Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? ] Is there not one of them who takes this dreadful subject into consideration? To their deeply fallen state they add cruelty; they oppress and destroy the poor, without either interest or reason.
Who eat up my people as they eat bread ] Ye make them an easy and unresisting prey. They have no power to oppose you, and therefore you destroy them. That this is the meaning of the expression, is plain from the speech of Joshua and Caleb relative to the Canaanites. Num. xiv. i10: "Neither fear ye the people or the land; for they are bread for us." And call not upon the Lord. - They have no defense, for they invoke not the Lord. They are all either atheists or idolaters.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- A description of the depravity of human nature, and the deplorabl corruption of a great part of mankind.
--The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. The sinner her described is an atheist, one that saith there is no Judge or Governo of the world, no Providence ruling over the affairs of men. He say this in his heart. He cannot satisfy himself that there is none, but wishes there were none, and pleases himself that it is possible ther may be none; he is willing to think there is none. This sinner is fool; he is simple and unwise, and this is evidence of it: he is wicke and profane, and this is the cause. The word of God is a discerner of these thoughts. No man will say, There is no God, till he is s hardened in sin, that it is become his interest that there should be none to call him to an account. The disease of sin has infected the whole race of mankind. They are all gone aside, there is none tha doeth good, no, not one. Whatever good is in any of the children of men, or is done by them, it is not of themselves, it is God's work in them. They are gone aside from the right way of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and are turned into the paths of the destroyer. Let us lament the corruption of our nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God: let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again. And we must not rest in any thing short of unio with Christ, and a new creation to holiness by his Spirit. The psalmis endeavours to convince sinners of the evil and danger of their way while they think themselves very wise, and good, and safe. Their wickedness is described. Those that care not for God's people, for God's poor, care not for God himself. People run into all manner of wickedness, because they do not call upon God for his grace. What goo can be expected from those that live without prayer? But those tha will not fear God, may be made to fear at the shaking of a leaf. All our knowledge of the depravity of human nature should endear to u salvation out of Zion. But in heaven alone shall the whole company of the redeemed rejoice fully, and for evermore. The world is bad; oh tha the Messiah would come and change its character! There is universa corruption; oh for the times of reformation! The triumphs of Zion' King will be the joys of Zion's children. The second coming of Christ finally to do away the dominion of sin and Satan, will be the completing of this salvation, which is the hope, and will be the joy of every Israelite indeed. With this assurance we should comfort ourselve and one another, under the sins of sinners and sufferings of saints _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew הלא3808 ידעו3045 כל3605 פעלי6466 און205 אכלי398 עמי5971 אכלו398 לחם3899 יהוה3068 לא3808 קראו׃7121
