Psalm 36 of David in Russian. Psalter
Psalm 36 is a song of reflection and instruction. In it, David shares his wisdom with future generations, trying to show the young that only in the Lord can a person find solace and salvation.
History of writing
According to the inscription in three versions of Scripture (Hebrew, Greek and Latin), the authorship of the text belongs to David. In verse 25, the author talks about his old age, which allowed researchers to conclude that the moment the text was written was the old age of the king of Israel and the end of his reign.
In Psalm 36, David shares his wisdom with future generations
Since David gives instructions to young worshipers in the song, it can be concluded that he wrote this text for his son Solomon, trying to convince him that only in the Lord would he find peace and rest.
Under the wicked man, who is given in verses 35-36, one can consider Absalom, whose death was much earlier due to pride and rebellion. Using the mistakes of his son, David tries to instruct the future generation and protect them from falling and falling away from the source of life - the God of Israel.
Important! This psalm is the quintessence of David’s life, all the lessons he received from the Almighty. Everything that the king experienced and saw in life - he collected all this in this text.
Interpretation of the Psalm
The psalm is an excellent text for instructing young people, each verse in it is a separate piece of wisdom:
Important! The entire text can be seen as David's instruction to his children and to the entire people of Israel. He says that in his entire life he has never seen a righteous person in need, thereby trying to convince people to believe in God and trust. Reading rules
Do not be jealous of those who are wicked, nor be jealous of those who commit iniquity. 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 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, 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 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.
Important! This text is powerful - it strengthens the Christian who doubts his ways and actions. The Lord speaks through him to the righteous man, comforts and encourages him.1 Psalm of David. Do not be irritated when you see the wicked, do not envy those who practice iniquity.
2 For they are like grass; they are soon cut down and wither like green grass.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live on earth and keep the truth.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, and trust in Him, and He will bring it to pass.
6 And he will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7 Trust in the Lord and wait for Him. Do not be irritated when you see someone who is successful in his journey, a person who accomplishes his plans.
8 Calm your anger, and forsake rage; do not become irritated to the point of doing evil;
9 For those who do evil will be destroyed, but those who wait for the Lord will inherit the earth.
10 Yet a little while, and there will be no wicked man; you look at his place, and he is not there.
11 But the humble will inherit the earth and enjoy much peace.
12 The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him.
13 But the Lord laughs at him; for he sees that his day is approaching.
14 The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow to smite the poor and the needy, to pierce those who walk in the straight path.
15 Their sword will go into their heart, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better is the little of a righteous man than the riches of many of the wicked;
17 For the arms of the wicked are broken, but the Lord strengthens the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their portion endures forever.
19 They will not be put to shame in times of evil, and in days of famine they will be satisfied.
20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the Lord, like the beauty of the meadows, disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked borrows and does not pay, but the righteous gives and gives.
22 For those who are blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those who are cursed by Him are destroyed.
23 In the Lord his husband’s steps are established, and his way is pleasing to Him.
24 When it falls, it will not fall; for the Lord holds him by the hand.
25 I was young and old, and I have not seen a righteous man forsaken, nor his children asking for bread.
26 He gives and lends every day, and his descendants are blessed.
27 Avoid evil, and do good, and live forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever: [and the wicked will be overthrown], and the tribe of the wicked will be cut off.
29 The righteous will inherit the earth and will live in it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue speaks truth.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.
32 The wicked watches over the righteous and seeks to kill him:
33 But the Lord will not deliver him into his hand, and will not allow him to be accused when they are tried.
34 Wait for the Lord, and keep to His way: and He will make you possess the land; you will see the destruction of the wicked.
35 I saw the wicked, terrible, expanding like a rooted branchy tree:
36 But he disappeared, and now he is no more; I'm looking for it and can't find it.
37 Keep purity and observe righteousness: for a peaceful man will have offspring.
38 But the wicked will disappear altogether, the descendants of the wicked will be destroyed.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.
40 The Lord will help them and deliver them, deliver them from the wicked, and save them; for they trust in Him.
Psalter. Psalm 36
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 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, 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 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.
Detailed interpretation of the psalms based on the book of Archpriest Gregory Razumovsky "Explanation of the Holy Book of Psalms", 1914, modern edition of the St. Tikhon's Theological Institute, 2002.
PSALM 36
This psalm constitutes an instructive song that the happiness of the wicked quickly passes, but innocence and truth, although oppressed, remain triumphant in the end. This main idea of the psalm, with some, however, digressions, developed from different sides, can be expressed in this form: if you see that sometimes in this world the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, then do not envy the happiness of sinners, do not complain about the ruler In the world of Divine Providence, do not lose faith and hope: soon things will take a different form: after short-term happiness, the wicked will suffer destruction, and the righteous will receive a rich reward for their virtue and trust in God.
It is known that the ideas of the Jews of ancient times about the earthly purpose of man and about future reward were rather unclear, and therefore it is understandable if their gaze was primarily turned to earthly reward and if they already expected reward for virtue and punishment for vice from the truth of God here. So it is in the present psalm: the suffering righteous man consoles himself with the confidence in the triumph of his righteousness already here on earth, and not with the rewards that are promised and await him in the future. And God Himself in the Old Testament, for the comfort of His righteous and for the intimidation of sinners, often equalized already on earth the differences in moral world rule and reward, as we see in the fate of the righteous Job. This psalm, as both the inscription and its content show, was written by David, whose virtue triumphed, while the temporary happiness of Saul, Nabal, Ahithophel, Absalom and others soon perished. Despite the clarity of the general thought of the psalm, there are many sayings in it that require explanation.
Art. 1 and 2. Do not be jealous of those who are evil, nor be jealous of those who commit iniquity. Zane like grass soon they will make jokes, and like a potion of cereals will soon will disappear. Word crafty means: insidious, cunning, evil. Cereal potion - means: herbal greens, small green grass. The Prophet David, as a spiritual doctor, taught by bitter experience, teaches the believer how he should look at the welfare of wicked and evil people and how to treat them. Seeing the wicked prospering when you yourself are in trouble and misfortune, do not try to imitate them in a lawless life and do not think of grumbling at God, as if unfairly distributing earthly goods. Because the apparent happiness of treacherous people and lawless people is short-lived and fleeting. The Providence of God, which watches over the destinies of people and the whole world, does not allow the wicked to prosper and have fun for a long time: they, like grass, will soon be cut down, and like green grass, they will soon wither and fall. The prophet did not say that the prosperity of the wicked would soon perish, but that the wicked themselves would soon perish, and with them all their prosperity and all their glory would be destroyed. If we sometimes see that the wicked enjoy happiness for a long time and all their insidious and villainous intentions and plans are fulfilled successfully, then such seemingly long-lasting and lasting prosperity should not confuse believers: the well-being of the wicked, no matter how long, is still it is temporary and therefore has an end, but the prosperity and well-being of the righteous is eternal: “The righteous will be an everlasting memory” (Ps. 112:6), for “the righteous live forever” (Wis. 5:15).
Art. 3 and 4. Trust in the Lord and do good deeds: and populate the earth, and enjoy its riches. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. After admonishing him not to envy the well-being of the wicked, the prophet, with the words of these verses, excites the believer to virtue, to faith and trust in God, saying as it were: if you want to be always happy and prosperous, then know who is the author of all well-being, and from Expect every good thing from Him alone; trust in Him: trust in the Lord. And so that your hope is firm and reliable, do goodness do good according to God's commandments. And they inhabited the earth: what kind of land is this that the prophet speaks of here and in subsequent verses (9, 11, 22, 29, 34) of this psalm? This is the land of Canaan, the same land flowing with honey and milk that was promised by God to the patriarchs of the Jewish people - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and was inherited by their descendants, who inhabited it according to the promise of God. Expulsion from this land, deprivation of the inheritance received during its division (under Joshua) or by inheritance, was for the Jew the greatest misfortune, a sign of rejection, deprivation of the inheritance by God; a calm and happy stay (population) in this land constitutes great happiness, a sign of special Divine mercy. Therefore the expressions: populated the earth and enjoyed its wealth - have the following meaning: trusting in the Lord and fulfilling His commandments, you will live peacefully in the inheritance of your land and will enjoy all its wealth: it will bear abundant fruits, and you will be contentedly extracting from it everything you need. But this, of course, will not amount to your complete happiness and well-being, for which material goods and pleasures alone are not enough. Only the wicked are content with this happiness. For the pious and righteous there are special benefits - the highest, and special pleasures - spiritual, which the prophet points out here with the words: Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Pleasure Lord is to dispose and devote oneself to those spiritual pursuits by which the fulfillment of God’s commandments is accomplished and the path of salvation is leveled for man. So, when we come to the temple of God and immerse ourselves in prayer, we enjoy Lord, because we ourselves feel spiritual, heavenly pleasure and at the same time we constitute an object of delight for the Lord. David was in this state when he said: “We rejoiced at those who said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1). Likewise, when we listen carefully to the Word of God or read it reverently, a fire ignites in our hearts, as in the hearts of the apostles who listened to the Lord Himself (Luke 24:32), which, of course, does not burn, but sheds a delightful warmth in the heart. “My heart is warmed within me, and a fire is kindled in my teaching,” says David (Ps. 39:4). This sweetness is sweetness of the Lord, because it allows us to feel the Lord’s love for us, and it ignites love for the Lord in our hearts, then the Lord also delights in man. This is what David expressed when in another psalm he prayerfully sang: “Let my conversation delight Him” (103:34). And just as a pious person delights in prayer and fulfilling the commandments of God, so the Lord condescends to him and delights him with His mysterious conversation. From here it is clear why To those who delight in the Lord God gives the petitions of their hearts: the merciful God wants to console them with the fulfillment of their desires, and they do not allow any desire into their hearts that would be offensive to the Lord. True, it is difficult to reach such a state as to indulge in spiritual pursuits with pleasure, but what does a person get without difficulty?
Art. 5 and 6. Open your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will do it. And he will bring out your truth like light and your destiny like noon. Your path... - the psalmist does not call the material path along which we walk, but the procession itself, or walking, in a figurative sense - the passage of life, this or that behavior of a person (Ps. 1: 1, 6). Wanting to warn the righteous from the consequences of vain slander and from the attacks of cruel persecutors, he offers the best means for this - prayer to the Lord God and firm trust in Him - he advises to do as the righteous and chaste Susanna did, who, having been condemned to death for slander , cried out to God in tears, as it is narrated in the book of the prophet Daniel (chapter 13), because in all the paths of life she trusted in God. So, says the psalmist, do you too: open your way to the Lord and trust in Him; imagine in prayer to God all the circumstances of your difficult situation, imagine before the Lord how difficult it is for you to live under the yoke of lawless people, and place your trust in the Lord, entrusting your fate to Him, and He will create mercy for you: in unknown ways will reveal your truth, - will create So He will bring out your truth like light. The severity of your sufferings, like a dark cloud, covered you, your just cause seemed to darken from them, but the Lord will plague from this darkness your truth and your right (your destiny) it will be clear as noon, it will shine as midday Sun.
Art. 7. Obey the Lord and beg Him. Do not be jealous of the one who sleeps on his way, the person who commits a crime. Apologize -means: keep quiet, submit; do not be jealous of the one who sings - means: don’t envy someone who succeeds. Here the psalmist repeats almost the same thing that he said in the first verse, but only here his thought is expressed more accurately and definitely. We often see that a person succeeds in all his deeds and undertakings, even in law-criminal matters - and this serves as a considerable temptation for the righteous - to be carried away by the example of a law-breaker and to embark on his law-criminal path. Prophet David, warning the righteous man against this temptation, says: obey the Lord, those. be submissive to God, do His holy will according to His commandments and beg Him those. always turn to Him in prayer. Keep quiet, do not grumble at God when you do not know the reasons for certain actions and manifestations of the Divine world order, submit in silence to the will of God and at the same time pray, ask God and wait patiently for what you ask. Do not look at the successes of the wicked and do not think of imitating him, do not envy the wicked man who is successful in his affairs, who, while committing evil deeds, apparently prospers.
Art. 8 and 9. Cease from anger and abandon rage: do not be jealous, if you are deceitful, those who are deceitful will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. Furymeans the highest degree of anger. An envious view, as the prophet says, of the successes of the wicked in his deeds can place anger in your heart and arouse rage - do not indulge in these destructive passions: cease from anger and abandon rage. If you want to be prosperous and happy, then be jealous of righteous people who do good and truth and trust in the Lord, but in no way don't be jealous evil to do evil. Remember that those who do evil will perish, the wicked will be consumed. Do not be their accomplice in to be cunning; do not imitate the unrighteous deeds of those whose well-being you envy. Know that only those who will live peacefully in their land are those who patiently await a reward from the Lord, who patiently and calmly await the fulfillment of His promises, because “the Lord is faithful in all His words” (Ps 145:13) and is able to fulfill what He has promised. : they will speed up the earth, according to His promise.
Art. 10 and 11. And yet a little while, 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. In these sayings, in other words, the same thoughts that are expressed in the first three verses are repeated. It says there that the wicked, or, what is the same thing, sinners, like the grass of the field quickly dries up or like a herbal potion is lost, so they will soon perish and be destroyed (v. 9), but here the prophet says that not much time will pass yet, and there will be no sinner(he will die a cruel death - Ps. 33:22), you look at his place, but he is no longer there. His happiness and prosperity are so short-lived! But this is not the fate of the righteous and meek, who do not indulge in grumbling and anger and do not allow the criminal feeling of envy and rage into their hearts, but with trust in the Lord patiently endure their fate and expect mercy from God: they have a reward not only on earth, but also in heaven, not only temporary prosperity , but also eternal bliss. The meek ones will inherit the earth... According to Divine promises (Deut. 12:1,9-12), the highest reward for faithfulness to God, for meekness and other virtues to the prophets and the Old Testament righteous in general was presented in the form of an inheritance of the Promised Land, a quiet stay in this land, peaceful use of its treasures and riches (see explanations of Articles 3 and 4). The Lord God, who here spoke through the mouth of the prophet about the inheritance of the meek land of promise, indicated, as if by a vague hint, future bliss in pleasure abundant the world (the multitude of the world). In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, exalting the concepts of the Old Testament righteous about the future eternal reward, called the meek blessed and literally repeated the saying of the psalmist, saying: “blessed are the meek: for these shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5), and by earth he meant, of course , not Palestine, or the promised land, and not Jerusalem, the city of this land, but that heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. “dwelling place of the world”), in which all the righteous will forever bliss (Heb. 12:22), enjoying the multitude of the world(Bishop Porfiry: “the abundance of peace”), of that world given By the Lord Himself (John 14:27), “who surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).
Art. 12 and 13. The sinner despises the righteous and gnashes his teeth: the Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming. Watches -means: observes, discerns, despises - sees, foresees, foresees. Here, wanting to confirm the righteous man on the chosen path of faith and piety, the prophet exhorts him to be firm and constant in trust in God, in meekness and other virtues and not to be afraid of secret malicious intent and observations on the part of the sinner, as if saying: although a sinner, not tolerating the virtue of a righteous man, considering it a revelation of his depravity, secretly watches the righteous man, as if to catch him, and even, like a ferocious beast, grinds his teeth, as if wanting to tear him to pieces, and although the righteous does not know about such malicious intentions against him on the part of the wicked, he must not forget that there is an All-Seeing God, Who will laugh at the vain intentions of the sinner, because as the All-Seeing, He sees day fall and death his. And although God sometimes allows the wicked to kill the righteous or cause him any harm, yet before he has time to kill the body (and not the soul) of the righteous, he himself kills his soul, preparing his soul “for the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” ( Rom. 2:5) and exposes himself to eternal destruction. And therefore, isn’t he worthy of ridicule, and at the same time of bitter regret, who, having arranged the death of another, does not see his own imminent death?!
Art. 14 and 15. The sinner drew the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slaughtered the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. Words sword and bow - explained above, the first in Ps. 34:3, and the second in Ps. 10:2. Both mean deadly weapons used by ancient peoples to cause death or injury to the enemy. In the sayings of these verses, the prophet more clearly and more accurately expressed the same thing that he said above in verse 13. In their hatred of the righteous, as he would have said, the sinners stand armed: they drew the sword from its sheath and drew it - strained your bow, in order to hit overthrow the poor and wretched, to kill lay down the right heart. The hearts of the wicked are filled with hatred of the righteous because they consider the truth and virtue of the righteous to be a revelation of their wicked life. Interpreters understand the sword and bow of sinners both literally, as instruments made of wood and iron or steel, and figuratively, as instruments of an evil tongue, with false testimonies and slander, capable of causing spiritual murder to the righteous or moral wounds with deep sorrows of the heart. Under the name poor and wretched generally mean a humble righteous person, who does not show off his righteousness, that poor in spirit whom the Lord Jesus Christ pleases in the Gospel and to whom the “Kingdom of Heaven” is awarded as a reward (Matthew 5.3). Such, one might say, are all the righteous, because although they abound in material wealth, they do not consider it their own, but God’s property, for the use of which they will have to give an account to God. Right at heart - the same as the righteous who walk the right path of God’s commandments. Saying: sword let him enter into their hearts - expresses not ill-will, but a prophecy or affirmation of the position that he who does evil to another will first of all suffer from it, or, as Christ the Savior said: “All who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52) In a figurative sense, the last saying psalmist and will mean that the slander and slander of sinners, directed at the meek and humble righteous, will turn on them themselves, and they themselves will fall into the ditch that they dug for others. And the psalmist himself sometimes uses similar sayings in the same sense, such as, for example: “The teeth of their weapons are arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword” (Ps. 56:5).
Art. 16 and 17. A little is better for the righteous than the great riches of sinners. The sinners' muscles will be broken, but the Lord confirms the righteous. In verse 17 the word muscle means "strength". For a detailed explanation of this word, see Ps. 9:36. The wealth that sinners possess seduces many and arouses envy in many: many themselves would like to become rich. But since many vicious inclinations and passions are associated with the possession of wealth, such as: pride, extravagance or stinginess and greed, the habit of a large, luxurious life, arrogance and many others, the prophet, wanting to protect the poor righteous man from envy of wealth, which threatens a person with falling away from a virtuous life and deviating onto the path of untruth and lawlessness, says that it is much more useful for a person to be content with little in a righteous life than to possess much wealth with untruth, indulging in a vicious and lawless life. The most dangerous thing is to rely on the power of wealth, of which all rich sinners are guilty. Because this strength rests on the muscle of the flesh, which is exhausted: the muscles of sinners will be crushed, and therefore the power of wealth does not help. But the strength and strength of the righteous confirms the righteous, and although they are shaken by demons and people, but, supported by Divine grace, they stand and overcome the adversities that come their way (Blessed Theodoret). A sinner, with all his wealth, will not escape eternal destruction, because when he dies, he will not take anything with him from corruptible goods, and his glory will not go with him to the grave. The righteous one, who throughout his life has trusted not in perishable wealth, but in God, who saves and gives life to everyone, He will live forever.
Art. 18 and 19. The Lord tells 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. Time is fierce - means: evil, crafty, disastrous time. The Prophet here complements and confirms about the righteous what he said about them above, calling them blameless and saying that the Lord does not disregard the life of the righteous. Paths of life they are enough for Him known. Since the Lord calls Himself the path along which all who believe in Him should go: I there is a way - He says (John 14:6), then, of course, He knows those who follow this path. “The Lord knows His own beings” (2 Tim. 2:19). Knowing the paths of the immaculate He favors them and blesses them days their. Property The righteous have the Kingdom of Heaven, which they will inherit according to His immutable promise: “Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you” (Matthew 25:34), and to this “His Kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1-33) , and that's why property righteous in there will be a century. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty, those. when the time of trouble comes hunger, they will not be in need: the Lord God will feed them through charitable people: in days of famine they will be satisfied, how Elijah the prophet was fed in the desert through a raven, and how many other righteous people were miraculously fed by God. After short-term oppression by sinners, a happy life begins for the righteous, because their oppressors will perish, i.e. not only will they lose the happiness of this life, but will also lose their eternal salvation: for sinners will perish. Fierce times and days of famine some Church Fathers are understood and interpreted in a spiritual sense, namely: by the first they mean the time of temptations and persecutions for the faith or the time of the future Judgment, which will be bitter and disastrous for sinners, but for the blameless - shameless because they will be helped by the grace of God. And under days of famine - the last days of the end of the world, when there will be neither sowing nor harvest, and when the righteous, all who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied justification and glorification from God (Matthew 5:6) - when the time comes appear to glory God (Ps. 16:15).
Art. 20. Defeat the Lord, and become glorified by them and ascend, vanishing like smoke. Translated from Greek by Bishop. Porfiry’s words read like this: “The enemies of the Lord, during the time of their glory and exaltation, disappeared like smoke.” And in accordance with and in connection with the previous two verses, the sayings of this verse have the following meaning: blameless people, as friends of God, will have an eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father and in the time of trouble of persecution or the Last Judgment of Christ they will not be ashamed; defeat the Lord, all sinners and wicked ones, soon after their exaltation and glorification will disappear like smoke, which soon after it rises to the top, disappears and disappears completely, so that not a trace of it remains. Slavic together - the same as the Russian “together, together, all at the same time.” Under the name enemies of the Lord some interpreters (Zigaben and others) understand in a prophetic sense the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, at the time they condemned and crucified Christ, and thereby thought to be glorified and exalted, at the same time (in bulk) were already beginning to disappear and approach their destruction, which, having been predicted by the Savior (Luke 21:6, 20-24), soon befell them: 38 years after the ascension of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem was destroyed, the land of Judea was devastated by the Romans and all the people of this land disappeared and dissipated like smoke.
Art. 21 and 22. The sinner borrows and does not return, but the righteous is generous and gives. For those who bless Him will inherit the earth, but those who curse Him will be consumed. The sayings of these verses contain an explanation and confirmation of what is said above in verses 16 and 17. Although often possessing great wealth, the sinner is not satisfied, and in constant striving to acquire even more, he tries to seize other people’s property, sometimes not by right, seizes under the guise of a loan, so that later not to return: the sinner borrows and does not return. He is prompted to such untruth by greed, covetousness, an insatiable desire for greater enrichment and the habit of luxury, according to which he spends his expenses in excess of his income. The righteous, on the contrary, being content with his small income, does not expand or increase his vital needs, but, satisfying his most necessary and essential needs, finds it possible to give to his neighbors from little and, showing his generosity, is likened to God, the Generosity of all: the righteous one is generous and gives. For such kindness and generosity, the righteous person is awarded mercy and blessings from the Lord. Translated from the Hebrew, verse 22 reads: for those blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him will be destroyed. Righteous, on whom the blessing of the Lord rests, inherits the earth those. will receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a reward from the Lord, and sinners who irritated the Lord with their lawless and unrighteous lives and thereby brought down upon themselves a curse His, will be destroyed will die.
Art. 23 and 24. From the Lord man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly delighted. When he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. In these sayings, the prophet continues to describe the actions of God's favor and providence in relation to a righteous person, saying that all intentions, enterprises and actions (feet) the righteous are directed towards good and guided towards a good purpose according to the will of God. All actions, all behavior and the entire life of the righteous, directed according to the will of God and in accordance with this will, become pleasing to God: good The Lord will greatly delight in his ways, those. He looks with special favor on the good life of the righteous and in the event of a stumble or fall, he will not allow him to break and die: When it falls, it will not break. The fall of man is of two kinds: physical and moral. Here we need to understand both: i.e. if a person falls into any misfortune, if some misfortune befalls him, then in righteous trust in the Lord, who supports, strengthens his hand, This person will be delivered from trouble and, under the heavy burden of sorrow and misfortune, will not become exhausted, will not fall into despair and will not perish. Likewise, if a believer is overwhelmed by passions and is subjected to the grave temptation of the Fall, then he won't break, will not lose the fear of God, faith and hope in God will keep him on the path of truth and righteousness: the grace of God will strengthen his weak will, and God’s help will not allow him to fall completely.
Art. 25 and 26. The youngest was, for he was 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. Here the psalmist, from his own experience and observation, presents evidence of God’s special providence for the righteous man, and not only for himself, but also for his descendants. God's mercy and help never leave a righteous person, and blessing The Lord rests not only on him, but also on his seed, i.e. on his children and grandchildren. The youngest bull - This is what the psalmist says about himself, i.e.: I was still very young, and from that very youth, from the very time I began to understand myself and people, from the very time I began to understand the everyday relationships of people among themselves and their relationships to To God, and to this day, until my old age (for I am old) all my life I did not see not a single believer and righteous the person who would be abandoned God and oppressed by poverty to such an extent that we would need a piece of bread. I didn't even see seed him, i.e. his descendants, impoverished to such an extent that they were forced by their extreme poverty ask for bread or alms. On the contrary, he says, I saw that a righteous person always has the opportunity to show mercy to others, he himself gives alms and devotes others mutually. And therefore his seed is blessed by God (it will be a blessing) those. His descendants not only do not beg, do not beg for bread from others, but are also blessed by God with all contentment and abundance of earthly and spiritual gifts.
Art. 27 and 28. 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: but the wicked will be married, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. These sayings contain repetitions or confirmations and explanations of what was said above, in this and in other psalms. Avoid evil and do good - These words are literally contained in the 15th verse of the 33rd Psalm, where they are explained. Here, in connection with the previous one, with these words the prophet wants to establish the righteous man on the path of truth and virtuous life and thereby strengthen him in the hope not only of the longevity of temporary earthly life, but also of the endless bliss of eternal existence. The righteous, he says, always remains in God's favor, and the blessing of God rests on him and his descendants, therefore you (every person) turn away from evil don't do anything sinful and do good be virtuous, and you will not only live long, but also inherit eternal bliss in the future endless age (moved into the century of the century). Because The Lord loves judgment those. He is just, He rewards everyone according to justice, and therefore He does not leave virtue and righteousness without reward, - and will not leave the saints(same as “righteous”) Our own as he said above (v. 25). The righteous are distinguished by mercy, they show mercy all day long, and the Lord is always merciful to them: “Blessed are you who are merciful,” says Christ our Savior, “for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7), and will receive eternal salvation: will remain forever. The lawless ones, those. all the wicked and lawbreakers will be driven out (married xia), i.e. not only will they be deprived of all the benefits prepared for the righteous, but will be sent away by the Eternal and Righteous Judge into eternal torment, They will be driven out “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angel” (Matthew 25:41,46). And not only the wicked and lawless themselves will be cast out “into outer darkness” (Matthew 25:30), but also all their descendants, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. Just as the seed of the righteous, he says, will remain in the blessing of God, so the seed of the wicked will be consumed, and in this way the word of the Lord, spoken through Moses the lawgiver, will be fulfilled: “I am the Lord your God, a jealous God; you will pass on the sins of the father to your children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, and show mercy in thousands to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exod. 20:5-6; Deut. 5:9-10).
Art. 29, 30 and 31. Will the righteous inherit the earth? and they will dwell in it for ever 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. In the words of verse 29, the psalmist repeats what he had already said in verses 9, 11 and 18, namely, that all the righteous, with Those who wait patiently for God's mercy will not only enjoy the benefits land, promised and given to them from God, but also move in on the new one land of the eternal Kingdom of God, will enjoy eternal bliss in that land. The following sayings (verses 30 and 31) set out the characteristics of the righteous: they speak of what the mouth of the righteous is occupied with, what he loves to talk about most, what is the main subject of his thoughts, feelings and desires of the heart, and what his activities are. The wisdom of God, manifested in the creation of the world and the provision of it, is so highest and all-encompassing (Dan. 2:21-22; 1 Cor. 2:16), so boundless and immeasurable (Ps. 147:5; Rom. 11:33) which exceeds every human concept (Isa. 55:9) - this Divine wisdom serves as a favorite subject of teaching for the righteous, his lips will learn wisdom, so the beneficial influence of this wisdom is also revealed outside: “The lips of the righteous drip wisdom” (Prov. 10:31). Learning from the wisdom of God, the righteous and with his tongue speaks about the Judgment of God, the concept and knowledge of which was not hidden from the righteous (1 Chron. 16:33; Eccl. 3:17). Every person loves to talk about what he always has and constantly carries in his heart (Matthew 12:34-35). And since the righteous always the law of his God is in his heart, then he speaks about this law, and at the same time about the Court, which is determined for the performers and violators of the law. AND blessed that man, will which is directed according to the law of the Lord(Ps. 1:2), to whom the commandments of God are very dear (Ps. 112:1) and who studying day and night seven law: his feet will not falter, those. all his deeds, all his behavior, directed according to the law of God, will be firm and impeccable, his words will be firm at the Judgment, and he “will not be shaken forever” (Ps. 111: 5-6).
Art. 32 and 33. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to put him to death: the Lord will not leave him in his hand, but will judge him even when he judges him. In other words, the same thing is repeated here that is said in verses 12 and 13. The righteous, having the law of God in his heart and fulfilling it, becomes contrary to the sinner who breaks the law and neglects it; because those who love and fulfill the law are thereby denouncers of the lawless life of sinners, who pay special attention to catching the righteous, if not in deed, then at least in word, diligently observe (look) what the righteous does and says to stop his feet, in order to harm him, they harass him in every possible way, looking for, if possible, to kill him. This is what His evil and wicked enemies, the Jewish scribes and Pharisees, did in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, looking for a reason and reason for “how they would destroy Him” (Mark 3:2,6). But The Lord does not leave He will not betray the righteous without His help into his hands enemies his, The Lord will not allow the righteous to remain in the power of the sinner. “Abraham was rewarded with such a providence when Sarah was kidnapped twice, and Isaac, who was subjected to the same thing, and also Jacob, when he fell under the envy of his brother and father-in-law, and Joseph was rewarded with the same mercy when they armed themselves against him with envy and slander” (Blessed Theodoret) . And just as in this life God does not abandon the righteous, so also during the future Judgment he will not condemn, when the sinner goes to court with the righteous man against whom he plotted.
Art. 34. Be patient with the Lord and preserve His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the earth; you will never see yourself consumed by a sinner. Here David again turns his speech into instruction and admonition to the righteous, saying, as it were: but no matter how evil the wicked is and no matter what the wicked does in relation to the righteous, still do not get lost, do not lose heart, trust in the Lord and wait patiently (be patient) His help, go firmly by commandments of God, and the Lord will lift you up will protect and glorify you in the eyes of sinners, you will receive the reward that is prepared for all the righteous - you will inherit new land in the Kingdom of Christ God (Matt. 5:5; 2 Pet. 3:13). And the sinners who sought your fall and destruction will themselves perish, and you will see (behold), when their time comes extermination, You yourself will be an eyewitness to their death.
Art. 35 and 36. I saw the wicked exalted and towering like the cedars of Lebanon: and I passed by, and behold, I sought him, and his place was not found. Here cedars of Lebanon Trees growing on the Lebanon Mountains and distinguished by their extraordinary height and many branches are named. The Lebanon Mountains (White Mountains) lie to the north of Palestine and serve as the border between the land of Judea and Syria. Having said in the previous verse that the righteous will see for himself when the time comes for the destruction of the wicked, he now says: and I saw the wicked, who was exalted and exalted like the cedars of Lebanon, i.e. stood at the highest level of power and honor, was famous for its wealth and luxurious surroundings, so that all its well-being seemed strong and eternal, but then, after some time, I happened to pass by the place where it stood - and it was as if it was not there, looked for him to see if there were any traces of his greatness left, and his place was not found, those. It’s as if he had never been there at all. The prophet did not name the wicked man whose fall he so vividly depicted here, but it is obvious that he meant either Goliath, or Saul, or other similar, proudly ascending wicked men. Goliath was great and strong, but his defeat was so terrible that it entailed not only his death, but also the flight of the entire Philistine army. Saul was mighty and glorious, but, rejected by God, he not only suffered a cruel defeat from his enemies, but his entire family, all his descendants were exterminated before the eyes of David himself, who was persecuted by him. Thus, by the permission of God, the very traces of the greatest earthly power disappear like smoke! So does human pride blind the eyes of mortals that they do not see their dependence on the Supreme Being and cannot perceive the danger that lies at their feet!
Art. 37 and 38. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, as there is a remnant for a man of peace. The iniquities will be consumed together: the remnants of the wicked will be consumed. Here's the word kindness means innocence, purity, rightness - truth, justice, righteousness, remains- remainder, end, future. What kind of remains is this the prophet talking about, and who does he mean by the name Is the person peaceful? Under the name of the man of peace, St. the prophet means a person who is unfeignedly pious. Truly Godly, Maintaining Integrity (kindness) and striving for righteousness, is at peace with God. In him the intense desire of the preachers of peace was fulfilled, saying: we beg you, brethren, in the name of Christ - “be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). He lives peacefully with his neighbors. He does not allow reasons that would force him to break the peace. Peace is disturbed by untruth, malice, and oppression. But all this is contrary to true piety. Often the search for earthly benefits or acquisitions drives out the world and sows hostile feelings, but the pious seeks nothing not only on earth, but also in heaven, except the Lord. “What do we have in heaven; and from You what have I desired on earth... my portion, O God, forever” (Ps. 72:25-26). “He charges everything for skill (manure, litter - Note), that he may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8). Sometimes carelessness in words, love for disputes and verbal disputes drive peace from among people. Why these disputes? From vanity and pride. But is it enough for a righteous or pious person to seek vain glory? He knows what pleases God the hidden person of the heart, which is perfected “in the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4). Does he care enough to slander, blame and condemn? He is always immersed in self-condemnation, engaged in strict bickering with inner thoughts and feelings. For him, peace is most precious: “Give us Thy peace, O Lord, for Thou hast given us all” (Is. 26:12), because only a peaceful heart is capable of love, only in peace is the thought of God and contemplation of the Lord possible. For some reason there is a remnant for a peaceful man on earth. In the times of the Old Testament, when they were expecting the Blessed Seed, the hereditary continuation of the family was considered a special mercy of God. This continuation of the family is accepted at all times as a blessing from God. With the continuation of posterity, the memory of a peaceful and pious man, who, taking advantage of the world, can do a lot of useful things for his neighbors, is preserved at home and connected with blessing. Memory of the righteous with praise, - says the Wise One (Prov. 10:7); but such is not the lot of the wicked: their name fades away and soon their memory perishes. Blzh. Theodoret, Jerome and others by the name “remnants” mean eternal life and future reward . Lawless people all the wicked are doomed to destruction, after them there is nothing left: their remains will be consumed.
Art. 39 and 40. 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 take them away from sinners, and save them, because they have trusted in Him. Whatever sorrow befalls the righteous, they must not forget that they have a strong Defender and the Helper Lord, the rescue Which is beyond doubt. In the most difficult circumstances He will help them. If severe disasters and temptations weigh down on them and continue, then they should not lose heart and despair, remembering that there is someone rid them from temptations and troubles. Intrigues and attacks from outside sinner and the wicked also should not be afraid of the righteous, because the Lord is the eternal God and the almighty Ruler of the whole world, who is strong take away the righteous from hand sinners.“Those who trust in the Lord,” according to the Wise One, “will understand the truth, and the faithful (righteous) will abide in love to Him, as grace and mercy are to His saints” (Wis. 3:9), And He will save them for they hoped on him.
The Blessed Seed is the Messiah, Christ, who was to be born of the seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15), to become a descendant, or seed, of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Gen. 12:8; 18:8, etc.). For this reason, the Jews strived for procreation, with the help of which every Jew, in the person of his descendants, hoped to be in the Kingdom of the Messiah. — Approx.
The text of the Christian Psalm 36, according to historiographers, belongs to one of the most famous psalmists - the Israeli king David. This is one of them, written by him already in old age, and reflecting his rich spiritual experience. This song is alphabetical, each line in it begins with a serial letter of the Hebrew alphabet. A similar technique was used by psalmists and writers of religious hymns more than once to make memorization easier.
The interpretation of Psalm 36 explains to us that it was written in memory of the persecution of Absalom: in it the prophet David talks about how short the life of the sinner is, and that the righteous will sooner or later triumph. This also applies to David’s third son Absalom, who rebelled against his father. The revolt failed and Absalom was forced to flee. His path ran through the forest, and through negligence the wicked son got entangled in tree branches with his long hair, was overtaken by his pursuers and stoned to death. David bitterly mourned the death of his son, but, as a wise man, he could not help but see God’s punishment in this event. Read and listen online to Christian Psalm 36 about the health of a seriously wounded person.
Listen to the video of the Orthodox prayer Psalm 36 in Russian
Read the text of the prayer Psalm 36 in Russian
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. Trust in the Lord and do good; live on earth and keep the truth. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will perfect and bring out your righteousness like the light and your justice like the noonday. Submit to the Lord and trust in Him. Do not be jealous of the one who succeeds in his way, the wicked man. Stop being angry and leave rage; Do not be so jealous as to do evil, for those who do evil will be destroyed, but those who trust in 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. The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him: but the Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw their sword and draw their bow to overthrow the poor and needy, to pierce those who walk the straight path: their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken. A little of the righteous is better than the riches of many of the wicked, for the arms of the wicked are broken, but the Lord strengthens the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their wealth will endure forever: they will not be put to shame in times of cruelty, and in days of famine they will be satisfied; but the wicked will perish, and the enemies of the Lord will disappear like the fat of lambs, vanishing in smoke. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous has mercy and gives, for those blessed by Him will inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him will be destroyed. The Lord establishes the feet of such a person, and He favors his path: when he falls, he will not fall, for the Lord holds him by the hand. I was young and old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken and his descendants asking for bread: he has mercy and lends every day, and his descendants will be a blessing. 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. The righteous will inherit the earth and will live on it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue speaks righteousness. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet shall not be shaken. The wicked spies on the righteous and seeks to kill him; but the Lord will not deliver him into his hands and will not allow him to be accused when he is judged. Trust in the Lord and keep His way: and He will exalt you to inherit the earth; and when the wicked are destroyed, you will see. I saw a terrible wicked man, expanding like a rooted many-branched tree; but he passed, and now he is gone; I'm looking for it and can't find it. Observe the blameless and behold the righteous, for the future of such a person is peace; and the wicked will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will perish. Salvation comes from the Lord for the righteous; He is their protection in times of trouble; and the Lord will help them and deliver them; He will deliver them from the wicked and save them, for they trust in Him.
Orthodox Psalter, text of Psalm 36 in Church Slavonic language
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 (Matthew 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 sweet.
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 (Matthew 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 declared 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 for 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. 59:16). 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 among 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.