Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:69
The proud have forged a lie against me: [but] I will keep thy precepts with [my] whole heart.
69. The proud have forged a lie against me ] Lit. have plastered falsehood over me, “making his true character unrecognisable” (Del.), or perhaps, questioning the sincerity and disinterestedness of his service; but his answer to their calumny is a more resolute determination to obey: as for me, with my whole heart will I keep thy precepts.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The proud – The psalmist had before referred to the proud as those from whom he had suffered injury, or as having been exposed to their derision. See the notes at Psa 119:51. He here reverts to another form in which he had suffered from them.
Have forged a lie against me – Compare Job 13:4. The word rendered forged, means to patch together; and then it is applied to charges or accusations against anyone, perhaps from their being made up (as they often are) of shreds and patches – hints, small matters, things having no necessary connection in themselves, but brought together as if they pertained to the same transaction – words dropped here and there in conversation, which, being artfully woven together, seem to make out a plausible case against a man. Most slanders are formed and sustained in this way, for it is rare that an absolutely forged slander is uttered against a man, or that a charge is brought which cannot be made to have plausibility from such circumstances as those referred to above. Even the most pure and circumspect cannot always avoid this, for there is something in every mans life of which a malignant and cunning enemy may take advantage, and which he may weave into a story which some will believe, and which it may not be easy to confute. A malicious man may thus start a slander which may require years to correct, and which may even operate injuriously against a man all his life.
But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart – Notwithstanding their accusations, and their attempts to turn me away from thee, or to represent me as false and hypocritical. Whatever they may do; whatever reports they may start to my disadvantage, it is my fixed purpose to obey entirely and always thy law. See the notes at Psa 119:51.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:69-71
The proud have forged a lie against me.
The slanderer, the corrupt, the pious
I. The tongue of the slanderer. Slander is–
1. Malicious. Its inspiration is envy, jealousy, or revenge.
2. Mischievous. It often lacerates a mans heart, and destroys his good name, which may be dearer than life. He that steals my purse, etc.
3. Cowardly. The man who confronts another, strikes him with fist or sword, shows some bravery. But he who injures a man by slander is a miserable sneak.
II. The heart of the corrupt. As fat as grease–insensible to moral motives. All the moral nerves of the soul are benumbed by sin.
III. The avowal of the pious. The avowal–
1. Of a good resolution.
2. Of a blessed experience. Affliction evermore serves the good. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 69. The proud have forged a lie] The poor captives in Babylon had their conduct and motives continually misrepresented, and themselves belied and calumniated.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Forged a lie; a slander, charging me with hypocrisy towards God, and rebellion against my prince.
But I will keep thy precepts; my practice shall confute their calumnies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
69, 70. The crafty malice of thewicked, in slandering him, so far from turning him away, but bindshim closer to God’s Word, which they are too stupid in sin toappreciate. HENGSTENBERGrefers the “lie” to such slanders against the Jews duringthe captivity, as that in Ezr4:1-6, of sedition.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The proud have forged a lie against me,…. Or, “sewed a lie to him” r; fastened a lie upon him, or sewed and added one lie to another. Either with respect to politics, as the proud and haughty courtiers of Saul, who represented David to him as a traitor, that had treasonable designs against him to take away his life, and seize his crown and kingdom, 1Sa 24:9; or with respect to religion; so some proud scornful men, that derided him for his piety, and scoffed at his seriousness, gave out that it was all grimace and hypocrisy; raised calumnies upon him, and laid things to his charge he knew nothing of; and which were all lies, forged out of their own brains, and artfully and purposely put together to blacken his character, and lessen his esteem among men: and it is no unusual thing for wicked men to speak all manner of evil falsely against the people of God;
[but] I will keep thy precepts with [my] whole heart; observe the commands of God sincerely, heartily, and affectionately, and not in show and appearance only; and so make it evident that it was a lie that was forged against him; and this is the best way of answering such liars and defamers; see 1Pe 3:16.
r “consuerunt”, Tigurine version; “assuerunt”, Muis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
David here tells us how he was affected as to the proud and wicked people that were about him. 1. He did not fear their malice, nor was he by it deterred from his duty: They have forged a lie against me. Thus they aimed to take away his good name. Nay, all we have in the world, even life itself, may be brought into danger by those who make no conscience of forging a lie. Those that were proud envied David’s reputation, because it eclipsed them, and therefore did all they could to blemish him. They took a pride in trampling upon him. They therefore persuaded themselves it was no sin to tell a deliberate lie if it might but expose him to contempt. Their wicked wit forged lies, invented storied which there was not the least colour for, to serve their wicked designs. And what did David do when he was thus belied? He will bear it patiently; he will keep that precept which forbids him to render railing for railing, and will with all his heart sit down silently. He will go on in his duty with constancy and resolution: “Let them say what they will, I will keep thy precepts, and not dread their reproach.” 2. He did not envy their prosperity, nor was he by it allured from his duty. Their heart is as fat as grease. The proud are at ease (Ps. cxxiii. 4); they are full of the world, and the wealth and pleasures of it; and this makes them, (1.) Senseless, secure, and stupid; they are past feeling: thus the phrase is used, Isa. vi. 10. Make the heart of this people fat. They are not sensible of the touch of the word of God or his rod. (2.) Sensual and voluptuous: “Their eyes stand out with fatness (Ps. lxxiii. 7); they roll themselves in the pleasures of sense, and take up with them as their chief good; and much good may it do them. I would not change conditions with them. I delight in thy law; I build my security upon the promises of God’s word and have pleasure enough in communion with God, infinitely preferable to all their delights.” The children of God, who are acquainted with spiritual pleasures, need not envy the children of this world their carnal pleasures.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
69. The proud have weaved (424) lies against me He declares that, notwithstanding the malignant interpretation which the wicked put upon all that he did, and their attempts, by this artifice, to turn him aside from following after and loving uprightness, the state of his mind remained unaltered. It is a severe temptation, when, although innocent, we are loaded with reproach and infamy, and are not only assailed by injurious words, but also held up to the odium of the world by wicked persons, under some specious pretense or other. We see many who otherwise are good people, and inclined to live uprightly, either become discouraged, or are greatly shaken, when they find themselves so unworthily rewarded. On this account the prophet’s example is the more to be attended t that we may not be appalled by the malignity of men; that we may not cease to nourish within us the fear of God, even when they may have succeeded in destroying our reputation in the sight of our fellow-creatures; and that we may be contented to have our piety shining at the judgment-scat of God, although it may be defaced by the calumnies of men. So long as we depend upon the judgment of men, we will always be in a state of fluctuation, as has been already observed. Farther, let our works be never so splendid, we know that they will be of no account in the sight of God, if, in performing them, our object is to gain the favor of the world. Let us therefore learn to cast our eyes to that heavenly stage, and to despise all the malicious reports which men may spread against us. Let us leave the children of this world to, enjoy their reward, since our crown is laid up for us in heaven, and not on the earth. Let us disentangle ourselves from the snares with which Satan endeavors to obstruct us, by patiently bearing infamy for a season. The verb טפל , taphal, which otherwise signifies to join together, is here, by an elegant metaphor, taken for to weave, or to trim; intimating that the enemies of the prophet not only loaded him with coarse reproaches, but also invented crimes against him, and did so with great cunning and color of truth, that he might seem to be the blackest of characters. But though they ceased not to weave for him this web, he was enabled to break through it by his invincible constancy; and, exercising a strict control over his heart, he continued faithfully to observe the law of God. He applies to them the appellation of proud; and the reason of this, it may be conjectured, is, that the persons of whom he speaks were not the common people, but great men, who inflated with confidence in their honors and riches, rose up against him with so much the more audacity. He evidently intimates that they trampled him under their feet by their proud disdain, just as if he had been a dead dog.
With this corresponds the statement in the subsequent verse (70) that their heart is fat as grease, (425) — a vice too common among the despisers of God. Whence is it that wicked men, whom their own conscience gnaws within, vaunt themselves so insolently against the most eminent servants of God, but because a certain grossness overgrows their hearts, so that they are stupefied, and even frenzied by their own obstinacy? But wonderful and worthy of the highest praise is the magnanimity of the prophet, who found all his delight in the law of God: it is as if he declared that this was the food on which he fed, and with which he was refreshed in the highest degree; which could not have been the case had not his heart been freed, and thoroughly cleansed from all unhallowed pleasures.
(424) Archbishop Secker reads, “made up.” “It signifies,” says he, “fastening things together.”
(425) The fat of the human body, as physiologists inform us, is absolutely insensible; the lean membranous parts being those only which are sensitive. Accordingly, fatness of heart is used, with much propriety, to express the insensibility, stupidity, or sensuality of those feelings or affections of which the heart is considered the seat.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(69) Have forged.Rather, patched. The verb occurs twice besides (Job. 13:4; Job. 14:17). Gesenius compares the Greek, , and the Latin, suere dolos. Comp. also
You praise yourself by laying defects of judgment to me;
but you patched up your excuses.
Antony and Cleopatra: Acts 2, Scene 2.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 119:69 The proud have forged a lie against me: [but] I will keep thy precepts with [my] whole heart.
Ver. 69. The proud have forged a lie against me ] Heb. They have cunningly and finely aspersed me. Mendacium mendacio assuentes, piecing one lie to another, and drawing together iniquity with the cart ropes of vanity. Concinnarunt, artificiose confinxerunt.
But l will keep thy precepts
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
proud: Psa 35:11, Psa 109:2, Psa 109:3, Job 13:4, Jer 43:2, Jer 43:3, Mat 5:11, Mat 5:12, Mat 26:59-68, Act 24:5, Act 24:13
I will: Psa 119:51, Psa 119:157
with my whole: Psa 119:34, Psa 119:58, Mat 6:24, Jam 1:8
Reciprocal: Exo 10:11 – for that 1Sa 22:13 – Why have Ezr 4:13 – if this city Psa 10:2 – The wicked Psa 36:11 – foot Psa 86:14 – O God Psa 119:10 – my whole Psa 119:95 – wicked Psa 140:5 – The proud Jer 29:13 – with Heb 10:22 – a true
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 119:69-70. The proud have forged a lie against me A slander, charging me with hypocrisy toward God, and other sins. But I will keep thy precepts My practice shall confute their calumnies. Every disciple of Christ, who, like his Master, goeth contrary to the ways of the world, and condemneth them, must expect to be, like that Master, slandered and calumniated by the world. To such slanders and calumnies, a good life is the best answer. Horne. Their heart is as fat as grease Hebrew, , tapash chacheleb, which Dr. Waterland renders, is gross, as with fat: and Houbigant, gross as fat. The sense is, either, 1st, They are dull, stupid, insensible, and past feeling, neither affected with the terrors nor comforts of Gods word: so a similar phrase signifies, Isa 6:10, compared with Joh 12:40. Or, 2d, They prosper exceedingly, and are even glutted with the wealth and comforts of this life. But I delight in thy law I do not envy them their prosperity and pleasure: for I have as much delight in Gods law as they have in worldly things.