Salmene 4:2

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Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

O: Psalms 57:4, Psalms 58:1, Ecclesiastes 8:11, Ecclesiastes 9:3

how: Psalms 72:2, Exodus 10:3, Numbers 14:11, Proverbs 1:22

my glory: Psalms 3:3, Psalms 14:6, Psalms 106:20, Isaiah 20:5, Isaiah 45:17, Jeremiah 2:11, Hosea 4:7, 1 Corinthians 1:31

love: Psalms 2:1, 1 Samuel 12:21, Isaiah 59:4, Jeremiah 2:5, Jonah 2:8

leasing: Psalms 5:6, Psalms 58:3, Psalms 63:11, Jeremiah 9:3, Ephesians 4:25

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 2:26 - how long 2 Samuel 16:8 - the blood 2 Kings 18:19 - What confidence 2 Kings 18:30 - make you Job 31:5 - walked Psalms 3:2 - Selah Psalms 8:4 - son Psalms 62:3 - How Psalms 62:7 - glory Isaiah 36:15 - General Isaiah 60:19 - thy God Jeremiah 23:26 - How Micah 7:7 - my God Luke 23:35 - derided Acts 24:9 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

O ye sons of men,.... Meaning great men, the nobles of Israel; and so the Jewish interpreters k generally explain it; such as Ahithophel, and others, who were in the conspiracy with Absalom,

2 Samuel 15:12: and so they were the kings and princes of the earth, and the rulers of the Jewish sanhedrim, the chief priests and elders, who were the enemies of Christ; and such, generally speaking, have been the persecutors of the saints; these men of power and authority, of dignity and honour, and who were in high places, and boasted of their titles and grandeur, the psalmist addresses by way of expostulation in the following words;

how long [will ye turn] my glory into shame? Meaning either God, who was his glory, Psalms 3:3; whom they reproached when they said there was no help for him in him; or his tongue, the instrument of praise, and the songs of praise he expressed by it, Psalms 7:8; which they jeered and scoffed at: or rather his royal glory and majesty, which they attempted to vail by casting him down from his excellency, by dethroning him, and setting up Absalom in his room. So the Jews endeavoured to turn the glory of Christ into shame, which lay in his being the only begotten of the Father; by denying his sonship, by condemning him to death; because he said he was the Son of God; and by mocking at him under that character on the cross; and also by their spitting upon, buffeting, and crucifying the Lord of glory; by reproaching his Gospel, ministers, and people; and by not acknowledging him as the Messiah, and submitting to his righteousness. And wicked men do as much as in them lies to turn the glory of the saints into shame, by aspersing their character, taking away their good name and reputation among men; by reproaching and reviling them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; and by persecuting them in the most violent manner;

[how long] will ye love vanity; or "a vain thing" l. Such as the placing of Absalom upon the throne, on which their hearts were set; and such was the vain imagination of the Jews, with which they pleased themselves, that Jesus should die, and his name perish; and such are all the attempts of wicked men to ruin and destroy the people and interest of Christ; for no weapon formed against them shall prosper;

[and] seek after leasing? Or "a lie" m; or that which fails and deceives, as a lie does: and such were all the counsels and designs of the great men of Israel against David: and so the Jews may be said to seek after a lie, when they seek after another Messiah besides Jesus of Nazareth: for every other proves a "Bar Cozbi", that is, the son of a lie; as the false Messiah in Adrian's time was called by themselves. And so do all such as seek after and embrace false doctrines, errors, and heresies, and are given up to believe them. Now the psalmist suggests that these great men were obstinate, and continued in these sinful practices; and that in the issue all their efforts would be vain and fruitless; and which he further strengthens by observing to them what follows.

Selah; on this word, Psalms 7:8- :.

k Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Ben Melech in loc. l ריק "inane", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius "inanem rem", Piscator. m כזב "mendacium", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

O ye sons of men - Turning from God to men; from Him in whom he hoped for protection to those who were engaged in persecuting him. We are not, of course, to suppose that they were present with him, but this is an earnest, poetic remonstrance, “as if” they were with him. The reference is doubtless to Absalom and his followers; and he calls them “sons of men,” as having human feelings, passions, and purposes, in strong distinction from that righteous God to whom he had just made his solemn appeal. God was holy, true, and just, and he might appeal to Him; they were ambitious and wicked, and from them he had nothing to hope. He looked upon God as righteous altogether; he looked upon them as altogether depraved and wicked. God he regarded as his just Protector; them he regarded as seeking only to wrong and crush him.

How long - The phrase used here might refer either to “time” or to “extent.” How long in regard to “time,” - or to what “degree” or “extent” will you thus persecute me? The former, however, seems to be the true signification.

Will ye turn my glory into shame - My honor, or what becomes my rank and station. If this refers to the rebellion in the time of Absalom, the allusion is to the fact that his enemies were endeavoring to rob him of his scepter and his crown, and to reduce him to the lowest condition of beggary and want; and he asks with earnestness how long they intended to do him so great injustice and wrong.

Will ye love vanity - Compare the notes at Psalms 2:1. That is, how long will you act as if you were in love with a vain and impracticable thing; a thing which “must” be hopeless in the end. The idea is, that God had chosen him, and anointed him, and had determined that he should be king Psalms 4:3, and therefore, that their efforts “must be” ultimately unsuccessful. The object at which they were aiming could not be accomplished, and he asks how long they would thus engage in what must, from the nature of the case, be fruitless.

And seek after leasing - The word “leasing” is the Old English word for “lie.” The idea here is, that they were pursuing a course which would yet prove to be a delusion - the hope of overturning his throne. The same question, in other respects, may be asked now. Men are seeking that which cannot be accomplished, and are acting under the influence of a lie. What else are the promises of permanent happiness in the pursuits of pleasure and ambition? What else are their attempts to overthrow religion and virtue in the world?

Selah - See the notes at Psalms 3:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 4:2. O ye sons of men — בני איש beney ish, ye powerful men-ye who are now at the head of affairs, or who are leaders of the multitude.

Love vanity — The poor, empty, shallow-brained, pretty-faced Absalom; whose prospects are all vain, and whose promises are all empty!

Seek after leasing? — This is a Saxon word, from [Anglo-Saxon], falsehood, from [A.S.], to lie. Cardmarden has adopted this word in his translation, Rouen, 1566. It is in none of the Bibles previously to that time, nor in any after, as far as my own collection affords me evidence; and appears to have been borrowed by King James's translators from the above.

Selah. — Mark this! See what the end will be!