Psalm 69:28

Verse 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living. All the Israelites who came up out of Egypt were put down in a muster roll of the living, called "the writing of the house of Israel" ( Ezekiel 13:9 ), and "the book of life." Those who had died were excluded when the names were written out afresh each year. They were, thereby, consigned to oblivion ( Proverbs 10:7 ). Hence, the book of life was used as an image for God's book of predestination to eternal life ( Psalms 139:16 Exodus 32:32 Psalms 87:6 Daniel 12:1 Philippians 4:3 Revelation 17:8 13:8 Revelation 21:27 ; Luke 10:20 ). The book of life, in the human point of view, has names written in it who have a name to live, but are dead, being in it only by external call, or in their own estimation, and in that of others. But, in the divine point of view, it contains only those who are elected finally to life. The former may be blotted out, as was Judas ( Revelation 3:5 Matthew 13:12 25:29 7:23 Exodus 32:33 ); but the latter never ( Revelation 20:12 Revelation 20:15 John 10:28-29 Acts 13:48 ). A. R. Fausset.

Verse 28. Let them be wiped out, etc. This verse alludes to the ancient Jewish practice of recording the names of the inhabitants of every division, or tribe, of the people, in a volume somewhat similar to the Dom-boc of the Saxons. See Luke 2:1 . The names of those who died were blotted out or wiped out, and appeared no longer on the list of the living. Such a book is attributed to God in Psalms 139:16 : and the blotting out of Moses from God's book, in Exodus 32:32 , is a figurative expression, for depriving him of life. Richard Warner.

Verse 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, etc. We come to the question, Whether to be written in heaven be an infallible assurance of salvation; or, whether any there registered may come to be blotted out? The truth is, that none written in heaven can ever be lost; yet they object against it this verse. Hence, they infer, that some names once there recorded are afterwards put out; but this opinion casteth a double aspersion on God himself. Either it makes him ignorant of future things, as if he foresaw not the end of elect and reprobate, and so were deceived in decreeing some to be saved that shall not be saved; or, that his decree is mutable, in excluding those upon their sins whom he hath formerly chosen. From both these weaknesses St. Paul vindicates him ( 2 Timothy 2:19 ): "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." First, "The Lord knows them that are his;" this were not true if God's prescience could be deluded. Then, his "foundation stands sure;" but that were no sure foundation, if those he hath decreed to be his should afterwards fall out not to be his. The very conclusion of truth is this impossibilis est deletio; they which are "written in heaven" can never come into hell. To clear this from the opposed doubt, among many, I will cull out three proper distinctions: --

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

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