Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Ver. 18. Lo, he put no trust in his servants, &c.] Those menial, domestic servants of his, the holy angels that wait upon him, and are at his hand to do his will. Servant is a name of office; and they delight rather to be called angels (that is, messengers) and ministering spirits, than principalities, thrones, dominions, &c. Now in these God put no trust, he found no such cause to confide in them, because not perfectly sure and loyal to him, further than upheld and assisted by himself. The Vulgate Latin hath it thus, They that serve him are not stable; that is, the good angels are not stable by their own strength, but by God's stablishing of thereto stand when others fell. Hence, Psalms 68:17, the angels are called Shinan, as God's seconds, say some; the nobles of that court, the very next unto him; but others say they are so called from their changeable state, now taken away by Christ, under whom they are as a head of government, of influence, of confirmation, but not of redemption, as we. Christ, as God, giveth them their being, and all their excellencies. As mediator, also, he maketh use of their ministry, for the safe guard and comfort of his people.
And his angels he charged with folly] That is, he spared not the angels that sinned, as St Peter expounds it, 2 Peter 2:4. Their sin is said to be folly, that is, pride and self confidence. How this folly and madness of theirs (depravity, the Vulgate rendereth it) shows itself, whether in affecting a divinity, or in envy stirred up by the decree of exalting man's nature above angels in and by Christ, and appointing them to be good men's guardians, which office they scorned; or whether their pride appeared by transgressing some commandments in particular, not expressed, as Adam's was, it is hard to say. Sure it is, that they abode not in the truth, that they kept not their station, &c.; and that the good angels stand, and are out of danger of ever falling, it is of divine grace. Hence, Exodus 25:19, the cherubims stand upon the mercy seat, and are made of the matter thereof.