EXPOSITION
So much having been said in so many psalms of the privileges and blessings accorded to the righteous man (Psalms 1:3; Psalms 3:8; Psalms 5:11, Psalms 5:12; 4:9,12, 18; Psalms 10:17, Psalms 10:18; Psalms 11:7, etc.), the arrangers of this book thought it fitting to insert in this place a definition, or description, of who the righteous man is. They found a "psalm of David" (see title) in which such a description was set forth with singular force and brevity. The psalm is one of five verses. In the first verse the question is raised; the remaining four give the answer, which is arranged in two strophes of two verses each, the first verse of each strophe declaring the character of the righteous man positively, and the second verse negatively. The result is that five positive and five negative features are pointed out, by which the righteous man may be known. There is nothing to indicate at what period in David's life this psalm was composed, except that it was after the establishment of the tabernacle on Mount Zion (Psalms 15:1).