สดุดี 112:10 วิจารณ์

This psalm is composed alphabetically, as the former is, and is (like the former) entitled "Hallelujah," though it treats of the happiness of the saints, because it redounds to the glory of God, and whatever we have the pleasure of he must have the praise of. It is a comment upon the last verse of the foregoing psalm, and fully shows how much it is our wisdom to fear God and do his commandments. We have here, I. The character of the righteous (Psa 112:1). II. The blessedness of the righteous. 1. There is a blessing entailed upon their posterity (Psa 112:2). 2. There is a blessing conferred upon themselves. (1.) Prosperity outward and inward (Psa 112:3). (2.) Comfort (Psa 112:4). (3.) Wisdom (Psa 112:5). (4.) Stability (Psa 112:6-8). (5.) Honour (Psa 112:6, Psa 112:9). III. The misery of the wicked (Psa 112:10). So that good and evil are set before us, the blessing and the curse. In singing this psalm we must not only teach and admonish ourselves and one another to answer to the characters here given of the happy, but comfort and encourage ourselves and one another with the privileges and comforts here secured to the holy.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 112 This psalm, also, very probably, was written by David, and is composed as the former, in an alphabetical order. The inscription of it in the Syriac version is, "When David in it commanded Solomon his son, saying, Keep the commandments of, the Lord, and worship him: likewise the calling of the Gentiles and the righteousness of Christ.'' The subject matter of the psalm are the character, conduct, usefulness, and happiness of a good man.

The wicked shall see it,.... The glory and happiness of the upright man: so when the witnesses shall ascend to heaven, a phrase expressive of a more glorious state of the church, their enemies shall behold them, Rev 11:12. And be grieved; at their happiness, and grudge it: the Targum is, "and shall be angry at him;'' the upright man. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away; like snow water (r); or as a snail melteth, or as wax before the fire, Psa 58:7, shall pine away with grief and envy at the happiness and prosperity of the righteous; the wicked will weep and gnash their teeth, when they shall see them in the kingdom of heaven, and they themselves shut out, Luk 13:28. The desire of the wicked shall perish; they shall not have their desire, neither of good things for themselves here and hereafter, nor of evil things for the righteous. (r) "Mens mea tabida liquescit", &c. "Liquescunt pectora", &c. Ovid. de Ponto, l. 1. Eleg. 1. v. 68. & Eleg. 2. v. 57. Next: Psalms Chapter 113

"The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered" [Psalm 112:10]: this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he "angered," when he shall say, "Our pride, what has it profited us? The boastfulness of our riches, what has it given us? [Wisdom 5:8] " seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor." "He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away:" for "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when "the desire of the ungodly shall perish," no consolation succeeding. "The desire of the ungodly shall perish," when "all things shall pass away like a shadow," [Wisdom 5:8-9] when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. "But the word of the Lord that endures for ever," [Isaiah 40:8] as it is mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the perdition of the same when truly miserable.

Dearly beloved, whether the Jews receive these divine testimonies with joy or with indignation, nevertheless, when we can, let us proclaim them with great love for the Jews. Let us not proudly glory against the broken branches; let us rather reflect by whose grace it is, and by much mercy, and on what root, we have been ingrafted. Then, not savoring of pride but with a deep sense of humility, not insulting with presumption but rejoicing with trembling, let us say, “Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord,” because his “name is great among the Gentiles.” If they hear him and obey him, they will be among them to whom Scripture says, “Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded.” If, however, they hear and do not obey, if they see and are jealous, they are among them of whom the psalm says, “The wicked shall see and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away.” “But I,” the church says to Christ, “as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea forever and ever.”

The writer briefly and beautifully celebrates God's former care of His people, to whose benefit nature was miraculously made to contribute. (Psa 114:1-8) of strange language--(compare Psa 81:5).

Disappointed in their malevolent wishes by the prosperity of the pious, the wicked are punished by the working of their evil passions, and come to naught. Next: Psalms Chapter 113