Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 69:22

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 69:22. Let their table become a snare — The execrations here and in the following verses should be read in the future tense, because they are predictive; and not in the imperative mood, as if they were the offspring of the psalmist's resentment: "Their table SHALL become a snare; - their eyes SHALL be darkened; - thou WILT pour out thine indignation upon them;-thy wrathful anger SHALL take hold of them; - their habitation SHALL be desolate, - and none SHALL dwell in their tents."

The psalmist prophesies that the evils which they had inflicted on the Israelites should be visited on themselves; that as they had made them eat, drink, labour, and suffer, so God should in his judgment treat them.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 69:0 Undeserved suffering

As a person sinking in a muddy pit, or someone drowning in swirling floodwaters, so the psalmist fears he is being overwhelmed by his sufferings. No human help is near (1-3). His enemies cruelly injure him, forcing him to suffer for sins that he did not commit (4). He knows he is not sinless, but he also knows that he has tried to live uprightly before God. On the basis of this he cries out to God to rescue him. He does not want his enemies to triumph over him, in case other believers are discouraged (5-6).
This suffering is for God’s sake. The psalmist is an outcast even among his own family (7-8). His zeal for God, his fasting, and his other acts of devotion are merely an excuse for others to mock him and insult God (9-12).
At this point the psalmist turns to consider God’s steadfast love. Although his sufferings and dangers are not lessened, he believes God will rescue him from them (13-18). He has nothing but disappointment from those he thought were his friends. They have all deserted him. His enemies increase his torture by the poisoned food and bitter drink they give him (19-21). The psalmist prays that his persecutors themselves will taste something of the tortures that they have been giving him - the poisoned food, the dark hiding places, the weakness the fear, the loneliness (22-25). As they have heaped sorrow on the godly, may God heap his punishment on them (26-28).
Although in pain and despair, the psalmist still trusts in God, believing that God will hear him. He promises that his worship will be thankful and sincere, far more than the mere sacrifice of animals (29-31). His deliverance will encourage others who are harshly treated to put their whole trust in God (32-33). And if God can save the individual, he can also save the nation and make it a fitting dwelling place for the righteous (34-36).

For the wider meaning of many sections of the psalm in the experience of Jesus Christ, see Background. See also introductory and closing notes to Psalms 22:0. For quotations of this psalm in the New Testament cf. v. 4 with John 15:25; cf. v. 9 with John 2:17, Romans 15:3; cf. v. 21 with Matthew 27:34,Matthew 27:38; cf. v. 22-23 with Romans 11:9-10; cf. v. 24 with Revelation 16:1; cf. v. 25 with Acts 1:20; cf. v. 28 with Revelation 20:15.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

PRAYER FOR THE OVERTHROW OF UNGODLY ENEMIES

“Let their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; And make their loins continually to shake. Pour out thine indignation upon them, And let the fierceness of thine anger overtake them. Let their habitation be desolate; Let none dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they tell of the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.”

Up to this point in the psalm, “Christ and his passion have been foreshadowed,”Derek Kidner, Vol. 1, p. 248. but here the impassable gulf between the Type and the Antitype, between David and Christ, begins to widen before us. Christ prayed for his enemies; David cursed his; Christ was not willing that any should perish, but here David actually prayed for his enemies to be blotted out of the Book of Life.

We should not judge David too harshly. He lived before the Great Atonement was made on Calvary. He could not possibly have known all of the horrible terrors that would be involved in one’s being cast out of God’s Book of Life; but Jesus knew all things; and from an infinitely higher level he gave his Life that all men might be saved from eternal death.

From the human standpoint, David’s enemies fully deserved the imprecations heaped upon them; and the infinitely sad thing is that, as proved by Paul’s use of these very words, the wicked persecutors of Jesus indeed suffered the full measure of David’s imprecations upon the wicked in this passage.

“Snare… trap” These prophetic words were applied by the apostle Paul to the hardening of Israel in the times of Christ. He added the word “stumblingblock”; but as John Murray stated it, “All three of these words are closely related, and precise distinctions of meaning are not to be pressed.”John Murray, p. 74.

The meaning that Paul assigned to the passage is that, their `table’ was such things as the Law of Moses, and the religious institution of Israel, and that such privileges were misused by Israel, not for teaching the Gentiles the knowledge of God, but for the nourishment of Jewish conceit. (See the full discussion of this in Vol. 6 of my New Testament series, pp. 379, 380.)

Exactly what David meant by these words as applied to the enemies of his times is not known. One possibility is that “the table” refers to the privileges of the kingship, which became a trap for Saul and his followers through their abuse of such privileges in the persecutions of David.

“Pour out thine indignation upon them… let thine anger overtake them… let their habitation be desolate… let them not come into thy righteousness… let them be blotted out of the book of life” It is impossible to think of a more terrible curse than this one. Rather than meditate upon this line by line, we shall rejoice that Christ has indeed taught us a more wonderful reaction to the resentment one naturally feels against those who hate and persecute us without cause.

Jesus taught us to “go the second mile,” to “give the cloak also,” to “turn the other cheek,” to “pray for them that despitefully use us,” and to “overcome evil with good.” May God help his children to walk in the way of the Master.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Let their table become a snare before them - These verses are quoted by Paul Romans 11:9-10 as descriptive of the character of persons in his time, or as “language” which would express what he desired to say. See the passage explained at length in the notes at Romans 11:9-10. The whole passage is a prayer that they might receive a proper recompense for what they had done. The word “table” here means the table at which they were accustomed to eat. As they refused food to a hungry man, the prayer is, that they might find the recompense for their conduct “in that very line;” or that, as they refused food to the hungry, they might find “their” food a “snare” to them. That is, Let it be the means of punishing them for their not giving wholesome food to the hungry, or for their offering poisonous herbs to a starving man. The word “snare” here means unexpected danger; danger sprung suddenly upon them - as a snare is upon a wild beast.

And that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap - Much of this is supplied by the translators. The literal rendering would be, “And to those at peace (or secure) a trap.” The word here rendered “welfare” is the plural form of the word meaning “peace,” and may denote those who feel that they are at peace; that they are secure; that they are in no danger. The ancient versions give it the sense of “requitals,” that is, a recompence for their transgressions; but the other signification best accords with the connection. The word “trap” is usually applied to the devices for capturing wild beasts, and the meaning is, “Let the recompence come suddenly upon them, while they think themselves at peace, or when they are surrounded by all the comforts and luxuries of life.” This prayer is such as occurs frequently in the Psalms. It cannot be “proved” that it was uttered in a malignant spirit, or that anything more is intended by it than that the psalmist desired that justice might be done to all people - an object which all magistrates, and all good citizens, should pray for.

Psalms 69:23

Let their eyes be darkened ... - See the notes at Romans 11:10.

And make their loins continually to shake - As under a heavy burden. The apostle Romans 11:10 varies the language, but retains the idea: “and bow down their back alway.”

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

22.Let their table before them be for a snare. Here we have a series of dire imprecations, with respect to which we must bear in mind, what we have elsewhere observed, that David did not allow himself recklessly to pour out his wrath, even as the greater part of men, when they feel themselves wronged, intemperately give way to their own passion; but, being under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he was kept from going beyond the bounds of duty, ⁽⁸⁸⁾ and simply called upon God to exercise just judgment against the reprobate. Farther, it was not on his own account that he pleaded in this manner; but it was a holy zeal for the divine glory which impelled him to summon the wicked to God’s judgment-seat. It was also owing to this: that he was not carried away by violence of passion, like those who are actuated by a desire of taking revenge. Since, then, the Spirit of wisdom, uprightness, and moderation, put these imprecations into the mouth of David, his example cannot justly be pleaded in self-vindication by those who pour forth their wrath and spite upon every one that comes in their way, or who are carried away by a foolish impatience to take revenge; never allowing themselves to reflect for a moment what good purpose this can serve, nor making any efforts to keep their passion within due bounds. We need wisdom by which to distinguish between those who are wholly reprobate and those of whose amendment there is still some hope; we have also need of uprightness, that none may devote himself exclusively to his own private interests; and of moderation too, to dispose our minds to calm endurance. It being evident, then, that David was distinguished by these three qualities, whoever would follow him aright, must not allow himself to break forth with reckless and blind impetuosity into the language of imprecation; he must, moreover, repress the turbulent passions of his mind, and, instead of confining his thoughts exclusively to his own private interests, should rather employ his desires and affections in seeking to advance the glory of God. In short, if we would be true imitators of David, we must first clothe ourselves with the character of Christ, that he may not administer to us at the present day the same rebuke which he gave to two of his disciples of old,

“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of,”
(Luke 9:55.)

David had complained that his enemies mingled his meat with gall; and now he prays that their table may be turned into a snare for them, and that the things which are for peace may be turned into a net for them. These expressions are metaphorical, and they imply a desire that whatever things had been allotted to them in providence for the preservation of life, and for their welfare and convenience, might be turned by God into the occasion or instrument of their destruction. From this we gather that as things which naturally and of themselves are hurtful, become the means of furthering our welfare when we are in favor with God; so, when his anger is kindled against us, all those things which have a native tendency to produce our happiness are cursed, and become so many causes of our destruction. It is an instance of the Divine justice, which ought deeply to impress our minds with awe, when the Holy Spirit declares that all the means of preserving life are deadly to the reprobate, (Titus 1:15;) so that the very sun, which carries healing under his wings, (Malachi 4:2,) breathes only a deadly exhalation for them.

(88) “Mais estant conduit par le Sainct Esprit, il n’a point passe outre les limites.” — Fr.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 69:1-36

The sixty-ninth psalm is a Messianic psalm. That is, it is a psalm of prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. And there are many scriptures within the psalm here that make reference to Jesus Christ.

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for God. They that hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restore that which I took not away. O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face ( Psalms 69:1-7 ).

Again, referring to Christ. For God's sake He bore the reproach; shame covered His face.

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children ( Psalms 69:8 ).

It said that His brothers did not believe in Him. They thought that He was crazy, actually.

For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me ( Psalms 69:9 ).

Remember when Jesus went into the temple and He saw them making merchandise, and He took and He made a scourge, a whip, and He began to drive out the moneychangers and those that were selling doves. And He said, "Get out of here! You've made my Father's house a den of thieves." And then they remembered the scripture that was written of Him that said, "The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up." The zeal for the house of God, it just ate Him up when He saw the terrible things that were being done in the house of God in the name of God. I wonder what would be His reaction today if He should come and visit some of the bingo parties and other functions that have been devised to make money for the church.

"The zeal of Mine house hath eaten Me up. The reproaches of them that reproach Thee fall upon Me."

When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of drunkards ( Psalms 69:10-12 ).

He is still the song of drunkards. The blasphemy when a person becomes intoxicated so often.

But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation ( Psalms 69:13 ).

Some believe that this is actually the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters ( Psalms 69:14 ).

You remember He said, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me."

Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear me, O LORD; for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies. For thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee. Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness ( Psalms 69:15-20 ):

The fact that when Jesus was pierced with a sword there came forth blood and water indicates that actually His death was by a heart rupture. The fact that there was water that came forth with the blood indicates death by heart rupture. They broke, "Reproach," he said, "hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness." Also there is something to that bloody sweat that indicates much the same.

and I looked for some to take pity ( Psalms 69:20 ),

You remember in the Garden of Gethsemane, and in great heaviness, He sweat as it were, great drops of blood flowing to the ground. "And I looked for some to take pity." You remember He came back to His disciples, but they were sleeping. "I looked for some to take pity,"

but there was none; for comforters, I found none ( Psalms 69:20 ).

"Oh Peter, could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray." "I looked for someone to have pity. I looked for comforters, but I found none."

They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink ( Psalms 69:21 ).

You remember that when Jesus cried, "I thirst," someone took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it to His lips.

Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap ( Psalms 69:22 ).

Paul quotes this in Romans, the eleventh chapter, concerning Israel.

Let their eyes become darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake ( Psalms 69:23 ).

The judgment that should come upon the Jews for the rejection of Jesus.

Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate ( Psalms 69:24-25 );

Now in the first chapter of Acts, Peter quotes this as referring to Judas Iscariot. And he puts it together with another psalm, "Let their habitation be desolate and let another take his bishopric." And so, this is quoted concerning Judas Iscariot by Peter in Acts, chapter 1.

and let none dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom you have smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom you have wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despise not the prisoners. Let the heaven and the earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moves therein. For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein ( Psalms 69:25-36 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 69

In this imprecatory psalm of individual lament, David sought God to deliver him from destruction. He was experiencing criticism and rejection from the Israelites because of decisions he had made to do God’s will. He asked God to deal with his oppressors, and he looked forward to relief and the renewal of praise to God. Some scholars have labeled this psalm "indirectly messianic" because, while it does not specifically predict Messiah, Messiah fulfilled what the writer expressed (cf. Psalms 16; Psalms 22; Psalms 34; Psalms 40; Psalms 41; Psalms 109). [Note: Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," pp. 290-91.] After Psalms 110, 22, this is the third most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. David’s appeal to God in prayer 69:13-28

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

"Up to this point, Christ and His passion have been so evidently foreshadowed (see on Psalms 69:4; Psalms 69:9; Psalms 69:21) that we are almost prepared now for a plea approximating to ’Father, forgive them’. The curse which comes instead is a powerful reminder of the new thing which our Lord did at Calvary." [Note: Kidner, p. 248.]

Most of these verses call down God’s punishment on those who had opposed God’s anointed who sought to do His will and glorify Him. David was not venting his personal hatred but was asking God to punish those who resisted him. A "snare" was a self-springing trap, and a "trap" may have had bait in it. [Note: VanGemeren, p. 460.]

The Apostle Paul applied Psalms 69:22-23 to the Jews who had opposed the Lord Jesus, in Romans 11:9-10 (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:3).

The reason David wanted God to deal with his adversaries so severely comes through in Psalms 69:26. They had poured salt in a wound that God had given him. Evidently David viewed his suffering as ultimately coming from God in the sense that He had permitted it. His human enemies were adding insult to injury by treating him the way they did.

Likewise, God was behind the crucifixion of His Son, but the human agents of Jesus’ sufferings and death were also responsible and had to bear the punishment for their actions.

David asked that God blot out the names of his enemies from His book of life (Psalms 69:28). This probably refers to the book of the living (cf. Revelation 3:5). The term "book of life" in the Old Testament refers to the record of those who are alive physically (cf. Exodus 32:32-33; Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalms 69:28; Daniel 12:1; cf. Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 25:19; Isaiah 4:3). It came to have a more specific meaning in the New Testament. There it usually refers to the list of the names and deeds of the elect (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:12; Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:19; cf. Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 3:12). [Note: See Charles R. Smith, "The Book of Life," Grace Theological Journal 6:2 (Fall 1985):219-30.] In other words, David asked God to cut the lives of his enemies short.

"Many people struggle with the idea of divine retribution against unrepentant sinners. But Jesus’ appeal to forgive one’s enemies must be balanced by His role of Avenger, the One who will judge those who remain in obstinate rebellion against Him (Revelation 19:11-16)." [Note: Merrill, "Psalms," p. 440.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Let their table become a snare before them,.... This and the following imprecations were not the effects of a spirit of private revenge; of which there was no appearance in Christ, but all the reverse who prayed for his enemies, while they were using him as above related: but they are prophecies of what should be, being delivered out under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Acts 1:16. Wherefore some versions render the words, "their table shall become a snare" h; and therefore are not to be drawn into an example by us, to favour and encourage a revengeful spirit: and they are very just and righteous, according to "lex talionis", the law of retaliation; since, inasmuch as they gave Christ gall for his meat, and vinegar for his drink, it was but right that the same measure should be meted out to them again; and their table mercies and blessings be cursed; that they should have them not in love, but in bitter wrath. Or that they should be left to be overcharged with them, and surfeit upon them; and so the day of their destruction come upon them as a snare: or that they should want the common necessaries of life, and be tempted to eat what was not lawful; and even their own children, as some did; see Malachi 2:2 Lamentations 4:10. The Targum gives the sense of the words thus;

"let their table, which they prepared before me, that I might eat before them, be for a snare;''

meaning a table spread with vinegar and gall. Of the figurative sense of these words, Lamentations 4:10- :; where apostle cites this passage, and applies it to the enemies of Christ;

and [that which should have been] for [their] welfare, [let it become] a trap; the word translated, "for [their] welfare", comes from שלמ, which signifies both "to be at peace", and "to recompense"; and so is differently interpreted. Some think the "shelamim", or peace offerings, are meant; see Exodus 24:5; and so the Targum,

"let their sacrifices be for a trap, or stumbling block;''

as they were, they trusting in them for the atonement of sin: and so neglected the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and his righteousness; which was the stumbling block at which they stumbled, and the trap into which they fell, and was their ruin. And it is observable, that while they were eating the sacrifice of the passover, they were surrounded by the Roman army, and taken as birds in a net, and as beasts in a trap. Others render the words, "to them that are at peace" i, let their table be "for a trap"; while they are living in security, and crying, Peace, peace, let sudden, destruction come upon them; as it did. But the apostle has taught us how to render the word "for a recompence",

Romans 11:9; as the word, differently pointed, is in Isaiah 34:8. The true rendering and meaning of the whole seem to be this, "let their table become a snare before them"; and let their table be "for recompences" unto them, or in just retaliation; let the same food, or the like unto it, be set upon their tables, they gave to Christ, and let their table "become a trap"; for all relate to their table.

h יהו "erit", Pagninus, Montanus; "fiet vel fiat", Gejerus. i לשלומים "tranquilli", Gejerus; so some in Michaelis.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.   23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.   24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.   25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.   26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.   27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.   28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.   29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

      These imprecations are not David's prayers against his enemies, but prophecies of the destruction of Christ's persecutors, especially the Jewish nation, which our Lord himself foretold with tears, and which was accomplished about forty years after the death of Christ. The first two verses of this paragraph are expressly applied to the judgments of God upon the unbelieving Jews by the apostle (Psalms 69:22; Psalms 69:23; Romans 11:9; Romans 11:10), and therefore the whole must look that way. The rejection of the Jews for rejecting Christ, as it was a signal instance of God's justice and an earnest of the vengeance which God will at last take on all that are obstinate in their infidelity, so it was, and continues to be, a convincing proof of the truth of the Christian religion. One great objection against it, at first, was, that it set aside the ceremonial law; but its doing so was effectually justified, and that objection removed, when God so remarkably set it aside by the utter destruction of the temple, and the sinking of those, with the Mosaic economy, that obstinately adhered to it in opposition to the gospel of Christ. Let us observe here,

      I. What the judgments are which should come upon the crucifiers of Christ; not upon all of them, for there were those who had a hand in his death and yet repented and found mercy (Acts 2:23; Acts 3:14; Acts 3:15), but upon those of them and their successors who justified it by an obstinate infidelity and rejection of his gospel, and by an inveterate enmity to his disciples and followers. See 1 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:16. It is here foretold,

      1. That their sacrifices and offerings should be a mischief and prejudice to them (Psalms 69:22; Psalms 69:22): Let their table become a snare. This may be understood of the altar of the Lord, which is called his table and theirs because in feasting upon the sacrifices they were partakers of the altar. This should have been for their welfare or peace (for they were peace-offerings), but it became a snare and a trap to them; for by their affection and adherence to the altar they were held fast in their infidelity and hardened in their prejudices against Christ, that altar which those had no right to eat of who continued to serve the tabernacle, Hebrews 13:10. Or it may be understood of their common creature-comforts, even their necessary food; they had given Christ gall and vinegar, and therefore justly shall their meat and drink be made gall and vinegar to them. When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, become an occasion of sin to us, and are made the food and fuel of our sensuality, then our table is a snare, which is a good reason why we should never feed ourselves without fear, Jude 1:12.

      2. That they should never have the comfort either of that knowledge or of that peace which believers are blessed with in the gospel of Christ (Psalms 69:23; Psalms 69:23), that they should be given up, (1.) To a judicial blindness: Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not the glory of God in the face of Christ. Their sin was that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was that they should not see, but be given up to their own hearts' lusts, which were hardening, and the god of this world should be permitted to blind their minds, 2 Corinthians 4:4. This was foretold concerning them (Isaiah 6:10), and Christ ratified it, Matthew 13:14; Matthew 13:15; John 12:40. (2.) To a judicial terror. There is a gracious terror, which opens the way to comfort, such as that of Paul (Acts 9:6); he trembled and was astonished. But this is a terror that shall never end in peace, but shall make their loins continually to shake, through horror of conscience, as Belshazzar, when the joints of his loins were loosed. "Let them be driven to despair, and filled with constant confusion." This was fulfilled in the desperate counsels of the Jews when the Romans came upon them.

      3. That they should fall and lie under God's anger and fiery indignation (Psalms 69:24; Psalms 69:24): Pour out thy indignation upon them. Note, Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them; for those that submit not to the Son of his love will certainly be made the generation of his wrath. It is the doom passed on those who believe not in Christ that the wrath of God abideth on them (John 3:36); it takes hold of them, and will never let them go. Salvation itself will not save those that are not willing to be ruled by it. Behold the goodness and severity of God!

      4. That their place and nation should be utterly taken away, the very thing they were afraid of, and to prevent which, as they pretended, they persecuted Christ (John 11:48): Let their habitation be desolate (Psalms 69:25; Psalms 69:25), which was fulfilled when their country was laid waste by the Romans, and Zion, for their sakes, was ploughed as a field,Micah 3:12. The temple was the house which they were in a particular manner proud of, but this was left unto them desolate,Matthew 23:38. Yet that is not all; it ought to be some satisfaction to us, if we be cut off from the enjoyment of our possessions, that others will have the benefit of them when we are dislodged: but it is here added, Let none dwell in their tents, which was remarkably fulfilled in Judah and Jerusalem, for after the destruction of the Jews it was long ere the country was inhabited to any purpose. But this is applied particularly to Judas, by St. Peter, Acts 1:20. For, he being felo de se--a suicide, we may suppose his estate was confiscated, so that his habitation was desolate and no man of his own kindred dwelt therein.

      5. That their way to ruin should be downhill, and nothing should stop them, nor interpose to prevent it (Psalms 69:27; Psalms 69:27): "Lord, leave them to themselves, to add iniquity to iniquity." Those that are bad, if they be given up to their own hearts' lusts, will certainly be worse; they will add sin to sin, nay, they will add rebellion to their sin,Job 34:37. It is said of the Jews that they filled up their sin always,1 Thessalonians 2:16. Add the punishment of iniquity to their iniquity (so some read it), for the same word signifies both sin and punishment, so close is their connexion. If men will sin, God will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin may yet find mercy, for God multiplies to pardon, through the righteousness of the Mediator; and therefore, that they might be precluded from all hopes of mercy, he adds, Let them not come into thy righteousness, to receive the benefit of the righteousness of God, which is by faith in a Mediator, Philippians 3:9. Not that God shuts out any from that righteousness, for the gospel excludes none that do not by their unbelief exclude themselves; but let them be left to take their own course and they will never come into this government; for being ignorant of the demands of God's righteousness, and going about to establish the merit of their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God,Romans 10:3. And those that are so proud and self-willed that they will not come into God's righteousness shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves have decided it: they shall not come into his righteousness. Let not those expect any benefit by it that are not willing and glad to be beholden to it.

      6. That they should be cut off from all hopes of happiness (Psalms 69:28; Psalms 69:28): Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be suffered to live any longer, since, the longer they live, the more mischief they do. Multitudes of the unbelieving Jews fell by sword and famine, and none of those who had embraced the Christian faith perished among them; the nation, as a nation, was blotted out, and became not a people. Many understand it of their rejection from God's covenant and all the privileges of it; that is the book of the living: "Let the commonwealth of Israel itself, Israel according to the flesh, now become alienated from that covenant of promise which hitherto it has had the monopoly of. Let it appear that they were never written in the Lamb's book of life, but reprobate silver let men call them, because the Lord has rejected them. Let them not be written with the righteous; that is, let them not have a place in the congregation of the saints when they shall all be gathered in the general assembly of those whose names are written in heaven," Psalms 1:5.

      II. What the sin is for which these dreadful judgments should be brought upon them (Psalms 69:26; Psalms 69:26): They persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and talk to the grief of thy wounded. 1. Christ was he whom God had smitten, for it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, and therefore men hid their faces from him,Isaiah 53:3; Isaiah 53:4; Isaiah 53:10. They persecuted him with a rage reaching up to heaven; they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. Compare that of St. Peter with this, Acts 2:23. Though he was delivered by the counsel and foreknowledge of God, it was with wicked hands that they crucified and slew him. They talked to the grief of the Lord Jesus when he was upon the cross, saying, He trusted in God, let him deliver him, than which nothing could be said more grieving. 2. The suffering saints were God's wounded, wounded in his cause and for his sake, and them they persecuted, and talked to their grief. For these things wrath came upon them to the uttermost,1 Thessalonians 2:16; and see Matthew 23:34-36, c. This may be understood more generally, and it teaches us that nothing is more provoking to God than to insult over those whom he has smitten, and to add affliction to the afflicted, upon which it justly follows here, Add iniquity to iniquity see Zechariah 1:15. Those that are of a wounded spirit, under trouble and fear about their spiritual state, ought to be very tenderly dealt with, and care must be taken not to talk to their grief and not to make the heart of the righteous sad.

      III. What the psalmist thinks of himself in the midst of all (Psalms 69:29; Psalms 69:29): "But I am poor and sorrowful; that is the worst of my case, under outward afflictions, yet written among the righteous, and not under God's indignation as they are." It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of God, than rich and jovial and under his curse. For those who come into God's righteousness shall soon see an end of their poverty and sorrow, and his salvation shall set them up on high, which is the thing that David here prays for, Isaiah 61:10. This may be applied to Christ. He was, in his humiliation, poor and sorrowful, a man of sorrows, and that had not where to lay his head. But God highly exalted him; the salvation wrought for him, the salvation wrought by him, set him up on high, far above all principalities and powers.