Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Calvin Complete Commentary - Psalms 73:10 - 73:10
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
10.On this account his people will return hither. Commentators wrest this sentence into a variety of meanings. In the first place, as the relative his is used, without an antecedent indicating whose people are spoken of, some understand it simply of the ungodly, as if it had been said, That the ungodly always fall back upon this reflection: and they view the word people as denoting a great troop or band; for as soon as a wicked man raises his standard, he always succeeds in drawing a multitude of associates after him. They, therefore, think the meaning to be, that every prosperous ungodly man has people flocking about him, as it were, in troops; and that, when within his palace or magnificent mansion, they are content with getting water to drink; so much does this perverse imagination bewitch them. But there is another sense much more correct, and which is also approved by the majority of commentators; namely, that the people of God (175) return hither. Some take the word הלם, halom, which we have rendered hither, as denoting afflicted; (176) but this is a forced interpretation.
The meaning is not, however, as yet, sufficiently evident, and therefore we must inquire into it more closely. (177) Some read the whole verse connectedly, thus: The people of God return hither, that they may drain full cups of the water of sorrow. But, in my opinion, this verse depends upon the preceding statements, and the sense is, That many who had been regarded as belonging to the people of God were carried away by this temptation, and were even shipwrecked and swallowed up by it. The prophet does not seem to speak here of the chosen people of God, but only to point to hypocrites and counterfeit Israelites who occupy a place in the Church. He declares that such persons are overwhelmed in destruction, because, being foolishly led away to envy the wicked, and to desire to follow them, (178) they bid adieu to God and to all religion. Still, however, this might, without any impropriety, be referred to the chosen seed, many of whom are so violently harassed by this temptation, that they turn aside into crooked by-paths: not that they devote themselves to wickedness, but because they do not firmly persevere in the right path. The sense then will be, that not only the herd of the profane, but even true believers, who have determined to serve God, are tempted with this unlawful and perverse envy and emulation. (179) What follows, Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them, (180) seems to be the reason of the statement in the preceding clause, implying that they are tormented with vexation and sorrow, when no advantage appears to be derived from cultivating true religion. To be saturated with waters is put metaphorically for to drink the bitterest distresses, and to be filled with immeasurable sorrows.
(175) The Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Æ versions read, “ people.”
(176) “ Walid,” says Hammond, “ a peculiar way of rendering הלם, as if it were הלם, the infinitive, with breaking of spirit. ” A similar interpretation is adopted by Horsley. “ הלם,” says he, “ MSS. read הלום, which I take as the participle Pual of the verb הלם, ‘Contusus miseria,’ scilicet.” He reads,
“ his [God’ people sit woebegone.”
To make out this translation, he adopts another of the various readings of MSS. “ ישיב,” says he, “ MSS. have ישוב : I would transpose the vau, and read יושב. The third person future, Hophal, signifies is made to sit, is settled, attended with grief and consternation at the unpunished audacity of the profane.”
(177) “Et pourtant il nous y faut aviser de plus pres.” — Fr.
(178) “Stulta aemulatione decepti.” —Lat. “Se abusans par leur folie a porter envie aux meschans, et les vouloir ensuyvre.” — Fr
(179) While Calvin admits that the words, his people, may refer to true believers, he conceives that carnal and hypocritical Israelites are rather intended. One great objection to the opinion, that true believers are at all intended is, that stumbled though they often are at the unequal distributions of the present state, and chargeable though they may be with entertaining murmuring thoughts in reference to this matter, we can scarcely suppose that they would so far depart from every principle of truth and propriety, as to break forth into such language as is ascribed in verse 11th to the persons here spoken of, “ doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?” Neither David nor Jeremiah, though much perplexed in reconciling the prosperity of the wicked and the afflicted state of God’ people, with the righteousness and goodness of Divine Providence, ever gave utterance to any such language. See Psa_38:0 and Jer_12:0. Walford thinks that “ is far more agreeable to the design of the entire passage, to interpret the words, his people, of the friends and connections of the wicked, who imitate their actions.” In support of this it may be observed, that the description of the condition, conduct, and words, of these prosperous ungodly men, commences at the 4th verse, and seems to be continued to the 13th verse, where the Psalmist’ reflections upon the subject begin, and are continued to the close of the psalm.
(180) This has also been understood as denoting the prosperity, the abundance of all outward good things bestowed upon the persons referred to.