For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous
The way in which he walks by faith, which is in Jesus Christ; the
way in which he goes to the Father, and carries to him his
sacrifices of prayer and praise, which meet with acceptance
through him; the way in which he seeks for and expects
justification, pardon, and salvation, namely, through the blood,
righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ: and also it may denote
his course, his walk and conversation; for the righteous man is a
follower of God, he takes up the cross and follows after Christ:
he walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, according to
the rule of the word, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ: and
this way of his in every sense the Lord "knows"; not merely as he
is omniscient, for by his omniscience his eyes are upon the ways
of all men; he knows the way of the wicked as well as the way of
the righteous; but the sense is, that the Lord approves of and is
well pleased with his way of faith and holiness; he knows this
person, so as to love him and take delight and pleasure in him;
his countenance beholds him with a smile; he is well pleased with
him in Christ and for his sake, on whose account he has respect
to him and to his offerings, to his service and duty, to his ways
and works; and hence he is a blessed man, is in a happy
situation, and all he does prospers, for he and his ways please
the Lord: and hence also it is that neither he nor his way shall
perish; the way he is in leads to everlasting life, and he being
a follower of the Lord in a way pleasing to him, he shall never
perish, but have eternal life;
but the way of the ungodly shall perish;
for his way is a wicked way, the way of sinners, ( Psalms 1:1 ) ; it leads
to destruction and death, and all that walk in it shall perish;
for if is a way the Lord knows not, does not approve of, he
abhors it; wherefore the man that continues in it will be
unhappy, wretched, and miserable to all eternity. These last
words therefore show the reason of the happiness of one sort of
men, and the unhappiness of the other; and prove and confirm the
same: the Lord knows, approves of, loves, and delights in the
one; he does not approve of and delight in the other.