Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinany way. We know how indispensable it is, in order to the doing of any thing aright, that counselgo before to give light, and that there should also be added the power of putting what is purposedinto execution. The curse here expressed impends over the heads of all the enemies of the Church;and, therefore, we have no reason to be terrified at the malice or fury of the wicked. God, wheneverhe pleases, can strike them suddenly with blindness, that they may see nothing, and by breakingtheir loins, 89 lay them prostrate in shame and confusion.24. Pour out thy fury upon them. It is not surprising that David utters a lengthened series ofimprecations; for we know well that the frantic enemies of the Church, into whom it was his objectto inspire terror, are not easily moved. He therefore lifts up his voice against them in tones of greatervehemence, that they might be led to desist from their wrongful and insolent conduct. He, however,had principally an eye to true believers, who, being oppressed with calamities, have no other stayto lean upon, but such as arises from the voice which they hear proceeding from the mouth of God,declaring the terrible vengeance which is prepared for their enemies, if, indeed, they are among thereprobate. As to those of whose repentance and amendment there was some hope, David wouldhave had them to be corrected by chastisements; but as to those whose repentance and reformationwere hopeless, he prays that destruction may fall upon their heads, that thus they might not escapethe punishment which was appointed for them, and which they had deserved.25 Let their habitation be desolate. Here he proceeds farther than in the preceding verse, prayingthat God would cause his wrath to descend to their posterity; and it is no new thing for the sins ofthe fathers to be cast into the bosom of the children. As David uttered these imprecations by theinspiration and influence of the Holy Spirit, so he took them out of the law itself, in which Godthreatens that he will“visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of themthat hate him,” (Exodus 20:5)In this way he desires that the memorial of them may be cursed, and that thus God would notspare them even after their death.26. For they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten. He brings forward the crime withwhich they were chargeable, to make it manifest that they richly deserved such dreadful punishments.Some explain the verse in this way: “These enemies, O Lord! not content with the strokes whichthou hast inflicted, have exercised their cruelty upon a wretched man, who had already been woundedby thy hand.” And as it is the dictate of humanity to succor the afflicted, he who treads down theoppressed most assuredly betrays the brutal cruelty of his disposition. Others reject this exposition,whether upon sufficient ground I know not, observing that David, properly speaking, was notstricken or wounded by the hand of God, it being of the violent rage of his enemies that he complainsthrough the whole of the psalm. Accordingly, they have recourse to a subtle interpretation, andview David as meaning that his enemies wickedly pretended that they had just cause against him,and boasted of being the ministers of God, whose office it was to execute punishment upon him asa wicked person. This is a pretext under which the wicked generally shield themselves, and bywhich they are led to think that they may lawfully do what they please against those who are inmisery, without ever being called to account for it. Thus we find this purpose of the wicked expressedin another place,89 The loins are the seat of strength in every animal; and hence the prayer, “Make their loins continually to tremble,” is justa prayer that their strength might be impaired, or entirely taken away.42