Psalmen 37:17 Kommentar

This psalm is a sermon, and an excellent useful sermon it is, calculated not (as most of the psalms) for our devotion, but for our conversation; there is nothing in it of prayer or praise, but it is all instruction; it is "Maschil - a teaching psalm;" it is an exposition of some of the hardest chapters in the book of Providence, the advancement of the wicked and the disgrace of the righteous, a solution of the difficulties that arise thereupon, and an exhortation to conduct ourselves as becomes us under such dark dispensations. The work of the prophets (and David was one) was to explain the law. Now the law of Moses had promised temporal blessings to the obedient, and denounced temporal miseries against the disobedient, which principally referred to the body of the people, the nation as a nation; for, when they came to be applied to particular persons, many instances occurred of sinners in prosperity and saints in adversity; to reconcile those instances with the word that God had spoken is the scope of the prophet in this psalm, in which, I. He forbids us to fret at the prosperity of the wicked in their wicked ways (Psa 37:1, Psa 37:7, Psa 37:8). II. He gives very good reasons why we should not fret at it. 1. Because of the scandalous character of the wicked (Psa 37:12, Psa 37:14, Psa 37:21, Psa 37:32) notwithstanding their prosperity, and the honourable character of the righteous (Psa 37:21, Psa 37:26, Psa 37:30, Psa 37:31). 2. Because of the destruction and ruin which the wicked are nigh to (Psa 37:2, Psa 37:9, Psa 37:10, Psa 37:20, Psa 37:35, Psa 37:36, Psa 37:38) and the salvation and protection which the righteous are sure of from all the malicious designs of the wicked (Psa 37:13, Psa 37:15, Psa 37:17, Psa 37:28, Psa 37:33, Psa 37:39, Psa 37:40). 3. Because of the particular mercy God has in store for all good people and the favour he shows them (Psa 37:11, Psa 37:16, Psa 37:18, Psa 37:19, Psa 37:22-25, Psa 37:28, Psa 37:29, Psa 37:37). III. He prescribes very good remedies against this sin of envying the prosperity of the wicked, and great encouragement to use those remedies (Psa 37:3-6, Psa 37:27, Psa 37:34). In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish one another rightly to understand the providence of God and to accommodate ourselves to it, at all times carefully to do our duty and then patiently to leave the event with God and to believe that, how black soever things may look for the present, it shall be "well with those that fear God, that fear before him." A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 37 A Psalm of David. This psalm, it is very probable, was written at the same time, and upon the same occasion, with the former; and describes the different states of good and bad men; and is full of exhortations, instructions, and advice to the people of God; intermixed with various encouraging promises. A late learned writer (h) thinks it was written for Mephibosheth's consolation under Ziba's calumny. (h) Delaney's Life of King David, vol. 2. p. 219.

The Lord knoweth the days of the upright,.... Not only how long they shall live, and so fill up their days, the number of them, as Aben Ezra interprets it; but the nature of their days, whether prosperous or adverse; and causes both to work together for their good; and he knows the work of their days, as Jarchi explains it, the actions done by them in faith and love, and to his honour and glory, and which he approves and accepts of in Christ; see Psa 1:6; and their inheritance shall be for ever; in heaven, which is an eternal and never fading one, Heb 9:15; and therefore they ought not to fret and be envious.

(Verse 17.) For the arms, he says, of the sinners will be broken. So that their actions cannot bring any impediment to the righteous; so that the rod of the sinners is not left over the lot of the righteous. And Paul says: May God crush Satan under your feet (Rom. XVI, 20). For if his arm has been broken, he himself will be completely crushed, and his comments will be trampled upon, like the venom of a serpent. But the Lord strengthens the righteous, with the arm of the adversary broken. And therefore the righteous says: And you have confirmed your hand upon me (Ps. 37:3). And Job says: The hand of the Lord has touched me (Job 19:21). So the Lord sent his hand upon his servant, and he broke the hand of the sinner that he had sent against him with power. Thus the devil was deceived by his own words, who said: Stretch forth your hand against him, and let us see if he will not bless you to your face (Job 2:5). For he did not dare to say curses, but he left this to be understood. God sent his hand, and Job was strengthened. He began to bless, who was believed to curse; for he heals the righteous, when the divine hand touches, it does not harm. He sent his hand, and every spot of leprosy fled; he touched the eyes of the blind, and the blindness was removed, and the light of the eyes shone forth. Therefore, always seek to be strengthened, for even you who stand, see lest you fall. We must stand in order to be strengthened by the Lord. The world is slippery, we swiftly slide. Therefore, let us pray that the Lord deems us worthy to establish and strengthen us.

..."For the arms of the wicked shall be broken" [Psalm 37:17]. Now by "their arms" is meant their power. What will he do in hell? Will it be what the rich man had to do, he who was wont "to fare sumptuously" in the upper world, and in hell "was tormented"? Therefore their arms shall be broken; "but the Lord upholds the righteous." How does He "uphold" them? What says He unto them? Even what is said in another Psalm, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage; and let your heart be strengthened. Wait, I say, on the Lord." What is meant by this, "Wait on the Lord"? Thou sufferest but for a time; you shall rest for ever: your trouble is short; your happiness is to be everlasting. It is but for "a little while" you are to sorrow; your joy shall have no end. But in the midst of trouble does your "foot" begin to "slip"? The example even of Christ's sufferings is set before you. Consider what He endured for you, in whom no cause was found why He should endure it? How great soever be your sufferings, you will not come to those insults, those scourgings, to that robe of shame, to that crown of thorns, and last of all to that Cross, which He endured; because that is now removed from the number of human punishments. For though under the ancients criminals were crucified, in the present day no one is crucified. It was honoured, and it came to an end. It came to an end as a punishment; it is continued in glory. It has removed from the place of execution to the foreheads of Emperors. He who has invested His very sufferings with such honour, what does He reserve for His faithful servants?...

Then when he says, "For," he proves that it is better. The reason for this is threefold. First, from the perspective of durability. Second, of usefulness, at "He will borrow." Third, of virtue, at "The mouth of the just." Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he proposes the crushing of the wicked. Second, the stability of the good. He says therefore, "For the arms," etc. As if to say: therefore the few goods of the just are better than the many goods of the wicked, because they are stable, while the others are not. And this is what he says, "For the arms." The names of bodily members designate the powers or acts of those members. Therefore by the name "arm" is designated the operative power of a person; hence, "The arms of sinners will be broken," that is, their operative power will be destroyed: Job 38: "The lofty arm will be broken." But this arm is broken sometimes by God, sometimes by the devil, sometimes by both together. By God it is broken when one intends to harm the just and is impeded in his purpose: Job 5: "He frustrates the plans of the malicious, so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun." By the devil, however, when a person proposes to do good and is impeded by Satan: 1 Thess. 2: "We wished to come to you, but Satan hindered us" -- just as when someone proposes to give alms and is drawn back by greed. By both together -- by God indeed through authority, to test; and by the devil through execution: Job 1 and 2. Second, when he adds, "But the Lord strengthens," etc., he shows that the just are enduring, firm, and stable. He says therefore, "But the Lord strengthens the just." Although justice is a virtue and firmness of soul, it is nevertheless not in a person from himself; hence 1 Cor. 1: "Let no flesh glory in his sight; but of him you are in Christ Jesus," etc., up to "let him glory in the Lord." For a person in himself has been made weak: Ps. 6: "Have mercy on me, God, for I am weak." And therefore he needs to be strengthened by someone, especially by God, by whom he is indeed strengthened -- sometimes in temporal things, insofar as it is expedient for the just man's salvation; but in spiritual things, always, and this by interior grace. Likewise, by good words. Likewise, by good examples. Regarding the first: Rom. 1: "Of spiritual grace, to strengthen you." 2 Thess. 2: "May he encourage your hearts in grace and strengthen," etc. Ps. 50: "With a princely spirit strengthen me." Regarding the second: Ps. 118: "Strengthen me in your words": Acts 15: "With many words they consoled the brothers and strengthened them." Regarding the third: Lk. 22: "When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers": 1 Pet. 2: "Christ suffered for us," etc. And 1 Pet. 4: "Since Christ therefore suffered in the flesh," etc. Hence in 1 Pet. 5: "He himself will perfect, strengthen," etc. They are strengthened through the example of the cross, of which it is said: for the cross is finished in punishment, but it endures in glory. From places of execution it has passed to the foreheads of emperors. Yet he who gave honor to his sufferings -- what will he do for his faithful?

A composed and uniform trust in God and a constant course of integrity are urged in view of the blessedness of the truly pious, contrasted in various aspects with the final ruin of the wicked. Thus the wisdom and justice of God's providence are vindicated, and its seeming inequalities, which excite the cavils of the wicked and the distrust of the pious, are explained. David's personal history abundantly illustrates the Psalm. (Psa. 37:1-40) The general sentiment of the whole Psalm is expressed. The righteous need not be vexed by the prosperity of the wicked; for it is transient, and their destiny undesirable.

Even the members of the body needed to hold weapons are destroyed.