The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 21

arte perire sua." And let Satan stand at his Ver. H.-Let the iniquity of his fathers right hand; ro.tber, an ad11ersary, or an be remembered with the Lord. Let the accuser. In courts of justice the accuser threatening of Exod. xx. 5 take effect in stood o.t the aooused person's right hand. his case, and tho sins of his forefathers Ver. 7.-When he shall be judged, let be remembered by God, and visited upon him be condemned; liternlly, let him go forth him. And let not the sin of his mother be condemned; i.e. let him quit the court under blotted out; i.e. erased from God's remem• sentence. And let his prayer become sin. brance. Let it also be visited on him, as 'l'he most terrible of all the imprecations. J ezebel's was on her children. "Let him even be unable to pray to God ac- Ver. 15.-Let them be before the Lord ceptably," and so let any prayer that he offers continually; i.e. let these sins be present when he is brought low be an additional sin to the mind of God constantly, that he may (comp. Prov. xv. 8; xxviii. 9; Isa. i.12-15). visit for them constantly, even to the bitter Ver. 8.-Let his days be few. There were end ; and so may cut oif the memory of Divine proniisea that "bloodthirsty and them (i.e. of the original sinners) from the deceitful men" should not "live out half earth (comp. ver. 13). their days," which might naturally be Vers.16--20.-A portraitnre of the wicked regarded as justifying this wish (see P~. Iv. 23; Prov. x. 27; Eccles. vii. 17). And man, who was David's chief adversary at let another take his offioe. T¾/v ;,,,,,.,,o1f1/v the time, is now given, in explanation, and au-roii, LXX. Applied by St. Peter to perhaps in justification, of the numerous Judas (Aots i. 20). and severe anathemas. He was mercileBB Ver. 9.-Let his children be fatherless, (ver. 16), a persecutor of the poor (ver. 16), and his wife a widow. Necessary conse- quences of his own condemnation to death. given to cursing (vers. 17, 18), aud one who Ver. 10.-Let his children be continually spoke evil against the innocent (ver. 20). vagabonds, and beg. If it be j ast that the Ver. 16.-B~cause that he remembered sins of the fathers be visited upon the not to show mercy. Saul certainly was a children, the psalmist may be regarded us persecutor of this kind-implacable; one justified in this wish. Still, it is not one whom compassion never touched; who, after that a Christian will readily echo. Let he bad once become David's enemy, never them seek their bread also out of their under any circumstances showed him mercy. desolate places. Professor Cheyne corrects But otherwise the description scarcely seems \l!in into 1~~.i, and translates, "Let them to point to Saul. But persecuted the poor be driven from their desolate houses." and needy man (see 1 Sam. xviii. 10: xix. Ver, 11.-Let the extortioner catch all 1, 10, 11; xx. 31: :u.iii. 8, 14. 25; niv. 2: that he hath; rather, the creditor, or the :nvi. 2-20; nvii. I, eto.). That he might murer; i.e. the man from whom be has even slay the broken in heart; litero.lly, borrowed money. And let the strangers and the broken in heart (or, yea, the broken (ro.ther, let foreigners) spoil his labour; i.e. in heart) to slay him. It was certninly Saul's pi under his lands, co.rry off his crops, and object to slay Do.vid (I Sam. xviii. 11; xix. leave him destitute. I, 10; xx. I, eto,). It wee probably alao Ver. 12.-Let there be none to extend (Jite- A.hithophel's (2 Sam. xvii. 2). rnlly, continue) meroy unto him. In his need, Ver. 17.-As he loved oursing, so let it let none of his neighbours continue to show oome unto him; rather, BO it came upon him him mercy o.nd loving-kindness. Let them (Revised Version), or so it sliaU oome upon eto.nd aloof, and remain passive, while him (LXX., Cheyne). The one of DaviJ's punishment overtakes him. Neither let enemies who "loved cursing" most wus there be any to favour his fatherless ohildren. Shimei (2 Sam. xvi. 5-12). As he de- Let them too be suffered to endure the woes lightednotin blessing, so let itbefarfromhi.m; which come naturally upon them (see ver. rather, 10 it was, or soit toill be, fo.r from him. 10) through their father's fault, wil bout Ver. 18.-As he clothed himself with any one thinking it ncceasary, because they ouraing like as with his garment (comp.Pas. are fatherless, to show them favour. x. 7; lix. 12; J.xi..i. 4). Extreme malevolence Ver. 130 -Let his posterity be out oif. vents itself in curses, which tend to becoms If he have cbilclren: let them die without frequent, and, so to speak, habitunl. So let offspring; literally, let them be for extinc- it oome; rather, so it came, or so it will come. tion. And in the generation following Into his bowels like water. Dr. Kay sees let their name be blotted out. Tbid would here nn allusion to the "wnter of cursing" be the nuturnl result if the preceding wish which wns drunk by the woman whose were accomplished. The fo.mily having husband taxed her with unfaithfulness come to an cud, their very no.me would be (Numb, v. 22); and so ulso Hengstonberg soon forgott'ln (comp. Job xviil. 18; Ps. But this is doubtful. Perhaps the mera :uxvii. 28; Prov. x. 7). penetrative power of water is alluded to. 22 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. orx.1-81,