Psalms 62:10

10 Do not ye have hope in wickedness, and do not ye covet ravens; if riches be plenteous, do not ye set the heart thereto. (Do not ye have trust in wickedness, and do not ye desire, or lust after, stolen goods; if riches be plentiful, do not ye set your heart on it.)

Psalms 62:10 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 62:10

Trust not in oppression
Either in the power of oppressing others; see ( Isaiah 30:12 ) ; or in riches gotten by oppression, which being put into a man's hand by his friend, he keeps, and will not return them; so Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it of mammon unlawfully obtained; mammon of unrighteousness, or unrighteous mammon; see ( Jeremiah 17:11 ) ;

and become not vain in robbery;
in riches gotten by open rapine and theft; and men become vain herein when they boast of such riches, place their confidence in them, and think to make atonement for their sins by burnt sacrifices purchased with them, ( Isaiah 61:8 ) ;

if riches increase;
in a lawful way, in such manner as the fruits of the earth do, as the word F13 used signifies: if they increase in great abundance from a little, as from one grain of corn many proceed; and insensibly, as the seed sown grows up, a man knows not how, through diligence and the blessing of God from heaven;

set not your heart [upon them];
your affections on them; they are ensnaring, they are apt to take the heart from God, to draw off the affections from Christ and things above, to choke the word, and lead into many temptations and harmful lusts; let not your hearts be elated, or lifted up with them; be not highminded, or filled with pride and vanity on account of them; nor put any trust in them, for they are uncertain things. Jarchi interprets it of the increase of the riches of others; see ( Psalms 49:16 Psalms 49:17 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (bwny) "cum pullulaverit", Montanus; "efflorescunt", Cocceius; "germinant, fructificant", Amama.

Psalms 62:10 In-Context

8 All the gathering together of the people, hope ye in God, pour ye out your hearts before him; God is our helper [into] without end (All the gathering together of the people, trust ye in God, pour ye out your hearts before him; God shall be our helper forever.)
9 Nevertheless the sons of men be (all in) vain; the sons of men be liars in balances, that they deceive of vanity into the same thing. (Nevertheless the lives of the sons and daughters of men be but a puff of air; yea, the sons and daughters of men all be liars, and if you put them on a balance, their lives shall be lighter than a breath, or a puff of air.)
10 Do not ye have hope in wickedness, and do not ye covet ravens; if riches be plenteous, do not ye set the heart thereto. (Do not ye have trust in wickedness, and do not ye desire, or lust after, stolen goods; if riches be plentiful, do not ye set your heart on it.)
11 God spake once, I heard these two things; that power is of God (that power belongeth to God),
12 and, thou Lord, mercy is to thee; for thou shalt yield to each man by his works. (and, O Lord, that true love is from thee; for thou shalt yield to each person according to his works.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.