The Reign of the Righteous King

721 Give the king your authority, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son.

2 May he be a judge of your people in righteousness, and make true decisions for the poor. 3 May the mountains give peace to the people, and the hills righteousness. 4 May he be a judge of the poor among the people, may he give salvation to the children of those who are in need; by him let the violent be crushed. 5 May his life go on as long as the sun and moon, through all generations. 6 May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth. 7 In his days may the upright do well, living in peace as long as there is a moon in heaven. 8 Let his kingdom be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 Let those who are against him go down before him; and let his haters be low in the dust. 10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands come back with offerings; let the kings of Sheba and Seba give of their stores. 11 Yes, let all kings go down before him; let all nations be his servants. 12 For he will be a saviour to the poor in answer to his cry; and to him who is in need, without a helper. 13 He will have pity on the poor, and be the saviour of those who are in need. 14 He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes. 15 May he have long life, and may gold from Sheba be given to him: may prayers be made for him at all times; may blessings be on him every day. 16 May there be wide-stretching fields of grain in the land, shaking on the top of the mountains, full of fruit like Lebanon: may its stems be unnumbered like the grass of the earth. 17 May his name go on for ever, as long as the sun: may men be blessing themselves by him; may all nations be blessing his name.

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, the only doer of wonders. 19 Praise to the glory of his noble name for ever; let all the earth be full of his glory. So be it, So be it. 20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

The Fate of the Wicked

731 Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are clean in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost gone from under me; I was near to slipping; 3 Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers. 4 For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they have no part in the unhappy fate of men. 6 For this reason pride is round them like a chain; they are clothed with violent behaviour as with a robe. 7 Their eyes are bursting with fat; they have more than their heart's desire. 8 Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts. 9 Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth. 10 For this reason they are full of bread; and water is ever flowing for them. 11 And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High? 12 Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased. 13 As for me, I have made my heart clean to no purpose, washing my hands in righteousness; 14 For I have been troubled all the day; every morning have I undergone punishment.

15 If I would make clear what it is like, I would say, You are false to the generation of your children. 16 When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes; 17 Till I went into God's holy place, and saw the end of the evil-doers. 18 You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction. 19 How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction. 20 As a dream when one is awake, they are ended; they are like an image gone out of mind when sleep is over.

21 My heart was made bitter, and I was pained by the bite of grief: 22 As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you. 23 But still I am ever with you; you have taken me by my right hand. 24 Your wisdom will be my guide, and later you will put me in a place of honour. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? and having you I have no desire for anything on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart are wasting away: but God is the Rock of my heart and my eternal heritage. 27 For those who are far away from you will come to destruction: you will put an end to all those who have not kept faith with you. 28 But it is good for me to come near to God: I have put my faith in the Lord God, so that I may make clear all his works.

God's Election of Israel

91 I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 That I am full of sorrow and pain without end. 3 For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God: 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it.

6 But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel: 7 And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named. 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed. 9 For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac— 11 Before the children had come into existence, or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his selection might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is, 12 It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger. 13 Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.

14 What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said. 15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Romans 9:1-15

Commentary on Romans 9:1-5

(Read Romans 9:1-5)

Being about to discuss the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and to show that the whole agrees with the sovereign electing love of God, the apostle expresses strongly his affection for his people. He solemnly appeals to Christ; and his conscience, enlightened and directed by the Holy Spirit, bore witness to his sincerity. He would submit to be treated as "accursed," to be disgraced, crucified; and even for a time be in the deepest horror and distress; if he could rescue his nation from the destruction about to come upon them for their obstinate unbelief. To be insensible to the eternal condition of our fellow-creatures, is contrary both to the love required by the law, and the mercy of the gospel. They had long been professed worshippers of Jehovah. The law, and the national covenant which was grounded thereon, belonged to them. The temple worship was typical of salvation by the Messiah, and the means of communion with God. All the promises concerning Christ and his salvation were given to them. He is not only over all, as Mediator, but he is God blessed for ever.

Commentary on Romans 9:6-13

(Read Romans 9:6-13)

The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham's seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born in sin, by nature children of wrath even as others. If left to themselves they would have continued in sin through life; but for wise and holy reasons, not made known to us, he purposed to change Jacob's heart, and to leave Esau to his perverseness. This instance of Esau and Jacob throws light upon the Divine conduct to the fallen race of man. The whole Scripture shows the difference between the professed Christian and the real believer. Outward privileges are bestowed on many who are not the children of God. There is, however, full encouragement to diligent use of the means of grace which God has appointed.

Commentary on Romans 9:14-24

(Read Romans 9:14-24)

Whatever God does, must be just. Wherein the holy, happy people of God differ from others, God's grace alone makes them differ. In this preventing, effectual, distinguishing grace, he acts as a benefactor, whose grace is his own. None have deserved it; so that those who are saved, must thank God only; and those who perish, must blame themselves only, Hosea 13:9. God is bound no further than he has been pleased to bind himself by his own covenant and promise, which is his revealed will. And this is, that he will receive, and not cast out, those that come to Christ; but the drawing of souls in order to that coming, is an anticipating, distinguishing favour to whom he will. Why does he yet find fault? This is not an objection to be made by the creature against his Creator, by man against God. The truth, as it is in Jesus, abases man as nothing, as less than nothing, and advances God as sovereign Lord of all. Who art thou that art so foolish, so feeble, so unable to judge the Divine counsels? It becomes us to submit to him, not to reply against him. Would not men allow the infinite God the same sovereign right to manage the affairs of the creation, as the potter exercises in disposing of his clay, when of the same lump he makes one vessel to a more honourable, and one to a meaner use? God could do no wrong, however it might appear to men. God will make it appear that he hates sin. Also, he formed vessels filled with mercy. Sanctification is the preparation of the soul for glory. This is God's work. Sinners fit themselves for hell, but it is God who prepares saints for heaven; and all whom God designs for heaven hereafter, he fits for heaven now. Would we know who these vessels of mercy are? Those whom God has called; and these not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles. Surely there can be no unrighteousness in any of these Divine dispensations. Nor in God's exercising long-suffering, patience, and forbearance towards sinners under increasing guilt, before he brings utter destruction upon them. The fault is in the hardened sinner himself. As to all who love and fear God, however such truths appear beyond their reason to fathom, yet they should keep silence before him. It is the Lord alone who made us to differ; we should adore his pardoning mercy and new-creating grace, and give diligence to make our calling and election sure.