Introduction
A Psalm of Asaph.
The person speaking in this psalm is God. He speaks to the rulers and judges, to whom is intrusted the administration of justice; or we may suppose it is the king who speaks in the name of God. The theocratic idea in this case must be kept in mind, and hence the king’s words are as God’s words, and his acts as God’s acts. The king himself, then, is one of the judges included in the address. He identifies himself with them, and speaks of the dignity, functions, and abuses of the office. The psalm applies to the civic-religious sphere, contemplating human government from the standpoint of the divine. God presides over all. The idea is given in 1 Chronicles 29:23, “Then Solomon sat on the throne of Jehovah as king.” So Moses gave the fundamental law to the judges, but “the judgment is God’s.” Deuteronomy 1:17. The idea of an Asiatic monarchy must be kept in view, where the king is removed from the people, knowing little of public affairs except through the officials, and where oppression, extortion, and bribes are commonly practised by satraps, pashas, or governors of provinces, and their subordinates. In such cases the public grievances are great, and redress generally impracticable. Thus the people of Israel often suffered, (as in Isaiah 3:12-15;) but now a king arises who gives personal attention to the details of government, and reforms the courts. For further illustration see the notes. The occasion of the psalm most naturally dates at the reformation of the courts by Jehoshaphat, and is a fitting accompaniment of 2 Chronicles 19:5-11
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