3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? It is always best to begin with God, and then may we confront our
enemies. David expostulates with his insensate foes; he marvels at their dogged
perseverance in malice, after so many failures and with certain defeat before
them. He tells them that their design was an imaginary one, which they never
could accomplish however deeply they might plot. It is a marvel that people
will readily enough continue in vain and sinful courses, and yet to persevere
in grace is so great a difficulty as to be an impossibility, were it not for
divine assistance. The persistency of those who oppose the people of God is so
strange that we may well expostulate with them and say, “How long will ye thus display your malice?” A hint is given in the text of the cowardice of so many pressing upon
one man; but none are less likely to act a fair and manly part than those who
are opposed to God’s people for righteousness’ sake. Satan could not enter into
combat with Job in fair duel, but must call in the Sabeans and Chaldeans, and
even then must borrow the lightning and the wind before his first attack was
complete. If there were any shame in him, or in his children, they would be
ashamed of the manner in which they have waged war; there is not a drop of
chivalrous blood in all their veins. Ye shall be slain all of you. Those
who take the sword will perish with the sword. Rigorously will the great
Lawgiver award death to those who seek the death of others. As a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. Boastful persecutors bulge and swell
with pride, but they are only as a bulging wall ready to fall in a heap. They
expect people to bow to them and quake in their presence, but people made bold
by faith see nothing in them to honor, and very, very much to despise. It is
never well on our part to think highly of ungodly persons; it will be wisdom to
keep our distance, for no one is advantaged by being near a falling wall. The
passage is thought to be more correctly rendered as follows: “How long will ye press on one man, that ye may crush him in a body, like
a toppling wall, a sinking fence?” Both
senses may blend in our meditations, for if David’s enemies battered him as
though they could throw him down like a bulging wall, he on the other hand
foresaw that they themselves would by retributive justice be overthrown like an
old, crumbling, leaning, yielding fence.
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