Psalms 50:18

18 (49-18) If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.

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 (49-16) But to the sinner God hath said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth?
17 (49-17) Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.
18 (49-18) If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.
19 (49-19) Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue framed deceits.
20 (49-20) Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother’s son:
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