“Ne gloriosus appareas coram rege, et in loco magnorum ne steteris.”
“Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: Put: Heb. Set not out thy glory”
“Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;”
“Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;”
“Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men:”
Glorious, or a boaster. (Haydock) — We must not seek the first places, Luke xiv. 10.
This shows that the vigorous endeavour of a prince to suppress vice, and reform the manners of his people, is the most effectual way to support his government. Observe, 1. What the duty of magistrates is: To take away the wicked, to use their power for the terror of evil works and evil workers, not only to banish those that are vicious and profane from their presence, and forbid them the court, but so to frighten them and restrain them that they may not spread the infection of their wickedness among their subjects. This is called taking away the dross from the silver, which is done by the force of fire. Wicked people are the dross of a nation, the scum of the country, and, as such, to be taken away. If men will not take them away, God will, Ps 119 119. If the wicked be taken away from before the king, if he abandon them and show his detestation of their wicked courses, it will go far towards the disabling of them to do mischief. The reformation of the court will promote the reformation of the kingdom, Ps 101 3, 8. 2. What the advantage will be of their doing this duty. (1.) It will be the bettering of the subjects; they shall be made like silver refined, fit to be made vessels of honour. (2.) It will be the settling of the prince. His throne shall be established in this righteousness, for God will bless his government, the people will be pliable to it, and so it will become durable.