Psalm 50:18

18 If thou sawest a thief, thou rannest along with him, and hast cast in thy lot with adulterers.

Psalm 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalm 50:18 In-Context

16 But to the sinner God has said, Why dost thou declare my ordinances, and take up my covenant in thy mouth?

17 Whereas thou hast hated instruction, and hast cast my words behind thee.

18 If thou sawest a thief, thou rannest along with him, and hast cast in thy lot with adulterers.

19 Thy mouth has multiplied wickedness, and thy tongue has framed deceit.

20 Thou didst sit and speak against thy brother, and didst scandalize thy mother’s son.