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Psalm Ten
Psalm 10
Chapter Contents
The psalmist complains of the wickedness of the wicked.
(1-11) He prays to God to appear for the relief of his people. (12-18)
Commentary on Psalm 10:1-11
(Read Psalm 10:1-11)
God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people
especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from God by our unbelief
and
then complain that God stands afar off from us. Passionate words against bad
men do more hurt than good; if we speak of their badness
let it be to the Lord
in prayer; he can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power and
success. Wicked people will not seek after God
that is
will not call upon
him. They live without prayer
and that is living without God. They have many
thoughts
many objects and devices
but think not of the Lord in any of them;
they have no submission to his will
nor aim for his glory. The cause of this
is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could not break all the
laws of justice and goodness toward man
if they had not first shaken off all
sense of religion.
Commentary on Psalm 10:12-18
(Read Psalm 10:12-18)
The psalmist speaks with astonishment
at the wickedness
of the wicked
and at the patience and forbearance of God. God prepares the
heart for prayer
by kindling holy desires
and strengthening our most holy
faith
fixing the thoughts
and raising the affections
and then he graciously
accepts the prayer. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord
and we must
seek unto him for it. Let the poor
afflicted
persecuted
or tempted believer
recollect
that Satan is the prince of this world
and that he is the father of
all the ungodly. The children of God cannot expect kindness
truth
or justice
from such persons as crucified the Lord of glory. But this once suffering
Jesus
now reigns as King over all the earth
and of his dominion there shall
be no end. Let us commit ourselves unto him
humbly trusting in his mercy. He
will rescue the believer from every temptation
and break the arm of every
wicked oppressor
and bruise Satan under our feet shortly. But in heaven alone
will all sin and temptation be shut out
though in this life the believer has a
foretaste of deliverance.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 10
Verse 3
[3] For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire
and
blesseth the covetous
whom the LORD abhorreth.
Boasteth — He glorieth in his very sins which are his shame
and
especially in the satisfaction of his desires.
Verse 4
[4] The wicked
through the pride of his countenance
will
not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Countenance — So called
because though pride
be properly seated in the heart
yet it is manifest in the countenance.
Verse 5
[5] His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far
above out of his sight: as for all his enemies
he puffeth at them.
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 7
[7] His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under
his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Tongue — Under his fair and plausible speeches
mischief is hid
and covered.
Vanity — Or
injury
the vexation or oppression of other men.
Verse 8
[8] He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the
secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the
poor.
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 10
[10] He croucheth
and humbleth himself
that the poor may
fall by his strong ones.
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 13
[13] Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in
his heart
Thou wilt not require it.
Contemn — Why dost thou by giving them impunity
suffer and
occasion them to despise thee?
Verse 14
[14] Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and
spite
to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou
art the helper of the fatherless.
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 15
[15] Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek
out his wickedness till thou find none.
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 16
[16] The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are
perished out of his land.
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 17
[17] LORD
thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou
wilt prepare their heart
thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
Prepare — By thy grace and good spirit
that they may so pray as
thou wilt hear.
Verse 18
[18] To judge the fatherless and the oppressed
that the man
of the earth may no more oppress.
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.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Psalm 10
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Since
this Psalm has no title of its own
it is supposed by some to be a fragment of
Psalm 9. We prefer
however
since it is complete in itself
to consider it as
a separate composition. We have had instances already of Psalms which seem
meant to form a pair (Psalm 1 and 2
Psalm 3 and 4) and this
with the ninth
is another specimen of the double Psalm.
The
prevailing theme seems to be the oppression and persecution of the wicked
we
will
therefore
for our own guidance
entitle it
THE CRY OF THE
OPPRESSED.
DIVISION.
The first verse
in an exclamation of surprise
explains the intent of the
Psalm
viz.
to invoke the interposition of God for the deliverance of his poor
and persecuted people. From verse 2 to 11
the character of the oppressor is
described in powerful language. In verse 12
the cry of the first verse bursts
forth again
but with a clearer utterance. In the next place (verses 13-15)
God's eye is clearly beheld as regarding all the cruel deeds of the wicked; and
as a consequence of divine omniscience
the ultimate judgment of the oppressed
is joyously anticipated (verses 16-18). To the Church of God during times of
persecution
and to individual saints who are smarting under the hand of the
proud sinner
this Psalm furnishes suitable language both for prayer and
praise.
EXPOSITION
Verse 1. To the
tearful eye of the sufferer the Lord seemed to stand still
as if he
calmly looked on
and did not sympathize with his afflicted one. Nay
more
the
Lord appeared to be afar off
no longer "a very present help in
trouble
" but an inaccessible mountain
into which no man would be able to
climb. The presence of God is the joy of his people
but any suspicion of his
absence is distracting beyond measure. Let us
then
ever remember that the
Lord is nigh us. The refiner is never far from the mouth of the furnace when
his gold is in the fire
and the Son of God is always walking in the midst of
the flames when his holy children are cast into them. Yet he that knows the
frailty of man will little wonder that when we are sharply exercised
we find
it hard to bear the apparent neglect of the Lord when he forbears to work our
deliverance.
"Why
hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?" It is not the trouble
but
the hiding of our Father's face
which cuts us to the quick. When trial and
desertion come together
we are in as perilous a plight as Paul
when his ship
fell into a place where two seas met (Acts 27:41). It is but little wonder if
we are like the vessel which ran aground
and the fore-part stuck fast
and
remained unmoveable
while the hinder part was broken by the violence of the
waves. When our sun is eclipsed
it is dark indeed. If we need an answer to the
question
"Why hidest thou thyself?" it is to be found in the fact
that there is a "needs-be
" not only for trial
but for heaviness of
heart under trial (1 Peter 1:6); but how could this be the case
if the Lord
should shine upon us while he is afflicting us? Should the parent comfort his
child while he is correcting him
where would be the use of the chastening? A
smiling face and a rod are not fit companions. God bares the back that the blow
may be felt; for it is only felt affliction which can become blest
affliction. If we were carried in the arms of God over every stream
where
would be the trial
and where the experience
which trouble is meant to teach
us?
Verse
2. The second verse contains the formal indictment against the wicked: "The
wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor." The accusation divides
itself into two distinct charges
—pride and tyranny; the one the root and cause
of the other. The second sentence is the humble petition of the oppressed: "Let
them be taken in the devices that they have imagined." The prayer is
reasonable
just
and natural. Even our enemies themselves being judges
it is
but right that men should be done by as they wished to do to others. We only
weigh you in your own scales
and measure your corn with your own bushel.
Terrible shall be thy day
O persecuting Babylon! when thou shalt be made to
drink of the winecup which thou thyself hast filled to the brim with the blood
of saints. There are none who will dispute the justice of God
when he shall
hang every Haman on his own gallows
and cast all the enemies of his Daniels
into their own den of lions.
Verse
3. The indictment being read
and the petition presented
the evidence is now
heard upon the first count. The evidence is very full and conclusive upon the
matter of pride
and no jury could hesitate to give a verdict against
the prisoner at the bar. Let us
however
hear the witnesses one by one. The
first testifies that he is a boaster. "For the wicked boasteth of his
heart's desire." He is a very silly boaster
for he glories in a mere
desire: a very brazen-faced boaster
for that desire is villainy; and a most
abandoned sinner
to boast of that which is his shame. Bragging sinners are the
worst and most contemptible of men
especially when their filthy desires
—too
filthy to be carried into act
—become the theme of their boastings. When Mr.
Hate-Good and Mr. Heady are joined in partnership
they drive a brisk trade in
the devil's wares. This one proof is enough to condemn the prisoner at the bar.
Take him away
jailor! But stay
another witness desires to be sworn and heard.
This time
the impudence of the proud rebel is even more apparent; for he "blesseth
the covetous
whom the Lord abhorreth." This is insolence
which is
pride unmasked. He is haughty enough to differ from the Judge of all the earth
and bless the men whom God hath cursed. So did the sinful generation in the
days of Malachi
who called the proud happy
and set up those that worked
wickedness (Malachi 3:15). These base pretenders would dispute with their Maker;
they would—
"Snatch
from his hand the balance and the rod
Rejudge his justice
be the god of God."
How
often have we heard the wicked man speaking in terms of honour of the covetous
the grinder of the poor
and the sharp dealer! Our old proverb hath it
—
"I wot
well how the world wags;
He is most loved that hath most bags."
Pride
meets covetousness
and compliments it as wise
thrifty
and prudent. We say it
with sorrow
there are many professors of religion who esteem a rich man
and
flatter him
even though they know that he has fattened himself upon the flesh
and blood of the poor. The only sinners who are received as respectable are
covetous men. If a man is a fornicator
or a drunkard
we put him out of the
church; but who ever read of church discipline against that idolatrous
wretch
—the covetous man? Let us tremble
lest we be found to be partakers of
this atrocious sin of pride
"blessing the covetous
whom Jehovah
abhorreth."
Verse
4. The proud boastings and lewd blessings of the wicked have been received in
evidence against him
and now his own face confirms the accusation
and his
empty closet cries aloud against him. "The wicked
through the pride of
his countenance
will not seek after God." Proud hearts breed proud
looks and stiff knees. It is an admirable arrangement that the heart is often
written on the countenance
just as the motion of the wheels of a clock find
their record on its face. A brazen face and a broken heart never go together.
We are not quite sure that the Athenians were wise when they ordained that men
should be tried in the dark lest their countenances should weigh with the
judges; for there is much more to be learned from the motions of the muscles of
the face than from the words of the lips. Honesty shines in the face
but
villainy peeps out at the eyes.
See
the effect of pride; it kept the man from seeking God. It is hard to pray with
a stiff neck and an unbending knee. "God is not in all his
thoughts:" he thought much
but he had no thoughts for God. Amid heaps
of chaff there was not a grain of wheat. The only place where God is not is in
the thoughts of the wicked. This is a damning accusation; for where the God of
heaven is not
the Lord of hell is reigning and raging; and if God be not in
our thoughts
our thoughts will bring us to perdition.
Verse
5. "His ways are always grievous." To himself they are hard.
Men go a rough road when they go to hell. God has hedged-up the way of sin: O
what folly to leap these hedges and fall among the thorns! To others
also
his
ways cause much sorrow and vexation; but what cares he? He sits like the idol
god upon his monstrous car
utterly regardless of the crowds who are crushed as
he rolls along. "Thy judgments are far above out of his sight:"
he looks high
but not high enough. As God is forgotten
so are his judgments.
He is not able to comprehend the things of God; a swine may sooner look through
a telescope at the stars than this man study the Word of God to understand the
righteousness of the Lord. "As for all his enemies
he puffeth at
them." He defies and domineers; and when men resist his injurious
behaviour
he sneers at them
and threatens to annihilate them with a puff. In
most languages there is a word of contempt borrowed from the action of puffing
with the lips
and in English we should express the idea by saying
"He
cries
'Pooh! Pooh!' at his enemies." Ah! there is one enemy who will not
thus be puffed at. Death will puff at the candle of his life and blow it out
and the wicked boaster will find it grim work to brag in the tomb.
Verse
6. The testimony of the sixth verse concludes the evidence against the prisoner
upon the first charge of pride
and certainly it is conclusive in the highest
degree. The present witness has been prying into the secret chambers of the
heart
and has come to tell us what he has heard. "He hath said in his
heart
I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity." O
impertinence runs to seed! The man thinks himself immutable
and omnipotent
too
for he
he is never to be in adversity. He counts himself a
privileged man. He sits alone
and shall see no sorrow. His nest is in the
stars
and he dreams not of a hand that shall pluck him thence. But let us remember
that this man's house is built upon the sand
upon a foundation no more
substantial than the rolling waves of the sea. He that is too secure is never
safe. Boastings are not buttresses
and self-confidence is a sorry bulwark.
This is the ruin of fools
that when they succeed they become too big
and
swell with self-conceit
as if their summer would last for ever
and their
flowers bloom on eternally. Be humble
O man! for thou art mortal
and thy lot
is mutable.
The
second crime is now to be proved. The fact that the man is proud and arrogant
may go a long way to prove that he is vindicative and cruel. Haman's pride was
the father of a cruel design to murder all the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar builds an
idol; in pride he commands all men to bow before it; and then cruelly stands
ready to heat the furnace seven times hotter for those who will not yield to
his imperious will. Every proud thought is twin brother to a cruel thought. He
who exalts himself will despise others
and one step further will make him a
tyrant.
Verse
7. Let us now hear the witnesses in court. Let the wretch speak for himself
for out of his own mouth he will be condemned. "His mouth is full of
cursing and deceit and fraud." There is not only a little evil there
but his mouth is full of it. A three-headed serpent hath stowed away its coils
and venom within the den of its black mouth. There is cursing which he
spits against both God and men
deceit with which he entraps the unwary
and fraud by which
even in his common dealings
he robs his neighbours.
Beware of such a man: have no sort of dealing with him: none but the silliest
of geese would go to the fox's sermon
and none but the most foolish will put
themselves into the society of knaves. But we must proceed. Let us look under
this man's tongue as well as in his mouth; "under his tongue is
mischief and vanity." Deep in his throat are the unborn words which
shall come forth as mischief and iniquity.
Verse
8. Despite the bragging of this base wretch
it seems that he is as cowardly as
he is cruel. "He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the
secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the
poor." He acts the part of the highwayman
who springs upon the
unsuspecting traveller in some desolate part of the road. There are always bad
men lying in wait for the saints. This is a land of robbers and thieves; let us
travel well armed
for every bush conceals an enemy. Everywhere there are traps
laid for us
and foes thirsting for our blood. There are enemies at our table
as well as across the sea. We are never safe
save when the Lord is with us.
Verse
9. The picture becomes blacker
for here is the cunning of the lion
and of the
huntsman
as well as the stealthiness of the robber. Surely there are some men
who come up to the very letter of this description. With watching
perversion
slander
whispering
and false swearing
they ruin the character of the
righteous
and murder the innocent; or
with legal quibbles
mortgages
bonds
writs
and the like
they catch the poor
and draw them into a net. Chrysostom
was peculiarly severe upon this last phase of cruelty
but assuredly not more
so than was richly merited. Take care
brethren
for there are other traps
besides these. Hungry lions are crouching in every den
and fowlers spread
their nets in every field.
Quarles
well pictures our danger in those memorable lines
—
"The close
pursuers' busy hands do plant
Snares in thy substance; snares attend thy wants;
Snares in thy credit; snares in thy disgrace;
Snares in thy high estate; snares in thy base;
Snares tuck thy bed; and snares surround thy board;
Snares watch thy thoughts; and snares attack thy word;
Snares
in thy quiet; snares in thy commotion;
Snares in thy diet; snares in thy devotion;
Snares lurk in thy resolves; snares in thy doubt;
Snares lie within thy heart; and snares without;
Snares are above thy head
and snares beneath;
Snares in thy sickness; snares are in thy death.
O
Lord! keep thy servants
and defend us from all our enemies!
Verse
10. "He croucheth and humbleth himself
that the poor may fall by his
strong ones." Seeming humility is often armour-bearer to malice. The
lion crouches that he may leap with the greater force
and bring down his
strong limbs upon his prey. When a wolf was old
and had tasted human blood
the old Saxon cried
"Ware
wolf!" and we may cry
"Ware fox!"
They who crouch to our feet are longing to make us fall. Be very careful of
fawners; for friendship and flattery are deadly enemies.
Verse
11. As upon the former count
so upon this one; a witness is forthcoming
who
has been listening at the keyhole of the heart. Speak up
friend
and let us
hear your story. "He hath said in his heart
God hath forgotten: he
hideth his face; he will never see it." This cruel man comforts
himself with the idea that God is blind
or
at least
forgetful: a fond and
foolish fancy
indeed. Men doubt Omniscience when they persecute the saints. If
we had a sense of God's presence with us
it would be impossible for us to
ill-treat his children. In fact
there can scarcely be a greater preservation
from sin than the constant thought of "Thou
God
seest me."
Thus
has the trial proceeded. The case has been fully stated; and now it is but
little wonder that the oppressed petitioner lifts up the cry for judgment
which we find in the following verse:—
Verse
12. With what bold language will faith address its God! and yet what unbelief
is mingled with our strongest confidence. Fearlessly the Lord is stirred up to
arise and lift up his hand
yet timidly he is begged not to forget the humble;
as if Jehovah could ever be forgetful of his saints. This verse is the
incessant cry of the Church
and she will never refrain therefrom until her
Lord shall come in his glory to avenge her of all her adversaries.
Verse
13. In these verses the description of the wicked is condensed
and the evil of
his character traced to its source
viz.
atheistical ideas with regard to the
government of the world. We may at once perceive that this is intended to be
another urgent plea with the Lord to show his power
and reveal his justice.
When the wicked call God's righteousness in question
we may well beg him to
teach them terrible things in righteousness. In verse 13
the hope of the
infidel and his heart-wishes are laid bare. He despises the Lord
because he
will not believe that sin will meet with punishment: "he hath said in
his heart
Thou wilt not require it." If there were no hell for other
men
there ought to be one for those who question the justice of it.
Verse
14. This vile suggestion receives its answer in verse 14. "Thou hast
seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite
to requite it with thy
hand." God is all-eye to see
and all-hand to punish his enemies. From
Divine oversight there is no hiding
and from Divine justice there is no
fleeing. Wanton mischief shall meet with woeful misery
and those who harbour
spite shall inherit sorrow. Verily there is a God which judgeth in the earth.
Nor is this the only instance of the presence of God in the world; for while he
chastises the oppressor
he befriends the oppressed. "The poor
committeth himself unto thee." They give themselves up entirely into
the Lord's hands. Resigning their judgment to his enlightenment
and their
wills to his supremacy
they rest assured that he will order all things for the
best. Nor does he deceive their hope. He preserves them in times of need
and
causes them to rejoice in his goodness. "Thou art the helper of the
fatherless." God is the parent of all orphans. When the earthly father
sleeps beneath the sod
a heavenly Father smiles from above. By some means or
other
orphan children are fed
and well they may when they have such a Father.
Verse
15. In this verse we hear again the burden of the psalmist's prayer: "Break
thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man." Let the sinner lose his
power to sin; stop the tyrant
arrest the oppressor
weaken the loins of the
mighty
and dash in pieces the terrible. They deny thy justice: let them feel
it to the full. Indeed
they shall feel it; for God shall hunt the sinner for
ever: so long as there is a grain of sin in him it shall be sought out and
punished. It is not a little worthy of note
that very few great persecutors
have ever died in their beds: the curse has manifestly pursued them
and their
fearful sufferings have made them own that divine justice at which they
could at one time launch defiance. God permits tyrants to arise as thorn-hedges
to protect his church from the intrusion of hypocrites
and that he may teach
his backsliding children by them
as Gideon did the men of Succoth with the
briers of the wilderness; but he soon cuts up these Herods
like the thorns
and casts them into the fire. Thales
the Milesian
one of the wise men of
Greece
being asked what he thought to be the greatest rarity in the world
replied
"To see a tyrant live to be an old man." See how the Lord
breaks
not only the arm
but the neck of proud oppressors! To the men who had
neither justice nor mercy for the saints
there shall be rendered justice to
the full
but not a grain of mercy.
Verses
16
17
18. The Psalm ends with a song of thanksgiving to the great and
everlasting King
because he has granted the desire of his humble and oppressed
people
has defended the fatherless
and punished the heathen who trampled upon
his poor and afflicted children. Let us learn that we are sure to speed well
if we carry our complaint to the King of kings. Rights will be vindicated
and
wrongs redressed
at his throne. His government neglects not the interests of
the needy
nor does it tolerate oppression in the mighty. Great God
we leave
ourselves in thine hand; to thee we commit thy church afresh. Arise
O God
and
let the man of the earth—the creature of a day—be broken before the majesty of
thy power. Come
Lord Jesus
and glorify thy people. Amen and Amen.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole Psalm. There is not
in my judgment
a Psalm which describes the mind
the manners
the works
the
words
the feelings
and the fate of the ungodly with so much propriety
fulness
and light
as this Psalm. So that
if in any respect there has not
been enough said heretofore
or if there shall be anything wanting in the
Psalms that shall follow
we may here find a perfect image and representation
of iniquity. This Psalm
therefore
is a type
form
and description of that
man
who
though he may be in the sight of himself and of men more excellent
than Peter himself
is detestable in the eyes of God; and this it was that
moved Augustine
and those who followed him
to understand the Psalm of
ANTICHRIST. But as the Psalm is without a title
let us embrace the most
general and common understanding of it (as I said)
and let us look at the
picture of ungodliness which it sets before us. Not that we would deny the
propriety of the acceptation in which others receive it
nay
we will
in our
general acceptation of the Psalm
include also its reference to ANTICHRIST.
And
indeed
it will not be at all absurd if we join this Psalm with the
preceding
in its order thus. That David
in the preceding
spoke of the
ungodly converted
and prayed for those who were to be converted. But that here
he is speaking of the ungodly that are still left so
and in power prevailing
over the weak ALMUTH
concerning whom he has no hope
or is in a great
uncertainty of mind
whether they ever will be converted or not. Martin
Luther.
Verse 1. "Why
hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?" The answer to this is not
far to seek
for if the Lord did not hide himself it would not be a time of
trouble at all. As well ask why the sun does not shine at night
when for
certain there could be no night if he did. It is essential to our thorough
chastisement that the Father should withdraw his smile: there is a needs be not
only for manifold temptations
but that we be in heaviness through them. The
design of the rod is only answered by making us smart. If there be no pain
there will be no profit. If there be no hiding of God
there will be no
bitterness
and consequently no purging efficacy in his chastisements. C. H.
S.
Verse 1. (last
clause). "Times of trouble" should be times of confidence;
fixedness of heart on God would prevent fears of heart. Psalm 112:7. "He
shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed." How?
"Trusting in the Lord. His heart is established
he shall not be
afraid." Otherwise without it we shall be as light as a weather-cock
moved with every blast of evil tidings
our hopes will swim or sink according
to the news we hear. Providence would seem to sleep unless faith and prayer
awaken it. The disciples had but little faith in their Master's accounts
yet
that little faith awakened him in a storm
and he relieved them. Unbelief doth
only discourage God from showing his power in taking our parts. Stephen
Charnock.
Verse 2. "The
wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor." THE OPPRESSOR'S PLEA. I
seek but what is my own by law; it was his own free act and deed—the execution
lies for goods and body; and goods or body I will have
or else my money. What
if his beggardly children pine
or his proud wife perish? they perish at their
own charge
not mine; and what is that to me? I must be paid
or he lie by it
until I have my utmost farthing
or his bones. The law is just and good; and
being ruled by that
how can my fair proceedings be unjust? What is thirty in
the hundred to a man of trade? Are we born to thrum caps or pick straws? and
sell our livelihood for a few tears
and a whining face? I thank God they move
me not so much as a howling dog at midnight. I'll give no day if heaven itself
would be security. I must have present money
or his bones. . . . . Fifteen
shillings in the pound composition! I'll hang first. Come
tell me not of a
good conscience: a good conscience is no parcel in my trade; it hath made more
bankrupts than all the loose wives in the universal city. My conscience is no
fool: it tells me my own is my own
and that a well crammed bag is no deceitful
friend
but will stick close to me when all my friends forsake me. If to gain a
good estate out of nothing
and to regain a desperate debt which is as good as
nothing
be the fruits and signs of a bad conscience
God help the good. Come
tell me not of griping and oppression. The world is hard
and he that hopes to
thrive must gripe as hard. What I give I give
and what I lend I lend. If the
way to heaven be to turn beggar upon earth
let them take it that like it. I
know not what you call oppression
the law is my direction; but of the two
it
is more profitable to oppress than to be oppressed. If debtors would be honest
and discharge
our hands were bound: but when their failing offends my bags
they touch the apple of my eye
and I must right them. Francis Quarles.
Verse 2. That famous
persecutor
Domitian
like others of the Roman emperors
assumed divine
honours
and heated the furnace seven times hotter against Christians because
they refused to worship his image. In like manner
when the popes of Rome
became decorated with the blasphemous titles of Masters of the World
and
Universal Fathers
they let loose their blood-hounds upon the
faithful. Pride is the egg of persecution. C. H. S.
Verse 2. "Pride
"
is a vice which cleaveth so fast unto the hearts of men
that if we were to
strip ourselves of all faults one by one
we should undoubtedly find it the
very last and hardest to put off. Richard Hooker
1554-1600.
Verse 3. "The
wicked boasteth
" etc. He braggeth of his evil life
whereof he maketh
open profession; or he boasteth that he will accomplish his wicked designs; or
glorieth that he hath already accomplished them. Or it may be understood that
he commendeth others who are according to the desires of his own soul; that is
he respecteth or honoureth none but such as are like him
and them only he
esteemeth. Psalm 36:4
and 49:18; Romans 1:32. John Diodati
1648.
Verse 3. "The
wicked . . . . . . blesseth the covetous." Like will to like
as the
common proverb is. Such as altogether neglect the Lord's commandments not only
commit divers gross sins
but commend those who in sinning are like themselves.
For in their affections they allow them
in their speeches they flatter and
extol them
and in their deeds they join with them and maintain them. Peter
Muffet
1594.
Verse 3. "The
covetous." Covetousness is the desire of possessing that which we have
not
and attaining unto great riches and worldly possessions. And whether this
be not the character of trade and merchandise and traffic of every kind
the
great source of those evils of over-trading which are everywhere complained of
I refer to the judgment of the men around me
who are engaged in the commerce
and business of life. Compared with the regular and quiet diligence of our
fathers
and their contentment with small but sure returns
the wild and
wide-spread speculation for great gains
the rash and hasty adventures which
are daily made
and the desperate gamester-like risks which are run
do reveal
full surely that a spirit of covetousness hath been poured out upon men within
the last thirty or forty years. And the providence of God corresponding
thereto
by wonderful and unexpected revolutions
by numerous inventions for
manufacturing the productions of the earth
in order to lead men into
temptation
hath impressed upon the whole face of human affairs
a stamp of
earnest worldliness not known to our fathers: insomuch that our youth do enter
life no longer with the ambition of providing things honest in the sight of
men
keeping their credit
bringing up their family
and realising a
competency
if the Lord prosper them
but with the ambition of making a
fortune
retiring to their ease
and enjoying the luxuries of the present life.
Against which crying sin of covetousness
dearly beloved brethren
I do most
earnestly call upon you to wage a good warfare. This place is its seat
its
stronghold
even this metropolitan city of Christian Britain; and ye who are
called by the grace of God out of the great thoroughfare of Mammon
are so
elected for the express purpose of testifying against this and all other
backslidings of the church planted here; and especially against this
as being
in my opinion
one of the most evident and the most common of them all. For who
hath not been snared in the snare of covetousness? Edward Irving
1828.
Verse 3. "The
covetous
whom the Lord abhorreth." Christ knew what he spake when he
said
"No man can serve two masters." Matthew 6:24. Meaning God and
the world
because each would have all. As the angel and the devil strove for
the body of Moses (Jude 9)
not who should have a part
but who should have the
whole
so they strive still for our souls
who shall have all. Therefore
the
apostle saith
"The love of this world is enmity to God (James 4:4)
signifying such emulation between these two
that God cannot abide the world
should have a part
and the world cannot abide that God should have a part.
Therefore
the love of the world must needs be enmity to God
and therefore the
lovers of the world must needs be enemies to God
and so no covetous man is
God's servant
but God's enemy. For this cause covetousness is called idolatry
(Ephesians 5:5)
which is the most contrary sin to God
because as treason sets
up another king in the king's place
so idolatry sets up another god in God's
place. Henry Smith.
Verse 4. "The
wicked
through the pride of his countenance
will not seek after God."
He is judged a proud man (without a jury sitting on him)
who when condemned
will not submit
will not stoop so low as to accept of a pardon. I must indeed
correct myself
men are willing to be justified
but they would have their
duties to purchase their peace and the favour of God. Thousands will die and be
damned rather than they will have a pardon upon the sole account of Christ's
merits and obedience. Oh
the cursed pride of the heart! When will men cease to
be wiser than God? To limit God? When will men be contented with God's way of
saving them by the blood of the everlasting covenant? How dare men thus to
prescribe to the infinitely wise God? Is it not enough for thee that thy
destruction is of thyself? But must thy salvation be of thyself too? Is it not
enough that thou hast wounded thyself
but wilt thou die for ever
rather than
be beholden to a plaister of free grace? Wilt be damned unless thou mayest be
thine own Saviour? God is willing ("God so loved the world that he gave
his only Son")
art thou so proud as that thou wilt not be beholden to
God? Thou wilt deserve
or have nothing. What shall I say? Poor thou art
and
yet proud; thou hast nothing but wretchedness and misery
and yet thou art
talking of a purchase. This is a provocation. "God resisteth the
proud
" especially the spiritually proud. He that is proud of his clothes
and parentage
is not so contemptible in God's eyes as he that is proud of his
abilities
and so scorns to submit to God's methods for his salvation by
Christ
and by his righteousness alone. Lewis Stuckley.
Verse 4. "The
wicked
through the pride of his countenance
will not seek after God."
The pride of the wicked is the principal reason why they will not seek after
the knowledge of God. This knowledge it prevents them from seeking in various
ways. In the first place
it renders God a disagreeable object of contemplation
to the wicked
and a knowledge of him as undesirable. Pride consists in an
unduly exalted opinion of one's self. It is
therefore
impatient of a rival
hates a superior
and cannot endure a master. In proportion as it prevails in
the heart
it makes us wish to see nothing above us
to acknowledge no law but
our own wills
to follow no rule but our own inclinations. Thus it led Satan to
rebel against his Creator
and our first parents to desire to be as gods. Since
such are the effects of pride
it is evident that nothing can be more painful
to a proud heart than the thoughts of such a being as God; one who is
infinitely powerful
just
and holy; who can neither be resisted
deceived
nor
deluded; who disposes
according to his own sovereign pleasure
of all
creatures and events; and who
in an especial manner
hates pride
and is
determined to abase and punish it. Such a being pride can contemplate only with
feelings of dread
aversion
and abhorrence. It must look upon him as its
natural enemy
the great enemy
whom it has to fear. But the knowledge of God
directly tends to bring this infinite
irresistible
irreconcilable enemy full
to the view of the proud man. It teaches him that he has a superior
a master
from whose authority he cannot escape
whose power he cannot resist
and whose
will he must obey
or be crushed before him
and be rendered miserable for
ever. It shows him what he hates to see
that
in despite of his opposition
God's counsel shall stand
that he will do all his pleasure
and that in all
things wherein men deal proudly
God is above them. These truths torture the
proud unhumbled hearts of the wicked
and hence they hate that knowledge of God
which teaches these truths
and will not seek it. On the contrary
they wish to
remain ignorant of such a being
and to banish all thoughts of him from their
minds. With this view
they neglect
pervert
or explain away those passages of
revelation which describe God's true character
and endeavour to believe that
he is altogether such a one as themselves.
How
foolish
how absurd
how ruinous
how blindly destructive of its own object
does pride appear! By attempting to soar
it only plunges itself in the mire
and while endeavouring to erect for itself a throne
it undermines the ground
on which it stands and digs its own grave. It plunged Satan from heaven into
hell; it banished our first parents from paradise; and it will
in a similar
manner
ruin all who indulge in it. It keeps us in ignorance of God
shuts us
out from his favour
prevents us from resembling him
deprives us in this world
of all the honour and happiness which communion with him would confer; and in
the next
unless previously hated
repented of
and renounced
will bar for
ever against us the door of heaven
and close upon us the gates of hell. O
then
my friends
beware
above all things
beware of pride! Beware
lest you
indulge it imperceptibly
for it is perhaps
of all sins
the most secret
subtle
and insinuating. Edward Payson
D.D.
1783-1827.
Verse 4. David
speaks in Psalm 10 of great and potent oppressors and politicians
who see none
on earth greater than themselves
none higher than they
and think therefore
that they may impuns prey upon the smaller
as beasts use to do; and in
the fourth verse this is made the root and ground of all
that God is not in
all his thoughts. "The wicked
through the pride of his countenance
will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." The words
are diversely read
and all make for this sense. Some read it
"No God in
all his crafty presumptuous purposes;" others
"All his thoughts are
there is no God." The meaning whereof is not only that among the swarm and
crowd of thoughts that fill his mind
the thought of God is seldom to be found
and comes not in among the rest
which yet is enough for the purpose in hand;
but further
that in all his projects and plots
and consultations of his heart
(the first reading of the words intends)
whereby he contrives and lays the
plot
form
and draught of all his actions
he never takes God or his will into
consideration or consultation
to square and frame all accordingly
but
proceeds and goes on in all
and carries on all as if there were no God to be
consulted with. He takes not him along with him
no more than if he were no
God; the thoughts of him and his will sway him not. As you use to say
when a
combination of men leave out someone they should advise with
that such a one
is not of their counsel
is not in the plot; so nor is God in their purposes
and advisings
they do all without him. But this is not all the meaning
but
farther
all their thought is
that there is no God. This is there made the
bottom
the foundation
the groundwork and reason of all their wicked plots and
injurious projects
and deceitful carriages and proceedings
that seeing there
is no God or power above them to take notice of it
to regard or requite them
therefore they may be bold to go on. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 4. "Of
his countenance." Which pride he carrieth engraven in his very
countenance and forehead
and makes it known in all his carriages and gestures.
"Will not seek
" namely
he contemneth all divine and human
laws
he feareth not
respecteth not God's judgments; he careth for nothing
so
he may fulfil his desires; enquires after
nor examines nothing; all things are
indifferent to him. John Diodati.
Verse 4. "All
his thoughts are
there is no God;" thus some read the passage.
Seneca says
there are no atheists
though there would be some; if any say
there is no God
they lie; though they say it in the day time
yet in the night
when they are alone they deny it; howsoever some desperately harden themselves
yet if God doth but show himself terrible to them
they confess him. Many of
the heathens and others have denied that there is a God
yet when they were in
distress
they did fall down and confess him
as Diagoras
that grand atheist
when he was troubled with the strangullion
acknowledged a deity which he had
denied. These kind of atheists I leave to the tender mercies of God
of which I
doubt it whether there be any for them. Richard Stock.
Verse 4. "God
is not in all his thoughts." It is the black work of an ungodly man or
an atheist
that God is not in all his thoughts. What comfort can be had in the
being of God without thinking of him with reverence and delight? A God
forgotten is as good as no God to us. Stephen Charnock.
Verse 4. Trifles
possess us
but "God is not in all our thoughts
" seldom the
sole object of them. We have durable thoughts of transitory things
and
flitting thoughts of a durable and eternal good. The covenant of grace engageth
the whole heart to God
and bars anything else from engrossing it; but what
strangers are God and the souls of most men! Though we have the knowledge of
him by creation
yet he is for the most part an unknown God in the relations
wherein he stands to us
because a God undelighted in. Hence it is
as one
observes
that because we observe not the ways of God's wisdom
conceive not of
him in his vast perfections
nor are stricken with an admiration of his
goodness
that we have fewer good sacred poems than of any other kind. The wits
of men hang the wing when they come to exercise their reasons and fancies about
God. Parts and strength are given us
as well as corn and wine to the
Israelites
for the service of God
but those are consecrated to some cursed
Baal
Hosea 2:8. like Venus in the poet
we forsake heaven to follow after some
Adonis. Stephen Charnock.
Verses 4
5. The
world hath a spiritual fascination and witchcraft
by which
where it hath once
prevailed
men are enchanted to an utter forgetfulness of themselves and God
and being drunk with pleasures
they are easily engaged to a madness and height
of folly. Some
like foolish children
are made to keep a great stir in the
world for very trifles
for a vain show; they think themselves great
honourable
excellent
and for this make a great bustle
when the world hath
not added one cubic to their stature of real worth. Others are by this Circe
transformed into savage creatures
and act the part of lions and tigers.
Others
like swine
wallow in the lusts of uncleanness. Others are unmanned
putting off all natural affections
care not who they ride over
so they may
rule over or be made great. Others are taken with ridiculous frenzies
so that
a man that stands in the cool shade of a sedate composure would judge them out
of their wits. It would make a man admire to read of the frisks of Caius
Caligula
Xerxes
Alexander
and many others
who because they were above many
men
thought themselves above human nature. They forgot they were born and must
die
and did such things as would have made them
but that their greatness
overawed it
a laughing-stock and common scorn to children. Neither must we
think that these were but some few or rare instances of worldly intoxication
when the Scripture notes it as a general distemper of all that bow down to
worship this idol. They live "without God in the world
" saith the
apostle
that is
they so carry it as if there were no God to take notice of
them to check them for their madness. "God is not in all his
thoughts." Verse 4. "The judgments of God are far above out of
his sight;" he puffs at his enemies (verse 5)
and saith in his heart
he "shall never be moved
" Verse 6. The whole Psalm describes
the worldling as a man that hath lost all his understanding
and is acting the
part of a frantic bedlam. What then can be a more fit engine for the devil to
work with than the pleasures of the world? Richard Gilpin.
Verse 5. "Grievous
"
or troublesome; that is
all his endeavours and actions aim at nothing but at
hurting others. "Are far above
" for he is altogether carnal
he hath not any disposition nor correspondence with the justice of thy law
which is altogether spiritual; and therefore cannot lively represent unto
himself thy judgments
and the issue of the wicked according to the said law.
Romans 7:14; 1 Corinthians 2:14. "He puffeth;" he doth most
arrogantly despise them
and is confident he can overthrow them with a puff. John
Diodati.
Verse 5. "Thy
judgments are far above out of his sight." Because God does not
immediately visit every sin with punishment
ungodly men do not see that in due
time he judges all the earth. Human tribunals must of necessity
by promptness
and publicity
commend themselves to the common judgment
but the Lord's modes
of dealing with sin are sublimer and apparently more tardy
hence the bat's
eyes of godless men cannot see them
and the grovelling wits of men cannot
comprehend them. If God sat in the gate of every village and held his court
there
even fools might discern his righteousness
but they are not capable of
perceiving that for a matter to be settled in the highest court
even in heaven
itself
is a far more solemn matter. Let believers take heed lest they fall in
a degree into the same error
and begin to criticise the actions of The Great Supreme
when they are too elevated for human reason to comprehend them. C. H. S.
Verse 5. "The
judgments of God are far above out of his sight." Out of his sight
as
an eagle at her highest towering so lessens herself to view
that he sees not
the talons
nor fears the grip. Thus man presumes till he hath sinned
and then
despairs as fast afterwards. At first
"Tush
doth God see it?" At
last
"Alas! will God forgive it?" But if a man will not know his
sins
his sins will know him; the eyes which presumption shuts
commonly
despair opens. Thomas Adams.
Verse 5. "As
for all his enemies
he puffeth at them." David describeth a proud
man
puffing at his enemies: he is puffed up and swelled with high
conceits of himself
as if he had some great matter in him
and he puffs at
others as if he could do some great matter against them
forgetting that
himself is but
as to his being in this world
a puff of wind which passeth
away. Joseph Caryl.
Verse 5. "As
for all his enemies
he puffeth at them;" literally
"He
whistles at them." He is given over to the dominion of gloomy
indifference
and he cares as little for others as for himself. Whosoever may
be imagined by him to be an enemy he cares not. Contempt and ridicule are his
only weapons; and he has forgotten how to use others of a more sacred
character. His mental habits are marked by scorn; and he treats with contempt
the judgments
opinions
and practices of the wisest of men. John Morison.
Verse 6. "He
hath said in his heart
I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in
adversity." Carnal security opens the door for all impiety to enter
into the soul. Pompey
when he had in vain assaulted a city
and could not take
it by force
devised this stratagem in way of agreement; he told them he would
leave the siege and make peace with them
upon condition that they would let in
a few weak
sick
and wounded soldiers among them to be cured. They let in the
soldiers
and when the city was secure
the soldiers let in Pompey's army. A
carnal settled security will let in a whole army of lusts into the soul. Thomas
Brooks.
Verse 6. "He
hath said in his heart
I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in
adversity." To consider religion always on the comfortable side; to
congratulate one's self for having obtained the end before we have made use of
the means; to stretch the hands to receive the crown of righteousness before
they have been employed to fight the battle; to be content with a false peace
and to use no effort to obtain the graces to which true consolation is annexed:
this is a dreadful calm
like that which some voyagers describe
and which is a
very singular forerunner of a very terrible event. All on a sudden
in the wide
ocean
the sea becomes calm
the surface of the water clear as a crystal
smooth as glass—the air serene; the unskilled passenger becomes tranquil and
happy
but the old mariner trembles. In an instant the waves froth
the winds
murmur
the heavens kindle
a thousand gulfs open
a frightful light inflames
the air
and every wave threatens sudden death. This is an image of many men's
assurance of salvation. James Saurin
1677-1730.
Verse 7. "Under
his tongue is mischief and vanity." The striking allusion of this
expression is to certain venomous reptiles
which are said to carry bags of
poison under their teeth
and
with great subtlety to inflict the most deadly
injuries upon those who come within their reach. How affectingly does this
represent the sad havoc which minds tainted with infidelity inflict on the
community! By their perversions of truth
and by their immoral sentiments and
practices
they are as injurious to the mind as the deadliest poison can be to
the body. John Morison.
Verse 7. Cursing men
are cursed men. John Trapp.
Verses 7
9. In Anne
Askew's account of her examination by Bishop Bonner
we have an instance of the
cruel craft of persecutors: "On the morrow after
my lord of London sent
for me at one of the clock
his hour being appointed at three. And as I came
before him
he said he was very sorry of my trouble
and desired to know my
opinion in such matters as were laid against me. He required me also boldly in
any wise to utter the secrets of my heart; bidding me not to fear in any point
for whatsoever I did say within his house
no man should hurt me for it. I
answered
'For so much as your lordship hath appointed three of the clock
and
my friends shall not come till that hour
I desire you to pardon me of giving
answer till they come.'" Upon this Bale remarks: "'In this preventing
of the hour may the diligent perceive the greediness of this Babylon bishop
or
bloodthirsty wolf
concerning his prey. 'Swift are their feet
' saith David
'in the effusion of innocent blood
which have fraud in their tongues
venom in
their lips
and most cruel vengeance in their mouths.' David much marvelleth in
the spirit that
taking upon them the spiritual governance of the people
they
can fall into such frenzy or forgetfulness of themselves
as to believe it
lawful thus to oppress the faithful
and to devour them with as little compassion
as he that greedily devoureth a piece of bread. If such have read anything of
God
they have little minded their true duty therein. 'More swift
' saith
Jeremy
'are our cruel persecutors than the eagles of the air. They follow upon
us over the mountains
and lay privy wait for us in the wilderness.' He that
will know the crafty hawking of bishops to bring in their prey
let them learn
it here. Judas
I think
had never the tenth part of their cunning
workmanship.'" John Bale
D.D.
Bishop of Ossory
1495-1563
in
"Examination of Anne Askew." Parker Society's Publications.
Verse 8. "He
sitteth in the lurking places of the villages
" etc. The Arab robber
lurks like a wolf among these sand heaps
and often springs out suddenly upon
the solitary traveller
robs him in a trice
and then plunges again into the
wilderness of sand-hills and reedy downs
where pursuit is fruitless. Our
friends are careful not to allow us to straggle about
or lag behind
and yet
it seems absurd to fear a surprise here—Kaifa before
Acre in the rear
and
travellers in sight on both sides. Robberies
however
do often occur
just
where we now are. Strange country! and it has always been so. There are a
hundred allusions to just such things in the history
the Psalms
and the
prophets of Israel. A whole class of imagery is based upon them. Thus
in Psalm
10:8-10
"He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret
places doth he murder the innocent: he lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his
den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor
when he
draweth him into his net; he croucheth and humbleth himself
that the poor may
fall by his strong ones." And a thousand rascals
the living originals of
this picture
are this day crouching and lying in wait all over the country to
catch poor helpless travellers. You observe that all these people we meet or
pass are armed; nor would they venture to go from Acre to Kaifa without their
musket
although the cannon of the castles seem to command every foot of the
way. Strange
most strange land! but it tallies wonderfully with its ancient
story. W. M. Thompson
D.D.
in "The Land and the Book
" 1859.
Verse 8. My
companions asked me if I knew the danger I had escaped. "No
" I
replied; "What danger?" They then told me that
just after they
started
they saw a wild Arab skulking after me
crouching to the ground
with
a musket in his hand; and that
as soon as he had reached within what appeared
to them musket-shot of me
he raised his gun; but
looking wildly around him
as a man will do who is about to perpetrate some desperate act
he caught sight
of them and disappeared. Jeremiah knew something of the ways of these Arabs
when he wrote (chapter 3:2) "In the ways hast thou sat for them
as the
Arabian in the wilderness;" and the simile is used in Psalm 10:9
10
for
the Arabs wait and watch for their prey with the greatest eagerness and
perseverance. John Gadsby
in "My Wanderings
" 1860.
Verse 8. "He
sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he
murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor." All
this strength of metaphor and imagery is intended to mark the assiduity
the
cunning
the low artifice
to which the enemies of truth and righteousness will
often resort in order to accomplish their corrupt and vicious designs. The
extirpation of true religion is their great object; and there is nothing to
which they will not stoop in order to effect that object. The great powers
which have oppressed the church of Christ
in different ages
have answered to
this description. Both heathen and papistical authorities have thus
condescended in infamy. They have sat
as it were
in ambush for the poor of
Christ's flock; they have adopted every stratagem that infernal skill could
invent; they have associated themselves with princes in their palaces
and with
beggars on their dunghill; they have resorted to the village
and they have
mingled in the gay and populous city; and all for the vain purpose of
attempting to blot out a "name which shall endure for ever
and which
shall be continued as long as the sun." John Morison.
Verse 9 "He
doth catch the poor." The poor man is the beast they hunt
who must
rise early
rest late
eat the bread of sorrow
sit with many a hungry meal
perhaps his children crying for food
while all the fruit of his pains is
served into Nimrod's table. Complain of this while you will
yet
as the orator
said of Verres
pecuniosus nescit damnari. Indeed
a money-man may not
be damnified
but he may be damned. For this is a crying sin
and the wakened
ears of the Lord will hear it
neither shall his provoked hands forbear it. Si
tacuerint pauperes loquentur lapides. If the poor should hold their peace
the very stones would speak. The fines
rackings
enclosures
oppressions
vexations
will cry to God for vengeance. "The stone will cry out of the
wall
and the beam out of the timber shall answer it." Habakkuk 2:11. You
see the beasts they hunt. Not foxes
not wolves
nor boars
bulls
nor tigers.
It is a certain observation
no beast hunts its own kind to devour it. Now
if
these should prosecute wolves
foxes
&c.
they should then hunt their own
kind; for they are these themselves
or rather worse than these
because here homo
homini lupus. But though they are men they hunt
and by nature of the same
kind
they are not so by quality
for they are lambs they persecute. In them
there is blood
and flesh
and fleece to be had; and therefore on these do they
gorge themselves. In them there is weak armour of defence against their cruelties;
therefore over these they may domineer. I will speak it boldly: there is not a
mighty Nimrod in this land that dares hunt his equal; but over his inferior
lamb he insults like a young Nero. Let him be graced by high ones
and he must
not be saluted under twelve score off. In the country he proves a termagant;
his very scowl is a prodigy
and breeds an earthquake. He would be a Caesar
and tax all. It is well if he prove not a cannibal! Only Macro salutes Sejanus
so long as he is in Tiberius's favour; cast him from that pinnacle
and the dog
is ready to devour him. Thomas Adams.
Verse 9. "He
draweth him into his net." "They hunt with a net." Micah
7:2. They have their politic gins to catch men; gaudy wares and dark shops (and
would you have them love the light that live by darkness
as many shopkeepers?)
draw and tole customers in
where the crafty leeches can soon feel their
pulses: if they must buy they shall pay for their necessity. And though they
plead
We compel none to buy our ware
caveat emptor; yet with fine
voluble phrases
damnable protestations
they will cast a mist of error before
an eye of simple truth
and with cunning devices hunt them in. So some among us
have feathered their nests
not by open violence
but politic circumvention.
They have sought the golden fleece
not by Jason's merit
but by Medea's
subtlety
by Medea's sorcery. If I should intend to discover these hunter's
plots
and to deal punctually with them
I should afford you more matter than
you would afford me time. But I limit myself and answer all their plans with
Augustine. Their tricks may hold in jure fori
but not in jure poli—in
the common-pleas of earth
not before the king's bench in heaven. Thomas
Adams.
Verse 9. Oppression
turns princes into roaring lions
and judges into ravening wolves. It is an
unnatural sin
against the light of nature. No creatures do oppress them of
their own kind. Look upon the birds of prey
as upon eagles
vultures
hawks
and you shall never find them preying upon their own kind. Look upon the beasts
of the forest
as upon the lion
the tiger
the wolf
the bear
and you shall
ever find them favourable to their own kind; and yet men unnaturally prey upon
one another
like the fish in the sea
the great swallowing up the small. Thomas
Brooks.
Verse 10. "He
croucheth
and humbleth himself
" etc. There is nothing too mean or
servile for them
in the attempt to achieve their sinister ends. You shall see
his holiness the Pope washing the pilgrims' feet
if such a stratagem be
necessary to act in the minds of the deluded multitude; or you shall see him
sitting on a throne of purple
if he wishes to awe and control the kings of the
earth. John Morison.
Verse 10 If you take
a wolf in a lambskin
hang him up; for he is the worst of the generation. Thomas
Adams.
Verse 11. "He
hath said in his heart
God hath forgotten." Is it not a senseless
thing to be careless of sins committed long ago? The old sins forgotten by men
stick fast in an infinite understanding. Time cannot raze out that which hath
been known from eternity. Why should they be forgotten many years after they
were acted
since they were foreknown in an eternity before they were
committed
or the criminal capable to practice them? Amalek must pay their
arrears of their ancient unkindness to Israel in the time of Saul
though the
generation that committed them were rotten in their graves. 1 Samuel 15:2. Old
sins are written in a book
which lies always before God; and not only our own
sins
but the sins of our fathers
to be requited upon their posterity.
"Behold it is written." Isaiah 65:6. What a vanity is it then to be
regardless of the sins of an age that went before us; because they are in some
measure out of our knowledge
are they therefore blotted out of God's remembrance?
Sins are bound up with him
as men do bonds
till they resolve to sue for the
debt. "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up." Hosea 13:12. As his
foreknowledge extends to all acts that shall be done
so his remembrance
extends to all acts that have been done. We may as well say
God foreknows
nothing that shall be done to the end of the world
as that he forgets anything
that hath been done from the beginning of the world. Stephen Charnock.
Verse 11. "He
hath said in his heart
God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never
see it." Many say in their hearts
"God seeth them not
"
while with their tongues they confess he is an all-seeing God. The heart hath a
tongue in it as well as the head
and these two tongues seldom speak the same
language. While the head tongue saith
"We cannot hide ourselves from the
sight of God
" the heart-tongue of wicked men will say
"God will
hide himself from us
he will not see." But if their heart speak not thus
then as the prophet saith (Isaiah 29:15)
"They dig deep to hide their
counsel from the Lord;" surely they have a hope to hide their counsels
else they would not dig deep to hide them. Their digging is not proper
but
tropical; as men dig deep to hide what they would not have in the earth
so
they by their wits
plots
and devices
do their best to hide their counsels
from God
and they say
"Who seeth
who knoweth? We
surely
are not seen
either by God or man." Joseph Caryl.
Verse 11. The
Scripture everywhere places sin upon this root. "God hath forgotten: he
hideth his face; he will never see it." He hath turned his back upon
the world. This was the ground of the oppression of the poor by the wicked
which he mentions
verses 9
10. There is no sin but receives both its birth
and nourishment from this bitter root. Let the notion of providence be once
thrown out
or the belief of it faint
how will ambition
covetousness
neglect
of God
distrust
impatience
and all other bitter gourds
grow up in a night!
It is from this topic all iniquity will draw arguments to encourage itself; for
nothing so much discountenances those rising corruptions
and puts them out of
heart
as an actuated belief that God takes care of human affairs. Stephen
Charnock.
Verse 11. "He
hath said in his heart
" etc. "Because sentence against an evil
work is not executed speedily
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully
set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8:11. God forbears punishing
therefore men forbear repenting. He doth not smite upon their back by
correction
therefore they do not smite upon their thigh by humiliation.
Jeremiah 31:19. The sinner thinks thus
: "God hath spared me all this
while
he hath eked out patience into longsuffering; surely he will not
punish." "He hath said in his heart
God hath forgotten."
God sometimes in infinite patience adjourns his judgments and puts off the
sessions a while longer
he is not willing to punish. 2 Peter 3:9. The bee
naturally gives honey
but stings only when it is angered. The Lord would have
men make their peace with him. Isaiah 27:5. God is not like a hasty creditor
that requires the debt
and will give no time for the payment; he is not only
gracious
but "waits to be gracious" (Isaiah 30:18); but God by his
patience would bribe sinners to repentance; but alas! how is this patience abused.
God's longsuffering hardens: because God stops the vials of his wrath
sinners
stop the conduit of tears. Thomas Watson.
Verse 11. "He
hath said in his heart
God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never
see it." Because the Lord continues to spare them
therefore they go
on to provoke him. As he adds to their lives
so they add to their lusts. What
is this
but as if a man should break all his bones because there is a surgeon
who is able to set them again?. . . . . . Because justice seems to wink
men suppose her blind; because she delays punishment
they imagine she
denies to punish them; because she does not always reprove them for their sins
they suppose she always approves of their sins
But let such know
that the
silent arrow can destroy as well as the roaring cannon. Though the patience of
God be lasting
yet it is not everlasting. William Secker.
Verses 11
12
13.
The atheist denies God's ordering of sublunary matters. "Tush
doth the
Lord see
or is there knowledge in the Most High?" making him a maimed
Deity
without an eye of providence
or an arm of power
and at most
restraining him only to matters above the clouds. But he that dares to confine
the King of heaven
will soon after endeavour to depose him
and fall at last
flatly to deny him. Thomas Fuller.
Verse 13. "He
hath said in his heart
Thou wilt not require it." As when the
desperate pirate
ransacking and rifling a bottom was told by the master
that
though no law could touch him for the present
he should answer it at the day
of judgment
replied
"If I may stay so long ere I come to it
I will take
thee and thy vessel too." A conceit wherewith too many land-thieves and
oppressors flatter themselves in their hearts
though they dare not utter it
with their lips. Thomas Adams.
Verses 13
14. What
do you think that God doth not remember our sins which we do not regard? for
while we sin the score runs on
and the Judge setteth down all in the table of
remembrance
and his scroll reacheth up to heaven. Item
for lending to usury;
item
for racking of rents; item
for starching thy ruffs; item
for curling
thy hair; item
for painting thy face; item
for selling of benefices; item
for starving of souls; item
for playing at cards; item
for sleeping in the
church; item
for profaning the Sabbath-day
with a number more hath God to
call to account
for everyone must answer for himself. The fornicator
for
taking of filthy pleasure; the careless prelate
for murthering so many
thousand souls; the landlord
for getting money from his poor tenants by
racking of his rents; see the rest
all they shall come like very sheep when
the trumpet shall sound and the heaven and the earth shall come to judgment
against them; when the heavens shall vanish like a scroll
and the earth shall
consume like fire
and all the creatures standing against them; the rocks shall
cleave asunder
and the mountains shake
and the foundation of the earth shall
tremble
and they shall say to the mountains
Cover us
fall upon us
and hide
us from the presence of his anger and wrath whom we have not cared to offend.
But they shall not be covered and hid; but then shall they go the back way
to
the snakes and serpents
to be tormented of devils for ever. Henry Smith.
Verse 14. "Thou
hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite
to requite it with thy
hands
" etc. This should be a terror to the wicked
to think that
whatsoever they do
they do it in the sight of him that shall judge
them
and call them to a strict account for every thought conceived against his
majesty; and therefore
it should make them afraid to sin; because that when
they burn with lust
and toil with hatred
when they scorn the just and wrong
the innocent
they do all this
not only in conspectu Dei
within the
compass of God's sight
but also in sinu divinitatis
in the bosom of
that Deity
who
though he suffered them for a time to run on
like "a
wild ass used to in the wilderness
" yet he will find them out at the
last
and then cut them off and destroy them. And as this is terror unto the
wicked
so it may be a comfort unto the godly to think that he who should hear
their prayers and send them help
is so near unto them; and it should move them
to rely still upon him
because we are sure of his presence wherever we are. G.
Williams
1636.
Verse 14. "The
poor committeth himself unto thee." The awkwardness of our hearts to
suffer comes much from distrust. An unbelieving soul treads upon the promise as
a man upon ice; at first going upon it he is full of fears and tumultuous
thoughts lest it should crack. Now
daily resignation of thy heart
as it will
give thee an occasion of conversing more with the thoughts of God's power
faithfulness
and other of his attributes (for want of familiarity with which
jealousies arise in our hearts when put to any great plunge)
so also it will
furnish thee with many experiences of the reality both of his attributes and
promises; which
though they need not any testimony from sense
to gain them
credit with us
yet so much are we made of sense
so childish and weak is our
faith
that we find our hearts much helped by those experiences we have had
to
rely on him for the future. Look
therefore
carefully to this; every morning
leave thyself and ways in God's hand
as the phrase is. Psalm 10:14. And at
night look again how well God hath looked to his trust
and sleep not till thou
hast affected thy heart with his faithfulness
and laid a stronger charge on
thy heart to trust itself again in God's keeping in the night. And when any
breach is made
and seeming loss befalls thee in any enjoyment
which thou hast
by faith insured of thy God
observe how God fills up that breach
and makes up
that loss to thee; and rest not till thou hast fully vindicated the good name
of God to thy own heart. Be sure thou lettest no discontent or dissatisfaction
lie upon thy spirit at God's dealings; but chide thy heart for it
as David did
his. Psalm 42. And thus doing
with God's blessing
thou shalt keep thy faith
in breath for a longer race
when called to run it. William Gurnall.
Verse 14. "Thou
art the helper of the fatherless." God doth exercise a more special
province over men
as clothed with miserable circumstances; and therefore among
his other titles this is one
to be a "helper of the fatherless."
It is the argument the church used to express her return to God; Hosea 14:3
"For in thee the fatherless find mercy." Now what greater comfort is
there than this
that there is one presides in the world who is so wise he
cannot be mistaken
so faithful he cannot deceive
so pitiful he cannot neglect
his people
and so powerful that he can make stones even to be turned into
bread if he please! . . . . . . God doth not govern the world only by his will
as an absolute monarch
but by his wisdom and goodness as a tender father. It
is not his greatest pleasure to show his sovereign power
or his inconceivable
wisdom
but his immense goodness
to which he makes the other attributes
subservient. Stephen Charnock.
Verse 14. "Thou
hast seen it
" etc. If God did not see our ways
we might sin and go
unpunished; but foreasmuch as he seeth them with purer eyes than to behold
iniquity and approve it
he is engaged both in justice and honour to punish all
that iniquity of our ways which he seeth or beholdeth. David makes this the
very design of God's superintendency over the ways of men: "Thou hast
seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite
to requite it with thy hand:
the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the
fatherless." Thus the psalmist represents the Lord as having taken a
view or survey of the ways of men. "Thou hast seen." What hath
God seen? Even all that wickedness and oppression of the poor spoken of in the
former part of the Psalm
as also the blasphemy of the wicked against himself
(verse 13)
"Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his
heart
Thou wilt not require it." What saith the psalmist concerning
God
to this vain
confident man? "Thou
" saith he
"beholdest
mischief and spite;" but to what purpose? the next words tell us that—
"to requite it with thy hand." As thou hast seen what mischief
they have done spitefully
so in due time thou wilt requite it righteously. The
Lord is not a bare spectator
he is both a rewarder and an avenger. Therefore
from the ground of this truth
that the Lord seeth all our ways
and counteth
all our steps
we
as the prophet exhorts (Isaiah 3:10
11)
may "say to
the righteous
that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of
their doings." We may also say
"Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill
with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." Only idols
which have eyes and see not
have hands and strike not. Joseph Caryl.
Verse 14. "Thou
hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite
to requite it with thy
hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the
fatherless." Let the poor know that their God doth take care of them
to visit their sins with rods who spoil them
seeing they have forgotten that
we are members one of another
and have invaded the goods of their brethren;
God will arm them against themselves
and beat them with their own staves;
either their own compassing and over-reaching wits shall consume their store
or their unthrifty posterity shall put wings upon their riches to make them
fly; or God shall not give them the blessing to take use of their wealth
but
they shall leave to such as shall be merciful to the poor. Therefore let them
follow the wise man's counsel (Ecclesiastes 10:20)
"Curse not the rich
no
not in thy bedchamber;" let no railing and unchristian bitterness
wrong a good cause; let it be comfort enough to them that God is both their
supporter and avenger. Is it not sufficient to lay all the storms of discontent
against their oppressors
that God sees their affliction
and cometh down to
deliver and avenge them? Edward Marbury.
Verse 14. "Thou
hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite
to requite it with thy
hand
" etc. God considers all your works and ways
and will not you
consider the works
the ways of God? Of this be sure
whether you consider the
ways of God
his word-ways
or work-ways
of this be sure
God will consider
your ways
certainly he will; those ways of yours which in themselves are not
worth the considering or looking upon
your sinful ways
though they are so
vile
so abominable
that if yourselves did but look upon them and consider
them
you would be utterly ashamed of them; yea
though they are an abomination
to God while he beholds them
yet he will behold and consider them. The Lord
who is of purer eyes than to behold any the least iniquity
to approve it
will
yet behold the greatest of your iniquities
and your impurest ways to consider
them. "Thou
" saith David
"beholdest mischief and
spite
to requite it:" God beholdeth the foulest
dirtiest ways of
men
their ways of oppression and unrighteousness
their ways of intemperance
and lasciviousness
their ways of wrath and maliciousness
at once to detest
detect
and requite them. If God thus considereth the ways of men
even those filthy
and crooked ways of men
should not men consider the holy
just
and righteous
ways of God? Joseph Caryl.
Verses 14-18. "God
delights to help the poor." He loves to take part with the best
though the weakest side. Contrary to the course of most
who when a controversy
arises use to stand in a kind of indifferency or neutrality
till they see
which part is strongest
not which is justest. Now if there be any
consideration (besides the cause) that draws or engages God
it is the weakness
of the side. He joins with many
because they are weak
not with any
because
they are strong; therefore he is called the helper of the friendless
and
with him the fatherless
(the orphans) find mercy. By fatherless we
are not to understand such only whose parents are dead
but any one that is in
distress; as Christ promised his disciples; "I will not leave you
orphans
" that is
helpless
and (as we translate) comfortless;
though ye are as children without a father
yet I will be a father to you. Men
are often like those clouds which dissolve into the sea; they send presents to
the rich
and assist the strong; but God sends his rain upon the dry land
and
lends his strength to those who are weak. . . . The prophet makes this report
to God of himself (Isaiah 30:4): "Thou hast been a strength to the
poor
a strength to the needy in his distress
a refuge from the
storm
" etc. Joseph Caryl.
Verse 16. "The
Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land."
Such confidence and faith must appear to the world strange and unaccountable.
It is like what his fellow citizens may be supposed to have felt (if the story
be true) toward that man of whom it is recorded
that his powers of vision were
so extraordinary
that he could distinctly see the fleet of the Carthaginians
entering the harbour of Carthage
while he stood himself at Lilyboeum
in
Sicily. A man seeing across an ocean
and able to tell of objects so far off!
he could feast his vision on what others saw not. Even thus does faith now
stand at its Lilyboeum
and see the long tossed fleet entering safely the
desired haven
enjoying the bliss of that still distant day
as if it were
already come. Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse 17. There is a
humbling act of faith put forth in prayer. Others style it praying in humility;
give me leave to style it praying in faith. In faith which sets the soul in the
presence of that mighty God
and by the sight of him
which faith gives us
it
is that we see our own vileness
sinfulness
and abhor ourselves
and profess
ourselves unworthy of any
much less of those mercies we are to seek for. Thus
the sight of God had wrought in the prophet (Isaiah 6:5)
"Then said I
Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips: for mine eyes
have seen the King
the Lord of hosts." And holy Job speaks thus (Job
42:5
6)
"Now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself
and repent
in dust and ashes." This is as great a requisite to prayer as any other
act; I may say of it alone
as the apostle (James 1:7)
that without it we
shall receive nothing at the hands of God! God loves to fill empty vessels
he
looks to broken hearts. In the Psalms how often do we read that God hears the
prayers of the humble; which always involves and includes faith in it. Psalm
9:12
"He forgetteth not the cry of the humble
" and Psalm 10:17
"Lord
thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart
thou
wilt cause thine ear to hear." To be deeply humbled is to have the
heart prepared and fitted for God to hear the prayer; and therefore you find
the psalmist pleading sub forma pauperis
often repeating
"I am
poor and needy." And this prevents our thinking much if God do not grant
the particular thing we do desire. Thus also Christ himself in his great
distress (Psalm 22)
doth treat God (verse 2)
"O my God
I cry in the
day-time
but thou hearest not; and in the night season am not silent. Our
fathers trusted in thee. They cried unto thee
and were delivered. But I am a
worm
and no man; reproached of men
and despised of the people; (verse
6)" and he was "heard" in the end "in what he feared."
And these deep humblings of ourselves
being joined with vehement implorations
upon the mercy of God to obtain
is reckoned into the account of praying by
faith
both by God and Christ. Matthew 8. Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 17. "Lord
thou hast heard the desire of the humble." A spiritual prayer is a humble
prayer. Prayer is the asking of an alms
which requires humility. "The
publican
standing afar off
would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven
but smote upon his breast
saying
God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke
18:13. God's incomprehensible glory may even amaze us and strike a holy
consternation into us when we approach nigh unto him: "O my God
I am
ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee." Ezra 9:6. It is comely to
see a poor nothing lie prostrate at the feet of its Maker. "Behold now
I
have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord
which am but dust and ashes."
Genesis 18:27. The lower the heart descends
the higher the prayer ascends. Thomas
Watson.
Verse 17. "Lord
thou hast heard the desire of the humble
" etc. How pleasant is it
that these benefits
which are of so great a value both on their own account
and that of the divine benignity from whence they come
should be delivered
into our hands
marked
as it were
with this grateful inscription
that
they have been obtained by prayer! Robert Leighton.
Verse 17. "The
desire of the humble." Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God
in the name of Christ
for such things as are agreeable to his will. It is an
offering of our desires. Desires are the soul and life of prayer; words
are but the body; now as the body without the soul is dead
so are prayers
unless they are animated with our desires: "Lord
thou hast heard the
desire of the humble." God heareth not words
but desires. Thomas
Watson.
Verse 17. God's
choice acquaintances are humble men. Robert Leighton.
Verse 17. He that
sits nearest the dust
sits nearest heaven. Andrew Gray
of Glasgow
1616.
Verse 17. There is a
kind of omnipotency in prayer
as having an interest and prevalency with God's
omnipotency. It hath loosed iron chains (Acts 16:25
26); it hath opened iron
gates (Acts 12:5-10); it hath unlocked the windows of heaven (1 Kings 18:41);
it hath broken the bars of death (John 11:40
43). Satan hath three titles
given in the Scriptures
setting forth his malignity against the church of God:
a dragon
to note his malice; a serpent
to note his subtlety; and a lion
to
note his strength. But none of all these can stand before prayer. The greatest
malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther; the deepest policy
the
counsel of Ahithophel
withers before the prayer of David; the largest army
a
host of a thousand Ethiopians
run away like cowards before the prayer of Asa. Edward
Reynolds
1599-1676.
Verse 18. "To
judge the fatherless and the oppressed
" etc. The tears of the poor
fall down upon their cheeks
et ascendunt ad coelum
and go up to heaven
and cry for vengeance before God
the judge of widows
the father of widows and
orphans. Poor people be oppressed even by laws. Woe worth to them that make
evil laws against the poor
what shall be to them that hinder and mar good
laws? What will ye do in the day of great vengeance when God shall visit you?
he saith he will hear the tears of the poor women
when he goeth on visitation.
For their sake he will hurt the judge
be he never so high
he will for widows'
sakes change realms
bring them into temptation
pluck the judges' skins over
their heads. Cambyses was a great emperor
such another as our master is
he
had many lord deputies
lord presidents
and lieutenants under him. It is a
great while ago since I read the history. It chanced he had under him in one of
his dominions a briber
a gift-taker
a gratifier of rich men; he followed
gifts as fast as he that followed the pudding; a handmaker in his office
to
make his son a great man
as the old saying is
"Happy is the child whose
father goeth to the devil." The cry of the poor widow came to the emperor's
ear
and caused him to slay the judge quick
and laid his skin in his chair of
judgment
that all judges that should give judgment afterward
should sit in
the same skin. Surely it was a goodly sign
a goodly monument
the sign of the
judges skin. I pray God we may once see the sign of the skin in England. Ye
will say
peradventure
that this is cruelly and uncharitably spoken. No
no; I
do it charitably
for a love I bear to my country. God saith
"I will
visit." God hath two visitations; the first is when he revealeth his word
by preachers; and where the first is accepted
the second cometh not. The
second visitation is vengeance. He went to visitation when he brought the
judges skin over his ears. If this word be despised
he cometh with the second
visitation with vengeance. Hugh Latimer
1480 - 1555.
Verse 18. "Man
of the earth
" etc. In the eighth Psalm (which is a circular Psalm
ending as it did begin
"O Lord our God
how excellent is thy name in all
the world!" That whithersoever we turn our eyes
upwards or downwards
we
may see ourselves beset with his glory round about)
how doth the prophet base
and discountenance the nature and whole race of man; as may appear by his
disdainful and derogatory interrogation
"What is man that thou art mindful
of him; and the Son of Man
that thou regardest him?" In the ninth Psalm
"Rise
Lord; let not man have the upper hand; let the nations be judged in
thy sight. Put them in fear
O Lord
that the heathen may know themselves to be
but men." Further
in the tenth Psalm
"Thou judgest the fatherless
and the poor
that the man of the earth do no more violence."
The
Psalms
as they go in order
so
methinks they grow in strength
and each hath
a weightier force to throw down our presumption. 1. We are "men
" and
the "sons of men
" to show our descent and propagation. 2. "Men
in our own knowledge
" to show that conscience and experience of infirmity
doth convict us. 3. "Men of the earth
" to show our original matter
whereof we are framed. In the twenty-second Psalm
he addeth more disgrace; for
either in his own name
regarding the misery and contempt wherein he was held
or in the person of Christ
whose figure he was
as if it were robbery for him
to take upon him the nature of man
he falleth to a lower style
at ego sum
vermis et non vir; but I am a worm
and no man. For as corruption is the
father of all flesh
so are the worms his brethren and sisters according to the
old verse—
"First
man
next worms
then stench and loathsomeness
Thus man to no man alters by changes."
Abraham
the father of the faithful (Genesis 18)
sifteth himself into the coarsest man
that can be
and resolveth his nature into the elements whereof it first rose:
"Behold I have begun to speak to my Lord
being dust and ashes." And
if any of the children of Abraham
who succeed him in the faith
or any of the
children of Adam
who succeed him in the flesh
thinketh otherwise
let him
know that there is a threefold cord twisted by the finger of God
that shall
tie him to his first original
though he contend till his heart break. "O
earth
earth
earth
hear the word of the Lord" (Jeremiah 22); that is
earth by creation
earth by continuance
earth by resolution. Thou camest
earth
thou remainest earth
and to earth thou must return. John King.
Verse 18. "The
man of the earth." Man dwelling in the earth
and made of earth. Thomas
Wilcocks.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse 1. The answer
to these questions furnishes a noble topic for an experimental sermon. Let me
suggest that the question is not to be answered in the same manner in all
cases. Past sin
trials of graces
strengthening of faith
discovery of
depravity
instruction
etc.
etc.
are varied reasons for the hiding of our
Father's face.
Verse 2. Religious
persecution in all its phases based on pride.
Verse 3. God's
hatred of covetousness: show its justice.
Verse 4. Pride the
barrier in the way of conversion.
Verse 4 (last
clause). Thoughts in which God is not
weighed and condemned.
Verse 5. "Thy
judgments are far above out of his sight." Moral inability of men to
appreciate the character and acts of God.
Verse 6. The vain
confidence of sinners.
Verse 8. Dangers of
godly men
or the snares in the way of believers.
Verse 9. The
ferocity
craftiness
strength
and activity of Satan.
Verse 9 (last
clause). The Satanic fisherman
his art
diligence
success
etc.
Verse 10. Designing
humility unmasked.
Verse 11. Divine
omniscience and the astounding presumption of sinners.
Verse 12. "Arise
O Lord." A prayer needful
allowable
seasonable
etc.
Verse 13 (first
clause). An astounding fact
and a reasonable enquiry.
Verse 13. Future
retribution: doubts concerning it.
I.
By whom indulged: "the wicked."
II.
Where fostered: "in his heart."
III.
For what purpose: quieting of conscience
etc.
IV.
With what practical tendency: "contemn God." He who
disbelieves hell
distrusts heaven.
Verses
13
14. Divine government in the world.
I.
Who doubt it? and why?
II.
Who believe it? and what does this faith cause them to do?
Verse 14 (last
clause). A plea for orphans.
Verse 16. The
Eternal Kingship of Jehovah.
Verse 17 (first
clause).
I.
The Christian's character— "humble."
II.
An attribute of the Christian's whole life—"desire:" he
desires more holiness
communion
knowledge
grace
and usefulness; and then he
desires glory.
III.
The Christian's great blessedness—"Lord
thou hast heard the desire of
the humble."
Verse 17 (whole
verse).
I.
Consider the nature of gracious desires.
II.
Their origin.
III.
Their result.
The
three sentences readily suggest these divisions
and the subject may be very
profitable.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》