The Lord is good] 'good' is the initial word of each v. in this group. Goodness to the poet is an essential attribute of Jehovah and the basis of his hope. He is too good to keep them always in despair. Should both hope and quietly wait] lit. 'should wait and in silence'; quiet waiting being the pre-requisite of perceiving that God is good. Yoke] discipline, or work that is irksome, compulsory and painful. These vv. have the ring of autobiography.
28-30. The leading verbs in this triplet are to be taken hortatively, as RV 'Let him sit,' 'put,' 'give,' the argument being that yoke-bearing in order to be beneficial must be submitted to willingly. Hath borne] RV 'hath laid.' Giveth his cheek] the climax of patience is reached when suffering that comes through human agency is borne without murmuring.
31-33. Three grounds are given for resignation: (1) because chastisement is only temporary (Psalms 77:7; Jeremiah 3:5; Jeremiah 3:12); (2) because by nature God is merciful, and therefore the distress sent will not exceed what is absolutely necessary (Isaiah 54:8); (3) because all affliction is against His will, hence God cannot commit an injustice.
34-36. In this triplet the order of thought is transposed to accommodate the alphabetic structure. The teaching is, the Lord approveth not, (1) of cruelty to prisoners in war, as Nebuchadnezzar to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; (2) of perverting justice in court (Exodus 23:6); (3) of dishonesty in private business (Exodus 22:8-9).
37-39. This group rounds out the thought of the section: each v. contains a separate interrogation: (1) Who can command and bring to pass except Adonai? (Psalms 33:9). (2) Do not evil (i.e. suffering) and good alike proceed from God? (Amos 3:6; Isaiah 45:7). (3) Why should a man who still lives complain when he is only being punished for his sins? (Jeremiah 45:5). A living man] The word 'living' is emphatic. Life in itself is more than the sinner merits. Instead of having been over-paid, he is not even paid in full: for 'the wages of sin is death' (Romans 6:23). The poet is here championing the divine cause.
40-54. Exhortations to repent and confess.