Psalm 76:8 You did cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, In this verse we have a lively description and amplification of the judgments of God upon the world, which are hero set forth unto us under a threefold representation of them. First, in their preparation. Secondly, in their execution. Thirdly, in their participation. I. THE PREPARATION. 1. The vessel — a cup. By this we may understand whatsoever it is which is the means, and conveyance, and derivation of any evil unto us. God makes the same providences to be a cup of physic to His children, for the recovering of them from their spiritual infirmities, and a cup of poison to His enemies, for the destroying of them, in the midst of their sins. 2. The liquor. (1) Red wine — a cup of blood prepared for the inhabitants of the world, as an expression of God's vengeance upon them. (2) Full of mixture, i.e. wrath and revenge. 3. The preparer — God Himself. II. THE EXECUTION. God will not be always in the forewarnings of judgment, He will be at last in the dispensations of it. He will not be always tempering it, He will be at last pouring out of it. The Lord is full of patience and longsuffering, and bears much with the sons of men for a long while together; but when His patience and longsuffering is once abused, He then comes on to punishment and execution. And this I say it is, when sin is come to its ripeness and maturity, and is at its full growth. There are three aggravations of sin which do put God upon the execution of judgment, and this pouring forth of wrath. 1. Boldness and insolence in sinning (Jeremiah 8:12). 2. Generality in sinning; when it comes to taint and overspread a whole nation. 3. Security and presumption. III. THE PARTICIPATION. 1. The persons mentioned. "The wicked of the earth," that is, such as are more scandalous, and presumptuous, and impenitent, and farthest from reformation; such as those who, for the nature of sin, are more abominable, and for the continuance in it, are more incorrigible; these are they which the Holy Ghost does here point at in a more principal manner. 2. The evil denounced against them. (1) The potion or draught itself, it is the dregs of the cup. This is the potion of wicked men, while 'tis said they shall drink the dregs, there are three things implied in this expression as belonging unto it. (a) The reservation of judgment, they shall drink the last. (b) The aggravation of judgment, they shall drink the worst. (c) The perfection and confirmation of judgment, they shall drink up all. They shall drink the last, they shall drink the worst, they shall drink all; each of these are implied in the dregs. (T. Horton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,WEB: You pronounced judgment from heaven. The earth feared, and was silent, |
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