Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 7
Overview:
The psalmist prays to
God to plead his cause, and
Judge for
him.
(1-9) He expresses confidence in
God, and will give him the
Glory of his deliverance.
(10-17)
1-9 David flees to
God for succour. But
Christ alone could
Call
On Heaven to attest his uprightness in all things. All His
Works
were wrought in
Righteousness; and the
Prince of this world
found nothing whereof justly to accuse him. Yet for our sakes,
submitting to be charged as guilty, he suffered all evils, but,
being innocent, he triumphed over them all. The plea is, "For
the righteous
God trieth the hearts and the
Reins." He knows the
secret wickedness of the wicked, and how to bring it to an
End;
he is
Witness to the secret sincerity of the just, and has ways
of establishing it. When a
Man has made peace with
God about all
his sins, upon the terms of
Grace and
Mercy, through the
Sacrifice of the
Mediator, he may, in comparison with his
enemies,
Appeal to
God's
Justice to decide.
10-17 David is confident that he shall find
God his powerful
Saviour. The
Destruction of sinners may be prevented
By their
Conversion; for it is threatened, If he turn not from his evil
way, let him expect it will be his ruin. But amidst the
threatenings of wrath, we have a gracious offer of
Mercy.
God
gives sinners warning of their danger, and space to repent, and
prevent it. He is slow to punish, and long-suffering to us-
Ward,
not willing that any should perish. The sinner is described,
ver. 14-16, as taking more pains to ruin his soul than, if
directed aright, would save it. This is true, in a sense, of all
sinners. Let us look to the
Saviour under all our trials.
Blessed
Lord, give us
Grace to look to thee in the path of
Tribulation, going before thy
Church and people, and marking the
way
By thine own spotless
Example. Under all the persecutions
which in our lesser trials
Mark our way, let the looking to
Jesus animate our minds and comfort our hearts.