1. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? Doeg had small matter for boasting in having procured the
slaughter of a band of defenseless priests. If David alluded to Saul, he meant
by these words pityingly to say, “How can one by nature fitted for nobler
deeds, descend to so low a level as to find a theme for boasting in a slaughter
so heartless?” The goodness of God endureth continually. A beautiful
contrast. The tyrant’s fury cannot dry up the stream of divine mercy. The Lord
will outlive Doeg and right the wrongs which he has done.
2. The tongue deviseth mischiefs. It is a mark of deep depravity when the evil spoken is
intended to promise a yet greater evil. Like a sharp razor, working
deceitfully. David represents the false tongue as being effectual for
mischief, like a razor which, unawares to the person operated on, is making him
bald. Or he may mean that as with a razor a man’s throat may be cut very
speedily, under the pretense of shaving him, so Doeg destroyed the band of
priests.
3. Thou lovest evil more than good. He loved not good at all. If both had been equally
profitable and pleasant, he would have preferred evil. And lying rather than
to speak righteousness. He spoke not truth except by accident, but he
delighted heartily in falsehood. Selah. Let us pause and look at the
proud blustering liar. Doeg is gone, but other dogs bark at the Lord’s people.
Saul’s cattle-master is buried, but the devil still has his drovers who would
hurry the saints like sheep to the slaughter.
4. Thou lovest.
Thou hast a taste, a gusto, for evil language. All devouring words.
There are words that, like boa-constrictors, swallow people whole; these words
evil minds are fond of. O thou deceitful tongue. Men can manage to say a
great many furious things, and yet cover all over with the pretext of justice.
They claim they are jealous for the right, but the truth is, they are
determined to put down truth and holiness.
5. God shall likewise destroy thee forever. The persecutor wants to destroy the church, and therefore
God will destroy him. He shall take thee away. God will sweep him away
like the ashes of the hearth. And pluck thee out of thy dwelling place,
like a plant torn from the place where it grew. And root thee out of the
land of the living. The persecutors will be eradicated. Those who will not
“let live” have no right to “live.” Selah. Pause again, and behold
the divine justice proving itself more than a match for human sin.
6. The righteous—the
object of the tyrant’s hatred—shall outlive his enmity, and also shall see
the end of the ungodly oppressor. And fear. Holy awe will sober the mind
of the good man; he will reverently adore the God of providence. And shall
laugh at him. If not with righteous joy, yet with solemn contempt.
7. Lo. Look and
read the epitaph of a mighty man who lorded it proudly during his little hour. This
is the man that made not God his strength. He found a fortress, but not in
God; he gloried in his might, but not in the Almighty. Where is he now? Behold
his ruin, and be instructed. But trusted in the abundance of his riches, and
strengthened himself in his wickedness. The substance he had gathered, and
the mischiefs he had wrought, were his boast and glory. Wealth and wickedness
are dreadful companions. Wherever we see today a man great in sin and
substance, we shall do well to anticipate his end.
8. But I,
hunted and persecuted though I am, am like a green olive tree. I am not
plucked up or destroyed, but am like a flourishing olive, which out of the rock
draws oil, and amid the drought still lives and grows. In the house of God.
He was one of the divine family. He was bearing fruit, and would continue to do
so. I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. Eternal mercy is my
present confidence.
9. I will praise thee forever. While others boast in their riches I will boast in my God. Because
thou hast done it. Thou hast vindicated the righteous, and punished the
wicked. David views his prayers as already answered. And I will wait on thy
name. God will still be the psalmist’s hope; he will not in future look
elsewhere. For it is good before thy saints. Among God’s saints David
intended to wait for the manifestation of his character in due season. Man must
not too much fluster us. Let the mighty boast—we will wait on the Lord.
Excerpt from:
The Treasury of David
By Charles H Spurgeon
