John Gill Commentary Romans 3:4

"God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment." — Romans 3:4 (ASV)

God forbid, yea, let God be true, but every man a liar
Let no such thing ever enter into the minds of any, that the truth of God can be, or will be made of none effect by the want of faith in man; let it be always asserted and abode by; that God is true, faithful to his word, constant in his promises, and will always fulfil his purposes; though "every man is a liar", vain, fallacious, and inconstant: referring to (Psalms 116:11);

as it is written ,
(Psalms 51:4);

that you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome
when you are judged .
This is a proof that God is true, and stands to his word, though men are fallacious, inconstant, and wicked. God made a promise to David, that of the fruit of his body he would set upon his throne; that the Messiah should spring from him; that he would of his seed raise up unto Israel a Saviour. Now David sinned greatly in the case of Bathsheba, (2 Samuel 11:3 2 Samuel 11:4) (Psalms 51:1) (title), but his sin did not make of no effect the truth and faithfulness of God: though David showed himself to be a weak sinful man, yet God appeared true and faithful to every word of promise which he had sworn in truth to him; and therefore when he was brought to a sense of his evil, and at the same time to observe the invariable truth and faithfulness of God, said, "I acknowledge my transgression against you, you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight", (Psalms 51:3Psalms 51:4) , which confession of sin I make, "that you might be justified in your sayings"; or "when you speak", (Psalms 51:4) , which is all one; that is, that you might appear to be just, and faithful, and true in all your promises, in every word that is gone out of your mouth, which shall not be recalled and made void, on account of my sins; for though I have sinned, you abide faithful; and this also I declare with shame to myself, and with adoring views of your unchangeable truth and goodness: "that you might overcome"; that is, put to silence all such cavils and charges, as if the faith of God could be made void by the unfaithfulness of men: "when you are judged"; when men will be so bold and daring to arraign your truth and faithfulness, and contend with you about them. This now is brought as a full proof, and is a full proof of this truth, that God is always true to his word, though men fail in theirs, and fall into sin.

God kept his word with David concerning the stability of his kingdom, his successor, and the Messiah that should spring from him, though he acted a bad part against God. There is some little difference between these words as they stand in the Hebrew text of (Psalms 51:4) ; and as they are cited and rendered by the apostle, in the last clause of them;

in the former it is, "that you might be clear"; in the latter, "that you might overcome". Now to vindicate the apostle's version, let it be observed, that the Hebrew word (hkz) signifies to "overcome", as well as to "be clear"; of which instances may be given from where the Jewish writings. Says ^F12 Rabba; concerning an argument used by R. Chanina, in a controversy with other Rabbins, by this R. Chanina ben Antigonus, (whnkz) , "has overcome" them: and in another place ^F13 , whosoever (ykzd) , "overcomes" a king, they cast him into an empty ditch; where the gloss upon it is, (xuwn) , he that overcomes a king by words, that is, by disputing with him, which is a disgrace to a king. So the word is used in the Syriac language in (John 16:33) (Luke 11:22) (Romans 12:21) (Hebrews 11:33) (1 John 2:13 1 John 2:14) (4:4) (5:4) . Moreover, the sense is the same, be it rendered either way; for as a man, when he overcomes his adversary, and carries his point against him, is clear of his charges and cavils, so God, when he overcomes in judgment, is clear of the imputations of wicked men.

Another difference in the citation is, that what in the psalm is rendered "when you judge", is by the apostle, "when you are judged", (Psalms 51:4) , the word, which is used by the Psalmist, (Kjpvb) , may be rendered either way; either "when you judge", as a word of the same form is rendered, when "you speak", in (Psalms 51:4) ; or "when anyone judges of you", or "when you are judged": a like instance is in (Psalms 46:2) ; and so it is rendered by the Septuagint, and followed by the apostle, though the word he uses may be considered in the middle voice, and may have an active signification in it; and the phrase, (en tw krinesyai se) , may be rendered, "when you judge", and then both agree.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F12: T. Bab. Niddah, fol. 52. 2.
• F13: T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 10. 2. Sanhedrim, fol. 39. 1. & Becorot, fol. 8. 2.