Do not be jealous of those who are evil, nor be jealous of those who commit lawlessness. Like the grass, the grass will soon dry up, like the potion of grain will soon disappear. Trust in the Lord and do goodness, and populate the earth, and enjoy its wealth. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Open your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will do it: and He will bring forth your righteousness like the light and your destiny like the noonday. Obey the Lord and beg Him. Do not be jealous of the one who sleeps on his way, the person who commits a crime. Stop being angry and abandon rage, do not be jealous or cunning. Those who are evil will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. And yet a little, and there will be no sinner, and you will seek his place, and will not find it. The meek ones will inherit the earth and enjoy the abundance of the world. The sinner despises the righteous and gnashes his teeth. The Lord will laugh at him, and will see for sure that his day will come. The sinner has drawn the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slain the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. A little is better for the righteous than much for the riches of sinners. The sinners' muscles will be broken, but the Lord confirms the righteous. The Lord knows the way of the blameless, and their inheritance will endure forever. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty, and in days of famine they will be satisfied, as sinners will perish. Defeat the Lord, become famous for them and ascend, vanishing like smoke. The sinner borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. For those who bless Him will inherit the earth, but those who curse Him will be consumed. From the Lord, man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly admired. When he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. The youngest was, for he grew old, and did not see the righteous man left, below his seed asking for bread. All day long the righteous man shows mercy and gives back, and his seed will be a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell in the age of the century. For the Lord loves judgment and will not forsake His saints; they will be preserved forever. The wicked will become wives, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever and ever. The mouth of the righteous will learn wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet will not falter. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to kill him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will judge him lower when he judges him. Be patient with the Lord and preserve His path, and He will exalt you to inherit the earth, never to be consumed by a sinner. I saw the wicked exalted and towering like the cedars of Lebanon. And he passed by, and behold, he was not there, and he sought him, and his place was not found. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, for there is a remnant for a peaceful man. The wicked will be consumed together: the remnants of the wicked will be consumed. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their Protector is in time of trouble. And the Lord will help them, and deliver them, and remove them from sinners, and save them, because they trusted in Him.
PSALMTER, Psalm 36 Psalm of David.
Do not be jealous of evildoers, do not envy those who do iniquity, for they, like grass, will soon be cut down and, like green grass, they will wither. I saw a terrible wicked man, expanding like a rooted many-branched tree;
PSALMS, Psalm 36. Do not be jealous of those who are wicked; do not be jealous of those who commit lawlessness. For the grass will soon dry up, and the herbs will soon fall away. Trust in the Lord and do goodness; and they inhabited the earth, and enjoyed its riches. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Open your way to the Lord and trust in him, and he will do it. And he will bring out your righteousness like light and your destiny like noon. Obey the Lord and beg him. Do not be jealous of the one who ripens on his way, the person who commits crimes. Stop being angry and abandon rage; do not be jealous, even if you are deceitful, those who are wicked will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. And yet a little while, and there will be no sinner; and you seek its place and will not find it. The meek ones will inherit the earth and enjoy the abundance of the world. The sinner despises the righteous and gnashes his teeth; The Lord will laugh at him and foresee that his day will come. The sinner has drawn the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slain the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. A little is better for the righteous than much for the riches of sinners. The sinners' muscles will be broken, but the Lord confirms the righteous. The Lord proclaims the ways of the blameless, and their success will endure forever. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty and in days of famine they will be satisfied, as sinners will perish. Defeat the Lord, and become glorified by them and ascend, disappearing like smoke. The sinner borrows and does not return; the righteous one is generous and gives. For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will be consumed. From the Lord, man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly admired. When he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. The youngest was, for he grew old, and did not see the righteous man left, below his seed asking for bread. All day long the righteous man shows mercy and gives back, and his seed will be a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell in the age of the century. For the Lord loves judgment and will not abandon His saints; will be preserved forever; But the wicked will become wives, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever and ever. The mouth of the righteous will learn wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment. The law of God is his heart, and his feet will not falter. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to kill him; The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will judge him below when he judges him. Be patient with the Lord and preserve his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the earth; never be consumed by a sinner, see. I saw the wicked exalting themselves and towering like the cedars of Lebanon; and he passed by, and behold, he was not there, and he sought him, and his place was not found. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, for there is a remnant for a peaceful man. The lawless ones will be consumed together; the remains of the wicked will be consumed. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their protector is in time of trouble; and the Lord will help them and deliver them, and will take them away from sinners and save them, because they trusted in him.
This psalm is a sermon, an excellent wholesome sermon, not (like most psalms) intended for worship, but presented as a model for our way of life. There are no prayers or praises in it, it consists entirely of instructions. This is Maschil - a teaching psalm. Here we are presented with an exposition of some of the most difficult chapters of the book of providence: the welfare of the wicked, the dishonor of the righteous, the resolution of the difficulties occasioned thereby, and the exhortation to conduct ourselves properly while living in this dark dispensation. The duty of the prophets, one of whom was David, is to explain the law. The law of Moses promised temporary blessings to the obedient, and threatened disasters to the disobedient, which usually applied to the whole people as a nation; for when it came to individuals, many examples spoke of the prosperity of sinners and the disasters of saints. In this psalm, the prophet set himself the goal of finding correspondence between these examples and the word of God. In it he (I.) Forbids us to be irritated at seeing the wicked prosper in their wicked ways (v. 1:7,8).
(II) David explains very well why we should not be annoyed by this.
(1.) Because of the scandalous character of the wicked (v. 12, 14, 21, 32), notwithstanding their prosperity, and the honorable character of the righteous (v. 21, 26, 30, 31).
(2.) Because of the destruction that the wicked are approaching (v. 2,9,10,20,35,36,38), and the salvation and protection from all the evil designs of the wicked, of which the righteous are confident (13,15,17 ,28,33,39,40).
(3.) Because of the special mercy which God has reserved for all good men, and favor shown them (v. 11, 16, 18, 19, 22-25, 28, 29, 37).
III. He prescribes very good remedies against the sin of envying the prosperity of the wicked, and encourages us to take advantage of these remedies (v. 3-6, 27, 34). In chanting these verses we are to teach and edify one another to rightly understand and adapt to the providences of God; perform your duties correctly at all times, then patiently wait for an answer from God and trust that, no matter how gloomy circumstances may seem at the moment, it will be good for those who fear God, who revere before Him.
Psalm of David.
Verses 1-6. The instructions of this psalm are very simple, and it does not require much to say to interpret them; but you need to make an effort to bring them to life, and then they will look their best.
I. These precepts warn us to be careful not to be displeased at the prosperity and success of evildoers (v. 1, 2): Be not jealous of evildoers, be not envious. We may suppose that these words are spoken first of all by David to himself, and preached to his heart (as he communes with it on his bed), in order to suppress those evil passions which he found at work there, and then to leave written instructions for others who may find themselves in similar situation. The best and most successful way to preach to others is what you first preached to yourself. Further, (1.) When we look at this world, we see that it is dominated by evildoers and lawless people, prosperous and prosperous, who have everything they want and do as they want, who live carelessly, in luxury and have power do evil for everyone around you. This was the case in David's time; and if things are the same now, then do not be surprised, as if this were something new or strange.
(2) When we look within ourselves, we see the temptation to be indignant at the sight of this and to be jealous against the shameful facts and heavy burdens, against the shortcomings and annoying phenomena on this earth. We are ready to resent God, as if He is unmerciful to the world and His Church, allowing such people to live, prosper and always achieve their goal. We tend to be indignant at the success of their wicked plans. We tend to envy their freedom as they acquire wealth (perhaps through illegal means), indulge their lusts, and feel the desire to throw off the shackles of conscience and do the same. We are tempted to think that only they are happy people, and we try to imitate them, to join them in order to have our share in their acquisitions and taste their delicacies. And this is exactly what the psalmist warns us against: “Do not be jealous of evildoers, do not envy.” Resentment and envy are sins that are themselves punishment; they carry with them restlessness of spirit and corruption of bones. Therefore, we are warned that, out of mercy to ourselves, we should beware of such feelings. But this is not all, for, 3. If we look into the future with the eyes of faith, we see no reason to envy the prosperity of the wicked, since their destruction lies at the door, and they are quickly approaching it (v. 2). They flourish, but in the same way that green grass blooms, which no one envy or gets annoyed at the sight of. The prosperity of a godly man is like a tree bearing fruit (Ps. 1:3), but the prosperity of a wicked man is like grass and green crops, which live but a short time.
They will dry out on their own soon. External flowering quickly fades, as does life itself, to which they are limited.
Very soon they will be cut down by the judgments of God. Their rejoicing is brief, but their weeping and lamentation will be eternal.
II. This psalm advises us to live by trusting and relying on God, and this will keep us from being outraged when we see evildoers prospering. If we act in a way that is good for our souls, we will see no reason to envy those who cause harm to their souls. Here are three excellent principles to guide us, and to strengthen them, here are three promises on which we can rely.
1. We must have God as our trust, walking in the way of our duty, and then we will have a pleasant existence in this world (v. 3).
(1.) It is required here, "Trust in the Lord and do good," that is, that we trust in God and imitate Him. Religious life depends largely on trust in God, in His favor, providence, promise, grace, and on a diligent endeavor to serve Him and one's generation according to His will. We should not think that by trusting in the Lord we can live the way we want. No, if we do not make efforts to fulfill our duty, then this is not called trusting in God, but tempting Him. We also should not do good by relying on ourselves, on our own righteousness and strength. No, we must trust in the Lord and do good. And in this case (2) the promise is given that in this world we will be provided for: “Then you will live on earth and you will be fed”20. It does not say, “You will take a higher position, live in a palace and feast.” It's not obligatory; Man's happiness does not lie in such abundance; the most important thing is “you will have a place to live; in this land, in Canaan, is the Valley of the Vision, and you will have enough food.” This is more than we deserve; it is enough for a godly man to make a condition (Gen. 28:20), and it is enough for a man who aspires to heaven. “You will have a quiet place to live, sufficient means of subsistence, and you will be fed.” Some read this verse this way: “You shall be fed by faith,” because, according to Scripture, the righteous will live by faith, and it is good if we live and feed on the promises. “You will be fed, like Elijah during the famine, when the need arises.” The Lord is our Shepherd, and He feeds all who trust in Him (Ps. 22:1).
2. We must make God our heart's delight, and then the desires of our hearts will be fulfilled (v. 4). We must not only depend on God, but also take comfort in Him. We should enjoy the fact that there is a God, that He is as He has revealed Himself to us, and that He is our covenant God. We should take comfort in His beauty, generosity, and good works. Our souls must turn to Him and trust Him as their rest and their portion forever. When we are satisfied with His mercy, we are filled with exceeding joy and gladness (Ps. 43:4). We are commanded to do good (v. 3), and then comes the command to delight ourselves in the Lord, which is both a privilege and a duty. If we try to be conscientious in obedience to God, we can have comfort in Him. And even this pleasant duty of being comforted by God is accompanied by a promise, very full and precious, which can well compensate for all the most difficult services: “He will give you the desires of your heart.” He does not promise to satisfy all our carnal appetites and amusing fantasies, but promises to fulfill all the desires of your heart, all the longings of a renewed, sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a godly person? To know and love God, to please Him and enjoy Him.
3. We must make God our guide, submit ourselves entirely to His leading, and be at His disposal; and then all our affairs, even the most intricate and difficult ones, will end well to our great satisfaction (vv. 5,6).
(1.) This duty is very simple, and if we do it rightly, it will make our lives easier: Commit thy way to the Lord, Prov. 16:3; Ps. 54:23. “Cast all your anxiety on Him” (1 Peter 5:7). We must put them off ourselves, so as not to suffer and disturb ourselves with thoughts of future events (Matt. 6:25), not to bother and trouble ourselves with the invention of means or the expectation of the end, but entrust them to God, leave them to be commanded by His wise providence. and arranged all our affairs as He pleased. “Commit your way to the Lord,” says the Septuagint, that is, “By prayer tell your situation and your worries to the Lord, as Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah” (Judges 11:11), and then trust in Him that a good answer will be received and you will gain complete satisfaction that everything God does is good.” We must do our duty and take care of it, and then leave everything to God. “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter ends” (Ruth 3:18). We must follow providence, and not push it, obey Infinite Wisdom, and not prescribe to it.
(2.) The promise is very pleasant.
In general it sounds like this: “...and He will do it; that is, whatever you commit to Him, He will handle, if not to your ingenuity, then to your satisfaction. God will find a way to deliver you from difficult circumstances, pacify your fears and fulfill your plans.”
In more detail it reads like this: “He will take care of your reputation and bring you out of difficult circumstances not only with comfort, but with good name and honor. He will bring out your righteousness like the light and your justice like the noonday (v. 6), that is, He will show everyone that you are an honest person.”
First, it implies that the righteousness and judgment of godly men may be darkened for a time, either by the astonishing reproaches of Providence (as Job's great sufferings darkened his righteousness), or by the malicious reproaches and calumnies of men who speak ill without cause. about the righteous and ascribe to them deeds that they did not do.
Secondly, It is here promised that in due time God would blot out all the censures to which they had been subjected, make clear their innocence, and, to their honor, demonstrate their righteousness, perhaps in this world or hereafter in that great day, Matt. 13:43 ). Note that if we take care to maintain a good conscience, we can let God take care of our good name.
Verses 7-20. In these verses we are presented with:
I. The above commandments; for we are so apt to trouble ourselves with useless and fruitless anxieties, discontent, and distrust, that it is necessary that there should be precept upon precept, precept upon precept, to suppress them, and arm us against them.
(1.) Let us dispose ourselves to faith in God: “Submit yourself to the Lord and trust in Him (v. 7), that is, make peace with everything that He does and submit to it, for this is best and this is how God commanded it to happen. Also be satisfied that God works everything for our good, although we do not know how and in what way.” “Be silent before the Lord” is a literal translation, but not in an ominous, but in a submissive silence. When we patiently bear what is entrusted to us and patiently await what is destined for us in the future, then this serves our interests and is our duty, since it makes us calm; and there is also an important reason for this, since this dignity is necessary.
(2) Let us not upset ourselves with what we see in this world: “Do not be jealous of the one who succeeds in his path - the person who, although bad, at the same time prospers, becomes rich and great in this world. Do not be dismayed that one who has power and wealth does evil and carries out his wicked plans against godly and good people, that he seems to have achieved his goal and speaks disparagingly of them. If your heart begins to rebel at the sight of this, then overcome your folly and cease to be angry (v. 8), check the first shoots of your discontent and envy, and harbor not one cruel thought about God and His providence on this matter. Don't be angry, no matter what God does; give up anger, for this is the worst anger that can be. Do not be jealous to the point of doing evil; do not envy their prosperity, lest you be tempted to take the same wicked path for your own enrichment and advancement, or tempted to follow some foolish path to escape them and their power.” Note that a dissatisfied, irritable spirit opens the door to many temptations, and those who indulge it are in danger of committing evil.
II. The above reasons are here set forth in detail, arising from the fact that the wicked, though prosperous, are approaching destruction, but the righteous are truly happy, notwithstanding their difficulties. These truths are repeated in various pleasant expressions. The psalmist warns us to be careful (v. 7) not to envy the wicked for their worldly prosperity and their success in plotting against the righteous. The reasons for these two temptations are given separately.
1. Godly men have no reason to envy the worldly prosperity of the wicked, nor to be grieved or worried about it, (1.) For their prosperity will soon be put to an end (v. 9): "For the evildoers will be destroyed by some sudden stroke of divine power." justice is in the midst of its prosperity.” What they have gained through sin will not only be taken away from them (Job 20:28), but they themselves will be carried away along with their wealth. Notice the end of these people (Ps. 72:17);
how dearly everything that was obtained by dishonest means will cost them, and then you will absolutely stop envying them and will not want to share their fate, no matter what happens. Their end is certain, and it is near (v. 10): “A little while longer, and the wicked will be no more; he will no longer be the same as he is now; accidentally they came to ruin (Ps. 72:19). Have a little patience, for the Judge is at the door (James 5:8,9). Subdue your passions, for the Lord is near (Phil 4:5). And when destruction comes to them, it will be a complete collapse; they and all that belongs to them will be destroyed. The day that comes will leave them neither root nor branch (Mal. 4:1): you will look at his place, where in former days he was an important person, and he is not; you won't be able to find it. He will leave behind nothing significant and nothing honorable. Verse 20 has the same meaning: “But the wicked will perish”; death will be their ruin, for it is the end of all their joy and the transition to endless disaster. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; and those who die in their sins are eternally miserable. The wicked are the enemies of the Lord; those who do not want to be reigned over make themselves such, and God will reckon with them: “The enemies of the Lord, like the fat of lambs, will disappear, they will disappear in smoke.” The prosperity that delighted their sensuality turned out to be like the fat of lambs, that is, not durable and substantial, but uncertain and unsteady; and when the day of their destruction comes, they fall as victims of the justice of God and the fire consumes them, like the fat of the sacrifice lying on the altar from whence the smoke rises. The day of God's vengeance on the wicked is represented by the sacrifice of the fat of the kidneys of rams (Isa. 34:6), for the Lord will be honored by the destruction of his enemies by the sacrifice of them. Damned sinners are victims (Mark 9:49). Therefore we should not envy the wicked and their prosperity; having eaten their fill, they only fatten up for the sacrifice, like lambs in a wide pasture (Hosea 4:16). And the more they prosper, the more God will be glorified in their destruction.
(2.) For even in this life the condition of the righteous is in every respect better and more desirable than that of the wicked (v. 16). In general, even the small share of honors, wealth and pleasures in this world that a righteous person has is better than the wealth of many wicked people. Note,
The riches of this world are distributed by divine providence in such a way that often only a little falls to the lot of godly people, while the wicked have it in abundance. By this God shows that the riches of the world are not the best, for if this were so, then they would belong to the best and most dear to the Lord.
The little that a godly man possesses is indeed better than the riches of a wicked man, however great they may be; for it came from good hands from a feeling of special love, and not simply from the hand of a general providence. He has a special right, as God gives to him according to the promise (Gal. 3:18). To him all things belong through the relation to Christ, who is the heir of all things, and to him all things are committed for the best use—all things are sanctified to him by the blessing of God. To the pure all things are pure (Titus 1:15). The little by which we serve God and honor Him is better than the huge offerings prepared for Baal and base lust. The promises made to the righteous hold such bliss for them that they need not envy the prosperity of the wicked. Open to them for comfort,
first, that they shall inherit the earth to the extent that Infinite Wisdom deems it beneficial to them. They have the promise of this life (1 Timothy 4:8). If it takes all the land to make them happy, they will own it. Everything belongs to them, even the world, the present and the future (1 Cor 3:21,22). They own it by inheritance, by true and honorable right, and not just with permission and indulgence. When the wicked fail, sometimes the righteous inherit what they have accumulated. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous (Job 27:17; Prov 13:22). This promise is given to those who live by faith (v. 9): who trust in the Lord, who depend on Him, who wait on Him, who are strengthened by Him. Such will inherit the earth as a proof of His present favor and as a guarantee of the benefits that await him in the other world. God is a good Master who generously and well takes care not only of his servants who work, but also those who wait.
(b) To those who live quietly and peacefully (v. 11): “But the meek shall inherit the earth.” They are in less danger of experiencing harm or anxiety for their property; they derive the greatest satisfaction from themselves, and consequently the sweetest pleasures from the consolations available to the creature. Our Savior made this a gospel promise, and in confirmation proclaimed the blessedness of the meek, Matt. 5:5.
Secondly, that they will enjoy much peace (v. 11). They may not have an abundance of wealth to enjoy, but they have something much better - a lot of peace: inner peace, peace of mind, peace with God, then peace in God - that great peace that those who love the law have God's; there is no stumbling block for them (Ps. 119:165). They have that abundance of peace which is the kingdom of Christ (Ps. 71:7), a peace which this world cannot give (John 14:27), and which the wicked cannot have (Isa. 57:21). The pious will enjoy all this, and in this they will have a constant feast, while those who have an abundance of wealth experience only difficulties and obstacles, burdening themselves with it and receiving little pleasure from it.
Thirdly, that the Lord knows the days of the blameless (v. 18). He pays special attention to them, what they do and what happens to them. He keeps a record of all the days they serve Him, and not one of these days will go unrewarded. He takes into account all the days of their suffering so that they also receive compensation for them. He knows their sunny days and enjoys their prosperity. He knows their cloudy and gloomy days, the days of their suffering, and as the day is, so will be the strength.
Fourthly, that their wealth will endure forever, not their wealth on earth, but their incorruptible, undeniable wealth, which is stored up for them in heaven. He who is confident of an eternal inheritance stored in another world has no reason to envy the wicked, their temporary riches and pleasures in this world.
Fifth, that even in the worst of times, everything will be fine with them (v. 19). They will not be put to shame in their hope and trust in God, nor in their profession of religion, since the consolation of this thought will be an effective support for them in difficult times. When others are faint, they will lift up their heads with joy and confidence: even in days of famine they will be satisfied; when others around them are dying of hunger, they will be satisfied like Elijah. In one way or another God will provide them with suitable food or give them a contented heart; so that if they need help and are hungry, they will not, like the wicked, become angry, blaspheme their king and their God (Isaiah 8:21), but will rejoice in God, as in the God of their salvation, even if the fig tree had not blossomed (Hab 3:17,18).
2. The pious have no reason to be irritated when they see the occasional successful conspiracies of the wicked against the righteous. Although they do succeed in carrying out some of their evil plans (which creates fear in us when they achieve their goal), at the same time, let us control our anger and not become indignant and think about giving up everything. For, 1. They will be ashamed of their plans (v. 12, 13). It is true that the wicked plots against the righteous; in the seed of the wicked there is a deep-rooted enmity against the seed of the righteous; their goal, if only in their power, is to deprive them of righteousness, and if this fails, then to destroy them. In pursuit of this goal, they act using dishonest tactics and cunning plans (they plot and plot against the righteous), as well as amazing zeal and fury. The wicked gnashes his teeth at them so hard that (if only it were in his power) he would swallow them up; and he is filled to a great extent with indignation that he cannot do this. But all this makes the wicked ridiculous. He who dwells in heaven will laugh; the Lord will mock him (Ps. 2:4,5). They are proud and arrogant, but God will pour out contempt on them. He is not only dissatisfied, but also despises them, and all their attempts are in vain and ineffective; their malice is powerless and is kept in bonds, for the Lord sees that his day is coming. That is, the day of God's vengeance, the day of the manifestation of His righteousness, which now seems darkened and dim. People are having their day now. Scripture says, “Now is your time” (Luke 22:53), but the day of God will soon come, the day of reckoning, the day that will put everything in its place and reward those absurdities that now seem wonderful. It matters very little... how other people judge (1 Cor 4:3). The day of God will bring about final judgment.
Day of doom. This will be the day of the wicked, destined for their fall, this day is coming, which means a reprieve. It hasn't arrived yet, but it will certainly come. We believe that on this day the virgin daughter of Zion will despise you and laugh at you (Isaiah 37:22).
(2.) Their attempts will be their ruin (v. 14, 15). Please note here
How cruel they are in their plans against pious people. They prepare the instruments of death - the bow and the sword - nothing else will do; they are hunting for precious life. They plot to overthrow and pierce; they thirst for the blood of the righteous. They start their plan from afar and get closer to carry it out. The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow; all these military preparations are directed against the helpless - against the poor and the needy (which indicates their exceptional cowardice), against the innocent, walking the straight path, who have never provoked or harmed either them or other people (which proves their extreme depravity). Integrity itself will not be a defense against their malice. But look
How justly their malice will be turned upon themselves: their sword will enter into their own heart, which implies that the righteous will be preserved from the malice of the wicked, who thereby fill the cup of their iniquity. Sometimes what they plotted against an innocent neighbor becomes their own undoing. However, the sword of God, which is drawn against them for their provocations, will inflict a mortal wound on them.
(3.) Those who are not suddenly overthrown will be prevented from doing any further evil, and thus the interests of the Church will be saved: their bows will be broken (v. 15). The instruments of cruelty will fail them, and they will lose what they intended to do with the means for their insidious plans. Moreover, the muscles of the wicked will be broken, and therefore they will no longer be able to carry out their plans (v. 17). But the Lord strengthens the righteous, so they will not lose heart under the weight of their suffering and will not be crushed by the violence of their enemies. He sustains them both in their integrity and in their prosperity; and he who is thus supported by the Rock of Ages has no cause to envy the wicked when their broken reed is supported.
Verses 21-33. These verses have the same content as the previous ones, for this topic is worthy of long meditation. Please note here
I. What is required of us that we may obtain happiness, and what we can learn from the characters and precepts here given. To obtain the blessing of God, (1.) We must, in conscience, give to another what is his, for the wicked borroweth and does not repay (v. 21). This is the very first thing that the Lord our God requires of us: that we fairly give to everyone what belongs to them. If we do not give back what we borrowed, then this is not only shameful and insignificant, but sinful and vicious. Some in such cases refer not so much to the wickedness of the wicked as to the poverty and poverty with which they are straitened by the just judgment of God and are forced to borrow in order to survive, and are then deprived of the opportunity to repay the debt and thus find themselves at the mercy of creditors. But no matter what some people think about it, just as a great sin is committed by people who have the opportunity to repay a debt, but refuse to pay it, so a great misfortune befalls those who cannot pay it.
(2.) We must be willing to do works of charity and mercy, for as God has shown His mercy to the righteous by deciding to be kind and to do good (and, as some understand it, God's blessing increases the little that the righteous have to such an extent , that he has abundance to share to help others), so the example of the mercy of a righteous man is that he has a heart proportionate to his wealth: the righteous shows mercy and gives (v. 21). He has mercy and lends every day; sometimes true charity lies in both lending and giving, and God accepts both when they come from a gracious disposition of heart, which, if we are sincere, will be constant and will not allow us to tire of good works. He who is truly merciful will be forever merciful.
(3.) We must forsake our sins and cultivate true godliness (v. 27): "Turn aside evil and do good." Stop doing evil and hate it; learn to do good and adhere to it; this is true religion.
(4) Our conversation should be godly; With our lips we must glorify God and edify others. One of the characteristics of a righteous man (v. 30) is that the mouth of a righteous man speaks wisdom, that is, he not only speaks wisely, but also speaks wisdom, like Solomon, who edified everyone around him. His tongue speaks the truth, that is, he does not say empty and absurd things, but proclaims the truth, that is, the Word and providence of God, the principles of wisdom for the right decisions and way of life. Out of the abundance of a pious heart, the mouth will speak about what is good for edification.
(5.) We must submit all our desires completely to the will and word of God (v. 31): “The law of his God is in his heart”; and in vain do we pretend that God is our Lord if we do not receive His law into our hearts and refuse to be governed by Him. He who speaks of wisdom and judgments, but does not have the law in his heart, commits a ridicule and a ridiculous action, and we think as we speak. The law of God must be the commanding and governing principle in the heart of man; he must be a light and a source in him, and then our path will be correct and uniform; his feet shall not be shaken. The Law will prevent sin and the troubles that flow from it.
II. What they convince us of, and what happiness and consolation awaits us if these conditions are fulfilled.
1. We will have God's blessings. These blessings will be the source, enjoyment, and security of all our temporal comforts and pleasures (v. 22): “For those who are blessed by him, which are all the righteous who have the Father's blessing, shall thereby inherit the earth (the same is said in v. 29), that is, the land of Canaan - this glory of all lands." Our earthly comforts are real comforts when we see them flowing from the blessing of God, and we are confident that we will not want what is good for us in this world. The earth will give us its fruit if God our God blesses us (Ps 66:7)21. As those whom God has blessed are certainly blessed (for they shall inherit the earth), so those whom He has cursed are certainly damned; they will be destroyed and uprooted, and their complete destruction through divine damnation will emphasize the establishment of the righteous through divine providence and serve as a contrast.
2. God will direct and order our actions and deeds in a way that will especially glorify Him (v. 23): "The feet of such a man are established by the Lord." By His grace and the Holy Spirit He directs the thoughts, feelings, and plans of the godly man. He holds all hearts in His hand, but the hearts of the righteous are by their own consent. By his providence, God controls the events that concern them to make their path simple and they know what they must do and what to expect. Please note, the Lord confirms the steps of a good person, but not only his path in general, with His written Word, but directs His individual steps with the whisperings of his conscience, saying: “This is the right path, follow it.” God does not always show him the way at a distance, but leads him step by step, as children are led, and thus keeps him in constant dependence on His guidance. And this happens, (1.) Because He delights in his way, and He delights in the way of the righteous wherever he goes. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous (Ps. 1:6). He favors him and therefore guides him.
(2) Because He can be pleased with his way. Since God established his path in accordance with His will, He favors him; for since He loves His own image in us, He loves what we do under His guidance.
3. God will keep us from being destroyed by our sins and afflictions (v. 24): “When he falls, he will not fall.”
(1.) A godly man may make a mistake, but the grace of God will lead him to repentance, and therefore he will not perish. Though he may lose the joys of God's salvation for a time, they will be restored to him, as God will sustain him with His hand and His Spirit. The root will remain alive, although the leaves will dry out; and after winter spring will come.
(2.) The godly may be discouraged, his affairs may be in disorder, his spirit may be in despair, but he will not be wholly broken. God will be the strength of his heart when flesh and heart tremble; God will support him with His consolations, and therefore the spirit that He created will not fall before Him.
4. In this life we will not lack necessary goods (v. 25): “I was young and am old; I saw many changes in the lives of people and concluded that I did not see the righteous abandoned by God and man, as I sometimes saw the wicked, whom both heaven and earth abandoned. No, I don’t remember ever seeing a righteous man in such need that he asked for his bread.” David himself had to ask for bread from the priest Abimelech, but this was at a time when Saul was hunting him; and our Savior teaches that the cases of persecution for righteousness' sake should be excluded from all temporal promises (Mark 10:30), because such honors and consolations attend them, that they become rather a privilege (as the apostle considers it, Phil. 1:29), than a defeat and disaster. But there are very few instances where godly men or their families are reduced to such extreme poverty as the wicked plunge themselves into by their wickedness. David did not see the righteous abandoned and his descendants asking for bread. Some understand these words this way: if they find themselves in need, then God will send them friends who will help, and they will not have to shamefully flaunt their poverty and be called beggars. Or: if they have to go from one door to another in search of food, then this will not be accompanied by despair, as is the case with the wicked who wanders everywhere for a piece of bread, asking: “Where is it?” (Job 15:23). They will not refuse him, like the prodigal son, when he was glad to fill his belly with the horns that the pigs ate, but no one gave it to him (Luke 15:16). When a righteous man is hungry, he will not rage like David's enemies when they wander about to find food (Ps. 58:16). Some hold that this promise is given in a special manner to those who help and do good to the poor, and imply that David never saw a man become a beggar through his own charity. “Another is thrifty beyond measure, and yet he becomes poor” (Prov. 11:24).
5. God will not abandon us, but will mercifully protect us if we find ourselves in difficulties and oppression (v. 28), for the Lord loves righteousness. He likes to do what is right, and He loves those who do what is right. Therefore, He does not leave His saints in suffering when others begin to shun and be ashamed of them, but takes care that they are preserved forever. A saint of any age will be taken under His protection; its succession will continue until the end of time, and individual saints will be preserved from all temptations throughout all the trials of the present time for a blessedness that will endure forever. The Lord will ward off every evil deed and will preserve it for His Heavenly Kingdom (2 Tim 4:18; Ps 11:8).
6. We will live in comfort both here in this world and in a better world when we leave this one. We will live forever (v. 27) and will not be destroyed like the offspring of the wicked (v. 28). He who has chosen God as his rest and feels at home in Him will not be tossed from side to side. But here on earth he cannot stay forever, since there is no eternal city here; only in heaven, in that city which has foundations, will righteousness abide forever, and this will be the place of their eternal residence.
7. We will not become the prey of our adversaries who seek our destruction (vv. 32,33). There is one adversary who takes every opportunity to do us harm - the wicked, who watches the righteous (as a roaring lion watches his prey) and tries to destroy him. There are other wicked people, very cunning, who do the same (they keep an eye on the righteous in order to have the opportunity to cause him harm and a reason to justify their actions);
they are unkind because they seek his death. This also applies to the main wicked one, the devil, that old serpent, who, in order to ensnare the righteous, uses his cunning and inventions, about which we should not remain ignorant; this great red dragon who wants to kill them; that roaring lion that constantly walks around them, restless and enraged, looking for someone to devour. But here the promise is made that neither he, nor Satan, nor his assistants will defeat them.
(1.) He will not be victorious over them in the field of battle, because the Lord will not deliver them into his hands. God will not allow Satan to do what he wants, and will not take away His power and grace from His people, but will give them the opportunity to resist and overcome the wicked; his faith will not fail (Luke 22:31,32). A good man may fall into the hands of Satan's messenger and suffer severe blows, but God will not leave His child in his hands (Col. 10:13).
(2) The wicked will not gain victory over the righteous by appealing to the law, since the Lord will not allow him to be accused when he is judged, although he will be incited by the slanderer of our brothers, who slandered them before our God day and night. His slander will be rejected, like that which was brought against Jesus the great priest (Zechariah 3:1,2). The Lord will rebuke you, Satan! Who will accuse God's elect? God justifies them.
Verses 34-40. The concluding part of this sermon (for such is the nature of this work) has the same meaning and inculcates the same truths.
I. We are here urged to do the same duty (v. 34): "Trust in the Lord, and keep his way." This is our responsibility; we must meditate on it and execute it faithfully. Keep to the path of God, never turn away from it or tarry on it; stay close to him and keep walking. God holds all events in His hands, and we must give ourselves to Him so that He can dispose of them. We must trust in God, listen to the movements of His providence, carefully observe them and consciously adapt to them. If we faithfully keep God's way, we can joyfully trust in the Lord and commit our way to Him. And then we will see that He is a good Master both for His workers and for His trusting servants.
II. The reasons for being diligent in this are the same; the author also refers to the certain destruction of the wicked and the unconditional salvation of the righteous. Tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked, this godly man, to equip himself against this temptation, goes to the sanctuary of God and leads us thither, Ps. 73:17. There he understands their end and thanks to this he gives us the opportunity to comprehend it; and, comparing it with the death of the righteous, he defeats temptation and drowns it out. Note:
1. For the calamity of the wicked at the end of their lives. No matter how prosperous they may have been until that time, the wicked will all be destroyed (v. 38);
and, of course, something that ends so badly cannot be good. At the end of their journey, the wicked will be cut off from all blessings and hope for them; all their joys will end, and they will be forever separated from the source of life and given over to evil.
(1.) David himself witnessed some of the astonishing deaths of wicked men in this life. He saw that the luxury and prosperity of sinners would not save them from the judgments of God when their day was at an end (v. 36, 35): “I saw a wicked man (the word is singular), presumably Saul or Ahithophel (for David was already an old man when he wrote this psalm), menacing, monstrous (as some understand this passage), who was a terror in the land of the living and carried everything in front of him at arm's length; which seemed to stand firmly on the ground, and to bloom admirably, like a rooted, many-branched tree, producing leaves but no fruit; similar to the original Israelite (as Dr. Hammond interprets) having a root. But what happened to him? Long before, Eliphaz, seeing the fool taking root, cursed his dwelling (Job 5:3). And David saw the reason for this, for this many-branched tree dried up as quickly as the fig tree, which Christ had cursed. “But he (the wicked) passed away” (v. 36) like a dream, like a shadow - such was his luxury and power, of which he was so proud. He disappeared in an instant, and now he is gone; I look for it with surprise and don’t find it. He played his part, left the stage, and no one missed him.
(2.) The complete and final destruction of sinners, all sinners, will soon be a spectacle to the saints, as much as they are sometimes a spectacle to the world (v. 34): “When the wicked are destroyed (as they certainly will be), you will see this, experiencing admiration for divine justice. The wicked will all be destroyed” (v. 38). In this world, God separates first one or another sinner from many, in order to use his example in terrorem - to warn. But on the Day of Judgment there will be a complete extermination of all criminals and not a single one will be saved. Those who sin together will be condemned together. Binding them into sheaves to burn them.
2. And finally, the bliss of the righteous. Let us see what will be the end of God's poor despised people.
(1) Promotion. There were times when iniquity reached such a degree that a person's piety hindered his advancement in this world and made it practically impossible for him to become rich. But if you keep to God's way, you can be sure that in due time the Lord will exalt you to inherit the earth (v. 34). He will promote you so high that you will take a place in the heavenly abodes, you will find honor, dignity and true wealth in the New Jerusalem, you will inherit the good land, the promised land, of which Canaan was a type. He will exalt the righteous above contempt and danger.
(2) Peace (v. 37). David says, “Keep an eye on the blameless and look to the righteous.” Let us all watch him, admire him and imitate him. Observe the righteous to find out what his end will be, and you will see that the future of such a person is peace. Sometimes his last days turn out to be more prosperous than the first: the storms have already passed, and he is calm again after all the suffering is over. However, if all his days continue to remain dark, then perhaps his death day will be favorable for him and the sun will shine brightly for him; or if he remains shrouded in darkness, then his future state will take place in peace, eternal peace. He who walks straight while living on earth will go to the world after death (Isaiah 57:2). A peaceful death is the outcome of the troubled lives of many good people, and good is what ends well forever. Balaam himself wanted to die the death of a righteous man (Numbers 23:10).
(3) Salvation (vv. 39,40). The salvation of the righteous (here may be meant the great salvation which the prophets asked and inquired about, 1 Peter 1:10) is from the Lord. This will be the work of the Lord. He who watches his way will see eternal salvation from God (Ps. 49:23). And those who refer to Christ and heaven have an all-sufficient God: He is their protection in time of sorrow, He will support them in sorrow and carry them through it. The Lord will help them and deliver them; He will help them to do their duty and bear their burdens; will help them cope with spiritual conflicts, bear their sorrows correctly and, thanks to them, acquire benefits. In due time the Lord will deliver them from their sorrow. He will deliver them from the wicked who want to destroy or devour the righteous, and will protect them where the wicked die of sorrow. He will save them, but not only will He keep them safe, but He will also make them happy, for they trust in Him. Not because they deserved it from Him, but because they surrendered themselves to Him, trusting in Him, and thus honoring Him.
According to the inscription of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin (Vulgate) Bible, the psalm belongs to David. From the instructions of Ps.36_25 art. it is clear that the psalm was written by David in old age and represents the teaching he offers to every person for guidance in life. This learning is based on experience and observation. In the psalm's indication of the quick death of the wicked, who temporarily triumphed (Ps. 36_35–36), but unexpectedly quickly perished, one can see an image of the fate of Absalom. And the entire content of the psalm does not contradict the given time of David’s flight from Jerusalem, when he had to see the rapid strengthening of his enemies and the dejected state of those around him. The psalm was written in memory of this time.
Alphabetical psalm.
Do not be angry when you see the prosperity of the wicked, for it is not durable, like grass (1-2). Trust in the Lord and He will save you and reward you (3–6). All the wealth of the wicked and all their machinations against the righteous will be destroyed by the Lord, but the righteous will be planted and supported by Him during their fall, they will inherit the land from which the Lord will destroy the wicked (7-24). The Lord loves truth and will not forsake the righteous. No matter how quickly the power of the wicked increases, the Lord will crush the latter (25–40).
. Do not be jealous of evildoers, do not envy those who commit iniquity,
. for they, like grass, will soon be cut down and, like green grass, they will wither.
“Do not be jealous” - do not be angry, do not worry at the sight of the prosperity of the wicked.
. Trust in the Lord and do good; live on earth and keep the truth.
"Live on earth and keep the truth"– during your earthly life, strive to follow and preserve the truth, since it is the guarantee of your well-being.
. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
"Delight yourself in the Lord"– find consolation in your activities and life not in external successes, but in the agreement of its direction with the instructions of the Lord. Such behavior will earn a reward from God: He will fulfill "the desires of your heart".
. Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will do it,
. and He will bring out your righteousness like the light and your justice like the noonday.
Whoever entrusts his life to the guidance of God, the Lord will bring him to light for his truth and justice, that is, he will reward him.
. Stop being angry and leave rage; do not be jealous to the point of doing evil,
“Do not be jealous to the point of doing evil”- Do not be angry at the successes of the wicked to the extent that you go on to cause them harm.
. For those who do evil will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will inherit the earth.
. A little more, and the wicked will no longer be; you look at his place, and he is not there.
. But the meek will inherit the earth and enjoy much peace.
"But Those Who Trust in the Lord" the same as the “meek” (Ps. 36_11), since trust in God means submission to His leadership, subordination of one’s will to His instructions. They "inherit the earth"- a paraphrase of the entire Deuteronomy, in which the inheritance of Palestine, as the promised land, is appointed by God only for people who morally deserve a reward from God, for the righteous.
. A little of a righteous man is better than the riches of many wicked people,
. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord will strengthen the righteous.
Expression 16th Art. explained by the content of 17. Since the wicked perish, their strength ("muscles") is broken by God, then what they acquire cannot be durable, no matter how much it is collected. On the contrary, the little that the righteous have is not only not lost, but gradually increases, since the Lord “reinforces” them.
. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will endure forever:
By “the property of the...immaculate”, as can be judged from the context of the speech, we mean their material well-being. "will endure forever"- an indication of the durability of this benefit: it will pass from generation to generation, while the wicked have their benefits taken away in the same way.
. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is merciful and gives,
The attitude of the wicked towards people is generally different from the attitude of the righteous. The wicked is guided not by moral principles, but by material calculation. For him, the meaning of life is to acquire external power and material wealth, and therefore when he “borrows and does not give back”, tries to delay or not make payment at all, since the latter, in his understanding, damages his external good. The righteous, on the contrary, is guided by moral obligations towards people and love, and therefore condescends to his debtors ("has mercy") and gives to those in need from his wealth.
. I was young and old, and I did not see the righteous abandoned and his descendants asking for bread:
David justifies the need to follow the truth and live according to the law of God with his observations: he is already old “and I did not see the righteous forsaken”, that is, he does not know an example when a righteous person would be completely abandoned by the Lord, would be rejected by Him, even if he had to experience various disasters in his life. The latter were only temporary, but never, as David observed, the decisive and final provisions of the life of the righteous.
. Turn away from evil and do good, and you will live forever:
. for the Lord loves righteousness and does not forsake His saints; they will remain forever; [and the wicked will be cast out] and the descendants of the wicked will be destroyed.
"Live forever" depends on avoiding evil and doing good, since “The Lord loves righteousness and does not forsake His saints; they will remain forever". By life forever we can mean eternal life beyond the grave in closeness and unity with God. David, like all the psalmists and, in general, the writers of the Old Testament, considered bodies to be the inevitable end of human existence on earth, therefore a literal understanding of the expression “life forever,” in the sense of eternal physical life on earth, cannot be acceptable in this place. The Lord is eternal, He loves truth and does not abandon the righteous; when the latter dies on earth in body, he is still not abandoned by God, since the Lord stands close to his soul, that is, the righteous person after death is in eternal proximity to God. This passage of the psalm is one of the few in the Psalter that reveals the features of the afterlife existence of the righteous.
. The righteous will inherit the earth and will live on it forever.
Here David again goes to the image of what was previously expressed in vv. 10-12. and 18.
. Observe the blameless and behold the righteous, for the future such man is the world;
“Keep an eye on the blameless and behold the righteous.”- learn from observing their behavior and fate how to act. “The future of the righteous is peace” is a general indication, either in the sense of well-being in earthly life (see Art. 25) or in the afterlife (see 27–28).
Psalm 32.
Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord; praise is due to the upright. Confess to the Lord with the harp, and sing to Him with the ten-stringed psalter. Sing a new song to Him, sing well to Him with an exclamation: For the word of the Lord is right, and all His works are in faith. The Lord loves alms and justice; the earth is filled with the mercies of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the spirit of his mouth was all their power. Gather the water of the sea like a skin, and store it in the treasures of the deep. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all who live throughout the world move away from what is unworthy. As He spoke, and was, He commanded, and was created. The Lord destroys the councils of tongues, sweeps aside the thoughts of people, and sweeps away the councils of princes. But the counsel of the Lord endures forever, the thoughts of His heart to generation and generation. Blessed is the tongue, which is the Lord its God, the people whom He has chosen as His inheritance. The Lord looked down from Heaven and saw all the sons of men. From His ready dwelling He looks down upon all who live on earth. Having created their hearts in private, consider all their deeds. A king cannot be saved by his great strength, and a giant cannot be saved by his great strength. A horse lies for salvation, but in the abundance of its strength it will not be saved. Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him, and trust in His mercy. Deliver their souls from death, and feed me into famine. Our soul longs for the Lord, for He is our Helper and Protector. For in Him our hearts will rejoice, and in His holy name we trust. May Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we trust in Thee.
