1 To the chiefe Musician, Maschil, A Psalme of Dauid: When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said vnto him, Dauid is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe, O mightie man? the goodnesse of God indureth continually.
2 Thy tongue deuiseth mischiefes: like a sharpe rasor, working deceitfully.
3 Thou louest euill more then good; and lying rather then to speake righteousnesse. Selah.
4 Thou louest all deuouring words, O thou deceitfull tongue.
5 God shall likewise destroy thee for euer, hee shall take thee away and plucke thee out of thy dwelling place, and roote thee out of the land of the liuing. Selah.
6 The righteous also shall see, and feare, and shall laugh at him.
7 Loe, this is the man that made not God his strength: but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himselfe in his wickednesse.
8 But I am like a greene oliue tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for euer and euer.
9 I will prayse thee for euer, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good before thy Saints.
The enemies of the truth and the church described, Their destruction. (1-5) The righteous rejoice. (6-9)
1-5 Those that glory in sin, glory in their shame. The patience and forbearance of God are abused by sinners, to the hardening of their hearts in their wicked ways. But the enemies in vain boast in their mischief, while we have God's mercy to trust in. It will not save us from the guilt of lying, to be able to say, there was some truth in what we said, if we make it appear otherwise than it was. The more there is of craft and contrivance in any wickedness, the more there is of Satan in it. When good men die, they are transplanted from the land of the living on earth, to heaven, the garden of the Lord, where they shall take root for ever; but when wicked men die, they are rooted out, to perish for ever. The believer sees that God will destroy those who make not him their strength.
6-9 Those wretchedly deceive themselves, who think to support themselves in power and wealth without God. The wicked man trusted in the abundance of his riches; he thought his wickedness would help him to keep his wealth. Right or wrong, he would get what he could, and keep what he had, and ruin any one that stood in his way; this he thought would strengthen him; but see what it comes to! Those who by faith and love dwell in the house of God, shall be like green olive-trees there. And that we may be as green olive-trees, we must live a life of faith and holy confidence in God and his grace. It adds much to the beauty of our profession, and to fruitfulness in every grace, to be much in praising God; and we never can want matter for praise. His name alone can be our refuge and strong tower. It is very good for us to wait on that saving name; there is nothing better to calm and quiet our spirits, when disturbed, and to keep us in the way of duty, when tempted to use any crooked courses for our relief, than to hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. None ever followed his guidance but it ended well.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.