71:17. Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him. 71:18. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things. 71:19. And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it. 71:20. The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. Are ended. . .By this it appears that this psalm, though placed here, was in order of time the last of those which David composed. Psalms Chapter 72 Quam bonus Israel Deus. The temptation of the weak, upon seeing the prosperity of the wicked, is overcome by the consideration of the justice of God, who will quickly render to every one according to his works. 72:1. A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart! 72:2. But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped. 72:3. Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners. 72:4. For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes. 72:5. They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men. 72:6. Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness. 72:7. Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart. Fatness. . .Abundance and temporal prosperity, which hath encouraged them in their iniquity: and made them give themselves up to their irregular affections. 72:8. They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high. 72:9. They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth. 72:10. Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them. Return here. . .or hither. The weak among the servants of God, will be apt often to return to this thought, and will be shocked when they consider the full days, that is, the long and prosperous life of the wicked; and will be tempted to make the reflections against providence which are set down in the following verses. 72:11. And they said: How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 72:12. Behold these are sinners; and yet, abounding in the world they have obtained riches. 72:13. And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent. 72:14. And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings. 72:15. If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children. If I said, etc. . .That is, if I should indulge such thoughts as these. 72:16. I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight: 72:17. Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.