus experienced a fresh instance in its support under the late temptation, and complete victory over it.” — Horne.

23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee—Notwithstanding my unreasonable and even brutish conduct, yet “all this while I have been particularly considered and cared for, and in a special and eminent manner supported, by thee.”—Hammond. The expression, “I am continually with thee,” as Hengstenberg says, “is not self praise, but praise of the divine compassion and faithfulness in keeping him,” as the second hemistich explains.

Verse 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel] After we have suffered awhile, receiving directions and consolations from thy good Spirit, by means of thy prophets, who are in the same captivity with ourselves; thou wilt grant us deliverance, restore us to our own land, and crown us with honour and happiness. Any sincere follower of God may use these words in reference to this and the coming world. Thy counsel—thy WORD and SPIRIT, shall guide me through life; and when I have done and suffered thy righteous will, thou wilt receive me into thy eternal glory.

Verse 24. 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 me, as being one of thy believing and obedient people, and watching over me, by thy word, which thou wilt open my eyes to understand; and principally by thy Holy Spirit, sanctifying and directing me in the whole course of my life. And afterward receive me to glory — Translate me to everlasting glory in heaven. As all those who commit themselves to God’s conduct shall be guided by his counsel, so all those who are so guided in this world shall be received to his glory in another world. If God direct us in the way of our duty, and prevent our turning aside out of it; enabling us to make his will the rule, and his glory the end of all our actions, he will afterward, when our state of trial and preparation is over, receive us to his kingdom and glory; the believing hopes and prospects of which will reconcile us to all the dark providences that now puzzle and perplex us, and ease us of the pain into which we may have been put by some distressing temptations. Here we see, that “he, who but a little while ago seemed to question the providence of God over the affairs of men, now exults in happy confidence of the divine mercy and favour toward himself; nothing doubting but that grace would ever continue to guide him upon earth, till glory should crown him in heaven. Such are the blessed effects of going into the sanctuary of God, and consulting the lively oracles, in all our doubts, difficulties, and temptations.” — Horne.

24. Thou shall guide me—This is at once the language of restored confidence and consecration. Henceforth the wisdom of God, not his own sinister reasonings, should be the governing and directing power of his life. And afterward receive me to glory— “Glory,” here, must be understood in its spiritual and eschatological sense as the blessedness which the godly shall receive after death, and is the opposite of the pleasures and rewards of wicked men. The whole context requires this, and it is implied in the verb “receive,” the same word as is used of Enoch, (Genesis 5:24,) “For God took him,” and Psalm 49:15, “God shall redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me;” instances in which no other sense can be given than that of final blessedness with God. rja, (ahhar,) translated after, (which is sometimes used adverbially, as Judges 19:5, and sometimes as a preposition, as Zechariah 2:8,) must here be taken as an adverb. This accords with commentators generally, and with the authorized English Version. All attempts to translate the word prepositionally are obscure and unsatisfactory, as in the following examples: “After honour (glory) thou takest me,” that is, after it as an aim, and so “Thou takest me and bringest me in its train,” (Hengstenberg,) or, “Thou leadest me after glory,” (Hitzig, Ewald.) Such renderings give no appreciable sense, and are as opposed to the scope of the author as to the analogy of revelation and the facts of history. It is not to any state or result in this life that God has ever yet led his suffering, spiritual Church, as the ultimate goal of spiritual aim and desire, or as an antidote to temptation such as had well nigh stumbled the psalmist. Besides, as translations, the quotations just given cannot be accepted. The first, (“after honour [as an aim] thou takest me,”) is unintelligible; and the second, (“Thou leadest me after glory,”) uses jql, (lakahh,) in an unauthorized sense. The word occurs about nine hundred and fifty times in the Old Testament, and never means lead, but always to take, take away, receive, bring, etc. The proper word for lead, hjn, (nahhah,) had already been used in the previous member of the verse. “Thou shall guide [lead] me with thy counsel.” The life to come alone can explain the words of the psalmist. The counsel of God, which was to “guide” him henceforth, still involved that mysterious purpose of providence which allowed the wicked to prosper in contempt of God, while the righteous should often remain in affliction and oppression. But the discovery of the “end” of the wicked (see on verse 17) had corrected his error and restored his staggering faith. In this faith he now submissively walks on, led by “the counsel of God,” still unexplained, till the rewards of a future life should unfold all and compensate all. See notes on Psalm 37. With this view the closing verses coincide.

Verse 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee?] The original is more emphatic:µymvb yl ym xrab ytxpj al Ëועמ mi li bashshamayim; veimmecha lo chaphatsti baarets. “Who is there to me in the heavens? And with thee I have desired nothing in the earth.” No man can say this who has not taken God for his portion in reference to both worlds.

Verse 25. 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, can make it happy. There is no other in heaven or earth that can pretend to do it. Now, in order that God may be our felicity, we must have him, as it is here expressed; we must possess his favour, his image, and communion with him. We must choose him for a portion, and ensure to ourselves an interest in his love. What will it avail us that he is the felicity of souls, if he be not the felicity of our souls; and if we do not, with a lively faith, make him ours, by joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant? Our affection must be set upon him, and our delight must be in him. Our desires must not only be offered up to God, but they must terminate in God, as their ultimate object. Whatever we desire besides him must be desired in subordination to him and his will, and with an eye to his glory. We must desire nothing besides God but what we desire for God. He must have our heart, our whole heart, and no creature in earth or heaven must be permitted to share with him.

25. Whom have I in heaven but thee—Hebrew, Who in the heavens [is] to me? That is, as an object of trust, or a saviour. None upon earth— Thus the heavens and the earth—a Hebrew phrase for the total universe— offer no object of final trust, no deliverer, but God. Besides thee—Either to the exclusion of thee, or in conjunction with thee. The psalmist’s faith and desire not only rest on God, but centre in him only.

Verse 26. My flesh-faileth] I shall soon die: and my heart—even my natural courage, will fail; and no support but what is supernatural will then be available. Therefore, he adds,—

God is the strength of my heart] Literally, the rock of my heart. And my portion] Allusion is here made to the division of the promised land. I ask no inheritance below; I look for one above. I do not look for this in the possession of any place; it is GOD alone that can content the desires and wishes of an immortal spirit. And even this would not satisfy, had I not the prospect of its being for ever, לעולם leolum, “to eternity!’

Verse 26. 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 my flesh and heart, my body and soul may, and, unless supported by God, will soon fail. But God is the strength of my heart — I have found him so; I do find him so, and hope I ever shall. As if he had said, Though I have no strength in myself, I have it in God, my never-failing refuge, to whom I will trust as long as I live. Hebrew, ybbl rwx, tsur lebabi, the rock of my heart, a firm foundation, which will bear my weight, and not sink under it. In the distress supposed, he had put the case of a double failure, a failure of both the flesh and heart; but in the relief, he fixes on a single support; he leaves out the flesh, and the consideration of it; it is enough that God is the strength of his heart. He speaks as one careless of the body; let that fail, it must, there is no remedy; but he is concerned about his soul, to be strengthened in the inner man. And my portion for ever — He will not only support me while I am here, but will make me happy when I go hence, happy to all eternity. The saints choose God for their portion; he is their portion; and it is their happiness that he will be their portion for ever; a portion that will last as long as the immortal soul. Reader, consider this, and make choice of this portion without delay.

26. My flesh and my heart faileth— “Flesh” and “heart” contrasted, as here, embrace the total makeup of man. In biblical psychology “heart” is used for the innermost, or central, life of man, and must comprehend here the united psychical and spirit life, as “flesh” does the physical and organic. Faileth—The word is used variously for to come to an end, to faint, to pine, to languish. The failing of the “flesh” would be the going out of animal life, and the failing of the “heart” the sinking of the innermost being into doubt and despair. Both would result without God. Strength of my heart—Hebrew, Rock of my heart. Psalm 18:2. Against this failing of nature faith finds in God its rock. My portion for ever—Hebrew, My portion to eternity. This is spoken of both flesh and heart, soul and body— a triumphant hope of eternal life. “It is clear as day that this passage contains the germ of the doctrine of the resurrection.”—Delitzsch. Compare Job 19:25-27.

V. 27. Go a whoring-Those who revolt from thee, to work wickedness; which is called whoredom in scripture.

Verse 27. They that are far from thee shall perish] The term perish is generally used to signify a coming to nothing, being annihilated; and by some it is thus applied to the finally impenitent, they shall all be annihilated. But where is this to be found in the Scriptures? In no part, properly understood. In the new heavens and the new earth none of the wicked shall be found; for therein dwells righteousness-nothing but God and righteous spirits; but at the same time the wicked shall be in their own place. And to suppose that they shall be annihilated, is as great a heresy, though scarcely so absurd, as to believe that the pains of damnation are emendatory, and that hell-fire shall burn out. There is presumptive evidence from Scripture to lead us to the conclusion, that if there be not eternal punishment, glory will not be eternal; as the same terms are used to express the duration of both. No human spirit that is not united to God can be saved. Those who are FAR FROM THEE shall perish—they shall be lost, undone, ruined, and that without remedy. Being separated from God by sin, they shall never be rejoined; the great gulf must be between them and their Maker eternally.

All them that go a whoring from thee.] That is, all that worship false gods; all idolaters. This is the only meaning of the word in such a connexion. I have explained this elsewhere.

Verse 27. 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 thy life, through the ignorance of thee, which is in them, and rest short of, or decline from, union and communion with thee; that say, if not in words, yet in effect, “Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” Thou hast destroyed — And thou wilt still certainly and dreadfully destroy; all them that go a whoring from thee — Who, having professed subjection to thee, shall afterward revolt from thee, which is called whoredom, or adultery (figuratively speaking) in Scripture. For none are more hateful to God than wilful and wicked apostates from the principles and practice of the true religion which they once owned.

Ver. 27. Them that go a whoring from thee. That forsake thee, and worship false gods. Idolatry is frequently expressed in the scriptures by the term adultery, &c.

27. They that are far from thee—The far-off ones. Exactly the New Testament description of the heathen world without the knowledge of God. Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:13, 17. All them that go a whoring from thee—Israel is the spouse of God, and falling away to idolatry is breaking the marriage vow. The figure is common, (Jeremiah 3:14; compare Exodus 34:15; James 4:4; Revelation 17:5,) and is the intensified parallel of “far from thee” in the first hemistich.

Verse 28. It is good for me to draw near] We have already seen that those who are far off shall perish; therefore, it is ill for them. Those who draw near-who come in the true spirit of sacrifice, and with the only available offering, the Lord Jesus, shall be finally saved; therefore, it is good for them.

I have put my trust in the Lord God] I confide in Jehovah, my Prop and Stay. I have taken him for my portion.

That I may declare all thy works.] That I may testify to all how good it is to draw nigh to God; and what a sufficient portion he is to the soul of man.

The Vulgate, Septuagint, Æthiopic, and Arabic, add, in the gates of the daughter of Sion. These words appear to make a better finish; but they are not acknowledged by any Hebrew MS.

Verse 28. 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 him alone, for all my comfort and felicity; That I may declare all thy works — From which dependance, I know, I shall have this benefit, that I shall have many and great occasions to declare God’s acts of mercy and kindness to me.

28. Good for me to draw near to God—Literally, and I, nearness to God to me is good: that is, the ultimate good, the sum of all conceivable good, the summum bonum of the ancients—a clear declaration of the unselfish and absolute morality of Bible religion. Not a religion of external rewards and honours, and of selfish aspirations and longings for paradisiacal bliss, but of communion and fellowship with God, whether it be on earth or in heaven. It stands opposed here to the distance and alienation from God of verse 27. The first and closing verses of the psalm are thus beautifully coincident. That I may declare all thy works—The Septuagint and Vulgate add, “in the gates of the daughter of Zion;” the highest function of a redeemed Church, and God’s living protest against all atheism in form or spirit throughout the ages, and all faithlessness and doubt in his tempted saints.