Psalms 22

A good name--(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1. loving favour--kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.

Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).

are punished--that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.

humility and the fear of the Lord--are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.

he that ... them--Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).

Train--initiate, or early instruct. the way--literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.

The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).

(Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8). the rod ... fail--His power to do evil will be destroyed.

a bountiful eye--that is, a beneficent disposition. for he giveth ... poor--His acts prove it.

Cast out--or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.

(Compare Margin). pureness of heart--and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.

preserve--or guard. knowledge--its principles and possessors. overthroweth--utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.

Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.

The mouth--or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.

is bound--or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.

These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.

Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).

These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and fitted--or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.

That ... Lord--This is the design of the instruction.

excellent things--or probably of former times. counsels and knowledge--both advice and instruction.

Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.

Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Ps 12:5). in the gate--place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).

(Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).

a snare ... soul--The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.

(Compare Pr 6:1; 17:18).

should he take, &c.--that is, the creditor.

(Compare Pr 23:10). Do not entrench on others (De 19:14; 27:17).

Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).

The Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets, testifies in this psalm, clearly and fully, the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. We have a sorrowful complaint of God's withdrawings. This may be applied to any child of God, pressed down, overwhelmed with grief and terror. Spiritual desertions are the saints' sorest afflictions; but even their complaint of these burdens is a sign of spiritual life, and spiritual senses exercised. To cry our, My God, why am I sick? why am I poor? savours of discontent and worldliness. But, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. This must be applied to Christ. In the first words of this complaint, he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross, Mt 27:46. Being truly man, Christ felt a natural unwillingness to pass through such great sorrows, yet his zeal and love prevailed. Christ declared the holiness of God, his heavenly Father, in his sharpest sufferings; nay, declared them to be a proof of it, for which he would be continually praised by his Israel, more than for all other deliverances they received. Never any that hoped in thee, were made ashamed of their hope; never any that sought thee, sought thee in vain. Here is a complaint of the contempt and reproach of men. The Saviour here spoke of the abject state to which he was reduced. The history of Christ's sufferings, and of his birth, explains this prophecy.

In these verses we have Christ suffering, and Christ praying; by which we are directed to look for crosses, and to look up to God under them. The very manner of Christ's death is described, though not in use among the Jews. They pierced his hands and his feet, which were nailed to the accursed tree, and his whole body was left so to hang as to suffer the most severe pain and torture. His natural force failed, being wasted by the fire of Divine wrath preying upon his spirits. Who then can stand before God's anger? or who knows the power of it? The life of the sinner was forfeited, and the life of the Sacrifice must be the ransom for it. Our Lord Jesus was stripped, when he was crucified, that he might clothe us with the robe of his righteousness. Thus it was written, therefore thus it behoved Christ to suffer. Let all this confirm our faith in him as the true Messiah, and excite our love to him as the best of friends, who loved us, and suffered all this for us. Christ in his agony prayed, prayed earnestly, prayed that the cup might pass from him. When we cannot rejoice in God as our song, yet let us stay ourselves upon him as our strength; and take the comfort of spiritual supports, when we cannot have spiritual delights. He prays to be delivered from the Divine wrath. He that has delivered, doth deliver, and will do so. We should think upon the sufferings and resurrection of Christ, till we feel in our souls the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.

The Saviour now speaks as risen from the dead. The first words of the complaint were used by Christ himself upon the cross; the first words of the triumph are expressly applied to him, Heb 2:12. All our praises must refer to the work of redemption. The suffering of the Redeemer was graciously accepted as a full satisfaction for sin. Though it was offered for sinful men, the Father did not despise or abhor it for our sakes. This ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. All humble, gracious souls should have a full satisfaction and happiness in him. Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness in Christ, shall not labour for that which satisfies not. Those that are much in praying, will be much in thanksgiving. Those that turn to God, will make conscience of worshipping before him. Let every tongue confess that he is Lord. High and low, rich and poor, bond and free, meet in Christ. Seeing we cannot keep alive our own souls, it is our wisdom, by obedient faith, to commit our souls to Christ, who is able to save and keep them alive for ever. A seed shall serve him. God will have a church in the world to the end of time. They shall be accounted to him for a generation; he will be the same to them that he was to those who went before them. His righteousness, and not any of their own, they shall declare to be the foundation of all their hopes, and the fountain of all their joys. Redemption by Christ is the Lord's own doing. Here we see the free love and compassion of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, for us wretched sinners, as the source of all grace and consolation; the example we are to follow, the treatment as Christians we are to expect, and the conduct under it we are to adopt. Every lesson may here be learned that can profit the humbled soul. Let those who go about to establish their own righteousness inquire, why the beloved Son of God should thus suffer, if their own doings could atone for sin? Let the ungodly professor consider whether the Saviour thus honoured the Divine law, to purchase him the privilege of despising it. Let the careless take warning to flee from the wrath to come, and the trembling rest their hopes upon this merciful Redeemer. Let the tempted and distressed believer cheerfully expect a happy end of every trial.