He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. ] He enjoys the favour of God; that grace makes him compassionate; and in the general tenor of his conduct he is righteous. From these principles he shows favour ( ver. 5) to him that needs it; that is, to the real poor he gives of his substance; and others he obliges by lending, they not being utterly in want, but standing in need only of a little present help. But he takes heed to whom he gives and to whom he lends; that in the first case his bounty may be well applied, and in the second he may not oblige the person who only seeks, under the notion of a loan, to appropriate the money borrowed. To prevent evils of this kind he acts prudently, and guides his affairs with discretion, ver. 5.

Matthew Henry Commentary

--We have to praise the Lord that there are a people in the world, wh fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy people; which i owing entirely to his grace. Their fear is not that which love cast out, but that which love brings in. It follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend. This is both fear and trust. The heart touched by the Spirit of God, as the needle touched with the loadstone, turn direct and speedily to God, yet still with trembling, being filled with this holy fear. Blessings are laid up for the faithful and their children's children; and true riches are bestowed on them, with as muc of this world's possessions as is profitable for them. In the darkes hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope and peace will sprin up within them, and seasonable relief shall turn mourning into joy From their Lord's example they learn to be kind and full of compassion as well as just in all their dealings; they use discretion, that the may be liberal in that manner which appears most likely to do good Envy and slander may for a time hide their true characters here, but they shall be had in everlasting remembrance. They need not fear evi tidings. A good man shall have a settled spirit. And it is the endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed upon God, and s to keep them calm and undisturbed; and God has promised them both caus to do so, and grace to do so. Trusting in the Lord is the best an surest way of establishing the heart. The heart of man cannot fix an where with satisfaction, but in the truth of God, and there it find firm footing. And those whose hearts are established by faith, wil patiently wait till they gain their point. Compare all this with the vexation of sinners. The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The desire of the wicked shall perish; their desire was wholl to the world and the flesh, therefore when these perish, their joy is gone. But the blessings of the gospel are spiritual and eternal, an are conferred upon the members of the Christian church, through Chris their Head, who is the Pattern of all righteousness, and the Giver of all grace __________________________________________________________________

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