1O God, in whose hands is punishment, O God of punishment, let your shining face be seen. 2Be lifted up, O judge of the earth; let their reward come to the men of pride. 3How long will sinners, O Lord, how long will sinners have joy over us? 4Words of pride come from their lips; all the workers of evil say great things of themselves. 5Your people are crushed by them, O Lord, your heritage is troubled, 6They put to death the widow and the guest, they take the lives of children who have no father; 7And they say, Jah will not see it, the God of Jacob will not give thought to it. 8Give your mind to my words, you who are without wisdom among the people; you foolish men, when will you be wise? 9Has he by whom your ears were planted no hearing? or is he blind by whom your eyes were formed? 10He who is the judge of the nations, will he not give men the reward of their acts, even he who gives knowledge to man? 11The Lord has knowledge of the thoughts of man, for they are only a breath. 12Happy is the man who is guided by you, O Jah, and to whom you give teaching out of your law; 13So that you may give him rest from the days of evil, till a hole is made ready for the destruction of the sinners. 14The Lord will not give up his people, or take away his support from his heritage; 15But decisions will again be made in righteousness; and they will be kept by all whose hearts are true. 16Who will give me help against the sinners? and who will be my support against the workers of evil? 17If the Lord had not been my helper, my soul would quickly have gone down into death. 18If I say, My foot is slipping; your mercy, O Lord, is my support. 19Among all my troubled thoughts, your comforts are the delight of my soul. 20What part with you has the seat of sin, which makes evil into a law? 21They are banded together against the soul of the upright, to give decisions against those who have done no wrong. 22But the Lord is my safe resting-place; my God is the Rock where I am safe. 23And he has made their evil designs come back on themselves, cutting them off in their sin; the Lord our God will put an end to them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The danger and folly of persecutors. (1-11) Comfort and peace to the persecuted. (12-23) 1-11 We may with boldness appeal to God; for he is the almighty Judge by whom every man is judged. Let this encourage those who suffer wrong, to bear it with silence, committing themselves to Him who judges righteously. These prayers are prophecies, which speak terror to the sons of violence. There will come a day of reckoning for all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against God, his truths, and ways, and people. It would hardly be believed, if we did not witness it, that millions of rational creatures should live, move, speak, hear, understand, and do what they purpose, yet act as if they believed that God would not punish the abuse of his gifts. As all knowledge is from God, no doubt he knows all the thoughts of the children of men, and knows that the imaginations of the thoughts of men's hearts are only evil, and that continually. Even in good thoughts there is a want of being fixed, which may be called vanity. It concerns us to keep a strict watch over our thoughts, because God takes particular notice of them. Thoughts are words to God. 12-23 That man is blessed, who, under the chastening of the Lord, is taught his will and his truths, from his holy word, and by the Holy Spirit. He should see mercy through his sufferings. There is a rest remaining for the people of God after the days of their adversity, which shall not last always. He that sends the trouble, will send the rest. The psalmist found succour and relief only in the Lord, when all earthly friends failed. We are beholden, not only to God's power, but to his pity, for spiritual supports; and if we have been kept from falling into sin, or shrinking from our duty, we should give him the glory, and encourage our brethren. The psalmist had many troubled thoughts concerning the case he was in, concerning the course he should take, and what was likely to be the end of it. The indulgence of such contrivances and fears, adds to care and distrust, and renders our views more gloomy and confused. Good men sometimes have perplexed and distressed thoughts concerning God. But let them look to the great and precious promises of the gospel. The world's comforts give little delight to the soul, when hurried with melancholy thoughts; but God's comforts bring that peace and pleasure which the smiles of the world cannot give, and which the frowns of the world cannot take away. God is his people's Refuge, to whom they may flee, in whom they are safe, and may be secure. And he will reckon with the wicked. A man cannot be more miserable than his own wickedness will make him, if the Lord visit it upon him.