Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just.

“And even as the righteous who are perfected in good works shall not come into the judgment to be judged, so of the wicked also whose sins are many, and the measure of whose offenses is overflowing, it shall not be required that they should draw near to the judgment, but when they have risen again they shall turn back to Sheol.… All the nations that know not God their Maker are esteemed by God as nothingness and shall not come near to judgment, but as soon as they have risen shall turn back to Sheol.”

“And the Prophet, seeing that the change of their solid substance into dust will deprive them of all share in the boon of fruit to be bestowed upon the happy man in season by the tree, has accordingly added: Therefore the ungodly shall not rise again in the Judgment. The fact that they shall not rise again does not convey sentence of annihilation upon these men, for indeed they will exist as dust; it is the resurrection to Judgment that is denied them. Non-existence will not enable them to miss the pain of punishment; for while that which will be non-existent would escape punishment, they, on the other hand, will exist to be punished, for they will be dust. Now to become dust, whether by being dried to dust or ground to dust, involves not loss of the state of existence, but a change of state. But the fact that they will not rise again to Judgment makes it clear that they have lost, not the power to rise, but the privilege of rising to Judgment. Now what we are to understand by the privilege of rising again and being judged is declared by the Lord in the Gospels where He says: He that believes in Me is not judged: he that believes not has been judged already. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light John 3:18-19 . The terms of this utterance of the Lord are disturbing to inattentive hearers and careless, hasty readers. For by saying: He that believes in Me shall not be judged, He exempts believers, and by adding: But he that believes not has been judged already, He excludes unbelievers, from judgment. If, then, He has thus exempted believers and debarred unbelievers, allowing the chance of judgment neither to one class nor the other, how can He be considered consistent when he adds thirdly: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light? For there can apparently be no place left for judgment, since neither believers nor unbelievers are to be judged. Such no doubt will be the conclusion drawn by inattentive hearers and hasty readers. The utterance, however, has an appropriate meaning and a rational interpretation of its own. He that believes, says Christ, is not judged. And is there any need to judge a believer? Judgment arises out of ambiguity, and where ambiguity ceases, there is no call for trial and judgment. Hence not even unbelievers need be judged, because there is no doubt about their being unbelievers; but after exempting believers and unbelievers alike from judgment, the Lord added a case for judgment and human agents upon whom it must be exercised. For some there are who stand midway between the godly and the ungodly, having affinities to both, but strictly belonging to neither class, because they have come to be what they are by a combination of the two. They may not be assigned to the ranks of belief, because there is in them a certain infusion of unbelief; they may not be ranged with unbelief, because they are not without a certain portion of belief. For many are kept within the pale of the church by the fear of God; yet they are tempted all the while to worldly faults by the allurements of the world. They pray, because they are afraid; they sin, because it is their will. The fair hope of future life makes them call themselves Christians; the allurements of present pleasure make them act like heathen. They do not abide in ungodliness, because they hold the name of God in honour; they are not godly because they follow after things contrary to godliness. And they cannot help loving those things best which can never enable them to be what they call themselves, because their desire to do such works is stronger than their desire to be true to their name. And this is why the Lord, after saying that believers would not be judged and that unbelievers had been judged already, added that This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light. These, then, are they whom the judgment awaits which unbelievers have already had passed upon them and believers do not need: because they have loved darkness more than light; not that they did not love the light too, but because their love of darkness is the more active. For when two loves are matched in rivalry, one always wins the preference; and their judgment arises from the fact that, though they loved Christ, they yet loved darkness more. These then will be judged; they are neither exempted from judgment like the godly, nor have they already been judged like the ungodly; but judgment awaits them for the love which they have deliberately preferred.”

“"Therefore the ungodly rise not in the judgment" (ver. 5): "therefore," namely, because "as dust they are cast forth from the face of the earth." And well did he say that this should be taken away from them, which in their pride they court, namely, that they may judge; so that this same idea is more clearly expressed in the following sentence, "nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous." For it is usual for what goes before, to be thus repeated more clearly. So that by "sinners" should be understood the "ungodly;" what is before "in the judgment," should be here "in the counsel of the righteous." Or if indeed the ungodly are one thing, and sinners another, so that although every ungodly man is a sinner, yet every sinner is not ungodly; "The ungodly rise not in the judgment," that is, they shall rise indeed, but not that they should be judged, for they are already appointed to most certain punishment. But "sinners" do not rise "in counsel of the just," that is, that they may judge, but peradventure that they may be judged; so as of these it were said, "The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall then suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."”

“Therefore (עַל־כֵּן - al ken): This refers back [to the previous verse, indicating the consequence of being like chaff]: that the souls of the wicked will perish, and the memory of their descendants in this world [will also perish]. Therefore, the word "will not stand" (lo yakumu) means they will not endure (ya'amdu). In the judgment (בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט - ba-mishpat): This is similar to (Ecclesiastes 12:14): "For God shall bring every work into judgment (be-mishpat)." [Regarding the grammatical form ba-mishpat:] The bet [prefix] has a patach vowel, [which may be noted] to indicate [their] lack of knowledge/understanding [that leads them to this judgment]. This usage is similar in structure to (Psalm 36:6): "O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens (be-ha-shamayim)." [This is applicable] because it is the Day of Judgment (Yom HaDin) for everyone [together] on a single day, or [alternatively] for each individual at the time of their death. In the assembly of the righteous (בַּעֲדַ֥ת צַדִּיקִֽים - ba'adat tzaddikim): [Sinners will not stand there] because their [the righteous'] association (hitchabrutam - their joining together) is beneficial for all of them, the opposite of the company (chaburat) of the wicked.”

“Therefore wicked men shall not rise up: – Therefore, since the wicked walk in an evil way in this world, they shall not rise up in the Judgment: He means to say, in the Day of Judgment, and that is the day of death, they shall have no rising again. Nor sinners – likewise; and it is the judgment on the scornful – they shall have no rising again. in the congregation of righteous men: for the righteous, when they die shall have a rising again; but as for the wicked, for them there is none, but their soul shall perish with their body in the day of death. And he says in the congregation, for when the righteous dies his soul is with the souls of the righteous rejoicing in the glory of the Most High.”

“This Psalm is set apart from the whole work: for it does not have a title, but is, as it were, the title of the whole work. But David also composed the Psalms after the manner of one praying, who does not keep to one mode, but conducts himself according to the diverse affections and motions of the one who prays. This first Psalm, therefore, expresses the affection of a man lifting his eyes to the whole state of the world, and considering how some make progress, and some fail. And among the blessed, Christ was first; among the wicked, Adam. But it should be noted that in one thing all agree, and in two things they differ. They agree in beatitude, which all seek; but they differ in the process toward beatitude, and in the outcome of it: because some arrive, and some do not. This Psalm, therefore, is divided into two parts. In the first, the process of all toward beatitude is described. In the second, the outcome, at the place: "And he shall be like a tree that is planted near the running waters." Concerning the first he does two things. First, the process of the wicked is touched upon; second, that of the good, at the place: "But his will is in the law of the Lord," etc. In the process of the wicked, three things are to be considered. First, deliberation about sin, and this in thought; second, consent and execution; third, the inducement of others to the same, and this is the worst. And therefore he first sets down the counsel of the wicked, at the place: "Blessed is the man," etc. Now he says "who has not walked," because as long as a man deliberates, he is in the act of going. Second, he sets down consent and execution, saying: "and in the way of sinners," that is, in operation. Proverbs 4: "The way of the wicked is darksome; they know not where they fall." "He has not stood," namely, by consenting and by acting. Now he says "of the wicked," because impiety is sin against God, while "of sinners" is sin against one's neighbor; and "in the chair" — behold the third — that is, to induce others to sin. "In the chair," therefore, as a teacher, and one teaching others to sin: and therefore he says "of pestilence," because pestilence is a contagious disease. Proverbs 29: "Pestilent men bring a city to ruin." He, therefore, who walks in this way is not blessed, but rather he who goes in the contrary manner. But the beatitude of man is in God. Psalm 143: "Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord," etc. The right process toward beatitude, therefore, is first that we subject ourselves to God: and this in two ways. First, through the will, by obeying his commandments; and therefore he says: "but in the law of the Lord"; and this pertains especially to Christ. John 8: "I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." It applies likewise also to every just man. And he says "in the law" through love, not "under the law" through fear. 1 Timothy 1: "The law is not made for the just man." Second, through the intellect, by meditating continually; and therefore he says, "he shall meditate on his law day and night," that is, continually, or at fixed hours of the day and night, or in prosperity and adversity. In this part the outcome of felicity is described: and first he sets down its diversity; second he assigns the reason, at the place: "because the Lord knows," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the outcome of the good; second, that of the wicked, at the place: "not so the wicked," etc. Concerning the outcome of the good he uses a comparison: and first he sets it forth; second he applies it, at the place: "and all whatsoever he shall do," etc. For the comparison is taken from a tree, in which three things are considered, namely planting, fruit-bearing, and preservation. Now for planting, ground moistened by waters is necessary, otherwise it would wither; and therefore he says: "that is planted near the running waters," that is, near the streams of graces. John, chapter 7: "He who believes in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." And whoever has his roots near this water will bear fruit by doing good works; and this is what follows: "that he shall yield his fruit." Galatians 5: "But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, longanimity, goodness, benignity," etc. "In its season," namely now, when it is the time for working. Galatians, last chapter: "While we have time, let us work good to all." But it does not wither either; rather, it is preserved. Some trees are preserved in their substance, but not in their leaves; some, however, are preserved even in their leaves — so too the just: hence he says, "and his leaf shall not fall off," that is, they are not forsaken by God even in the least and most external of works. Proverbs 11: "But the just shall spring up like a green leaf." Then, when he says "and all things," he applies the comparison, because the blessed will prosper in all things: and this when they attain the intended end, as regards all that they desire, because the just arrive at beatitude. Psalm 116: "O Lord, save me; O Lord, give good success," etc. The outcome of the wicked is contrary, which is described at the place: "not so," etc. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the comparison; second he applies it, at the place: "they shall not rise again." But note that here he prefaces it with "not so," and "not so" twice, on account of greater certainty. Genesis 41: "That you saw it a second time is a sign of its firmness." Or: they do not act thus in the process, therefore they do not receive thus in the outcome. Luke 16: "You received good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise evil things; but now he is comforted here, while you are tormented." They are properly compared, indeed, to dust, which has three things contrary to those that were said of the just man. Because dust does not cling to the earth, but is on the surface; the tree, however, is planted by its roots. Likewise the tree is compact in itself; likewise it is moist. But dust is divided in itself, dry and arid. By which it is signified that the good are united by charity, like the tree. Psalm 117: "Appoint a solemn day, with thick boughs, even to the horn of the altar." But the wicked are divided. Proverbs 13: "Among the proud there are always quarrels." Likewise the good cling by their roots to spiritual things and to divine goods, but the wicked are sustained by external goods. Likewise they are without the water of grace. Genesis 3: "Dust you are," etc. And therefore all their malice shall fall away, just as the leaf falls from the vine and from the fig tree, Isaiah 34. But of the good it is said here that his leaf shall not fall off. Luke 21: "A hair of your head shall not perish." But of these wicked it is said that they are totally cast away from the face — that is, from superficial goods — whom the wind, that is, tribulation, shall cast away from the face of the earth. Job 4: "I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them, perishing by the blast of God, and being consumed by the breath of his mouth." Then he applies the comparison at the place: "they shall not rise again," because they are like dust. But against this, 2 Corinthians 5: "We must all be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ." Likewise 1 Corinthians 15: "We shall indeed all rise again." To this it must be said that this can be read in two ways. For a man is properly said to rise again in judgment when his case is upheld by the sentence of the judge. These, therefore, do not rise again, because the sentence in judgment is not given in their favor, but rather against them: hence another reading has, "they shall not stand firm." But the good do rise thus: because although they were afflicted on account of the sin of the first parent, nevertheless they will have the sentence in their favor. "Nor shall sinners be gathered in the council of the just." Because the good will be gathered into eternal life, to which the wicked will not be admitted. Or it must be said that this is understood of the restoration of justice, to which they are restored by their own judgment. 1 Corinthians 11: "If we would judge ourselves, we should not indeed be judged." And as to this he says, "they shall not rise again in judgment," namely their own judgment, concerning which it is said, Ephesians 5: "Rise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you." But some are restored by the counsel of the good: and in this way too the wicked do not rise from sin. Or: "the wicked," that is, the unbelievers, do not rise again in the judgment of discussion and examination, because, according to Gregory, some will be condemned and not judged, as the unbelievers; some will be neither judged nor condemned, namely the apostles and perfect men; some will be judged and condemned, namely the wicked among the faithful. Thus, therefore, the faithful will not rise again in the judgment of discussion, so as to be examined. John 3: "He who does not believe is already judged." But sinners will not rise again in the council of the just, that is, so as to be judged and yet not condemned. Then the reason is given why such as these will not rise again in judgment: "because the Lord knows," etc. And he speaks properly: because when someone knows that a thing is lost, it is recovered; but when he does not know it, it is not recovered. The just, however, though dissolved by death, are nevertheless known by God. 2 Timothy 2: "God knew who are his" — he knows, namely, with a knowledge of approbation, and therefore they are restored; but because he does not know the way of the wicked with a knowledge of approbation, therefore "the way of the wicked shall perish." Psalm 118: "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek your servant, O Lord, for I have not forgotten your commandments." Psalm 34: "Let their ways become darkness and slipperiness," etc.”

“Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,.... Neither in temporal judgment, when God comes forth in a way of wrath and sore displeasure; for who can stand before him when he is angry? what are chaff and stubble, thorns and briers, to consuming fire? nor in the last and great day of judgment, so the Targum and Kimchi interpret the words; for that day will burn like an oven the wicked, who will be as stubble, and leave neither root nor branch, Mal 4:1, when the great day of the Lamb's wrath is come, who will be able to stand? Rom 6:16; there will be no standing for the wicked when he appears; they will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to take their trial and hear their sentence, Co2 5:10; but they shall not stand in the same place with the righteous, not at Christ's right hand, but at his left; they shall not stand with an holy confidence, with intrepidity, and without shame, as the blessed man will; they will not stand, but fall in judgment; they will not be acquitted and discharged, but be condemned to everlasting punishment, Mat 25:30; and this sense the Targum on the place expresses, "the ungodly shall not be justified in the great day"; the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint versions render the words, "the ungodly shall not rise again in judgment"; from whence some have concluded there will be no resurrection of the wicked: which seems, to be the sense of Kimchi and other Jewish writers; who assert that the souls of the wicked perish with their bodies at death, and that the latter rise not, contrary to Ecc 12:7; but that the wicked will, rise may be concluded from the justice of God, which requires that the bodies which have sinned should be punished; and from the general judgment of good and bad, and from the account of the punishment of hell, which will be inflicted on the body as well as on the soul: besides, the contrary doctrine is a licentious one, and is calculated to harden wicked men in their sins, and is directly repugnant to the assertions of Christ, and the Apostle Paul, Joh 5:28; nor has it any foundation in this text, even admitting such a version; which does not absolutely affirm that the wicked shall not rise again, but that they shall not rise again in, judgment, in the first resurrection, the resurrection of the just, and so as to be acquitted and discharged, but they shall rise to the resurrection of damnation; nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; who are made righteous by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and have a work of grace and holiness wrought in them; and who, under the influence of grace, live soberly, righteously, and godly; these are the same with the blessed man, Psa 1:1; and who at the day of judgment will be perfectly holy, and free from all sin; and they will be all gathered together by the holy angels; the dead saints will be raised, the living ones will be changed, and both will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and will make up one general assembly and church of the firstborn; and among these, and in this assembly, there will not be a single sinner; there are now sinners in Zion, foolish virgins with the wise, chaff and tares among Christ's wheat, and wolves and goats among his sheep; but then there will be an eternal separation, and no mixing together any more.”

“Again. So as to gain their cause, (Amama) or to make opposition; as the Hebrew yakumu, “stand up,” with defiance, intimates. (Haydock) — They are already judged, (John iii. 18.) and can make no defence; they being separated from the just, like goats. Kimchi (though he is defended by Amama. Haydock) and some other Jews, falsely asserts that the souls of the wicked will be annihilated, and that only the just Israelites will rise again. (Buxtorf, Syn. 1.) — But this is very different from the belief of the ancient Jews, who clearly assert the truth respecting future rewards and punishments, 2 Machabees vii. 9, 14, 23, and 36., and Wisdom v. 1., or Josephus, or 4 Machabees x. See Job, &c. — The Fathers have adduced many such proofs from the other parts of Scripture, which they had read with as much attention as modern critics. (Calmet) — Council, (Menochius) or rather “counsel,” as the same word, Boule , is used by the Septuagint as [in] ver. 1., (Calmet) though the Hebrew hadath, here be different, and mean a council, or assembly. (Menochius) — Septuagint and Vulgate may be understood in the same sense. (Haydock) — Sinners shall be destitute of all hope at the resurrection, and shall be driven from the society of the blessed. (Worthington) — They will not even be able to complain, since they had been so often admonished of their impending fate, (Berthier) and would not judge themselves in time. (St. Augustine; 1 Corinthians xi., and Acts xxiv. 15.) Protestants, “They shall not stand,” &c. (Haydock)”