Psalms 69:23 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Their eyes; not the eyes of their bodies, (for so this was not accomplished in David's nor in Christ's enemies,) but of their minds, that they may not discern God's truth, nor their own duty, nor the way of peace and salvation. Punish them in their own kind; as they shut their eyes and would not see, so do thou judicially blind them. This was threatened and inflicted upon the Jews, Isaiah 6:10 1 Thessalonians 12:39,40. Their loins: this also belongs to the loins of their minds or souls; of which we read Luke 12:35 1 Peter 1:13. The loins of the body are the seat of strength, and the great instrument of bodily motions and actions; which being applied to the mind, the sense may be, either,

1. Take away their courage and alacrity, and give them up to pusillanimity, and terror, and despair; or rather,

2. Take away their strength and ability for spiritual actions. In the former branch, he wisheth that they may not be able to see or choose their way; and here, that they may not be able to walk in it, nor to execute the good counsels which others may give them. As, on the other side, when God gives men strength, they are able not only to walk, but to run in the ways of God, Psalms 119:32 Song of Solomon 1:4 Isaiah 40:31.

Psalms 69:23

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.