Verse 14. - For the Lord will judge his people;i.e. will right them whenever they are wronged (see Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 3:7-9; Exodus 6:6; Psalm 54:1-3). And he will repent himself concerning his servants. God "will not keep his anger for ever" (Psalm 103:9). When he has sufficiently chastised his sinful servants, he will "repent," or "relent" (Kay, Cheyne), with respect to them, and receive them back into favor. The history contained in the Book of Judges strongly illustrates this statement (Judges 3:6-11, 12-30; Judges 4:1-3, 13-16; Judges 6:1-16; Judges 10:6-18; Judges 11:4-33; Judges 13:1-5, etc.).
135:5-14 God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them, and will delight to do them good.
For the Lord will judge his people,.... Rule and govern, protect and defend them; plead their cause, and avenge them of their enemies; judge between them, distinguish them by his care and providence, make them visible, so that others shall see the difference between them; especially at the last day, when he will judge them, and, as the righteous Judge, give them the crown of righteousness. Or "though the Lord judges his people" (m); chastises them in a fatherly way, that they may not be condemned with the world;
and, or "yet" (n);
he will repent himself concerning his servants; of the evil of affliction he has brought upon them; he will change the course of his providential dealings with them, according to his unchangeable will; and turn their adversity into prosperity, and their mourning into joy: some render it, "he will be entreated for his servants" (o); he will hear prayer on their account, and save them out of their afflictions; or, as others, "he will comfort himself concerning his servants" (p); take pleasure in them and their prosperity, comfort them, and take delight in so doing. The Targum of the whole is,
"for the Lord will judge the judgment of his people by his word, and to his righteous servants will return in his mercies.''
(m) "quod si", Junius & Tremellius; "nam etsi", Piscator. (n) "Tamen", Piscator; "mox", Junius & Tremellius. (o) "deprecabitur", V. L. "sinet se deprecari", Tirinus. (p) "Solatium reportabit", Tigurine version.
Judge--i.e., see them righted.
and, or "yet" (n);
he will repent himself concerning his servants; of the evil of affliction he has brought upon them; he will change the course of his providential dealings with them, according to his unchangeable will; and turn their adversity into prosperity, and their mourning into joy: some render it, "he will be entreated for his servants" (o); he will hear prayer on their account, and save them out of their afflictions; or, as others, "he will comfort himself concerning his servants" (p); take pleasure in them and their prosperity, comfort them, and take delight in so doing. The Targum of the whole is,
"for the Lord will judge the judgment of his people by his word, and to his righteous servants will return in his mercies.''
(m) "quod si", Junius & Tremellius; "nam etsi", Piscator. (n) "Tamen", Piscator; "mox", Junius & Tremellius. (o) "deprecabitur", V. L. "sinet se deprecari", Tirinus. (p) "Solatium reportabit", Tigurine version.