Psalms 89:41

Psa 89:41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

Ver. 41. All that pass by the way spoil him] They rob and rifle him: such havoc was made by Shisbak, and is still by the Church’s enemies, Heb 10:34.

He is a reproach to his neighbours] Who now look upon him as a king of clouts, and ask, Where is his invincible majesty?

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

42. (Psa 89:41) All spoil him that pass by the way; he has become a contempt to his neighbours. With the first clause compare Psa 80:12); with the last, Psa 80:6. These resemblances prove nothing as to the relative antiquity of the two psalms, or the date of either. The figure is more fully carried out in Psalms 80, but this no more proves that to be the original than it proves it to be the copy. If any such conclusion were legitimate, it would. be easier to account for the amplification of the hint here thrown out by a later writer, than for the omission, in the case before us, of so many fine strokes in that admirable apologue. A contempt, an object of supercilious pity and disdainful wonder.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 41. All that pass by the way spoil him.] The land is in the condition of a vineyard, the hedge of which is broken down, so that they who pass by may pull the grapes, and dismantle or tear down the vines. The Chaldeans and the Assyrians began the ravage; the Samaritans on the one hand, and the Idumeans on the other, have completed it.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

41. The first line from Psa_80:12, with the substitution of spoil for pluck: the second from Psa_79:4; cp. Psa_44:13. The ‘neighbours’ are surrounding nations, once tributary to Israel.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries,.... Suffered them to become powerful, and to prevail against him; as the wicked Jews, and Satan, and his principalities and powers, at the time of Christ's apprehension, crucifixion, and death; for then were their hour, and the power of darkness, Luk 22:53, death also had dominion over him, and held him under the power of it for awhile: the enemies of his interest, Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal, have, in their turns, had their right hands set up, and have had power, and prevailed over it; and the latter will again, at the slaying of the witnesses: all which, though it seems contrary to Psa 89:21, yet is not; for Satan, though he bruised Christ's heel, yet Christ bruised his head, destroyed his works, and him himself, and that by dying; and spoiled his principalities and powers; and death could not hold him long, nor has it now any dominion over him, and is abolished by him; and antichrist, and all the antichristian powers, will be destroyed by him ere long:

thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice; as they did when they had got him on the cross; and especially when he was laid in the grave, Psa 22:7, and as the antichristian party will when his witnesses are slain, Rev 11:10, but as the joy of the former was short lived, and was soon turned into sorrow, so will be that of the latter.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

All that pass by the way spoil him - The sentiment here is substantially the same as in Psa 80:12. See the notes at that place. The idea is that of fields or vineyards, where all the fences, the walls, and the hedges are thrown down so that they become like an open common.

He is a reproach to his neighbors - An object of ridicule, as if he were forsaken by God; as if east out and despised.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

An object of their scorn and reproach. Is this the anointed of the Lord? Is this the everlasting family and kingdom?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 41. All that pass by the way spoil him. Idle passers by, who have nothing else to do, must needs have a pluck at this vine, and they do it without difficulty, since the hedges are gone. Woe is the day when every petty reasoner has an argument against religion, and men in their cups are fluent with objections against the gospel of Jesus. Although Jesus on the cross is nothing to them, and they pass him by without inquiring into what he has done for them, yet they can loiter as long as you will, if there be but the hope of driving another nail into his hands and helping to crucify the Lord afresh. They will not touch him with the finger of faith, but they pluck at him with the hand of malice.

He is a reproach to his neighbours. David's successors had unneighbourly neighbours, who were a reproach to good fellowship, because they were so ready to reproach their neighbour. The Jews were much taunted by the surrounding Gentiles when at any time they fell into trouble. At this time the people of God, who follow the Lord fully, are subject to a thousand reproaches, and some of them of the most bitter kind. These reproaches are really the reproach of Christ, and, at bottom, are meant for him. Shall it always be so? Shall he, who deserves to be universally adored, be subject to general scorn? Where, then, O God, is thy faithfulness to thy covenant?

Psalms 89:42*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

41. All that pass by the way spoil him—So destitute is he of either military defences or protective government, that even the casual traveller, as he goes along, makes free plunder of his substance.

Neighbours— Bordering tribes and nations.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All that pass by the way spoil him. This feature of the situation recalls 2Ki_24:2, but might, no doubt, suit also other times of distress. He is a reproach to his neighbours; or, "he is become a reproach". (comp. Neh_1:3 Neh_2:17 Psa_44:13 Psa_79:4, etc.)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

to his neighbors

Here "neighbors" means people of nearby nations.

raised the right hand of his enemies

Here "right hand" represents power. To "raise the right hand" means that Yahweh has made his enemies strong enough to defeat God's chosen king. (See: Metonymy and Symbolic Action)

turn back the edge of his sword

Here "sword" represents the king's power in battle. To turn the sword back represents making the king unable to win in battle. (See: Metonymy and Idiom)

the edge of his sword

Here "edge" represents the whole sword. AT: "his sword" (See: Synecdoche)

have not made him stand when in battle

Here "stand" represents being victorious in battle. AT: "You have not helped him to be victorious in battle" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

neighbor

raise

right hand

joy

sword

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

all his fences which he built in Jerusalem.

his fortifications The Temple Mount and the stronghold of Zion.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.