"when knowledge is pleasant to thy soul," then a man is converted; when God
breaks open a man's heart, and makes wisdom fall in, enter in, and make a
man wise.— Thomas Goodwin.
Verse 7. This verse, and the two next following, which treat of God's
law, are in Hebrew, written each of them with ten words, according to the
number of the ten commandments, which are called the ten words. Exodus
34:28.— Henry Ainsworth.
Verses 7, 8. "The testimony of the Lord is sure, enlightening the
eyes," revealing the object, ennobling the organ.— Richard Stock.
Verse 7-11. All of us are by nature the children of wrath; our souls
are like the porches of Bethesda (John 5), in which are lodged a great
many "sick folk, blind, halt, withered;" and the Scriptures are like the
pool of Bethesda, into which whoever entereth, after God's Holy Spirit
hath a little stirred the water, is "made whole of whatsoever disease he
hath." He that hath anger's frenzy, being as furious as a lion, by stepping
into this pool shall in good time become as gentle as a lamb; he that hath
the blindness of intemperance, by washing in this pool shall easily see his
folly; he that hath envy's rust, avarice's leprosy, luxury's palsy, shall
have means and medicines here for the curing of his maladies. The word of
God is like the drug catholicon, that is instead of all purges; and like
the herb panaces, that is good for all diseases. Is any man heavy? the
statutes of the Lord rejoice the heart: is any man in want? the judgments
of the Lord are more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and
by keeping of them there is great reward: is any man ignorant? the
testimonies of the Lord give wisdom to the simple, that is, to little ones,
both in standing and understanding. In standing, as unto little Daniel,
little John the evangelist, little Timothy: to little ones in understanding;
for the great philosophers who were the wizards of the world, because they
were not acquainted with God's law became fools while they professed
themselves wise. Romans 1:22. But our prophet saith, "I have more
understanding than all my teachers, because thy testimonies are my
meditation," and my study. Psalm 119:99. To conclude, whatsoever we are by
corruption of nature, God's law converteth us, and maketh us to speak with
new tongues, and to sing new songs unto the Lord, and to become new men and
new creatures in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17.— J. Boys.
Verse 8. "The statutes." Many divines and critics, and Castalio in
particular, have endeavoured to attach a distinct shade of meaning to the
words, law, testimony, the statutes, commandments, fear, judgments,
occurring in this context. (Heb.), the law, has been considered to denote
the perceptive part of revelation. (Heb.), the testimony, has been
restricted to the doctrinal part. (Heb.), the statutes, has been regarded
as relating to such things as have been given in charge. (Heb.), the
commandment, has been taken to express the general body of the divine law
and doctrine. (Heb.), religious fear. (Heb.), the judgments, the civil
statutes of the Mosaic law, more particularly the penal sanctions.— John Morison.
Verse 8. "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart."
How odious is the profaneness of those Christians who neglect the Holy
Scriptures, and give themselves to reading other books! How many precious
hours do many spend, and that not only on work days, but holy days, in
foolish romances, fabulous histories, lascivious poems! And why this, but
that they may be cheered and delighted, when as full joy is only to be had
in these holy books. Alas! the joy you find in those writings is perhaps
pernicious, such as tickleth your lust, and promoteth contemplative
wickedness. At the best it is but vain, such as only pleaseth the fancy and
affecteth the wit; whereas those holy writings (to use David's expression),
are "right, rejoicing the heart." Again, are there not many who more set
by Plutarch's morals, Seneca's epistles, and such like books, than they do
by the Holy Scriptures? It is true, beloved, there are excellent truths in
those moral writings of the heathen, but yet they are far short of these
sacred books. Those may comfort against outward trouble, but not against
inward fears; they may rejoice the mind, but cannot quiet the conscience;
they may kindle some flashy sparkles of joy, but they cannot warm the soul
with a lasting fire of solid consolations. And truly, brethren, if ever God
give you a spiritual ear to judge of things aright, you will then
acknowledge there are no bells like to those of Aaron's, no harp like to
that of David's, no trumpet like to that of Isaiah's, no pipes like to those
of the apostle's; and, you will confess with Petrus Damianus, that those
writings of heathen orators, philosophers, poets, which formerly were so
pleasing, are now dull and harsh in comparison of the comfort of the
Scriptures.— Nathanael Hardy, D.D., 1618-1670.
Verse 10. "Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." Love the word
written. Psalm 119:97. "Oh, how love I thy law!" "Lord," said Augustine,
"let the holy Scriptures be my chaste delight." Chrysostom compares the
Scripture to a garden, every truth is a fragrant flower, which we should
wear, not on our bosom, but in our heart. David counted the word "sweeter
than honey and the honeycomb." There is that in Scripture which may breed
delight. It shows us the way to riches: Deuteronomy 28:5, Proverbs 3:10; to
long life: Psalm 34:12; to a kingdom: Hebrews 12:28. Well, then, may we
count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy
Scriptures; well may we say with the prophet (Jeremiah 15:16), "Thy words
were found and I did eat them; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my
heart."— Thomas Watson.
Verse 10. "Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." There is no
difference made amongst us between the delicacy of honey in the comb and
that which is separated from it. From the information of Dr. Halle,
concerning the diet of the Moors of Barbary, we learn that they esteem honey
a very wholesome breakfast, "and the most delicious that which is in the
comb with the young bees in it, before they come out of their cases, whilst
they still look milk-white." ( Miscellanea Curiosa vol. iii. p. 382.)
The distinction made by the psalmist is then perfectly just and conformable
to custom and practice, at least of more modern, and probably, equally so of
ancient times.— Samuel Burder, A.M., in "Oriental Customs," 1812.
Verse 11. "Moreover by them is thy servant warned." A certain Jew had
formed a design to poison Luther, but was disappointed by a faithful friend,
who sent Luther a portrait of the man, with a warning against him. By this,
Luther knew the murderer and escaped his hands. Thus the word of God, O
Christian, shows thee the face of those lusts which Satan employs to destroy
thy comforts and poison thy soul.— G. S. Bowes, B.A., in "Illustrative Gatherings for Preachers and
Teachers."
Verse 11. "In keeping of them there is great reward." This "keeping
of them" implies great carefulness to know, to remember, and to observe;
and the "reward" (literally "the end"), i.e., the recompense, is far
beyond anticipation.— W. Wilson.
Verse 11. "In keeping of them there is great reward." Not only for
keeping, but in keeping of them, there is great reward. The joy, the rest,
the refreshing, the comforts, the contents, the smiles, the incomes that
saints now enjoy, in the ways of God, are so precious and glorious in their
eyes, that they would not exchange them for ten thousand worlds. Oh! if the
vails, (Gratuities, presents), be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day
comes, what will be that glory that Christ will crown his saints with for
cleaving to his service in the face of all difficulties, when he shall say
to his Father, "Lo, here am I, and the children which thou hast given me."
Isaiah 8:18. If there be so much to be had in the wilderness, what then
shall be had in paradise!— Thomas Brooks.
Verse 11. "In keeping of them there is great reward." Not only for
keeping but in keeping of them. As every flower hath its sweet smell, so
every good action hath its sweet reflection upon the soul: and as Cardan
saith, that every precious stone hath some egregious virtue; so here,
righteousness is its own reward, though few men think so, and act
accordingly. Howbeit, the chief reward is not till the last cast, till we
come home to heaven. The word here rendered "reward," signifieth the
heel, and by a metaphor, the end of a work, and the reward of it, which
is not till the end.— John Trapp.
Verse 11. "Reward." Though we should not serve God for a reward, yet
we shall have a reward for our service. The time is coming when ungodliness
shall be as much prosecuted by justice, as in times past godliness had been
persecuted by injustice. Though our reward be not for our good works, yet
we shall have our good works rewarded, and have a good reward for our works.
Though the best of men (they being at the best but unprofitable servants)
deserve nothing at the hands of God, yet they may deserve much at the hands
of men; and if they have not the recompense they deserve, yet it is a kind
of recompense to have deserved. As he said, and nobly, "I had rather it
should be said, Why doth not Cato's image stand here? than it should be
said, Why doth it stand here?"— Ralph Venning. 1620-1673.
Verse 12. "Who can understand his errors?" After this survey of the
works and word of God, he comes at last to peruse the third book, his
conscience; a book which though wicked men may keep shut up, and naturally
do not love to look into it, yet will one day be laid open before the great
tribunal in the view of the whole world, to the justifying of God when he
judges, and to impenitent sinners' eternal confusion. And what finds he
here? A foul, blurred copy that he is puzzled how to read; "who," says
he, "can understand his errors?" Those notions which God had with his own
hand imprinted upon conscience in legible characters, are partly defaced and
slurred with scribble, and interlinings of "secret faults;" partly
obliterated and quite razed out with capital crimes, "presumptuous sins."
And yet this manuscript cannot be so abused, but it will still give in
evidence for God; there being no argument in the world that can with more
force extort an acknowledgment of God from any man's conscience than the
conviction of guilt itself labours under. For the sinner cannot but know he
has transgressed a law, and he finds within him, if he is not past all
sense, such apprehensions that though at present he "walk in the ways of his
heart and in the sight of his eyes" (as the wise man ironically advises the
young man to do, Ecclesiastes 11:9), yet he knows (as the same wise man
there from his own experience tells him) that "for all these things God will
bring him into judgment." The conscience being thus convicted of sin,
where there is any sense of true piety the soul will, with David, here
address itself to God for pardon, that it may be "cleansed from secret
faults;" and for grace, that by its restraints, and preventions, and
assistances, it may be "kept back from presumptuous sins," and if
unhappily engaged, that it may be freed at least from the "dominion" of
them— "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not
have dominion over me," etc.— Adam Littleton.
Verse 12. The prophet saith, "Who can understand his own faults?" No
man can, but God can; therefore reason after this manner, as Saint Bernard
saith: I know and am known; I know but in part, but God knows me and knows
me wholly; but what I know I know but in part. So the apostle reasons; "I
know nothing of myself, yet am I not hereby justified."
Admit that thou keepest thyself so free, and renewest thy repentance so
daily that thou knowest nothing by thyself, yet mark what the apostle adds
further; "Notwithstanding, I do not judge myself; I am not hereby justified,
but he that judges me is the Lord." This is the condition of all men; he
that is infinite knows them; therefore they should not dare to judge
themselves, but with the prophet David, in Psalm 19, entreat the Lord that
he would cleanse them from their secret sins.— Richard Stock.
Verse 12. "Who can understand his own errors?" None can to the depth
and bottom. In this question there are two considerables: 1. A concession;
2. A confession. He makes a grant that our life is full of errors; and
the Scriptures say the same, while they affirm that "All we like sheep have
gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6); "I have gone astray like a lost sheep" Psalm
119:176; that the "house of Israel" hath "lost sheep," Matthew 10:6. I need