Here, 1. Wicked men are compared to the horse and the ass, so brutish
are they, so unreasonable, so unruly, and not to be governed but by
force or fear, so low has sin sunk men, so much below themselves. Man
indeed is born like the wild ass's colt, but as some by the grace of
God are changed, and become rational, so others by custom in sin are
hardened, and become more and more sottish, as the horse and the mule,
Ps. xxxii. 9. 2. Direction is given to use them accordingly. Princes,
instead of giving honour to a fool (v. 1), must put disgrace upon
him--instead of putting power into his hand, must exercise power over
him. A horse unbroken needs a whip for correction, and an ass a bridle
for direction and to check him when he would turn out of the way; so a
vicious man, who will not be under the guidance and restraint of
religion and reason, ought to be whipped and bridled, to be rebuked
severely, and made to smart for what he has done amiss, and to be
restrained from offending any more.