Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 50:18

When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

18. then thou consentedst with him ] The original is stronger: thou didst delight thyself with him, didst gladly associate with him. Cf. Job 34:9. R.V. omits then. The LXX vocalises the consonants differently and renders, thou didst run along with him (cp. Pro 1:16): but the Massoretic reading is preferable.

and hast been partaker &c.] Lit., and thy portion was with adulterers: thou didst make common cause with them, condoning and sharing their sin.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

When thou sawest a thief – When you have seen or found one who was intending to commit theft, then (instead of rebuking or exposing him) you have been willing to act with him, and to divide the profits. The words when thou sawest would seem to imply readiness and willingness to engage with them, as at first sight. Whenever there was an opportunity to share in the results of theft, they were ready to engage in it. The main point in this is, that they were willing to do so even when observing the outward duties of religion, and when professing to be the true worshippers of God. A similar sentiment occurs in Rom 2:21. See the notes at that passage.

Then thou consentedst with him – literally, Thou didst delight in him, or hadst pleasure in him. He was a man after thine own heart. Thou wast at once on good terms with him.

And hast been partaker with adulterers – Margin, as in Hebrew, thy portion was with adulterers. This was a common vice among the Jewish people. See the notes at Rom 2:22. The idea here is, that they were associated in practice with adulterers; they were guilty of that crime as others were. The point of the remark here is, that they did this under the cloak of piety, and when they were scrupulous and faithful in offering sacrifices, and in performing all the external rites of religion.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. When thou sawest a thief] Rapine, adulteries, and adulterous divines, were common among the Jews in our Lord’s time. The Gospels give full proof of this.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Sawest; or, didst observe, or consider; when he came into thy presence and company, and thou didst understand and consider his ways, and his success and impunity, and he invited thee to a participation of his profit.

Thou consentedst with him; or, as many render it, then didst run with him; thou didst readily and greedily associate thyself with him in his unrighteous courses. Thou didst yield to his motions, and that with great complacency and diligence.

Partaker with adulterers, by joining with them in their lewd and filthy practices.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him,…. Or “didst run with him” a; joined and agreed with him in the commission of the same things; which was literally true of the Scribes and Pharisees: they devoured widows’ houses, and robbed them of their substance, under a pretence of long prayers; they consented to the deeds of Barabbas, a robber, when they preferred him to Jesus Christ; and they joined with the thieves on the cross in reviling him: and, in a spiritual sense, they stole away the word of the Lord, every man from his neighbour; took away the key of knowledge from the people, and put false glosses upon the sacred writings;

and hast been a partaker with adulterers; these teachers of the law were guilty both of theft and adultery, Ro 2:21; they are called by our Lord an adulterous generation, Mt 12:39; and they were so in a literal sense; see Joh 8:4; and in a figurative one, adulterating the word of God, and handling it deceitfully.

a , Sept. “currebas cum eo”, V. L. sic Eth. Syr. Targum, so Vatablus, Musculus, Piscator, Ainsworth.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(18) Thou consentedst with himi.e., hast pleasure in. (Comp. Job. 34:9.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

18. Thou consentedst A charge of complicity and participation with civil wrongs and personal vices. These things they did covertly.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psa 50:18. When thou sawest a thief, &c. In this and the two following verses are represented the notorious vices of the synagogue, which was extremely corrupt in the time of Christ. Mudge renders the latter clause of the 19th verse, thy tongue addeth deceit to deceit; and the 20th verse, Thou art continually speaking against thy brother; placing a stumbling-block before the son of thy mother.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psa 50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

Ver. 18. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him ] Mala opera hic memorata sunt in secreto, saith Kimchi. These evils hereafter mentioned are secretly acted by those that pretended to better things, see Eph 5:12 and, therefore, heaven and earth are called to witness against them, Psa 50:4 . See Jer 20:2-7 Servi ut taceant iumenta loquentur, the very beasts have a verdict to pass upon secret sinners, as the ass upon Balaam, and those horses upon Cardinal Angelot, who was so basely covetous that by a secret way he used to go into his own stable, and steal the oats from them (Pontan. lib. de Prin.).

And hast been partaker with the adulterers ] 1. In thy desire, supposing thyself with them. 2. In thy filthy acts, though closely carried; as the Popish priests, whose rule is, Si non caste, lumen caute.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)