14 From men by your hand, Yahweh, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, And they store up wealth for their children.
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish.
"His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
He said to them, "You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared--whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul-- And men praise you when you do well for yourself-- He shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. Those who remain of him shall be buried in death. His widows shall make no lamentation. Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare clothing as the clay; He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver.
You have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.
"He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.'
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
For I was envious of the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no struggles in their death, But their strength is firm. They are free from burdens of men, Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
For what does he care for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
"Why do the wicked live, Become old, yes, and grow mighty in power? Their child is established with them in their sight, Their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don't miscarry. They send forth their little ones like a flock. Their children dance. They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe. They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. They tell God, 'Depart from us, For we don't want to know about your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 17
Commentary on Psalms 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 17
David being in great distress and danger by the malice of his enemies, does, in this psalm, by prayer address himself to God, his tried refuge, and seeks shelter in him.
Some make him, in this, a type of Christ, who was perfectly innocent, and yet was hated and persecuted, but, like David, committed himself and his cause to him that judgeth righteously.
A prayer of David.
Psa 17:1-7
This psalm is a prayer. As there is a time to weep and a time to rejoice, so there is a time for praise and a time for prayer. David was now persecuted, probably by Saul, who hunted him like a partridge on the mountains; without were fightings, within were fears, and both urged him as a suppliant to the throne of mercy. He addresses himself to God in these verses both by way of appeal (Hear the right, O Lord! let my righteous cause have a hearing before thy tribunal, and give judgment upon it) and by way of petition (Give ear unto my prayer v. 1, and again v. 6, Incline thy ear unto me and hear my speech); not that God needs to be thus pressed with our importunity, but he gives us leave thus to express our earnest desire of his gracious answers to our prayers. These things he pleads with God for audience,
Psa 17:8-15
We may observe, in these verses,