Psalmen 37:4 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.

Commit thy way unto the Lord,.... Or "thy works", as in Pro 16:3; that is, all the affairs and business of life, which are a man's ways in which he walks; not that men should sit still, be inactive, and do nothing, and leave all to be done by the Lord; but should seek direction of God in everything engaged in, and for strength and assistance to perform it, and go on in it, and depend upon him for success, and give him all the glory, without trusting to any thing done by them: or, as some render the words, "reveal thy way unto the Lord" (n); not that God is ignorant of the ways of men, and of their affairs, and of their wants and necessities, but it is their duty to ask, and it is his delight to hear; they may come and use freedom with him, and tell him their whole case, and leave it with him, believing he will supply all their need: or, as others render it, "roll thy way on the Lord" (o); see Psa 55:22; meaning not the burden of sin, nor the weight of affliction, but any affair of moment and importance that lies heavy upon the mind; trust also in him; it is an ease to the mind to spread it before the Lord, who sympathizes with his people, supports them under and brings them through their difficulties; and he shall bring it to pass; as he does whatever he has appointed and determined shall be, and whatever he has promised, and whatever will be for his own glory and his people's good. (n) Sept. "revela", V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so the Targum, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis. (o) "Devolve super Jehovam", Tigurine version.

The expression “we have need” is applied to those things that are necessary for life. Consequently, applied to material things, it means that one does not need most things but only those of which Paul says, “but having food and clothing, we shall be satisfied with these things.” Those things, [by contrast], that are accumulated in wealth and luxury are the result of abundance among those who live luxuriously. They are not considered to be necessary and absolutely essential but to be superfluous. So, therefore, there are also things that are necessary for us in the realm of divine matters, which bring us into life and cause us to be in the one who says, “I am the life.” But what supersedes these things would be said to supersede need. It is said of such things, “Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the requests of your heart.” These include all the things that are considered in relation to the paradise of luxury and in relation to wealth and glory, the things in the left hand of wisdom according to him who said, “For length of life and years of life are in her right hand, but in her left hand are wealth and glory.” One would say that these go beyond necessity.

(Verse 4.) Therefore, he says: Delight in the Lord, and he will grant you the desires of your heart. Why did he not say 'your desires' but 'the desires of your heart'? For the desires of the external and internal man are not the same and not all of them are approved by Christ; because the law of the flesh often opposes to the rules of the spirit. But those desires that belong to the interior man, who is renewed by the Spirit, the Lord grants them to the petitioner with effect. Hence, he says elsewhere: May the Lord grant you according to your heart, and may he confirm all your desires (Psalm 19:5). He says to follow the heart, not the desire of the flesh; and he says that he should strengthen those desires which come from the deepest part of the heart, not those which are directed by the enticement and pleasures of the flesh.

"Delight yourself in the Lord" [Psalm 37:4]. As if you had put the question, and had said "Show me the riches of that land, in which you bid me dwell," he says, "Delight yourself in the Lord."

In everything he taught the benefit of hope in God: the person hoping in God, he says, and fed by him will enjoy the goods supplied by him while those who find delightful constant converse with him will most of all attain them.

"Delight." And regarding this he does two things, inasmuch as the joy of this delight consists in two things: namely, in attaining one's desire and in fulfilling one's purpose; the second is at "Reveal." He says therefore of the first, "Delight," etc. Prov. 13: "A desire fulfilled delights the soul." If you cling to God, your desire is fulfilled. But because for this it is required that the desire be just -- for God is not the author of injustice -- therefore he first sets forth the root of just desire, namely that a person should delight in God through love; hence he says, "Delight in the Lord," that is, let all your love be in God. Phil. 4: "Rejoice in the Lord always." In the Greek it reads "take your delight," as if to say: do not be content with what is necessary for salvation, but seek superabundant and exquisite things, just as delicate persons are not content with common foods. Job 22: "Then you shall abound in delights over the Almighty." And then, "He will give you the petitions of your heart" -- he does not say "of your flesh." For the petitions of the heart, according to Origen, are what the heart desires: for example, according to him, if the eye could ask, it would desire beautiful colors, and hearing would desire sweet sounds. So the heart's object, since it is truth and justice, these are desired by it. And these, he says, "he will give you." Mt. 7: "Ask and it shall be given to you." Or he says "of the heart," that is, when they are petitions of the heart, God hears them before one cries out. Is. 65: "Before they cry out, I will hear them." Regarding the second he says, "Reveal," etc. For when one's purpose is fulfilled, then one rejoices. To fulfill this, two things are prerequisites. First, that one turn to God. Second, that one have confidence in him; and thus, third, it is fulfilled. He says therefore, "Reveal your way to the Lord," namely your purpose, as for the first. But does not God know, he who knows the thoughts of men? The Psalmist speaks by way of a simile, "Reveal to the Lord," etc., that is, turn to him for the fulfillment of your purpose, and this in prayer. Ps. 118: "I declared my ways to you," etc. For every undertaking should begin with prayer, as even Plato says, and as Scipio used to do. But to your petition add hope; and therefore he says, "Hope in him," as for the second. And thus, third, your petition will be fulfilled. And this is what he adds, "And he himself will act," that is, he will fulfill your ways. Or otherwise, "Reveal your way to the Lord," that is, your sins. Job 13: "I will argue my ways in his sight, and he himself will be my savior." And therefore he rightly says, "Hope in him," namely for the forgiveness of sins, "and he himself will act," that is, he will remit your sins.

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.

desires-- (Psa 20:5; Psa 21:2), what is lawful and right, really good (Psa 84:11).