Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:31
I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
31. The protestation of a good conscience is continued. I cleave unto thy testimonies (cp. Deu 10:20; Deu 11:22; Deu 13:4; Deu 30:20); put me not to shame; let me not be disappointed of the blessings promised to faithful obedience.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I have stuck unto thy testimonies – The word here rendered stuck is the same which in Psa 119:25 is rendered cleave: – My soul cleaveth unto the dust. It means here that he had adhered to the testimonies of God as if he had been glued to them, or as if he and they were firmly united together. He had so adhered to them that he could not be detached from them.
O Lord, put me not to shame – Let me not be disappointed or confounded; let all my anticipations of the good effects of obeying thy law be realized; let me find all that I have hoped for; let me partake of thy friendship and favor as I desire. See the notes at Psa 119:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:31
I have stuck unto Thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.
The sticking to Gods testimonies
I. What the psalmist means by Gods testimonies.
1. The children of God do not cleave to the bare letter of the Word–the mere vowels and consonants and syllables of Scripture, but to such testimonies as the Lord Himself is pleased to drop into their heart and conscience through the medium of the Scriptures of truth. Now, before we can receive the Scriptures as a revelation from God, it must be shown to us by the Holy Spirit that they were inspired by Himself.
2. But we come to the particular testimonies which God reveals to His chosen.
(1) One of the first testimonies that God seals upon the heart and conscience of His children is a manifestation of His own being–I mean His spiritual being; some discovery of Himself as He really is, some manifestation of Himself as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures of truth.
(2) But when we come to a more particular description of these testimonies, we may divide them into two grand classes, testimonies against us, and testimonies for us, that is, in the way of experience.
(3) But there are other testimonies of another nature–not so much testimonies against, or testimonies for our interest in covenant mercies, as testimonies of Divine instruction. The Lord has said, for instance, in His Word, that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. That is a testimony from the mouth of God; and how does the soul first receive, and then stick to that testimony? By the opening up of the depths of corruption in our heart, by the breaking up of the secret fountains of iniquity, that great deep that coucheth beneath. Again, God has said in His Word, I, the Lord, hate evil. Now, this testimony the Lord speaks out of the Word into the hearts of His chosen. He writes it as with a sunbeam upon the consciences of His living family that He abhors evil; and this He transfers from the Word, and stamps upon a mans conscience; and he who has never had that solemn truth stamped upon his conscience is destitute of the knowledge of the only true God.
II. He who sticks to Gods testimonies will not be put to shame.
1. Sometimes the child of God is afraid that he will be put to shame in the hour of death; lest his religion in that solemn moment should be sifted clean away, and his hope should prove a delusion; and therefore he says, I have stuck unto Thy testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shame in that solemn hour when I must stand before Thee, without any one to help, or anything to hope in, except Thyself. Now, he that sticks to Gods testimonies will not be then put to shame. He will not die in despair, but he will die in the fear and love of God; or, at any rate, will die with a good hope through grace in His mercy, with some rest of soul, and some sweet confidence that he is His.
2. Sometimes the child of God is afraid of being put to shame openly before men, by being overcome by some sin; but he says, I have stuck to Thy testimonies. Thou hast said, I hate evil–I believe it, Lord. Thou hast shown me my ignorance, and inability to keep myself–I believe it, Lord. Thou hast warned me by solemn rebukes; Thou hast hedged me up by inward reproofs; Thou hast shown me what I am, and what there is in my heart;–I believe it, Lord. Let no sin entangle me, no disgrace overtake me, no corruption prevail against me. Let not the enemies of truth shout, Ah, ah! Ah, ah! against me. O Lord, put me not to shame.
3. The soul is sometimes afraid lest a furnace will come, when all his religion shall be proved to be untrue, when Satan shall say, It is all a deception; it was not the manifestation of God to thy soul; mercy never was received; it was but excited imagination; it was but the heated working of thy carnal mind. The soul says, I have stuck unto Thy testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shame. I cleave to Thy work, I hang upon it, I have nothing else to cleave to. O Lord, put me not to shame. (J. C. Philpot.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 31. I have stuck] dabakti, I have cleaved to, been glued to, them: the same word as in Ps 119:25. My soul cleaves as much to thy testimonies, as my life has cleaved to the dust.
O Lord, put me not to shame.] Let my sins and follies be blotted out by thy mercy; and so hide and cover them that they shall never appear, either in this or the coming world, to my shame and confusion! How many need to be importunate with God in this prayer!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have stuck unto thy testimonies; I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts, in spite of all temptations, reproaches, persecutions, and discouragements, to which I was exposed in and for so doing.
Put me not to shame; either,
1. By giving me over to apostacy or transgression, which will bring shame; or rather,
2. By the disappointment of my hopes and confidence in those promises of the blessings of this life. as well as of the next, which thou hast made to the obedient, of which I have made in boast.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I have stuck unto thy testimonies,…. The word of God, the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines contained in them. These he closely adhered to, was glued unto them as it were; having firmly believed them, he steadfastly professed them; nor could he be moved from them by any temptations whatever, notwithstanding the reproach cast upon them and him for their sake, or the opposition made unto them;
O Lord, put me not to shame: or let me not be ashamed of the choice I have made, of the testimonies I adhere unto, of my hope and confidence in the Lord and his word; or suffer me not to do anything, any sinful action, that may expose me to shame and contempt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Psa 119:31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
Ver. 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies ] Hitherto I have done so; let me now shrink from them, or hang loose to them, lest I lose the things that I have wrought, and shame myself for ever by my backsliding.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
stuck = cleaved, or adhered.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
stuck: Psa 119:48, Psa 119:115, Deu 4:4, Deu 10:20, Pro 23:23, Joh 8:31, Act 11:23
put me: Psa 119:6, Psa 119:80, Psa 25:2, Psa 25:20, Isa 45:17, Isa 49:23, Jer 17:18, Rom 5:5, 1Jo 2:28
Reciprocal: Psa 119:39 – Turn Psa 119:51 – yet have Psa 119:95 – but I Psa 119:129 – doth Isa 25:4 – thou hast
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 119:31. I have stuck, &c. I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts, in spite of all temptations to the contrary, whether from prosperity or adversity, from honour or dishonour, from health or sickness, from pleasure or pain; whether from visible or invisible foes. The psalmist does not say only, I have followed, but, I have stuck unto thy testimonies That is, I have adhered so closely and firmly to them, that temptation has in vain essayed to allure, and persecution as vainly attempted to force me from them. In this the psalmist is an example for our imitation. Having once chosen our road, we must persevere in it; since better had it been for us never to have known the way of truth, than to forsake it when known. We must therefore pray with him, O Lord, put me not to shame By giving me over to apostacy or transgression, which would bring shame: but so continue thy grace and favour to me, that I may never, by falling from my steadfastness, disgrace my heavenly Master, his cause, my brethren, myself, nor be put to shame at the last day.