For I was envious at the foolish,.... The atheists, as in
Psalms 14:1, who deny the creation, as Arama; the wicked, as after explained, as all wicked men are, how wise soever they may be in things natural and civil, yet in religious things, in things of a spiritual nature, they have no understanding; they are proud boasters, glory in themselves, and in their outward attainments, as the word d here used signifies; the external happiness of these, their riches, health, and ease, were envied by the psalmist; see Psalms 37:1,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, or "the peace of the wicked" e; with an evil eye. This was the occasion of his slip and fall, this was the temptation he was left unto for a while.
d בהוללים "in arrogantes", Gejerus; "stolide gloriosos", Michaelis; "at vain glorious fools", Ainsworth. e שלום "pacem", Pagninus, Musculus, Piscator.