Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinhave been profusely anointed with fresh oil. 594 11. And mine eyes shall see it on mine enemies:mine ears shall hear it upon those who rise up against me, upon those who persecute me.9 For, lo! thine enemies, O Jehovah! From what was already said in the verse preceding, thePsalmist concludes it to be impossible that God should not overthrow his enemies. This, as I havealready observed, clearly shows that it was his design to establish our faith under the strongtemptations to which it is subjected, and, more especially, to remove that offense out of the way,which has disturbed the minds of many, and led them astray; — we refer to the prosperity of thewicked, and its effect in attaching a certain perplexity to the judgments of God. As our faith is nevercalled to a more sharp and arduous trial than upon this point, the Psalmist delivers the truth, whichhe announces with much force of expression, using both exclamations and repetition. First, hedeclares the destruction of God’s enemies to be as certain as if it had already taken place, and hehad witnessed it with his own eyes; then he repeats his assertion: and from all this we may see howmuch he had benefited by glancing with the eye of faith beyond this world to the throne of God inthe heavens. When staggered in our own faith at any time by the prosperity of the wicked, we shouldlearn by his example to rise in our contemplations to a God in heaven, and the conviction willimmediately follow in our minds that his enemies cannot long continue to triumph. The Psalmisttells us who they are that are God’s enemies. God hates none without a cause; nay, so far as menare the workmanship of his hand, he embraces them in his fatherly love. But as nothing is moreopposed to his nature than sin, he proclaims irreconcilable war with the wicked. It contributes inno small degree to the comfort of the Lord’s people, to know that the reason why the wicked aredestroyed is, their being necessarily the objects of God’s hatred, so that he can no more fail topunish them than deny himself. 595The Psalmist, shortly afterwards, shows that he intended this to be a ground of comfort andhope under all cares, griefs, anxieties, and embarrassments. He speaks under the figure of oil ofenjoying Divine blessings, and by green or fresh oil is meant, such as has not become corrupted,or unfit for use by age. It is noticeable that he appropriates, and improves for his own individualcomfort, that grace of God which is extended to all the Lord’s people without exception; and wouldteach us by this that mere general doctrine is a cold and unsatisfactory thing, and that each of usshould improve it particularly for himself, in the persuasion of our belonging to the number ofGod’s children. In one word, the Psalmist promises himself the protection of God, under whateverpersecutions he should endure from his enemies, whether they were secret, or more open and violent,that he may encourage himself to persevere with indefatigable spirit in the world’s conflict. Wemay judge from this how absurd is the opinion of the Rabbin, who conjectured that Adam was theaffirms that God would exalt his horn, it expresses his assurance of victory over his enemies. As to the animal meant by “theunicorn,” great variety of interpretations has obtained both among ancient and modern critics. The most probable opinion is thatof Bochart, who, supporting himself by numerous quotations from Arabian and other Eastern writers, concludes that the , reem,of Scripture, is a species of wild goat of a snow-white color, having long and sharp horns, and distinguished by carrying theirheads very high.594 “The verb in the Hebrew expresses much more than a superficial unction, viz., a penetration of the whole substance of theman’s person by the oil. See Parkhurst’s Lexicon, under : — fresh oil; rather invigorating oil.” — Horsley The original wordfor fresh signifies green But, as Harmer observes, “We are not to suppose the Psalmist means oil of a green color. We are tounderstand the word as signifying precious, fragrant oil, such as princes in times of prosperity were anointed with.” — Harmer’sObservations, volume 3, page 257.595 “Qu’il faut necessairement qu’ils soyent hays de Dieu, lequel ne se peut renoncer soy mesme.”302