Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 91:8
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Only – That is, This is all that will occur to you. The only thing which you have to anticipate is, that you will see how God punishes sinners.
With thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked – Your own eyes shall see it. See the notes at Psa 37:34. You will see the just punishment of the ungodly, the vicious, the profane, the sensual. You will see what is the proper fruit of their conduct; what is the just expression of the views which God takes of their character. This undoubtedly refers to the general principle that there is a moral government on earth; that vice is often punished as such; that the general course of the divine dealings is such as to show that God is favorable to virtue, and is opposed to vice. The system is not complete here, and there are many things which could not be reconciled with this, if the present world were all, and if there were no future state: but the course of events indicates the general character of the divine administration, and what is the tendency of things. The completion – the actual and perfect adjustment – is reserved for a future state. The facts as they occur on earth prove that there is an attribute of justice in God; the fact that his dealings here are not wholly and fully in accordance with what justice demands, proves that there will be a state where full justice will be done, and where the whole system will be adjusted.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 91:8
Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
The snare of the fowler
A very comforting text to all believers, when beset by temptation.
I. The snare of the fowler.
1. It is intimately connected with Secrecy (Pro 1:17). Many a man has been entrapped into sin by Satan, not knowing that it was evil! Some one has hinted to him in business, for instance, You may very safely do such-and-such a thing; all the shopkeepers in the street have done it; it is not actually dishonest; it improves the article; and although you can thus sell an article at a dearer rate than you ought to sell it, yet you need not tell the public; and if the article is all the better for it, it is quite fair and safe that you should adulterate it. And so the good easy man, not opening both his eyes, I think, but shutting one of them a little, lest he should see too well to be able to fill his pockets in the dark, is a little taken aside; and by and by he is led to discover that the act which he has done is the taking of him in the snare of the fowler, for he has been sinning against his God, and his God therefore punishes him for it with many stripes, and lays his rod upon him.
2. It is generally noted for its adaptation. A cunning enemy we have to deal with; he knows our weak points; he has been dealing with men for these last six thousand years; he knows all about them. He is possessed of a gigantic intellect, though he be a fallen spirit; and he is easily able to discover where our sore places are, and there it is he immediately attacks us. If we be like Achilles, and cannot be wounded anywhere but in our heel, then at the heel he will send his dart, and nowhere else. He will find out our easily besetting sin, and there, if he can, he will attempt to work our ruin and our destruction. Let us bless God that it is written, Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.
3. It is frequently connected with pleasure, profit, and advantage. Cleopatras asp was introduced in a basket of flowers; so are sins often brought to us in the flowers of our pleasures. Satan offers to the drunkard the sweetness of the intoxicating cup, which rejoices him, when his brain is rioting in frolic, and when his soul is lifted up within him. He offers to the lustful man the scenes and pleasures of carnal mirth, and merriment, and delight, and so he leadeth him astray with the bait, concealing the hook which afterwards shall pain him. Let us remember that the snare of the fowler is generally connected with some pretended pleasure or profit, but that Satans end is not our pleasing, but our destruction.
4. Sometimes the fowler very wisely employs the force of example. We all know the influence of the decoy-duck, in endeavouring to bring others into the snare. How very often Satan, the fowler, employs a decoy to lead Gods people into sin! You get with a man; you think him to be a true Christian; you have some respect for his character; he is a high professor, can talk religion by the yard, and can give you any quantity of theology you like to ask for. You see him commit a sin; ten to one but you will do the same, if you have much respect for him; and so he will lead you on. And mark, Satan is very careful in the men whom he chooses to be decoys. If he wants his errand well done, he sends one to me whom I call brother; and so through the brotherhood of profession I am apt to give him credence and pay him respect; and then if he goeth astray the force of example is very powerful, and so I may easily be led into the net too. Take care of your best friends; be careful of your companions. Choose the best you can; then follow them no farther than they follow Christ. Let your course be entirely independent of every one else.
II. The deliverance. Two thoughts here: from–out of. First, He delivers them from the snare–does not let them get in it; secondly, when they do get in it He delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to some of us; the second is the best to others.
1. He shall deliver thee from the snare. How does He do that?
(1) Very often by trouble. I doubt not, many of you have been saved from ruin by your sorrows, your griefs, your troubles, your woes, your lossest and your crosses. All these have been the breaking of the net that set you free from the snare of the fowler.
(2) At other times God keeps His people from the sin of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength, a spirit of great courage; so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, with decision, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
2. God delivers His people, even when they get into the snare. Alas! you and I know something about the net; we have not only seen it spread, we have been in its folds. We know something about the cage, for we have, unfortunately, been in the cage ourselves, even since we have known the Lord. The fowlers hand has been upon our neck; it has only been the sovereign grace of God that has prevented him from utterly destroying us. Poor Christian and Hopeful got into the fowlers net when they entered into the castle of Giant Despair; but the key of promise picked the lock, and they escaped. They were in the fowlers net, too, when Flatterer cast a net over them, and left them in the lane; but there came one who, after he had beaten them full sore, took the not off, and they went on their way, better men than before. O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair; God will restore thee yet.
III. Surely. The assurance of every truth of Scripture is just the beauty of it. Now, it says surely He shall deliver thee. Why? First because He has promised to do it; and Gods promises are bonds that never yet were dishonoured. Secondly, because Christ Jesus hath taken an oath that He will do it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Psa 91:8
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
The reward of the wicked
I. There is a difference between the sufferings of the righteous and the wicked. The same external afflictions and trials may befall them; but to the righteous they are educational, to the wicked they are punitive–the reward, etc.
II. The Divine rule in this world is righteous. Under it the godly are protected by God, while the wicked are punished.
III. The righteousness of the Divine rule is not always manifest in this world.
IV. The righteousness of the Divine rule will ultimately be clearly manifest to all. The godly with their eyes shall see the reward of the wicked. There is a state where all the apparent inequalities of the moral government of our world will be clearly rectified (Isa 3:11).
V. The weak and fearful believer, notwithstanding his fears, shall not perish with the wicked. Only with his eyes shall he see the reward of the wicked, while he himself shall enjoy the glorious inheritance of the good.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. The reward of the wicked.] Thou shalt not only be safe thyself, but thou shalt see all thy enemies discomfited and cast down.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou shalt behold, without any terror or danger to thyself, and with a delightful and thankful reflection upon Gods goodness to thee. The reward of the wicked; the just recompence of their sins, or the vengeance of God upon them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Only with thine eyes shall thou behold,…. The flying arrow, the walking pestilence, and wasting destruction, and the great devastations made by it:
and see the reward of the wicked; the vengeance of God upon them, and this as a just punishment for their sins; not looking upon it with delight and pleasure, rejoicing in the misery of their fellow creatures, any otherwise than as the glory of divine justice is displayed in it; see Ps 52:6, the pestilence is always threatened, and it always comes, as a Judgment upon a wicked generation of men; and so it is ever to be considered, and is considered by good men, Le 26:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. With thine eyes shalt thou behold Like the Israelites who saw the overthrow of their enemies, a stated Exo 14:30-31
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Ver. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold ] And say, Oh the severity of divine justice! Oh the venomous and mischievous nature and effects of men’s sin! Behold the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell severity, but toward me goodness, if I continue in his goodness; otherwise I shall also be cut off, Rom 11:22 .
And see the reward of the wicked
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Only: Psa 37:34, Psa 58:10, Psa 58:11, Psa 92:11, Pro 3:25, Pro 3:26, Mal 1:5
reward: Isa 3:11, Heb 2:2
Reciprocal: Exo 14:30 – saw Deu 6:22 – before Psa 54:7 – and mine Psa 59:10 – let Psa 112:8 – until he Pro 29:16 – but Jer 39:16 – before thee Rev 14:10 – in the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 91:8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, &c. Without any terror or danger to thyself, and with a thankful reflection on Gods goodness to thee; and see the reward of the wicked The just recompense of their sins, or the vengeance of God upon them. Observe well, reader, those that preserve their purity in times of general corruption, may trust God with their safety in times of general desolation. When multitudes die around us, though thereby we ought to be awakened to prepare for our own death, yet we ought not to be afraid with any amazement, nor make ourselves subject to bondage, as many do all their lifetime, through fear of death. The sprinkling of blood secured the firstborn of Israel, when thousands fell.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
91:8 Only with thine {f} eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
(f) The godly will have some experience of God’s judgements against the wicked even in this life, but they will see it fully at that day when all things will be revealed.