Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:80
Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
80. sound ] Perfect, cp. Psa 119:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let my heart be sound … – Hebrew, Be perfect. See the notes at Job 1:1. The Septuagint here is immaculate, amomos. So the Latin Vulgate. It is the expression of a desire that the heart might be pure; that there might be no improper attachment for other objects; that there might be no defect of love to God.
That I be not ashamed – See the notes at Psa 119:6. A man has no occasion to be ashamed of a pure heart; and that which can alone keep us from being ultimately ashamed is sincerity, uprightness, and purity in the service of God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:80
Let my heart be sound in Thy statutes.
A sound heart
A heathen prayed for a sound mind in a sound body. A sound body is, of all earthly blessings, the most priceless. But a sound heart is a far greater blessing. A sound heart, like the AEolian harp, can catch music from the tempest, or, like the bee, gather honey from weeds and briers.
I. A sound heart throbs is unison with the moral laws of the universe. Those laws are the laws of benevolence and truth.
II. A sound heart is a united heart,. It has no fissures, no rents, no distractions, it is one whole.
III. A sound heart is a strong heart. It does not sink under trial, or quail under danger. O happy heart, says Quarles, where piety affecteth, where humility subjecteth, where repentance correcteth, where obedience dissecteth, where perseverance perfecteth, where power protecteth, where devotion projecteth, where charity connecteth. (Homilist.)
Right-heartedness
Some follow religion merely for safety from penalty, some merely for its excitement, and others for gain; but the psalmist desires to be right just because it is right, and does not make ashamed.
I. The prayer. Let my heart be sound.
1. It is a definite prayer. Holiness means wholeness–sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
2. It is a personal prayer. Let my heart.
II. The occasion for this prayer.
1. After the excitements of conversion.
2. In a time of temptation.
3. When engaged in self-examination.
4. In times of persecution.
5. In times of work and witnessing for the Saviour.
6. In affliction.
III. A strong reason for this prayer. That I be not ashamed.
1. That I be not ashamed of the profession I have made.
2. That I be not ashamed before men, in the ship, in the shop, at the polling booth; that I may live respected and die lamented.
3. That I may not be ashamed before God at His coming, but joyfully hear, Well done, good and faithful servant, etc. (D. Brotchie.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes] Let it be perfect – all given up to thee, and all possessed by thee.
ANALYSIS OF LETTER YOD. – Tenth Division
I. In the first place the psalmist prays for understanding, comfort, and mercy; and uses this argument, I am thy creature: “Thy hands have fashioned me.”
II. He prays for understanding: Give me heavenly light and influence.
III. He prays for this that he may learn God’s commandments. This was his end.
1. He endeavours to persuade God to this by the benefit that others would receive from seeing his conversion: “They – that fear thee will be glad,” c.
2. He acknowledges that, if he was at any time deserted, it was because he was unfaithful, and that it was in very faithfulness that God had corrected him therefore God’s judgments were right.
3. He prays that God’s merciful kindness may be extended to him. But this prayer he would not presume to have offered, had he not been authorized and encouraged by God’s word: “According to thy word.” When God gives a promise, he binds himself to fulfil it.
4. He desires to be treated as a child in the heavenly family; and therefore prays for God’s fatherly mercies – his bowels of compassion.
5. And he prays for them for this end, “that he may live.” And here also he adds a reason why he should be heard: “Thy law is my delight.”
6. He puts up another petition for his enemies, if they will take timely warning: “Let the proud be ashamed;” let them see their unprincipled conduct and blush that they have been persecuting and calumniating innocent people.
7. He next expresses his own resolution: “I will meditate on thy statutes.” Howsoever they deal with me, I will cleave unto my God.
8. He prays that he may be acknowledged by the godly: “Let them that fear thee turn unto me.” God’s Church is a communion of saints, and to them has God so distributed his graces that one stands in need of another. Where one doubts, the light of another may solve his difficulty. One grieves; another may comfort him. One is tempted; another may uphold and restore him. This company the psalmist would have joined to him for these ends.
9. He prays that he may be sound in the faith, for without this he could not be steady in his obedience. Though an orthodox creed does not constitute true religion, yet it is the basis of it, and it is a great blessing to have it; and soundness of mind is a strong help to the retention of a sound creed.
Finally, he shows the end for which he desires this blessing, that “he may not be ashamed.” That he may continue sincere and upright, have dominion over all sin, give no place to secret iniquities, and that he may never be put to the blush before God or man. Reader, beg of God to enable thee to lay these things profitably to heart.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Sound, Heb. perfect, or entire, that I may love and obey them sincerely, constantly, and universally.
That I be not ashamed, to wit, for my sins, which are the only just causes of shame, and for the disappointment of my hopes following upon them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
80. Let my . . . be soundthatis, perfect, sincere.
ashameddisappointed inmy hope of salvation.
CAPH.(Ps 119:81-88).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let my heart be found in thy statutes,…. Or “perfect”, and sincere: he desires that he might have a sincere regard to the ways and worship, ordinances and commands, of God; that he might have a cordial affection for them, and observe them, not in show and appearance only, but heartily as to the Lord, and in reality and truth, like an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile;
that I be not ashamed; before men, conscious of guilt; or before God, at the throne of grace; where a believer sometimes is ashamed to come, not having had that regard to the statutes of the Lord he should have had, and that he might not be ashamed before him at the last day; but have confidence, having the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, and the true grace of God implanted in him; which engaged him to a regard to all his commandments.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Here is, 1. David’s prayer for sincerity, that his heart might be brought to God’s statutes, and that it might be sound in them, not rotten and deceitful, that he might not rest in the form of godliness, but be acquainted with the subject to the power of it,–that he might be hearty and constant in religion, and that his soul might be in health. 2. His dread of the consequences of hypocrisy: That I be not ashamed. Shame is the portion of hypocrites, either here, if it be repented of, or hereafter, if it be not: “Let my heart be sound, that I fall not into scandalous sin, that I fall not quite off from the ways of God, and so shame myself. Let my heart be sound, that I may come boldly to the throne of grace, and may lift up my face without spot at the great day.”
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes Having, a little before, desired to be endued with a sound understanding, he now prays, in a similar manner, for sincere affection of heart. The understanding and affections, as is well known, are the two principal faculties of the human soul, both of which he clearly shows to be depraved and perverse, when he requests that his understanding may be illuminated, and, at the same time, that his heart may be framed to the obedience of the law. This plainly refutes all that the Papists babble about free will. The prophet not only here prays that God would help him, because his will was weak; but he testifies, without qualification, that uprightness of heart is. the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are, moreover, taught by these words, in what the true keeping of the law consists. A great part of mankind, after having carelessly framed their life according to the Divine law, by outward obedience, think that they want nothing. But the Holy Spirit here declares that no service is acceptable to God, except that which proceeds from integrity of heart. As to the word, תמים , thamim, rendered sound, we have elsewhere said, that a sound heart is set in opposition to a double or deceitful heart. It is as if the prophet had said, that those who are without dissimulation, and who offer to God a pure heart, yield themselves truly to Him. When it is added, that I may not be put to shame, it is intimated, that such shall be the undoubted issue as to all the proud, who, disdaining the grace of God, lean upon their own strength; and as to all hypocrites, who, for a time, parade themselves in gay colors. The amount, then, is, that unless God govern us by his Spirit, and keep us in the performance of our duty, so that our hearts may be sound in his statutes, although our shame may be hidden for a time, yea, although all men should praise us, and hold us in admiration, yet we cannot avoid falling, at length, into dishonor and ignominy.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 119:80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Ver. 80. Let my heart be sound ] For the main, though I have many failings. Pray we against hypocrisy.
That I be not ashamed
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sound = thorough.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sound: Psa 25:21, Psa 32:2, Deu 26:16, 2Ch 12:14, 2Ch 15:17, 2Ch 25:2, 2Ch 31:20, 2Ch 31:21, Pro 4:23, Eze 11:9, Joh 1:47, 2Co 1:12
that I be: Psa 119:6, Psa 25:2, Psa 25:3, 1Jo 2:28
Reciprocal: Lev 20:22 – statutes Num 14:24 – followed me Deu 30:2 – with all thine heart Jos 24:14 – serve 1Sa 12:24 – in truth 1Ki 15:3 – and his heart 1Ch 29:19 – And give Psa 19:8 – statutes Psa 78:37 – their heart Psa 119:31 – put me Psa 125:4 – upright Pro 14:30 – sound Isa 38:3 – a perfect Eze 18:21 – and keep Mar 2:22 – bottles Joh 3:21 – he that Phi 1:20 – in nothing 2Ti 1:7 – a sound Tit 1:13 – that Heb 10:22 – a true
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 119:80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes Hebrew, perfect, or entire; that I may love and obey them sincerely, constantly, and universally. That I be not ashamed Namely, for my sins, which are the only just causes of shame, and for the disappointment of my hopes following upon them. This is a prayer necessary for all men to use at all times, but more particularly in seasons of persecution and temptation. When there are solidity and steadfastness in grace and virtue, as opposed to the mere form of godliness, or the fair show of the hypocrite; when internal holiness accompanies and actuates that which is external; when the word is thoroughly rooted, and faith, working by love, hath acquired the sovereignty over our desires, then our hearts are sound in Gods statutes, and there is hope that, in the day of trial, we shall not give our brethren cause to be ashamed of us, nor be ourselves ashamed before God. Horne.