For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Ver. 16. For a just man falleth seven times,] i.e., Often. Seven times a day, as the Vulgate and many of the Fathers read it, who also understand this text as falling into sin, and rising again by repentance. But the opposition carries it to the other sense, of falling into trouble. And the next verse speaks as much, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth." God's saints are bound to "rejoice when they fall into divers temptations." Jam 1:2 What though they fall into them? not go in step by step, but be precipitated, plunged over head and ears. Say they fall not into one but many crosses, - as they seldom come single, but like Job's messengers, one at the heels of another, - yet be exceeding glad, saith the apostle; as a merchant is to see his ships come laden in. For, "though ye fall, ye shall arise; and though ye sit in darkness, the Lord shall give you light." Mic 7:8
But the wicked shall fall into mischief,] i.e., Into remediless misery. Non surget hic afflictio Nah 1:9 As they shall have an evil, an only evil without mixture of mercy, Eze 7:5 so they shall totally and finally be consumed at once. If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom Haman hath begun to fall, he shall fall to some purpose. Est 6:13 A Jew may fall before a Persian, and get up and prevail; but if a Persian or other persecutor begin to fall before a Jew, he can neither stay nor rise. There is an invisible hand of omnipotence that strikes in for his own, and confounds their opposites.