The lot of the righteous.
The previous verses have told how secure it is; these add other facts concerning it.
I. THE ROD OF THE WICKED SHALL NOT REST UPON IT.
1. It may come upon the righteous. Often had done so; but it should not continue. It has been thought that reference is made here to the troubles of the righteous Nehemiah, by reason of the opposition and treachery he had to meet with (see Nehemiah 2:16; Nehemiah 6:10-14, Nehemiah 6:17). It may be so; but the truth is ever applicable.
2. If it continue outwardly, it will not inwardly. With the wicked, when suffering comes, there is no alleviation, no blessed peace of God, no communion with him, no bright hope, no sustaining Holy Spirit. But these are all in the lot of the righteous. God's saints have ever enjoyed them. Hence it matters but little, if the inward grace be given, whether the outward rod be removed or no.
3. But it generally is removed both outwardly and inwardly. It is not suffered to be permanent. The troubles of the righteous are but as going through a tunnel; it may be very long and very dark and very drear, but it is only a tunnel, and ere long the light is reached again.
II. GOD WILL NOT SUFFER THEM TO BE TEMPTED ABOVE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO BEAR. This is the reason given why "the rod of the wicked shall not rest," etc.
1. There are other reasons. God's love for his people. He has no pleasure in their pain. No, but in their affliction he is afflicted. Hence "he will not always chide," etc. (Psalms 103:1-22.). Then, because they are in Christ (cf. Romans 8:1).
2. But there is this reason also. It would defeat the very end God has in view. He desires his people to be perfected in righteousness. But if the "rest of the wicked" always "rested," etc.—that unmitigated, unalleviated rod—it would be more than our poor frail humanity could bear. The righteous would be discouraged, and this would be fatal to them, as it ever is. The condition of fidelity is to be strong and of a good courage.
III. THEIR LOT WILL BECOME BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER. (Verse 4.) The prayer simply states what is God's perpetual way. He is good to them that are good, adding ever to his grace (Proverbs 4:18).
IV. BUT MUST NEVER BE DEPARTED FROM. To turn aside from it is certain misery (verse 5). The most wretched souls on the face of the earth are those that have turned aside from God to wicked ways, such as are all the ways of sin.—S.C.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK