Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/3_600_e.lzh/3_685.TXT

Text File | 1995-02-02 | 7KB | 129 lines

\*Ver. 31. \\The law of his God [is] in his heart\\, &c.]
Which may be understood of the moral law, which
was written in the heart of Adam an his creation, and
continued there during his state of innocence, but was
greatly obliterated by sin: there are some remains of
it in fallen man, even in the very Gentiles; who,
though without the law, do some things contained in
it, which shows the work of it to be written in them;
though in some it is scarcely legible, having lost all
distinction between good and evil: but in regeneration
the law of God is re-inscribed, according to the promise
of the covenant of grace, \\#Jer 31:88\\; and such
have a real knowledge of the spirituality and perfection
of it; of the impossibility of justification by it;
and of Christ being the fulfilling end of it: and they
have a strong affection for it; they love it; and delight
in it after the inward man, and serve it with their
minds; in which lies part of their conformity to Christ,
and is a branch of their character as good men; see
\\#Ps 40:8 Isa 51:7\\; moreover, the word \^trwt\^, here
used, signifies any doctrine or instruction, and is
sometimes used for the doctrine of the Gospel, \\#Isa 2:3
42:4\\, and may have this sense here, and the
meaning be, that that has a place in the hearts or
righteous men, dwells richly there, and works
effectually in them; and particularly the doctrine of
grace which relates to covenant interest in God; for it
is the law or doctrine of %his God% that is in his heart;
\*\\none of his steps shall slide\\; not that he shall never
slip nor fall; for that is supposed \\#Ps 37:24\\; but he shall
never finally and totally go out of the paths of truth,
holiness, and righteousness: the Lord keeps the feet
of his saints, and orders their steps, and directs them
in the way they should go, and preserves them in it;
and enables them to walk uprightly, according to the
rule of the divine word, and in all his commandments
and ordinances; and to hold on and out unto the end:
or the clause may be rendered, %it%, the law, %shall not
cause his steps to slide% {b}; neither the law of God, nor
the Gospel of Christ, but shall guide him in the right
way, and be a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his
path.

\*Ver. 32. \\The wicked watcheth the righteous\\, &c.]
All his motions and steps, his works and actions; he
watches for his halting, and to take all opportunities
and advantages against him; see \\#Jer 20:10\\;
\*\\and seeketh to slay him\\; murder his reputation, destroy
his substance, and take away his life: some understand
it of the devil, who watches the saints, observes
their failings, accuses then, before the throne, and
seeks to devour them, \\#1Pe 5:8\\.

\*Ver. 33. \\The Lord will not leave him in his hand\\,
&c.] Or power; but will in his own time deliver him
from all the reproach, affliction, and persecution
endures by him; as he will also deliver him out of all
the temptations of Satan;
\*\\nor condemn him when he
is judged\\; by the wicked man: he will not join in the
sentence, but reverse it, and condemn the tongue that
rises up in judgment against him, and save him from
him; see \\#Ps 109:31 Isa 54:17\\; nor will the
Lord condemn him when he is judged by him at the
hast judgment; but will acquit him before men and
angels, and introduce him into his kingdom and glory.

\*Ver. 34. \\Wait on the Lord\\, &c.] In the way of
his appointments and ordinances; where may be
learned the design of his providences, and of the
prosperity of the wicked, and their end, \\#Ps 73:16-18\\;
and in a providential way, for the performance of his promises, in
which he never fails; and
patiently bear whatever he is pleased to lay upon them;
waiting for a deliverance out of every affliction, which
will be in his own time. The Chaldee paraphrase
\*"trust in the
"word of the Lord;"\*
\*\\and keep his way\\: which he has pointed out in his word, and has
directed his people to Walk in; though tempted by Satan
to turn aside to the right hand or the left; though
wicked men reproach, persecute, and seek to pervert
it; and though a narrow and rough way, yet keep
constantly in it, in which there are both pleasure and
profit; good comes of it, and in it peace is had, and
the presence of God enjoyed;
\*\\and he shall exalt thee
to inherit the land\\: that is, shall raise out of a low and
uncomfortable situation of life to a more comfortable
one; or however, hereafter, to dwell in the new heavens
and new earth, to reign with Christ upon his
throne, and to enjoy the eternal inheritance;
\*\\when the wicked are cut off\\;
as in \\#Ps 37:9,22,28\\;
\*\\thou shall see [it]\\; with joy and pleasure; not as exulting: in the
destruction of the wicked, simply considered; but as
the glory of divine justice is displayed therein; see
\\#Ps 52:5,6\\.

\*Ver. 35. \\I have seen the wicked in great power\\, &c.]
Meaning some particular person invested with great
power, in great authority among men, one of the spiritual
wickednesses in high places; such a man as Ha-
man in Ahasuerus's court; and though the psalmist
does not choose to mention his name, he doubtless had
him in his mind; as either Saul, or Doeg the Edomite,
or Ahithophel, or some such man, who was in an
exalted station of life; and it may be when he himself
was in low and distressed circumstances: the word
used {c} signifies one formidable and terrible, striking
terror to all around; of whom others are afraid, as
Aben Ezra interprets it, \\#Isa 29:20 49:25\\;
\*\\and spreading himself like a green bay tree\\: or like
one that grows up out of the earth of itself, and is in
its native soil, and very flourishing: and the metaphor
denotes an increase of riches and honour, and a seemingly
settled state in the enjoyment of such outward
felicity; so Jarchi interprets it \^vyrvm\^, %taking root%;
as well as such a man's glorying in and boasting of
his affluence and fulness; see \\#Ps 73:12 Jer 12:1,2
Ps 49:6\\; Aben Ezra explains it of a wicked
man's openly committing iniquity, declaring his sin as
Sodom, and glorying in his shame; but rather it denotes
a man in great authority and esteem, as a man
crowned with laurels, and in a very exalted and triumphant state.

{b} \^wyrva demt\^ %non vacillat gressus ejus%, Cocceius.
{c} \^Uyde\^ %terrificam%, Montanus, Vatablus; %terribilem ant
formidabilem%, Gejerus, Michaelis; %daunting, terrible%, Ainsworth.