Proverbs 12:10; Psalm 74:20
The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
WILLIAM ARNOT (1808-1875): Cruelty is a characteristic of the wicked in general.
ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): They are violent, without mercy, ruthless. The wicked, influenced by Satan, can show no other disposition than what is in their master.
JOSEPH CARYL (1602-1673): Cruel men, or men so full of cruelty that they deserve rather to be called cruelty than cruel: this sort of men inhabit and fill up all those places where the light of holy truth doth not shine.
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): In some there is no fear of God at all, and they are bold and daring enough to assert it.
JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): “The tender mercies of the wicked,”―if any such thing there were; but they have no such tenderness, scarce a common humanity.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): And doubtless it is the fear of God alone which unites us together in the bonds of our common humanity, which keeps us within the bounds of moderation, and represses cruelty; otherwise we should devour each other like wild beasts…For God, in order that He may preserve mankind from destruction, holds in check, with His secret rein, the lusts of the ungodly. It must, however, be always taken into the account, that the door is opened to all kinds of wickedness, when piety and the fear of God have vanished. Of this, at the present day, too clear a proof is manifest, in the horrible deluge of crime, which almost covers the whole earth. For, from what other cause than this arise such a variety of deceptions and frauds, such perfidy and cruelty, that all sense of justice is extinguished by the contempt of God?
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): That natural compassion which is in him, as a man, is lost, and, by the power of corruption, is turned into hard-heartedness.
JOHN CALVIN: It will, indeed, sometimes happen, that they who are destitute of the fear of God, may cultivate the appearance of equity.
ADAM CLARKE: If they appear at any time merciful, it is a cloak which they use to cover purposes of cruelty. To accomplish its end, iniquity will assume any garb, speak mercifully, extol benevolence, sometimes even give to the poor!
THOMAS COKE (1747-1814): Francis Bacon observes upon this verse, that “the very kindnesses of the wicked, being treacherous, are a cruel cheat; nay, the highest expressions which they make of tenderness and compassion, whereby they induce others to repose a trust in them, are intended merely as a cover for the mischief which they mean more securely to do them.” The Greeks have a proverb nearly to the same purpose, Εχθρων δωρα αδωρα―“The gifts of enemies are no gifts.”
MATTHEW HENRY: Even that which they will have to pass for compassion is really cruel, as Pilate’s resolution concerning Christ the innocent, “I will chastise him and let him go,” Luke 23:22. Their pretended kindnesses are only a cover for purposed cruelties.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Christ comes forth from Pilate’s hall with the cumbrous wood upon His shoulder. Through weariness He travels slowly, and His enemies, urgent for His death, and half afraid, from His emaciated appearance, that He may die before He reaches the place of execution, allow another to carry His burden.
JOHN TRAPP: Not so much to ease Christ, who fainted under the burden, as to hasten the execution and to keep Him alive till He came to it.
CHARLES BRIDGES (1794-1869): Thus “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel,” having no right feeling; only a milder exercise of barbarity, and usually meted out for some selfish end.
JOHN WESLEY (1703-1791): There is cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions.
C. H. SPURGEON: “The soldiers also mocked Him, offering Him vinegar,” Luke 23:36. When our Lord cried, “Eloi, Eloi,” and afterwards said, “I thirst,” the persons around the Cross said, “Let Him be, let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him,” mocking Him; and, according to Mark 15:36, he who gave Him the vinegar uttered much the same words; he pitied the Sufferer, but he thought so little of Him that he joined in the voices of scorn. Even when man pities the sufferings of Christ—and the man would have ceased to be human if he did not—still he scorns Him! The very cup which man gives to Jesus is at once scorn and pity, for, “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): It has ever been true, and still is today, that “the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.”―Human nature has not changed; Satan has not changed; the world has not changed.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): Man today is as rotten as he was the moment he fell in the Garden of Eden.
WILLIAM GURNALL (1617-1679): Many specious pretenses persecutors have to disguise their malice.
C. H. SPURGEON: Persecutors are grieved to feel forced to be harsh—their “tender” spirits are wounded by being compelled to say a word against the Lord’s people! Gladly would they love them if they would not be so obstinate! With sweet language they inflict bitter wounds—their words are softer than butter—but inwardly they are drawn swords.
THOMAS COKE: The bitterest enmity lurks often under the most plausible professions and apparent civilities.
C. H. SPURGEON: Man, at his best, mingles admiration of the Saviour’s Person with scorn of His claims—writing books to hold Him up as an example and at the same moment rejecting His Deity! Admitting that He was a wonderful Man, but denying His most sacred mission! Extolling His ethical teaching and then trampling on His blood—thus giving Him drink, but that drink, vinegar!—To attempt to preach Christ without His cross, is to betray Him with a kiss.
JOHN GILL: The most tender things which are expressed or done by them are nothing but cruelty; and what then must be their more severe expressions and actions?
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): How much, then, do we owe to the restraining power of God, which holds in check the evil passions of men…Let the withholding hand of God be withdrawn for a short season, and even now, His people would be sorely “afflicted” too—and the more Christlike is our life, the more we shall drink, in our measure, of the cup He drank from.
THOMAS WATSON (1620-1686): Whoever brings an affliction, it is God that sends it.
MATTHEW HENRY: Afflictions are in the covenant, and therefore they are not meant for our hurt but are intended for our good…Christ went by the cross to the crown, and we must not think of going any other way.
C. H. SPURGEON: The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel; but the cruel things of God are full of tender mercy!
JOHN MASON (1600-1672): This is the Christian’s plea and glory. While he knows “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel,” yet he also knows that the “merciful kindness of the Lord is great, and the truth of the Lord endureth forever,” Psalm 118:2.
