Psalms 10:15

15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer; seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

Psalms 10:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 10:15

Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil [man]
His power and strength, so that he shall not be able to hold the sword, to strike a blow, or do any hurt to the people of God; see ( Ezekiel 30:21-25 ) . This prayer is in some measure already fulfilled in antichrist, the man of sin, or pope of Rome; though his kingdom is not broke to pieces; as it will be when Christ's kingdom shall be more visibly set up, to which reference is had in ( Psalms 10:16 ) ; see ( Daniel 2:44 ) ; yet his strength is weakened, his arm is broken, he has not the power he had, nor can he tyrannise and do the mischief he once did: "but as [for] the evil man" {m}, for so the words should be read, there being an "athnach" under the word "wicked", which ends the proposition there:

seek out his wickedness [till] thou find none;
which designs a thorough search after sin, full punishment of it, and the entire ruin and destruction of the wicked; and the sense is, that God would make a strict inquiry into the wickedness of the man of sin, which he promised himself he would not, ( Psalms 10:13 ) ; and that he would punish him and his followers to the uttermost for it, until there should not be one of the antichristian party found upon earth; with which sense agrees ( Psalms 10:16 ) ; see ( Psalms 104:35 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (erw) "improbum quod attinet, requiras" Gejerus; so Michaelis.

Psalms 10:15 In-Context

13 Why does the wicked renounce God, and say in his heart, "Thou wilt not call to account"?
14 Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation, that thou mayest take it into thy hands; the hapless commits himself to thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer; seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 The LORD is king for ever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land.
17 O LORD, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek; thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.