John Calvin Commentary Psalms 16:4

"Their sorrows shall be multiplied that give gifts for another [god]: Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take their names upon my lips." — Psalms 16:4 (ASV)

The Psalmist now describes the true way of maintaining brotherly concord with the saints, by declaring that he will have nothing to do with unbelievers and the superstitious. We cannot be united into the one body of the Church under God if we do not break off all the bonds of impiety, separate ourselves from idolaters, and keep ourselves pure and at a distance from all the pollutions which corrupt and vitiate the holy service of God.

This is certainly the general drift of David’s discourse. But as to the words, there is a diversity of opinion among expositors. Some translate the first word of the verse, עצבות, atsboth, as idols, and according to this rendering, the meaning is that after men in their folly have once begun to make for themselves false gods, their madness breaks forth without measure, until they accumulate an immense multitude of deities.

However, as this word is here put in the feminine gender, I prefer translating it as sorrows or troubles, although it may still have various meanings. Some think it is an imprecation, and they read, Let their sorrows be multiplied; as if David, inflamed with a holy zeal, denounced the just vengeance of God against the superstitious.

Others, whose opinions I prefer, do not change the tense of the verb, which in Hebrew is future, Their sorrows shall be multiplied; but to me, they do not seem to express with sufficient clearness what kind of sorrows David intends. They say, indeed, that wretched idolaters are perpetually adding to their new inventions, in doing which, they miserably torment themselves.

But in my opinion, this word also denotes the end and outcome of the efforts they make in committing it; it points out that they not only put themselves to trouble without any profit or advantage, but also miserably harass and busy themselves to accomplish their own destruction.

As an incitement for him to withdraw himself further from their company, he takes this as an incontrovertible principle: that, far from deriving any advantage from their vain superstitions, they only, by their strenuous efforts in practicing them, involve themselves in greater misery and wretchedness.

For what must be the outcome for those miserable men who willingly surrender themselves as bond-slaves to the devil, but to be disappointed of their hope? Even as God complains in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:13):

They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

In the next clause, there is also some ambiguity. The Hebrew word מהר, mahar, which we have translated as to offer, in the conjugation kal signifies to endow, or to give. But as, in the conjugation hiphil, it is more frequently taken to mean to run, or to make haste, many have preferred this latter meaning and interpret the clause as meaning that superstitious persons eagerly hasten after strange gods.

And in fact, we see them rushing into their idolatries with all the impetuosity and recklessness of madmen running in the fields; and the prophets often upbraid them for this inconsiderate frenzy that drives them. I would, therefore, be very inclined to adopt this sense if it were supported by the common usage of the language; but as grammarians observe that no other similar passage is found in Scripture, I have followed the first opinion in my translation.

In short, the sum of what the Psalmist says is this: that unbelievers, who lavish and squander their substance on their idols, not only lose all the gifts and offerings which they present to them, but also, by provoking the wrath of God against themselves, are continually increasing the amount of their miseries.

Perhaps, also, the prophet alludes to the common doctrine of Scripture that idolaters violate the promise of the spiritual marriage contracted with the true God and enter into covenant with idols. Ezekiel (Ezekiel 16:33) justly upbraids the Jews because while the custom is for the lover to allure the harlot with presents, they, on the contrary, offered rewards to the idols to whom they prostituted and abandoned themselves.

But the meaning which we have given above brings out the spirit of the passage, namely, that unbelievers, who honor their false gods by offering them gifts, not only lose what is thus expended, but also heap up for themselves sorrows upon sorrows, because ultimately the outcome will be miserable and ruinous for them.

I will not taste their libations of blood. By "libations of blood," some understand a reference to sacrifices made from things acquired by murder or plunder.

However, the prophet is not here inveighing against cruel and bloodthirsty men, but generally condemns all false and corrupt religious worship. Furthermore, since he does not directly name sacrifices but expressly speaks of the ceremony of taking the cup and tasting a little of it (a practice observed in offering sacrifices), I have no doubt that he here tacitly contrasts this ceremony, as observed according to God's law, with the drinking of blood in pagan sacrifices.

We know that God, to teach His ancient people to view murder and all cruelty with greater abhorrence, forbade them to eat or drink blood, either in their common food or in sacrifices. On the contrary, the histories of pagan nations testify that the custom of tasting blood in their sacrifices prevailed among them.

David, therefore, protests that he will not only keep himself uncontaminated by the corrupt and false opinions by which idolaters are seduced, but that he will also take care not to show outwardly any sign of complying with or approving them. In the same sense, we are to understand what follows immediately after: I will not take their names in my lips. This implies that he will hold idols in such hatred and detestation as to keep himself from naming them, as if it were execrable treason against the majesty of heaven.

It is not that it is unlawful to pronounce their names, which we frequently encounter in the writings of the prophets, but David felt he could not otherwise more forcibly express the supreme horror and detestation with which the faithful ought to regard false gods. This is also shown by the form of expression he employs, using only the relative pronoun, their names, although he has not expressly stated before that he is speaking of idols.

Thus, by his example, he enjoins believers not only to beware of errors and wicked opinions, but also to abstain from all appearance of giving their consent to them. He evidently speaks of external ceremonies, which indicate either the true religion or some perverse superstition. If, then, it is unlawful for the faithful to show any sign of consenting to or complying with the superstitions of idolaters, Nicodemuses (who falsely call themselves by this name) must not think to shelter themselves under the frivolous pretext that they have not renounced the faith, but keep it hidden within their hearts, when they join in the observance of the profane superstitions of the Papists.

Some understand the words strangers and their names, as denoting the worshippers of false gods; but in my judgment, David rather means the false gods themselves. The scope of his discourse is this: The earth is filled with an immense accumulation of superstitions in every possible variety, and idolaters are lavish beyond all bounds in ornamenting their idols; but the good and the holy will always regard all their superstitious inventions with abhorrence.