John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. The king by judgment establisheth the land , etc.] By executing, judgment and justice among his subjects, he establishes the laws of the land, and the government of it; he secures its peace and prosperity, and preserves his people in the possession at their properties and privileges; and makes them rich and powerful, and the state stable and flourishing, so that it continues firm to posterity; such a king was Solomon, ( 2 Chronicles 9:8); but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it ; that, is, a king that does so; Gersom observes that he is not called a king, because such a man is not worthy of the name, who takes gifts and is bribed by them to pervert judgment and justice; whereby the laws of the nation are violated, and the persons and properties of his subjects become the prey of wicked men; and so the state is subverted and falls to ruin: it is in the original text, “a man of oblations” f805 ; the word is generally used of the sacred oblations or offerings under the law; hence some understand it of a sacrilegious prince who of his own arbitrary power converts sacred things to civil uses. The Targum, Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a wicked and ungodly man; and the Vulgate Latin version, a covetous man; as such a prince must be in whatsoever light he is seen, whether as a perverter of justice through bribes, or as a sacrilegious man; though it may be rendered, “a man of exactions” f806 , for it is used of the oblation of a prince which he receives from his people, ( Ezekiel 45:9,13); as Aben Ezra observes; and so it may be interpreted of a king that lays heavy taxes upon his people, and thereby brings them to distress and poverty, and the state to ruin.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4 - The Lord Jesus is the King who will minister true judgment to the people.
Original Hebrew מלך4428 במשׁפט4941 יעמיד5975 ארץ776 ואישׁ376 תרומות8641 יהרסנה׃2040
