‘For the unrighteous man boasts of his heart's desire,
And the man who is greedy for gain renounces, yes, passes judgment on YHWH.
The wicked, in the pride of his demeanour, says, He will not require it.
All his thoughts are, There is no God.
His ways are fixed at all times;
Your judgments are far above out of his sight.
As for all his adversaries, he puffs at them.
He says in his heart, I will not be moved;
To all generations I will not be in adversity.
With deep insight the psalmist recognises that the behaviour of the unrighteous reveals their true attitude to God, whatever their outward protestations. What a man thinks in his heart, that is what he is (Proverbs 23:7). So here he sees these unrighteous men as actually stating by their behaviour that they take no heed to YHWH's judgments, and do not believe that He will call them to account for their failure to observe them. In fact basically they are saying in their hearts, ‘There is no God'.
The arrogance of the modern day is vividly portrayed here. Boasting, greedy, ignoring God's word, fixed in their own ways, closing their hearts against God's requirements, puffing at those who contend with them, and declaring that nothing can stop them in their ways. It is God's photograph of society. But in the final analysis they will be proved wrong, for in the end righteousness will triumph (Psalms 10:15-18).
‘The unrighteous man boasts of his heart's desire.' Godless men set their hearts and thoughts on what they want, and not on what God wants, and openly boast about it. There is no submissiveness to God, but a determination to get what they want in any way they can. This is the competitive society with a vengeance, but the point is that they do it without regard for others, and without regard to God, except possibly by a passing reference as a sop to the godly.
‘And the man who is greedy for gain renounces, yes, passes judgment on YHWH.' The deceitfulness of riches chokes the word and it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4:19). Those seized by a desire to possess and to be rich, or even ‘well off', put God's will to one side in their pursuit. The desire for gain and wealth possesses them. Thus in effect they renounce YHWH and His requirements, and the Instruction He has given man in His Law, and declare that God's ways are wrong, and thrust Him away, and even pass judgment on Him and His ways, whatever the outward appearance of piety.
We can, however, equally translate as - ‘For the unrighteous praises his heart's desire, and blesses the covetous whom YHWH despises.' The basic idea is the same but brings out more their hypocrisy. They make out that evil is good, and that their greed is right. Compare Isaiah 5:20.
‘The wicked man, in the pride of his demeanour, says, “He will not require it.” All his thoughts are, “There is no God.” His ways are fixed at all times. Your judgments are far above out of his sight.' Those who take little notice of God's requirements are really declaring that they do not believe that He will call them to account. They are really saying that God is not there (Psalms 14:1). So they are set in their own ways and blind to His judgments for He is in Heaven and they are on the earth. Thus His judgments are far above them and beyond them. For all practical purposes they are atheists. To them the idea of retribution is far away.
‘As for all his adversaries, he puffs (sniffs) at them. He says in his heart, I will not be moved. To all generations I will not be in adversity.' His attitude towards God continues through into his attitude towards his fellow-man. He treats his competitors and opponents lightly and with a certain contempt. He is confident that he is so firmly established that he can cope with them and that nothing can halt his future plans, or the prosperity of his descendants. He has no fears at all for the future. The remainder of the Old Testament only reveals his folly.