Salmi 10:3 Commento

The Septuagint translation joins this psalm with the ninth, and makes them but one; but the Hebrew makes it a distinct psalm, and the scope and style are certainly different. In this psalm, I. David complains of the wickedness of the wicked, describes the dreadful pitch of impiety at which they had arrived (to the great dishonour of God and the prejudice of his church and people), and notices the delay of God's appearing against them (Psa 10:1-11). II. He prays to God to appear against them for the relief of his people and comforts himself with hopes that he would do so in due time (Psa 10:12-18).

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 10 This psalm in the Septuagint version, and those that follow it, is a part and continuation of the preceding psalm, and makes but one with it; hence in these versions the number of the following psalms differ from others, and what is the eleventh with others is the tenth with them, and so on to the hundred fourteenth and one hundred fifteenth, which also are put into one; but in order to make up the whole number of one hundred and fifty, the hundred sixteenth and the hundred forty seventh are both divided into two; and indeed the subject of this psalm is much the same with the former. Antichrist and antichristian times are very manifestly described; the impiety, blasphemy, and atheism of the man of sin; his pride, haughtiness, boasting of himself, and presumption of security; his persecution of the poor, and murder of innocents, are plainly pointed at; nor does the character of the man of the earth agree to well to any as to him: his times are times of trouble; but at the end of them the kingdom of Christ will appear in great glory, when the Gentiles, the antichristian nations, will perish out of his land, Psa 10:1.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire,.... As antichrist does of his universal power over all bishops and princes, which his heart was long desiring after; of his being Christ's vicar, Peter's successor, and head of the church; and of having power in heaven, earth, and hell: he boasts of his wealth and riches, of the righteousness and merits of saints, of works of supererogation, a stock of which he pretends to have in his hands to dispense to others: he boasts of his own holiness and infallibility, and of miracles, signs, and lying wonders done by his creatures, and of his great success in destroying those that oppose him; see Rev 18:7. The words may be rendered, "the wicked praiseth himself for the desire of his heart" (u), so the Chaldee paraphrase; to which agrees Jarchi's gloss, "wicked Esau praiseth himself, because he hath obtained the desire of his soul:'' and thus it is usual for proud, haughty, wicked men, as the Assyrian monarch, Nebuchadnezzar, and so the man of sin, to ascribe whatsoever they have or do to their own power and prudence; see Isa 10:12, Dan 4:30. Or they may be rendered, "he praiseth the wicked for his heart's desire" (w); or for his lusts, for his indulging them: for a wicked man not only delights in committing sin himself, but he also takes pleasure in those that do it; and some of the antichristian party have even wrote in commendation of the most unnatural lusts; and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth: the covetous man is one that makes no use of what he has but for himself; and oftentimes withholds that which is meet from himself, as well as from others; and who makes use of unlawful ways to get, retain, and increase wealth, and is never satisfied: such an one God abhors, because he is an idolater, he has other gods before him; he worships his gold, be sets his affection on it, places his confidence in it, and expects protection and security from it, to a neglect of divine Providence; and yet the wicked man blesses him, calls his covetousness frugality and good husbandry; ascribes what he has to his diligence, care, and industry, and bestows gifts upon him. The words may be rendered, "the covetous man blesses himself" (x); with the good things he has laid up for many years; he pronounces himself blessed, and promises himself a great deal of happiness, in futurity; and ascribes all he has to his own hands. Or, "the covetous man curses, he abhors the Lord" (y); for the same word in the Hebrew language signifies to bless and curse, Job 1:5, which Aben Ezra on the place observes; and it is applicable enough to antichrist, who opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven; see Rev 13:6. (u) "nam laudat improbus animam suam in desiderio ipsius", Junius & Tremellius; so Michaelis. (w) "Quoniam laudat ipsium pro desiderio animi sui", Tigurine version. (x) "et avarus benedicit sibi", Piscator; so Ainsworth. (y) "Avarus maledicit sive blasphemat Jehovam", Tarnovius, Hammond; so some in Michaelis.

This is what the inspired author laments, that evil has so prevailed as to be something to be proud of and spoken openly about, and what is more regrettable, that it is shameless and not simply applauds itself for its achievements but also has others to applaud it.

"They are taken in their thoughts, which they think:" that is, their evil thoughts become chains to them. But how become they chains? "For the sinner is praised," says he, "in the desires of his soul" [Psalm 10:3]. The tongues of flatterers bind souls in sin. For there is pleasure in doing those things, in which not only is no reprover feared, but even an approver heard. "And he that does unrighteous deeds is blessed." Hence "are they taken in their thoughts, which they think."

[The wicked] are chiefly of this type who lack wisdom and spiritual resources, nor do they hold to teachings of the faith correctly. They incur the judgment of wise providence when they praise the sinner indulging in his own desires. However, it becomes apparent enough that the sinner strives not for better things but for more pleasing and desirous ones. In addition to that mistake, they judge that they who have riches and human glory are taking part in blessing. Accordingly, they claim the wicked are blessed by God; but it is necessary to believe that blessing of God is granted to the religious.

When the evil person is praised, he becomes conceited; he does not give a thought to correcting his ways, provided that someone can always be found to praise him in spite of his faults. The exaltation of sin follows, so that the one known as an evildoer is blessed. Deceived by the insincerity of those who sing his praise, such a person lets himself get drawn into the excessive pride of tyranny. Strictly speaking, one ought to understand this passage as referring to the Antichrist; he is led to this point by the crowds of deceivers so that he proclaims himself not only as earthly king, but even as God of all things.

The disease of pride is acute; it poisons from either side, and it wounds when least expected. For some boast of themselves because they are good, others because they are bad. Of the good who boast it is said, “For God has scattered the bones of those who are pleased with themselves.” Of the evil who boast it is said, “For the wicked person is praised in the desires of his soul, and the worker of injustice shall be blessed.”

"Because." Here are set forth three causes leading to sin. The first is flattery. The second, contempt of God, at "he said in his heart." The third, presumption, at "God is not." Regarding the first, he does three things. First, he sets forth the flattery. Second, the effect. Third, the divine clemency. Now sinners are praised, according to the Gloss, for a twofold sin: namely, of carnal concupiscence as regards themselves, and of injustice as regards neighbor; therefore they are proud. But according to Jerome, "because he is praised," and therefore "he has provoked," "in his desires," as regards concupiscence, "and the unjust one," as regards injustice against neighbor. Jerome's text has "a covetous man." Another text, "a robber." Is. 5: "Woe to those who call good evil," because it is so. "The sinner has provoked the Lord," that is, has provoked him to wrath. Jerome has all this under one verse; and another verse begins at "the sinner, according to the multitude," etc. Now it can be read, "according to the multitude of his wrath, he will not seek." Either because he punishes less than what is deserved, or because in his great wrath he does not punish now, so as to punish more severely in the future. Or, "of his wrath," namely of the sinner, "God will not seek" the sin.

The Psalmist mourns God's apparent indifference to his troubles, which are aggravated by the successful malice, blasphemy, pride, deceit, and profanity of the wicked. On the just and discriminating providence of God he relies for the destruction of their false security, and the defense of the needy. (Psa. 10:1-18) These are, of course, figurative terms (compare Psa 7:6; Psa 13:1, &c.). hidest--Supply "thine eyes" or "face."

heart's--or, "soul's." desire--that is, his success in evil. and blesseth, &c.--he (the wicked) blesseth the covetous, he despiseth the Lord.

The prominent features of the situation are supported by a detailed description. The praett. express those features of their character that have become a matter of actual experience. הלּל, to praise aloud, generally with the accus., is here used with על of the thing which calls forth praise. Far from hiding the shameful desire or passion (Psa 112:10) of his soul, he makes it an object and ground of high and sounding praise, imagining himself to be above all restraint human or divine. Hupfeld translates wrongly: "and he blesses the plunderer, he blasphemes Jahve." But the רשׁע who persecutes the godly, is himself a בּצע a covetous or rapacious person; for such is the designation (elsewhere with בּצע Pro 1:19, or רע בּצע Hab 2:9) not merely of one who "cuts off" (Arab. bḍ‛), i.e., obtains unjust gain, by trading, but also by plunder, πλεονέκτης. The verb בּרך (here in connection with Mugrash, as in Num 23:20 with Tiphcha בּרך) never directly signifies maledicere in biblical Hebrew as it does in the alter Talmudic (whence בּרכּת השּׁם blasphemy, B. Sanhedrin 56a, and frequently), but to take leave of any one with a benediction, and then to bid farewell, to dismiss, to decline and abandon generally, Job 1:5, and frequently (cf. the word remercier, abdanken; and the phrase "das Zeitliche segnen" = to depart this life). The declaration without a conjunction is climactic, like Isa 1:4; Amo 4:5; Jer 15:7. נאץ, properly to prick, sting, is sued of utter rejection by word and deed. (Note: Pasek stands between נאץ and יהוה, because to blaspheme God is a terrible thought and not to be spoken of without hesitancy, cf. the Pasek in Psa 74:18; Psa 89:52; Isa 37:24 (Kg2 19:23).) In Psa 10:4, "the evil-doer according to his haughtiness" (cf. Pro 16:18) is nom. absol., and בּל־ידרשׁ אין אלהים (contrary to the accentuation) is virtually the predicate to כּל־מזמּותיו. This word, which denotes the intrigues of the ungodly, in Psa 10:2, has in this verse, the general meaning: thoughts (from זמם, Arab. zmm, to join, combine), but not without being easily associated with the secondary idea of that which is subtly devised. The whole texture of his thoughts is, i.e., proceeds from and tends towards the thought, that he (viz., Jahve, whom he does not like to name) will punish with nothing (בּל the strongest form of subjective negation), that in fact there is no God at all. This second follows from the first; for to deny the existence of a living, acting, all-punishing (in one word: a personal) God, is equivalent to denying the existence of any real and true God whatever (Ewald).