He shall stand at the right hand of the poor— That is, to defend, and plead for him. As the accuser stood at the right hand, Psalms 109:6 so shall God also stand there, as this poor and distressed man's advocate, to maintain him against the injurious charge brought against him. The word condemn should rather be rendered oppose, or pursue his soul, or life, i.e. plead against him, so as to call his life in question. Though it was in war, not in judicature, that David's enemies thus contended with him, yet one of these is poetically expressed by the other; their hostile opposition, by words which are only forensic.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Psalmist, in the person of the Messiah, addresses his prayer to God, under the oppressions of the wicked.
1. He lodges his appeal with God, under the calumnies of his enemies. Hold not thy peace, as if disregarding his sufferings, O God of my praise or my glorying; for even the Lord Jesus, as man, regarded his father as the object of his worship and glory.
2. He describes the invenomed malice of his enemies, from whose violence he sought deliverance. Wicked in temper and practice, deceitful, with fairest professions covering the blackest designs; liars, whose tongues distilled poison into the incautious ear; filled with hatred, restlesly bent on mischief, they compassed him about; and violent, they with causeless rage fought against him; returned his love with ingratitude and enmity, and rendered evil for the good he shewed them. Thus was Jesus treated; reviled, traduced, betrayed by him who called him master, but sought only to ensnare him: things laid to his charge that he knew not; persecuted, though innocent, with the most implacable vengeance; all his love repaid with hatred; and the astonishing miracles of kindness that he wrought exasperating the resentment of his enemies, and returned by an ignominious crucifixion.
3. Under these trials, prayer was his recourse. I give myself unto prayer, or I am a man of prayer; herein he exercised himself day and night, and even on the cross ceased not to cry, "Father, forgive them." May we learn of our divine Lord thus to pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us!
2nd, They who have blamed David's spirit, as if he appeared vindictive, have mistaken him greatly. When he speaks as a prophet, he foresees and foretels what would be the end of the wicked: when he speaks in the person of the Son of God, he denounces the just judgment due to the children of perdition. Terrible are the woes herein contained; Judas felt them: may we never, by like transgressions, provoke the same punishment.
3rdly, We have the Incarnate Redeemer's complaint and prayer, and his joy in being heard and answered.
1. His condition is very distressing: poor and needy, born in a stable, and having no place to lay his head; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; his heart wounded with bitterest indignities, and more deeply still with the wrath of God due to the sins that he bore: hurried to the grave by a violent death, as the declining shadow: tossed to and fro, from Pilate to Herod, from Annas to Caiaphas: weak with fasting, and his body emaciated: reproached as a Samaritan, a magician, a mover of sedition, and, even on the cross, insulted by those who shook their heads at him, mocking at his high pretensions of being the Son of God. Note; If our Head thus suffered, let not his members murmur at their lot, under the pressures of poverty, a decaying body, or a reviling world: Jesus hath endured the cross before us.
2. His prayer is very importunate. Deliver, help, and save me: and to this end he pleads God's own glory concerned in vindicating his righteous cause; his mercy, ever ready to succour the poor destitute. Such interposition also would carry conviction of God's interesting himself on his behalf; others would acknowledge his hand, and these enemies themselves be confounded and ashamed: ashamed as penitent; or confounded as criminals. Thus, if God helped and blessed him, he could sit easy under the curses of his enemies, well knowing how impotent they were, and only big with vengeance on themselves. Note; (1.) If God bless us, we need not care how much men curse us. (2.) All our hope must be placed on God's boundless mercy and grace: he alone can help and save us, not we ourselves.
3. His joy is great in the Lord. Among the multitude he will lift up his voice; yea, aloud his praises shall be heard for this great salvation of God. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, his Messiah, and all his poor people, to support and protect them; to save him from those that condemn his soul; as he did when he raised up Jesus from the dead, and set him at his own right hand; and as he will do with all his persecuted, faithful, and suffering disciples at the last day, when none shall appear to lay one charge against them, and all their former adversaries shall be found liars.