Psalms 52:7

WEB

"Behold, this is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."

KJV

Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

Commentary

Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength,.... The Targum renders it, "that made not the Word of the Lord his strength". These are the words the righteous would say, when they should see the destruction of Doeg: see the man, the mighty man, and his end; what all his ill gotten honour and riches are come to; and what his wickedness, deceit, and cru elty, have brought upon him. The righteous make the Lord their strength, put their trust in him, in whom is everlasting strength; do all they do in his strength; fly to him as their "strong hold", as the word (b) may be rendered; thither they run, and are safe: but the rich man's wealth is his strong city, Pro 18:10 ; there he thinks himself safe, and places his confidence in it, as follows: but trusted in the abundance of his riches; See Gill on Psa 49:6 ; so the antichristian whore is represented as boasting of her riches and honour, and trusting in them, that they would always continue, Rev 18:7 ; like the fool in Luk 12:19 ; and strengthened himself in his wickedness; encouraged and hardened himself in sin, gave up himself to it; and, by art obstinate continuance in it, strengthened the vicious habits contracted; stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty; went on in a daring manner, promising himself impunity; and as if his wickedness was his strength, his safeguard and protection: or in his mammon, his wealth and substance; as the Targum interprets it; and so R. Saadiah Gaon (c), and with which the Syriac version agrees; and then the sense is the same with the other clause. But, alas! what are all such forces of strength, when wrath comes forth from the Lord of hosts? Job 36:18 . (b) "arcem suam", Cocceius; "presidium, munimemtum", Michaelis. (c) Apud Kimchi in loc.