Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinaffection which charity requires; for, although they would desire all to be saved, they yet know thatthe reformation of some of the enemies of Christ is hopeless, and their perdition absolutely certain.The question, however, is not yet fully answered; for, when in the seventh verse they arraignthe cruelty of their enemies, they seem to desire vengeance. But what I have just now observedmust be remembered, that none can pray in this manner but those who have clothed themselveswith a public character, and who, laying aside all personal considerations, have espoused, and aredeeply interested in, the welfare of the whole Church; or, rather, who have set before their eyesChrist, the Head of the Church; and, lastly, none but those who, under the guidance of the HolySpirit, have elevated their minds to the judgment of God; so that, being ready to forgive, they donot indiscriminately adjudge to death every enemy by whom they are injured, but only the reprobate.With regard to those who make haste in demanding the execution of the Divine vengeance beforeall hope of repentance is lost, Christ has condemned them as chargeable with inconsiderate andill-regulated zeal, when he says,“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of,”(Luke 9:55.)Moreover, the faithful do not here simply wish the destruction of those who so wickedlypersecuted the Church, but, using that familiarity which God allows them in their dealings withhim, they set forth how inconsistent it would be did he not punish their persecutors, 375 and reasonthus: Lord, how is it that thou afflictest us so severely, upon whom thy name is invoked, and sparestthe heathen nations who despise thee? In short, they mean to say, that God has sufficient groundfor executing his wrath elsewhere, since they were not the only people in the world who had sinned.Although it does not become us to prescribe to God the rule of his conduct, but rather patiently tosubmit to this ordination,“That judgment must begin at the house of God”(1 Peter 4:17;)yet he permits his saints to take the liberty of pleading, that at least they may not be worse dealtwith than unbelievers, and those who despise him.These two sentences, who have not known thee, and which call not upon thy name, it is to beobserved, are to be taken in the same sense. By these different forms of expression, it is intimatedthat it is impossible for any to call upon God without a previous knowledge of him, as the ApostlePaul teaches, in Romans 10:14,“How, then, shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believein him of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14)It belongs not to us to answer, “Thou art our God,” till He has anticipated us by saying, “Thouart my people,” (Hosea 2:23;) but he opens our mouths to speak to him in this manner, when heinvites us to himself. Calling on the name of God is often synonymous with prayer; but it is nothere to be exclusively limited to that exercise. The amount is, that unless we are directed by theknowledge of God, it is impossible for us sincerely to profess the true religion. At that time theGentiles everywhere boasted that they served God; but, being destitute of his word, and as theyfabricated to themselves gods of their own corrupt imaginations, all their religious services weredetestable; even as in our own day, the human invented religious observances of the blind anddeluded votaries of the Man of Sin, who have no right knowledge of the God whom they profess375 “Mettans en avant l’absurdite qui en reviendroit, si Dieu ne punissoit les persecuteurs.” — Fr.173