Psalms 50:18

18 When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him, and your association [is] with adulterers.

Psalms 50:18 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 50:18

When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him
Or "didst run with him" F1; joined and agreed with him in the commission of the same things; which was literally true of the Scribes and Pharisees: they devoured widows' houses, and robbed them of their substance, under a pretence of long prayers; they consented to the deeds of Barabbas, a robber, when they preferred him to Jesus Christ; and they joined with the thieves on the cross in reviling him: and, in a spiritual sense, they stole away the word of the Lord, every man from his neighbour; took away the key of knowledge from the people, and put false glosses upon the sacred writings;

and hast been a partaker with adulterers;
these teachers of the law were guilty both of theft and adultery, ( Romans 2:21 Romans 2:22 ) ; they are called by our Lord an adulterous generation, ( Matthew 12:39 ) ; and they were so in a literal sense; see ( John 8:4-9 ) ; and in a figurative one, adulterating the word of God, and handling it deceitfully.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wme Urt) (sunetrecev autw) , Sept. "currebas cum eo", V. L. sic Eth. Syr. Targum, so Vatablus, Musculus, Piscator, Ainsworth.

Psalms 50:18 In-Context

16 But to the wicked God says, "What [right] have you to recite my statutes and {mention my covenant with your mouth},
17 while you yourself hate discipline, and cast my words behind you?
18 When you see a thief, then you are pleased with him, and your association [is] with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth free rein for evil, and you harness your tongue to deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your mother's son.
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.