Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
Be not hasty. The Hebrew (Niphal voice: tibaaheel (H926)) means literally, 'Be not terror-struck, so as to go out of His sight.' The Piel tebaheel, which some copies read, is more commonly used as 'Be hasty.' To be slavishly 'terror-struck' is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God: he vainly tries, like Jonah (Jonah 1:3), in hasty panic, to flee out of His sight (Psalms 139:7); opposed to the 'shining face' of filial confidence (Ecclesiastes 8:1; John 8:33-36; Romans 8:2; 1 John 4:18).
Stand not in an evil thing - persist not in it. Hengstenberg explains as in Psalms 1:1, "nor standeth in the way of sinners:" allow not thyself to be seduced by suffering into the paths of sin, into despair of God, and endeavours to work out thy deliverance in thine own strength and way (Psalms 37:8). Sin is an evil spot on which we should not take our post. The reason follows: It is fatal by our impatience to make the Omnipotent One our enemy.
Whatsoever pleaseth him. God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners (Job 23:13; Psalms 115:3). True of none except God.