Psalm 50:18

18 If thou hast seen a thief, Then thou art pleased with him, And with adulterers [is] thy portion.

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.

---

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 And to the wicked hath God said: What to thee -- to recount My statutes? That thou liftest up My covenant on thy mouth?

17 Yea, thou hast hated instruction, And dost cast My words behind thee.

18 If thou hast seen a thief, Then thou art pleased with him, And with adulterers [is] thy portion.

19 Thy mouth thou hast sent forth with evil, And thy tongue joineth deceit together,

20 Thou sittest, against thy brother thou speakest, Against a son of thy mother givest slander.