then the times are very bad; when proud sinners are arrived at such a pitch of impiety as to say, "With our tongue will we prevail against the cause of virtue, our lips are our own, and we may say what we will; who is lord over us, either to restrain us, or to call us to an account?" v. 4. This bespeaks, (1.) A proud conceit of themselves, and confidence in themselves, as if the point were indeed gained by eating forbidden fruit, and they were as gods independent and self-sufficient; infallible in their knowledge of good and evil, and therefore fit to be oracles; irresistible in their power, and therefore fit to be lawgivers, that could prevail with their tongues, and, like God himself, speak and secure its being done. (2.) An insolent contempt of God's dominion, as if he had no propriety in them; Our lips are our own—an unjust pretension, for who made man's mouth, in whose hand is his breath, and whose is the air he breathes in. Their language would intimate that he has no authority either to command them, or to judge them; Who is lord over us? Like Pharaoh, Exod. v. 2. This is as absurd and unreasonable as the former, for He in whom we live, and move, and have our being, must needs be, by an indisputable title, Lord over us.
4. When the poor and needy are oppressed, and abused, and puffed at, then the times are very bad: this is implied, (v. 5.) where God himself takes notice of the oppression of the poor, and the sighing of the needy; they are oppressed because they are poor, have all manner of wrong done them, merely because they are not in a capacity to right themselves. Being thus oppressed, they dare not speak for themselves, lest their defence should be made their offence; but they sigh, secretly, bemoaning their calamities, and pouring out their souls in sighs before God. If their oppressors be spoken to on their behalf, they puff at them, make light of their own sin, and the misery of the poor, and lay neither to heart; see x. 5.
5. When wickedness abounds, and goes barefaced, under the protection and countenance of those in authority, then the times are very bad, v. 7. When the vilest men are exalted to places of trust and power, who, instead of putting the laws in execution against vice and injustice, and punishing the wicked according to their merits, patronise and protect them, give them countenance, and support their reputation, by their own example; then the wicked walk on every side, they swarm in all places, and go up and down seeking to deceive, debauch, and destroy, others: they are neither afraid nor ashamed to discover themselves; they declare their sin as Sodom, and there is none to check or control them. Bad men are base men, the vilest of men, and they are so, though they are ever so highly exalted in this world. Antiochus the illustrious, the scripture calls a vile person, Dan. xi. 21. But it is bad with a kingdom, when such are preferred; no marvel if wickedness then grows impudent and insolent. When the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.
II. Let us now see what good things we are here furnished with for such bad times; and what times we may yet be reserved for, we cannot tell.
When times are thus bad, it is comfortable to think,
1. That we have a God to go to, from whom we may ask and expect the redress of all our grievances. This he begins with; (v. 1.) "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth. All other helps and helpers fail; even the godly and faithful, who should lend a helping hand to support the dying cause of religion, they are gone, and therefore whither shall we seek but to thee?" Note, When godly faithful people cease and fail, it is time to cry, Help, Lord! The abounding of iniquity threatens a deluge. "Help, Lord, help the virtuous; few seek to hold fast their integrity, and to stand in the gap; help to save thine own interest in the world from sinking. It is time for thee, Lord, to work."
2. That God will certainly reckon with false and proud men, and will punish and restrain their insolence. They are above the control of men, and set them at defiance. Men cannot discover the falsehood of flatterers, nor humble the haughtiness of those that speak proud things; but the righteous God will cut off all flattering lips, that give the traitor's kiss, and speak words softer than oil, when war is in the heart; he will pluck out the tongue that speaks proud things against God and religion, v. 3. Some translate it as a prayer, "May God cut off those false and spiteful lips;" Let lying lips be put to silence.
3. That God will, in due time, work deliverance for his oppressed people, and shelter them from the malicious designs of their persecutors; (v. 5.) Now will I arise, saith the Lord. This promise of God, which David here delivered by the spirit of prophecy, is an answer to that petition which he put up to God by the spirit of prayer, "Help, Lord," says he; "I will," says God: "here I am, with seasonable and effectual help. (1.) It is seasonable, in the fittest time. [1.] When the oppressors are in the height of their pride and insolence, when they say, Who is lord over us? then is God's time to let them know, to their cost, that he is above them. [2.] When the oppressed are in the depth of their distress and despondency; when they are sighing like Israel in Egypt, by reason of the cruel bondage, then is God's time to appear for them, as for Israel, when they were most dejected, and Pharaoh was most elevated; Now will I arise. Note, There is a time fixed for the rescue of oppressed innocency; that time will come, and we may be sure it is of all others the fittest time, cii. 13. It is effectual; I will set him in safety, or in salvation; not only protect him, but restore him to his former prosperity, will bring him out into a wealthy place; (lxvi. 12.) so that, upon the whole, he shall lose nothing by his sufferings.
4. That, though men are false, God is faithful; though they are not to be trusted, God is. They speak vanity and flattery, but the words of the Lord are pure words, (v. 6.) not only all true, but all pure, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, or a crucible. It denotes, (1.) The sincerity of God's word; every thing is really as it is there represented, and not otherwise; it does not jest with us, nor impose upon us, nor has it any other design toward us than our own good. (2.) The preciousness of God's word; it is of great intrinsic value, like silver refined to the highest degree; it has nothing in it to depreciate it. (3.) The many proofs that have been given of its power and truth; it has been often tried, all the saints in all ages have trusted it, and so, tried it and it never deceived them, or frustrated their expectations; but they have all set to their seal that God's word is true, with an Experto crede—Trust one that has made trial; they have found it so. Probably, this refers especially to these promises of succouring and relieving the poor and oppressed. Their friends put them in hopes that they will do something for them, and yet prove a broken reed; but the words of God are what we may rely upon; the less confidence is to be put in men's words, let us with the more assurance trust in God's word.
5. That God must secure his chosen remnant to himself, how bad soever the times are; (v. 7. ) Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. This intimates, that, as long as the world stands, there will be a generation of proud and wicked men in it, more or less, who will threaten by their wretched arts to ruin religion, by wearing out the
