Commentary on Psalms Volume 2 John Calvin
COMMENTARY ON PSALMS - VOLUME 2
"Come let us persecute him, for God hath forsaken him; for there is none to deliver him," (Psalm 71:11.)
But I am rather of opinion that the Psalmist applies the term smitten to the man whom God intended to humble as one of his own children; so that in the very chastisement or correction, there was engraven a mark of God's paternal love. And he employs the expression, the wounded of God, almost in the same sense in which Isaiah 26:19 speaks of the dead of God, the prophet thereby denoting those who continue under the Divine guardianship, even in death itself. This cannot be extended to all men in general, but is exclusively applicable to true believers, whose obedience God puts to the test by means of afflictions. If from this the wicked take occasion to persecute the righteous with greater severity, it is not to be wondered at if they involve themselves in heavier damnation. Upon seeing such examples set before them, the manner in which they should have reasoned with themselves is this,
"If these things are done in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:31.)
But from their becoming more and more hardened, it is evident that the pride and insolence which they manifest against the children of God proceed from contempt and hatred of true religion. The Hebrew word,יספרו yesapperu, which is usually translated they will recount, I would interpret differently. It properly signifies to number, and may, therefore, be properly enough translated to add to or increase, 571 giving here the meaning, That the persons spoken of, by adding misery to misery, raised grief to its utmost height.
27. Add iniquity to their iniquity. As the Hebrew word,אוןavon, signifies at times guilt as well as iniquity, some translate the verse thus, Add thou, that is, thou, O God! punishment to their punishment Others extend it yet further, regarding it as a prayer that wicked men might punish them for their wickedness. But it is abundantly evident, from the second clause, that what David prays for rather is, as is almost universally admitted, that God, taking his Spirit altogether from the wicked, would give them over to a reprobate mind, that they might never seek or have any desire to be brought to genuine repentance and amendment. Some interpret the phrase to come into righteousness as meaning to be absolved or acquitted; 572 but it
This is the translation given by the LXX., who read, προσέθηκαν, "they added to;" and similar is that of the Syriac, Vulgate, Arabic, and Æthiopic versions, and of the learned Castellio, who reads, "Sauciorum tuorum numerum adaugentes," "increasing the number of thy wounded." "",ספרsays Hammond, "signifies to number, and of that we know addition is one sort."
This is the idea attached to it by Horsley, who translates the verse thus: "Give them punishment upon punishment, and admit them not to thy justification." Cresswell explains it thus: "Let them not be restored to thy favor, nor experience thy clemency."
JOHN CALVIN
seems to want the spirit of the language here used, by which David intends to express much more. Accordingly, the words ought to be expounded thus: Let their wickedness increase more and more, and let them turn away with abhorrence from all thought of amendment, to make it manifest that they are utterly alienated from God. 573 As this form of expression is familiar to the Sacred Writings, and every where to be met with, we ought not to think it harsh; and to wrest it, as some do, for the sake of avoiding what may have the appearance of absurdity, is ridiculous. The explanation they give of it is, That God adds sins to sins by permitting them; 574 and they defend such an exposition by asserting that this is an idiom of the Hebrew language, an assertion, the accuracy of which no Hebrew scholar will admit. Nor is it necessary to bring forward any such quibbles to excuse God; for, when he blinds the reprobate, it is sufficient for us to know that he has good and just causes for doing so; and it is in vain for men to murmur and to dispute with him, as if they sinned only by his impulse. Although the causes why they are blinded sometimes lie hidden in the secret purpose of Deity, there is not a man who is not reproved by his own conscience; and it is our duty to adore and admire the high mysteries of God, which surpass our understanding. It is justly said that "God's judgments are a great deep," (Psalm 36:6.) It would certainly be highly perverse to involve God in a part of the guilt of the wicked, whenever he executes his judgments upon them; as, for example, when he executes the judgment threatened in the passage before us. The amount is, that the wicked are plunged into a deep gulf of wickedness by the just vengeance of Heaven, that they may never return to a sound understanding, and that he who is filthy may become still more filthy, 575 (Revelation 22:11.) Let it further be observed, that I do not explain the
"Qu'ils sont alienez et bannis de la presence de Dieu." — Fr. "That they are alienated and banished from the presence of God."
This is the explanation given by Hammond. The Hebrew word,נתןnathan, here rendered add, he translates give or permit, which he supports in the following note. "That,נתםto give, signifies also to permit, appears by Esther 9:13,' ,ינתןlet it be given to the Jews,' i e., permitted them. So Exodus 12:23, 'And shall not suffer (the Hebrew hath,יתןgive) the destroyer to come in; the Chaldee reads' ,ישבקpermit,' and the LXX. ἀθήσει, to the same sense. So Psalm 16:10, 'Thou shalt not suffer (,יתםagain, give) thy Holy One to see corruption.' And so,עון תנהgive wickedness, is no more than permit: for so it is ordinary with God, as a punishment of some former great sin or sins, though not to infuse any malignity, yet by withdrawing his grace, and delivering them up to themselves, to permit more sins to follow, one on the heels of the other, and so to be so far from reforming and amending as daily to grow worse and worse, to be more obdurate, and so finally never to enter into God's righteousness; i e., into that way of obedience required by him, and which will be accepted by him, or (as,צדקin the notion of mercy, may signify being applied to God) into his mercy, so as to be made partakers of it." A fuller statement and illustration of Calvin's views on this point is given in his Institutes, Book I. chapter 18.