Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 10
Overview:
The psalmist complains of the wickedness of the wicked.
(1-11)
He prays to
God to appear for the relief of his people.
(12-18)
1-11 God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people,
especially in times of trouble. We stand afar off from
God By
our unbelief, and then complain that
God stands afar off from
us. Passionate words against bad men do more hurt than good; if
we speak of their badness, let it be to the
Lord in
Prayer; he
can make them better. The sinner proudly glories in his power
and success. Wicked people will not seek after
God, that is,
will not
Call upon him. They live without
Prayer, and that is
living without
God. They have many thoughts, many objects and
devices, but think not of the
Lord in any of them; they have
No
submission to his will, nor aim for his
Glory. The cause of this
is pride. Men think it below them to be religious. They could
not break all the laws of
Justice and
Goodness toward
Man, if
they had not first shaken off all sense of religion.
12-18 The psalmist speaks with astonishment, at the wickedness
of the wicked, and at the patience and forbearance of
God.
God
prepares the
Heart for
Prayer,
By kindling holy desires, and
strengthening our most holy
Faith, fixing the thoughts, and
raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the
Prayer. The preparation of the
Heart is from the
Lord, and we
must seek unto him for it. Let the
Poor, afflicted, persecuted,
or tempted believer recollect, that
Satan is the
Prince of this
world, and that he is the
Father of all the ungodly. The
children of
God cannot expect kindness,
Truth, or
Justice from
such persons as crucified the
Lord of
Glory. But this once
suffering
Jesus, now reigns as
King over all the
Earth, and of
his dominion there shall be
No End. Let us commit ourselves unto
him, humbly trusting in his
Mercy. He will rescue the believer
from every
Temptation, and break the
Arm of every wicked
oppressor, and bruise
Satan under our feet shortly. But in
Heaven alone will all
Sin and
Temptation be shut out, though in
this
Life the believer has a foretaste of deliverance.