The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 36

Ver. G.-Thou she.It destroy them tha.t their mouth; or, no BleadjaBtneaa-" no sin- speak lea.sing (comp. Pa. iv. 2). Do.vid'e cerity" (Ke.y, Cheyne); see the comment on od vorso.ries wern cunning, treacherous, and ver. 6. Their inward part is very wickedness; quito regardless of trutil (see 2 Sam. iii. literally, wicl,ednesBeB; i.e. nothing Lut 27; xiii. 28; xv. 7-9; xx. 10, etc.). God's wickedness. Th~ir throat is an open sc- vengeance woe sure to fall upon them, either pulchro. "Emitting the noisome exhalations in this world or in the next. The Lord will ofa putrid heart" (llishop Ilorne ). They flat. a.bhor the bloody a.nd deceitful ma.n. An ter with their tongue; literally, they make individual seems to bo pointod at, who is amooth /heir tongueB, which may, ptrlwp,, probably Al.Jithophel. include flattery, but points rather to smooth Ver. 7.-But . .. I will come into thyhoUBe; ar~uments, specious reasoning~, and the rather, unto thy house. David, e.s a layman, hauit of making the worse appear the better would not be entitled to enter within the cause (see the comment of Bishop Horsley, laberno.cle. He would draw near to it, pro- 'Book of Psalms,' vol. i. pp. 151, 155). bo.bly bring hie offering, and then worsilip The last two clauses of this verse arc quotcu toward it (see tile following clause). In by St. Paul (Rom. iii. 13), and applied gene- the multitude of thy mercy; or, through the rally to the character of the ungodly. abundance oj,f,y mercy (comp. Pa. lxix. 13, Ver. 10.-Destroy thou them, 0 God; 16). It was by God's mercy that David rather, condemn tliem, or declare tliem guilly lived, that he was maintained in health and (Kay); ,cpwov a.~-ro6s (LXX.). Let them fall etrengtli, that he hnd a desire to go to God's by their own counsels. No condemnation house, o.nd was permitted to worship there. naturally follows punishment. David as- Of all these mercies ho is deeply sensible. sumes that God will make his enemies fa.II ; And in thy fea.r will I worship. David's he prays that they may foll from the effect worship is never without fear-a. reverent of tbeir own counsels. The fate of Ahitlio- sense of God's greatness, power, and perfect phel (2 Sam. xvii. 23) per ha pa fulfilled holineoa. Toward thy holy temple. "David this imprecation. Cast them out in tho would, according to the custom of the wor- multitude of their transgressions; Thrust Ehip then established, turn him,elf in the them out (Revised Version); "Thrust them time of prayer to the pince where the clown" (Kay). Pnnish them ot once, in the gracious presence of the Lord had its midst of their many trnnsgressions. For seat" (Hengstenberg; comp. Pss. xxviii. 2; they have rebelled against thee. They cxxxviii. 7; l Kings viii. 30, 33, 38, 42, -H, hove sinned, not against roe only, but 48; Dan. vi. 10; Jonah ii. 4). equally-nay, far more-against thee. Ver. 8.-Lea.d me, 0 Lord, in thy right- Ver. 11.-But let e.I1 those that put their eousness. Hero at last we find what Da'Did trust in thee rejoice. David is fond of con- prnyed for. Previously, we have only heard trasts. Here he sets the lot of the righteous him entreat that his prayer mny be heard over against that of the wicked. While (vers. 1, 2), declare that 110 will pray early the wicked "fall," and aro "cast out," or (ver. 3), and before the tabernacle (ver. 7); "thrust down" to hell, the righteous "rc- now we learn what his prayer is. It is thl\t joice "-nny, ever shout for joy, displaying God will lco.d him in the path of his right- their feelings in the true Orientnl manner. eousness-that righteousness of which he is llecouse thou defendest them. 'fhere is no tho pattern, and whereof he approves; e.nd "because" in the originnl. The pnssnge will "mnke his way plain for him," i.e. runs on without any cho.nge of construction, show it him clearly, so that he cl\nnot "Let all those that put tlioir trust in thee mistake it. Goel is asked to do this, espc- rejoice; Jet them ever sl.Jout for joy, and do cio.lly bconuse of David's enemies, or of thou defend them ; and let them that love "thoso that lie in we.it for him" (Revised thy Name be joyful in thee." V crsion mo.rgin), lest, if he were to mo.ko a Ver. 12.-For thou, Lord, wilt bless the fa.lso step, they should trinmph over him, righteous. All the joy of 1ho righteous and so he should bring discredit upon tho springs from the fact that G0<l's blessing cause of God and of his saints. Make thy i8 upon them. The sonse of his favour fil18 wa.y straight (plain, Ilovisod Veraion) before their heo.rts with rejoicing. With favour my face. Not so much "smooth my way,'' wilt thou compa.ss him as with n shield. or "make it level" or "el\sy," ns "put it Tsi1111ah (nn) is tho lnrge, long shiolu plainly beforo me." (oomp. Pa. xxv. 5; thnt protected the wholo body (eeo 'Ancient ond Ps. xxvii. 11, "Tench me thy way, 0 Monarchies,' vol. i. p. 415). God's favour, Lord, ond lead ine in a plain path, becanso thus encompassing a m:iu, etfectnally secured of mine enemies"). him against nil dange~ Ver. 9.-For thero is no faithfulness in 32 'l'IIE IlOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. v. 1-12,