Bridges on Proverbs 20:8
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 20:8
 
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8.  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
 
This is the picture of a godly king, such as the wise man's father described and exemplified; “just, ruling in the fear of God;” making it his great care and business to execute judgment. In those days he sat himself on the throne of judgment, and decided the law. And such might be conceived to be his influence, that the wicked dared not come and sin in his presence. “Will he force the queen also before me? ” (Esther 7:8) — was the indignant exclamation of a sovereign, on feeling not only his own rights, but the reverence for royalty grossly outraged. David, as a man of God, and a sovereign of his people, could not endure the wicked in his presence. (Psalm 101:3-8.)
At present, “God standeth in the congregation of princes” (Ib. 82:1), observing the manner, in which they execute the power delegated to them; but hereafter he shall sit as “a judge” even of them, who, by reason of that delegated power, are styled “gods.” The care then of the Magistrate, when he goeth up to the judgment-seat, will be to put on righteousness as a glorious and beautiful robe, and to render his tribunal a fit emblem of that eternal “throne,” of which “justice and judgment are the habitation.” And always in proportion as the ruler realizes his solemn responsibility, evil will be made to flee, and scattered away from him.
But what is to be ever standing before the Great King, who scattereth away all evil with his eyes? “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 1:13. Psalm 5:5. Hebrews 4:13.) May the High Priest ever stand between the sinner and the Holy God, that, while we walk in reverence, we “may not be afraid with any amazement”!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
2 Samuel 23:3, with 2 Samuel 8:15. 1 Kings 15:5.
 

 
2 Samuel 23:3
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. {He...: or, Be thou ruler, etc}
 
with
2 Samuel 8:15
15 ¶ And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
 
1 Kings 15:5
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 3:16-28, with 10:9. A Roman commentator (Corn. à Lapide) mentions the custom of St. Louis of France to sit twice a-week in the throne of judgment, and his dying charge to his successor, not only to appoint the most upright judges, but to overlook them in the discharge of their office. Does not the Court of the Queen's Bench suppose the Sovereign to be sitting there in determination of judgment?
 

 
1 Kings 3:16-28
16 ¶ Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king. 23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. {yearned: Heb. were hot} 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. {in him: Heb. in the midst of him}
 
1 Kings 10:9
9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Esther 7:8
8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. {before me: Heb. with me}
 
 
Psalm 101:3-8
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. {wicked...: Heb. thing of Belial} 4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. 5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. 6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. {in a...: or, perfect in the way} 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. {shall not tarry: Heb. shall not be established} 8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.
 
 
Psalm 82:1
1 ¶ {of Asaph: or, for Asaph} God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 89:14. Bishop Horne's Sermon on the Great Assize.
 

 
Psalm 89:14
14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. {habitation: or, establishment}
 
 
Footnote:
Verse 26; 25:4, 5. Compare 2 Chronicles 15:16. Plutarch relates of Cato, that such was the reverence of his character, that the bad women of Rome could not bear his look.
 

 
Proverbs 20:26
26 ¶ A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
 
Proverbs 25:4, 5
4 ¶ Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
 
Compare
2 Chronicles 15:16
16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. {mother: that is, grandmother} {idol: Heb. horror}
 
 
Hebrews 1:13
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
 
Psalm 5:5
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. {in...: Heb. before thine eyes}
 
Hebrews 4:13
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do