Bible Commentaries

Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? [why] hidest thou [thyself] in ^a times of trouble?

(a) As soon as we enter into affliction, we think God should help us, but that is not always his due time.

For the wicked ^b boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, [whom] the LORD abhorreth.

(b) The wicked man rejoices in his own lust he boasts when he has that he would; he brags of his wit and wealth and blesses himself and thus blasphemes the Lord.

He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for [I shall] ^c never [be] in adversity.

(c) The evil will not touch me, (Isaiah 28:15) or else he speaks thus because he never felt evil.

^d He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

(d) He shows that the wicked have many ways to hide their cruelty and therefore should be even more feared.

He croucheth, [and] humbleth himself, that the ^e poor may fall by his strong ones.

(e) By the hypocrisy of them who have authority the poor are devoured.

^f Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

(f) He calls to God for help, because wickedness is so far overgrown that God must help now or never.

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not ^g require [it].

(g) Therefore you must punish their blasphemy.

Thou hast seen [it]; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to ^h requite [it] with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

(h) To judge between the right and the wrong.

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil [man]: seek out his wickedness [till] thou find ⁱ none.

(i) For you have utterly destroyed him.

The LORD [is] King for ever and ever: the ^k heathen are perished out of his land.

(k) The hypocrites or such as live not after God's law, will be destroyed.

^l To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

(l) God helps when man's help ceases.