never otherwise but evil; whereas in a good man,
though there are many evil thoughts which are abomi-
nable to himself, yet there are some good thoughts, and
which are pleasing to the Lord, as follows. But the
words of the pure are pleasant words; that is, unto the
I,ord; which are the same with their thoughts, and
are the effect of them, and s6 stand opposed to the
thoughts of the wicked; these, expressed either in a
way of prayer or of praise, are sweet and pleasant, and
acceptable unto God through Christ; as likewise their
words and discourse in religious conversation, which
also minister grace unto the hearer, and are very
delightful and pleasing to saints; the words may be
supplied thus, but the thoughts ofthepure, of such
who are pure in heart, whose hearts are purified by
faith in the blood of Christ, are words ofpleasantness,
so Gersom; there is a language in thought which is
kuown to a man's self, and by the Lord; there is the
meditation or discourse of the heart, and this being
about divine and spiritual things is pleasing to God; he
hearkens to it, and writes a book of remembrance for
them that fear him, and have thought on his name; see
Psal. xix. 14. Mal. iii. 16.
Ver. 27. He that is greedy/of gain troubleth his own
house, &c.] Or that covets a covetousness t, an evil one,
as in Hab. ii. 9- that seeks riches by unlawful means,
that gathers the maremen of falsehood, or unrighteous-
hess, as the Targum; he entails a curse and brings ruin
and destruction upon his family; the Septuagint and
Arabic versions are, he destroys himself; or hisown soul,
as the Syriac version; it may be understood of a man that
is over-anxious and eager to be rich, and hurries on busi-
ness, and gives his servants no proper time for food and
rest; see the note on ch. xi. 29. But he that hateth
gifts shall live; that rejects them 'wiih abhorrence,
when offered to bribe him to pervert judgment, or to
do an unjust thing; otherwise gifts may be lawfully
received from one friend by another; the sin is when
they are given and taken for the sake of doing what
is base and sinful; and a man that shakes his hand
from receiving gifts on such a foot, he and his family
shall prosper and increase in worldly things; and, doing
this fi'om a right principle of grace, shall live com-
fortably in a spiritual sense, and thrive and flourish in
his soul, and live an eternal life hereafter; see Psal.
xv. 1, 5, 6.
Ver. 28. The heart of the righteous studieth to an-
swer, &c.'l He thinks before he speaks, meditates
what he shall say, what answer to give to men; whe-
ther in things civil, natural, or religious; and what to
return to the Lord when he is reproved by him; or
what to say in prayer to him, or by way of thank-
fullness for mercies received from him; see cb. iii.
6. ttab. ii. 1. though our Lord advises his disciples,
when summoned before their persecutors, not to
medirate before-hand what they should answer, since
they should have immediate assistance, Luke xxi. 14.
but this was in extraordinary cases; in common ones
the observation of the wise man should be artended to.
A Jewish{u} writer renders the words, the heart of the
righteous roedilates wormwood, or bitter things; see
ch. v. 4. as the judgment of God, death, and hell;
this sense is mentioned by Aben Ezra, but rejected.
But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things;
without any previous thought and consideration, with-
out fear or wit; in great abundance, as water out of
a fountain; thus an evil man out of the evil treasure
of his heart brings forth evil things readily and at
once, having no concern about the consequences of
things, Matt. xii. 25. see the note on ver. 2.
Ver. 29. The Lord is far from the wicked, &c.] Not
as to his essence or powerful presence, which is every-
where, for he is God omnipresent; but with respect
to his fayour and good will, he is far from helping in
distress, and from hearing their cries when they ap-
ply unto him in desperate circumstances; nor does
he admit them to nearness and communion with him
now, as he does the righteous; nor will he receive
them to himself at the last day, but bid them depart
from him; they are far from him and from his law, and
from all righteousness; and he is far fi'om them, and
keeps them at a distance from him. But he heareth
the prayer ofthe righteous; they draw nigh to him, and
he draws nigh to them; he is nigh to all that call
upon him in truth; and there is none like them that
has God so nigh them as they have; his eyes are upon
them, and his ears are open to their cries; he is a
God hearing and answering their prayers, and bestows
upon them the fayours they ask for, and stand in
need of.
Vet. 30. The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, &c.]
Not so much the visive power, the faculty of seeing,
a strong and clear eyesight ;. though this is a great
mercy, and fi'om the Lord, and to be prized, and
does give joy of heart; but rather the objects seen by
the light of the eyes, as Jarchi; as green gardens,
flowing rivers, pleasant meadows, rising hills, lowly
vales, herbs, plants, trees, birds, beasts, and crea-
tures of every kind; nor is the eye ever satisfied with
seeing; especially light itself beheld rejoiceth the
heart, and particularly that grand luminary and foun-
tain of light, the sun. Light is sweet, says the wise
man, Eccl. xi. 7. and a pleasant thingit is for the eyes
to behold the sun, which is a proper comment on this.
text: and much more pleasant anti delightful, cheer-
ing and rejoicing, must be the spiritual light of the
eyes of the understanding, when opened by the spi-
rit of God at conversion; it is marvellous light souls
are then called into, and wonderful things do they
then behold, which rejoice their hearts; as Christ
the sun of righteousness himself, the light of the
world, the glories of his person and office, the fulness
of grace that is in him, pardon of sin by his blood,.
justification by his righteousness, and free and full
salvation through him for the worst and chief of sin-
ners: in the light which is thrown into them they see
light; the light of God's countenance, his face and
favour, which put gladness into them; the light of
the divine word, and the precious truths of it; yea, the
light, joy, and happiness of the world to come, in
the hope of which their hearts rejoice. Jarchi mys-
tically interprets this of the light of the eyes in. the

{t} \^eub euwb\^ appetens concupiscentiam, Montanus; qui avaritiam
inhiat, Tigurine version; concupiscens concupiscentiam, Vatablus.
{u} Kabvenaki.