Psalm 25:13

His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Shall dwell.—Literally, shall lodge the night (comp. margin); but here, as in Psalm 49:12, with added sense of permanency.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:8-14 We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and his word fulfilled, whatever afflictions they are now exercised with. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; and so it will appear when they come to their journey's end. Those that are humble, that distrust themselves, and desire to be taught and to follow Divine guidance, these he will guide in judgment, that is, by the rule of the written word, to find rest for their souls in the Saviour. Even when the body is sick, and in pain, the soul may be at ease in God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

His soul shall dwell at ease - Margin: "shall lodge in goodness." So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one "at home;" one who finds a comfortable and safe resting place; one who is not a wanderer or a vagrant. The word rendered in the text "at ease," and in the margin "goodness," means "good;" and the idea is that of a good or safe condition as compared with that of one who wanders abroad without a shelter, or of one who has lost his way, and has no one to guide him. As contrasted with such an one, he who fears God, and who seeks his guidance and direction, will be like a man in his own comfortable and quiet home. The one is a condition of safety and of ease; the other, a condition of anxiety, doubt, trouble. Nothing could better describe the calmness, peace, and conscious security of the man who has found the truth and who serves God - as compared with the state of that man who has no religion, no fear of God, no hope of heaven.

And his seed - His posterity; his family. "Shall inherit the earth." Originally this promise referred to the land of Canaan, as a promise connected with obeying the law of God: Exodus 20:12. It came then to be synonymous with outward worldly prosperity; with length of days, and happiness in the earth. See it explained in the notes at Matthew 5:5.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. inherit the earth—(compare Mt 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Shall dwell, Heb. shall lodge, i.e. continue, as this word signifies, Job 17:2 Proverbs 19:23. It notes the constancy and stability of his happiness, both whilst he lives, and when he is dead; which the next clause seems to suppose.

At ease, Heb. in good, i.e. in the possession and enjoyment of the true good.

The earth, or, the land, to wit, Canaan; which was promised and given, as an earnest of the whole covenant of grace, and all its promises, and therefore is synecdochically put for all of them. The sense is, his seed shall be blessed.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

His soul shall dwell at ease,.... Or in "goodness" (f), enjoying an affluence of good things, of spiritual blessings in Christ, in whom he dwells by faith; and where he has peace and safety, amidst all the troubles, afflictions, and exercises, he meets with; and where with godliness he has contentment, which is great gain indeed; for, though he may seem to have nothing, he possesses all things; and has all things given him richly to enjoy, even all things pertaining to life and godliness; and at death, when his soul is separated from his body, it shall enter into rest, and be in perfect peace; it shall lie in Abraham's bosom, and in the arms of Jesus, during the night of the grave, until the resurrection morn, when the body will be raised and united to it, and both will dwell in perfect happiness to all eternity;

and his seed shall inherit the earth; that is, those who tread in the same steps, and fear the Lord as he does; these shall possess the good things of this world, which is theirs, in a comfortable way, as their Father's gift, as covenant mercies, and in love; though it may be but a small portion that they have of them; or rather they shall inherit the new heavens and earth, wherein will dwell only righteous persons, meek ones, and such as fear the Lord, Matthew 5:5; and this they shall inherit for a thousand years, and afterwards the land afar off, the better country, the ultimate glory to all eternity.

(f) "in bono", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, &c. so Ainsworth.

Geneva Study Bible

His soul shall dwell at {l} ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

(l) He will prosper both in spiritual and corporal things.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. Temporal blessings are in store for him. He himself shall continue in prosperity; and his posterity after him shall inherit the land (R.V.), in accordance with the promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:7-8), and Israel (Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 26:3 ff.; Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 4:40; &c.). Cp. Psalm 37:11; Proverbs 2:21-22; and the N.T. counterpart, Matthew 5:5.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - His soul shall dwell at case; rather, his soul shall dwell in bliss; i.e. he shall enjoy, while on earth, blessings of every kind. And his seed shall inherit the earth. His posterity after him shall be continued upon the earth, and shall prosper (comp. Psalm 37:11, 22, 29). There is a tendency in righteousness to "inherit the earth," only held in check by accidental and (it may be) temporary circumstances (see Butler's' Analogy,' pt. 1. ch. 3, pp. 78, 79). Psalm 25:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The verb לין (לוּן), probably equivalent to ליל (from ליל) signifies to tarry the night, to lodge. Good, i.e., inward and outward prosperity, is like the place where such an one turns in and finds shelter and protection. And in his posterity will be fulfilled what was promised to the patriarchs and to the people delivered from Egypt, viz., possession of the land, or as this promise runs in the New Testament, of the earth, Matthew 5:5 (cf. Psalm 37:11), Revelation 5:10.