\*Ver. 2. \\O ye sons of men\\, &c.] Meaning great men,
the nobles of Israel; and so the Jewish interpreters {k}
generally explain it; such as Ahithophel, and others,
who were in the conspiracy with Absalom, \\2Sa 15:12\\: and so
they were the kings and princes of the earth, and the
rulers of the Jewish sanhedrim, the chief priests and
elders, who were the enemies of Christ; and such, generally
speaking, have been the persecutors of the
saints; these men of power and authority, of dignity
and honour, and who were in high places, and boasted
of their titles and grandeur, the psalmist addresses
by way of expostulation in the following words;
\*\\how long [will ye turn] my glory into shame\\? Meaning either
God, who was his glory, \\#Ps 3:3\\; whom they reproached
when they said there was no help for him
in him; or his tongue, the instrument of praise, and
the songs of praise he expressed by it, \\#Ps 7:8\\;
which they jeered and scoffed at: or rather his royal
glory and majesty, which they attempted to vail by
casting him down from his excellency, by dethroning
him, and setting up Absalom in his room. So the
Jews endeavoured to turn the glory of Christ into
shame, which lay in his being the only begotten of
the Father; by denying his sonship, by condemning
him to death; because he said he was the Son of God;
and by mocking at him under that character on the
cross; and also by their spitting upon, buffeting, and
crucifying the Lord of glory; by reproaching his Gospel,
ministers, and people; and by not acknowledging
him as the Messiah, and submitting to his righteousness.
And wicked men do as much as in them lies
to turn the glory of the saints into shame, by aspersing
their character, taking away their good name and
reputation among men; by reproaching and reviling
them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; and
by persecuting them in the most violent manner;
\*\\[how long] will ye love vanity\\; or %a
vain thing% {l}. Such as the
placing of Absalom upon the throne, on which their
hearts were set; and such was the vain imagination of
the Jews, with which they pleased themselves, that
Jesus should die, and his name perish; and such are all
the attempts of wicked men to ruin and destroy the
people and interest of Christ; for no Weapon formed
against them shall prosper;
\*\\[and] seek after leasing\\? Or %a lie% {m};
or that which fails and deceives, as a
lie does: and such were all the counsels and designs of
the great men of Israel against David: and so the Jews
may be said to seek after a lie, when they seek after
another Messiah besides Jesus of Nazareth: for every
other proves a %Bar Cozbi%, that is, the son of a lie; as the
false Messiah in Adrian's time was called by themselves.
And so do all such as seek after and embrace
false doctrines, errors, and heresies, and are given up
to believe them. Now the psalmist suggests that
these great men were obstinate, and continued in these
sinful practices; and that in the issue all their efforts
would be vain and fruitless; and which he further
strengthens by observing to them what follows.

\*\\Selah\\; on this word, \\see Gill on "Ps 3:2"\\.

\*Ver. 3. \\But know\\, &c.] Take notice of it, consider
it, be assured of the truth, of it; it may be depended upon as fact,
\*\\that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself\\:
which may be understood of
David himself, an holy good man; a man after God's
own heart; whom the Lord chose, and in a marvellous
manner separated from the rest of his brethren; took
him from the sheepfold, and set him upon the throne
of Israel, for the glory of his great name; and therefore
the attempts of his enemies against him would be
without success: and also of the Messiah, God's holy
One, whom he has chosen out from among the people
to be their Saviour and Redeemer, to the glory of his
grace; wherefore the work of the Lord has prospered
in his hands: and likewise of all the saints, and of their
election; which act is expressed by their being set
apart, or separated from others, who are called the rest;
and which is a marvellous act of grace: for the word
may be rendered, %he hath wonderfully set apart% {n}. It
is an amazing instance of grace that God should make
one to differ from another, and separate them from
their mother's womb, and call them by his grace. The
object of this act is %him that is godly%, or %holy% {o}: not
that any are set apart or chosen by God for their godliness,
or holiness; for they are chosen through sanctification
of the spirit, and not because they were, or it
was foreseen they would be, holy. Holiness, faith,
godliness, and good works, are the fruits of election,
and not the causes of it: but the word \^dyox\^, rendered
%godly%, signifies %good% and %merciful% {p}; and designs one,
that God is good, and gracious, and merciful unto;
who is an object of his free grace and favour; and
therefore he chooses and sets him apart of his own
grace and mercy, and according to his sovereign will
and pleasure: and that %for himself%; for his own use
and service, for his praise and honour, and to the glory
of his grace; which is his grand end in predestination,
election, and in all spiritual blessings. And now all
attempts against such persons are in vain; all charges
against them are of no avail; all methods, whether by
open force of persecutors, or by the cunning of false
teachers, that lie in wait to deceive, to prevail against
them, prove successless: and God will avenge his
elect, that cry unto him day and night; as follows;
\*\\the Lord will hear when I call unto him\\; and deliver
out of the hands of enemies, and cut them off: wherefore
it is a vain thing for men to set themselves against
Christ and his people.

{k} Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melech in loc.
{l} \^qyr\^ %inane%, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius; %inanem rem%,
Piscator.
{m} \^bzk\^ %mendacium%, Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius
& Tremellius, Piscator, &c.
{n} So Ainsworth. \^hlph\^ %mirificavit%, V. L. %mirabilem
effecit%, Gejerus
{o} \^dyox\^ %sanctum%, V. L. Muis, De Dieu.
{p} %Eum quem benigne acceperit%, Junius & Tremellius; %beneficiarium%,
Gejerus, Michaelis; %gratia vel favore a Deo affectum%, Hammond.