Psalms 50:18

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker 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 declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil, And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother's son.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Septuagint, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read run.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.