The Uncertainty of Worldly Prosperity
Alfred Barry, D. D. Psalm 17:14-15 From men which are your hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life… Like many other passages (such as Job 21:7-13; Psalm 73:12), these verses clearly show how little "the old Fathers looked," or indeed could have looked, "only for transitory promises." While they held, and rightly held, that under the general law of God's providence happiness should follow obedience to the will of Him who made and guides all things, they yet recognised the disturbing influence of evil in the world, through which the unrighteous prosper, having to the full the only portion they care for (comp. Matthew 6:2-5; Luke 16:25), leaving wealth and fame to their children. At times this was to them a sore trial of faith (Psalm 73:3), sorer than to us who have the clear vision of the future life. But they felt that far above this outward prosperity was that which the worldly cannot have, the communion with God, in itself the eternal life of the soul. The sense of ver. 15 cannot be doubtful. David knows that now "he shall behold the presence of God in righteousness," and in it have the higher spiritual life. Therefore (as in Psalm 16:9, 10) he draws the inference which our Lord Himself justifies, that death cannot break the tie of this communion; therefore that he shall awake in the image of God, and, so awaking, shall be "satisfied with it," possessing it in the fulness which on earth he can only desire and long for (comp. 1 John 3:1, 2). All other explanations than this sin against the whole spirit of the passage, and could never have been thought of except to support the false conclusion that, because the knowledge of a future life in heaven was. not unchequed, by doubt in the .saints of old, therefore it had no flashes of brightness and reality. (Alfred Barry, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. WEB: from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.