John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Therefore the law is slacked , etc.] Is not put into execution against offenders: the civil magistrates, whose office it is to do justice according to law, are dilatory, and do not proceed with vigour and spirit against the transgressors of it, and in favour of honest and good men oppressed: or “it intermits” f17 , or is “intermitted”; it is like a man whose pulse beats low, and is scarce perceived, which is a sign that he is not in good health as the body politic is not, when the law, which is the soul of it, is not suffered to take place, and do its office. So the Targum, “the law languishes;” loses its force and vigour, and is ready to expire; which is a sad symptom of the bad estate of a commonwealth. And judgment doth never go forth ; at least not right, to the justifying of the righteous, acquitting the innocent, and giving the cause on the right side; condemning the wicked, and punishing offenders as their crime deserves: it never appears as it should do; it is either not done at all, or done badly and perversely: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous ; to hurt him or ensnare him, and by frauds and wicked artifices, and false witnesses, to carry a cause against him: therefore wrong judgment proceedeth ; the cause is given on the wrong side, against a good man, and for a wicked man; all these things the prophet saw with grief, and complained of to the Lord, from whom he has an answer in the following words:
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - The servants of the Lord are deeply afflicted by seeing ungodliness an violence prevail; especially among those who profess the truth. No ma scrupled doing wrong to his neighbour. We should long to remove to the world where holiness and love reign for ever, and no violence shall be before us. God has good reasons for his long-suffering towards bad men and the rebukes of good men. The day will come when the cry of sin wil be heard against those that do wrong, and the cry of prayer for thos that suffer wrong. They were to notice what was going forward among the heathen by the Chaldeans, and to consider themselves a nation to be scourged by them. But most men presume on continued prosperity, or tha calamities will not come in their days. They are a bitter and hast nation, fierce, cruel, and bearing down all before them. They shal overcome all that oppose them. But it is a great offence, and the common offence of proud people, to take glory to themselves. The closing words give a glimpse of comfort.
Original Hebrew על5921 כן3651 תפוג6313 תורה8451 ולא3808 יצא3318 לנצח5331 משׁפט4941 כי3588 רשׁע7563 מכתיר3803 את853 הצדיק6662 על5921 כן3651 יצא3318 משׁפט4941 מעקל׃6127
