Bridges on Proverbs 29:2
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 29:2
 
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2.  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. {in...: or, increased}
 
‘The robes of honor to the righteous are the garments of gladness to the people. The scepter of authority to the godly is the staff of comfort to the people. On the other hand, the vestments of dignity to the wicked are the weeds of mourning to the people. The throne of command to the one is the dungeon of misery to the other. The titles of honor given to the one are sighs of sorrow wrung from the other.’† The contrast of the government of Mordecai and Haman illustrates this joy and mourning.† The special rejoicings at the accession of Solomon might probably be connected with the confidence that he would “walk in the ways of David his father.”† The reigns of the righteous kings of Judah were pre-eminently distinguished by national happiness.† The glorious era yet in store for the world, is, when “the Lord shall bless” his own kingdom, “as the habitation of justice and mountain of holiness.”† For what but righteousness can truly bless either an individual, a family, or a nation?†
When therefore the wicked bear rule — the people — not the godly — only mourn. The depth of the mourning is surely the joy at the removal of the scourge. Meanwhile it is borne by “the faithful in the land” as a national scourge.† And ‘if tears be their drink, patience will be their bread, till God have mercy on them.’† What need have we to thank God that our guilty country, with so much to humble us in shame, should have been so long spared from the curse of wicked rulers! The tyrant rules for his own sinful ends. The Christian sovereign for the good of the people.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Jermin. Compare chapter 28:12, 28. Ecclesiasticus 10:3.
 
 
Compare
Proverbs 28:12, 28
12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. {hidden: or, sought for} 28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.
 
Ecclesiasticus 10:3
3 An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.
 
 
Footnote:
Esther 8:15, 16; 10:3, with 3:15; 4:1-3.
 
 
Esther 8:15, 16
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. {blue: or, violet} 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
 
Esther 10:3
3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
 
with
Esther 4:1-3
1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. {many...: Heb. sackcloth and ashes were laid under many}
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 1:39, 40, with 3:3. Compare 4:20.
 
 
1 Kings 1:39, 40
39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon. 40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. {pipes: or, flutes}
 
with
1 Kings 3:3
3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
 
1 Kings 4:20
20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 15:12-15; 20:27-30. 29:36; 30:21.
 
 
2 Chronicles 15:12-15
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.
 
2 Chronicles 20:27-30
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. {forefront: Heb. head} 28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.
 
2 Chronicles 29:36
36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
 
2 Chronicles 30:21
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. {present: Heb. found} {loud...: Heb. instruments of strength}
 
 
Footnote:
Jeremiah 31:23. Isaiah 1:26.
 
 
Jeremiah 31:23
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
 
Isaiah 1:26
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 72:1-7. Isaiah 32:1. ‘It is no peculiar conceit, but a matter of sound consequence, that all duties are by so much the better performed, by how much the men are more religious, from whose abilities the same proceed. For if the course of politic affairs cannot in any good sort go forward without fit instruments, and that which fitteth them be their virtues, let polity acknowledge itself indebted to religion, godliness being the chiefest, top and well-spring of all true virtue, even as God is of all good things.’ Thus admirably does our great Hooker insist, that ‘religion, unfeignedly loved, perfecteth man's abilities unto all kind of virtuous services in the commonwealth.’ – Eccl. Pol. Book v. c. 1.
 
 
Psalm 72:1-7
1 {A Psalm for Solomon.} Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. {for: or, of} 2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. {so long...: Heb. till there be no moon}
 
Isaiah 32:1
1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
 
 
Footnote:
Ecclesiastes 10:5, 6. Isaiah 3:4, 5. Micah 3:9-12.
 
 
Ecclesiastes 10:5, 6
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: {from: Heb. from before} 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. {in great...: Heb. in great heights}
 
Isaiah 3:4, 5
4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
 
Micah 3:9-12
9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. {blood: Heb. bloods} 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. {and say: Heb. saying} 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
 
 
Footnote:
Jermin ut supra.