Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
14. be acceptable ] An expression borrowed from the laws of sacrifice. See Lev 1:3-4 (R.V.); cp. Exo 28:38. Prayer, “uttered or unexpressed,” is a spiritual sacrifice. Cp. Psa 141:2; Hos 14:2.
The P.B.V., be always acceptable, is from the LXX. The Heb. for always would be tmd. If this word may be restored to the text on the authority of the LXX, it would suggest a reference to the daily sacrifice which was to be offered continually (Exo 29:38 ff.), and in later times was called the Tmd.
my strength &c.] My rock (see on Psa 18:2), and my redeemer, delivering me from the tyranny of enemies and the bondage of sin, as He delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Cp. Exo 15:13; Isa 63:9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let the words of my mouth – The words that I speak; all the words that I speak.
And the meditation of my heart – The thoughts of my heart.
Be acceptable in thy sight – Be such as thou wilt approve; or, be such as will be pleasing to thee; such as will give thee delight or satisfaction; such as will be agreeable to thee. Compare Pro 14:35; Isa 56:7; Isa 60:7; Jer 6:20; Exo 28:38; Lev 22:20-21; Lev 19:5. This supposes:
(a) that God has such control over our thoughts and words, that he can cause us to order them aright;
(b) that it is proper to pray to him to exert such an influence on our minds that our words and thoughts may be right and pure;
(c) that it is one of the sincere desires and wishes of true piety that the thoughts and words may be acceptable or pleasing to God.
The great purpose of the truly pious is, not to please themselves, or to please their fellow-men, (compare Gal 1:10), but to please God. The great object is to secure acceptance with him; to have such thoughts, and to utter such words, that He can look upon them with approbation.
O Lord my strength – Margin, as in Hebrew, rock. Compare the note at Psa 18:2.
And my redeemer – On the word used here, see the note at Job 19:25; compare Isa 41:14; Isa 43:14; Isa 44:6, Isa 44:24; Isa 47:4; Isa 63:16. The two things which the psalmist here refers to in regard to God, as the appellations dear to his heart, are
(a) that God is his Rock, or strength; that is, that he was his defense and refuge; and
(b) that he had rescued or redeemed him from sin; or that he looked to him as alone able to redeem him from sin and death.
It is not necessary to inquire here how far the psalmist was acquainted with the plan of salvation as it would be ultimately disclosed through the great Redeemer of mankind; it is sufficient to know that he had an idea of redemption, and that he looked to God as his Redeemer, and believed that he could rescue him from sin. The psalm, therefore, which begins with a contemplation of God in his works, appropriately closes with a contemplation of God in redemption; or brings before us the great thought that it is not by the knowledge of God as we can gain it from his works of creation that we are to be saved, but that the most endearing character in which he can be manifested to us is in the work of redemption, and that wherever we begin in our contemplation of God, it becomes us to end in the contemplation of his character as our Redeemer.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 19:14
The words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart.
Words and thoughts
The prayer speaks for itself, as the prayer of a truly righteous man. One might almost call that man a perfect man whose whole life was lived in perfect accord with it. For the majority of us, it is far easier to control ones actions than ones words. What mischief is done by the exaggerated denunciations of violent language, and by the false position of guilt in which strong epithets and expletives are usually placed. All expressions of bad feeling are wrong, not because they are expressions, but because they spring from the bad feeling, and that is the thing of which we ought to be ashamed and afraid. The use of expletives has been put on a false footing altogether, and the way in which they have been condemned has done more to increase it than to stop it. Yet how very far better it would be for us never to use rash or violent or misplaced words. All habits of this kind are bad. What a safeguard the prayer of the text is against all corrupting influences of the tongue, and against lying. By the words of our mouth, how vast is the influence we may exercise for good or evil! Of all the common forms of sinning with the tongue, the most common, and perhaps the worst, is the sin of lying. There is an amazing amount of careless falsehood spoken. What gives religion its preeminence as a moral power, is its recognition of a holy God who looketh on the heart, and m whose sight the pious soul longs to be wholly and alway acceptable. The earnest desire to be right in the sight of God would give an immense impulse to the instinctive love of truth which belongs to our nature. The most vital part of religion is, intense desire to be made righteous, and entire trust in the strength and grace of God. (Charles Voysey.)
Acceptable words
Meditations into which a man puts his heart will surely prove the spring of action. The depths of this prayer are reached in the petition concerning the meditations of the heart. Meditation is only unuttered speech. We think in words. Yet the words we utter have a separate existence, and most powerfully affect the thoughts of our mind. Language has a reflex influence upon our thoughts. Thought is revealed in speech, but speech reacts upon thought. The Bible is fully alive to the importance of right words. Consider some of the essentials of acceptable words,
1. They must be truthful words. Our words must be in harmony with our thought. Our speech should be photographic of our thought. There are thoughts which seem to reach beyond the capacity of language. Speech is the clothing of thought, and, like clothing, should fit. Right thoughts would exclude–
(1) All exaggerated words. This is a special failing of our own day.
(2) All unreal words.
(3) All flattering words.
2. They must he charitable words. There are men who have an instinct for searching out evil, just as hounds have for scenting out their prey. Evil ought so to sorrow our hearts as to make it impossible for us to blazon it abroad. Truth and goodness ought to be so attractive to us as to lead us to dwell thereon with delight and joy. Oh, that we had greater tenderness for sinful, wandering souls!
3. They must be godly words. Earthly speech may be seasoned with godly thoughts. Earthly things may be seen m a heavenly light. The spirit of a Christian may be seen in common ways, in ordinary work, in earthly speech. (W. Garrett Horder.)
The acceptableness of the words of the mouth and the meditation of the heart in Gods sight
It is a strong evidence of the love of God towards sinful man, that any thing such a frail and erring being can do or say can be acceptable to Him. There are few sins which can be less excused, or which are committed with less temptation, than the habit of uttering improper or indecent language. It is our duty to resist such temptations, and this duty is to be performed by making the meditations of our hearts acceptable to God. To this end we must begin with striving to acquire, and with earnestly praying for, purity of mind. Our minds become tainted before we are aware of the importance and the value of cleanliness of thought. The voluntary meditation of our hearts now form an image, an anticipated representation of the state in which we shall be. Whatever gives us most delight and heartfelt pleasure in this world is that which will give us strength in the next. (John Nance, D. D.)
Consecration of word and thought
I. The utterance of the text as an act of sacrifice. A dedication to God such as any devout man may make both of words and thoughts.
1. There is nothing so much in our power as are our words. We cannot change our heart, but we can our speech. Perhaps some man exclaims that his temper has overmastered him; that he is possessed by the devil; that he cannot govern his own thoughts; that volleys of wicked words issue from his lips, and that his words cannot be acceptable to God. I reply, as far as words are concerned, you have simply and solely yourself to blame, However hot your passion, you are not forced to speak; for God has given you power to hold your tongue. It is pure absurdity to put down those curses or those noisy slanderous words of yours to your own depravity, or to Adam, or to the devil. You have only your present self to blame, and neither Adam nor the devil will bear a particle of the responsibility. There are certain devilish words that even you would not utter ill the hearing of a child; there are others that you would repress if a holy man were standing by your side; there are many which your instinctive reverence for the sanctuary would have the power to hush. These simple facts may do much to convince you that dominion over the tongue is given you, and that it is within your power to present to God even words that may be acceptable to Him. The Scriptures contain many words which it were acceptable for the most vile to speak unto God.
2. The meditations of our hearts. These may seem to be less fitting for sacrifice; but they, too, can largely be brought into the control of our will; and then we may offer them to God on the altar of spiritual sacrifice.
II. How comprehensive the prayer. All the words of my mouth. These include–
1. All my soliloquies, my unuttered thinkings.
2. All my conversation, all my speakings whatsoever.
3. All I say unto God, in praise and prayer, in cries and ejaculations of gratitude and entreaty.
4. The meditations of the heart include even a larger share of human existence than the words of the mouth. These meditations reveal the habitual objects of reverence or distrust; the whole empire of fear, hope, and suspicion; of faith, prayerfulness, and love. Now, if this text is a prayer that all these things may be acceptable in the sight of God, it sweeps up into itself a large portion of our whole being. The prayer itself is a holy prayer, for this is the will of God, even our sanctification. (Henry Reynolds, D. D.)
The meditation of my heart.—
Mental prayer
There are four kinds of prayer, distinguished by the purposes for which the soul approaches God: namely, to praise Him, to thank Him, to propitiate Him, or to invoke His help. But we note now another division of prayer. That which we have referred to depends upon the motive of the soul, this upon the maimer of the act of prayer itself. The Psalmist, having prayed that he might be cleansed from sin, and innocent from the great transgression, proceeds further to desire that he may become pleasing to God–Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight. In these words he provides us with the main division of prayer, based on the organ or faculty which is employed in it: by the words of my mouth, vocal prayer is suggested; by the meditation of my heart, mental prayer is described. Mental prayer is transacted entirely within the soul; vocal prayer employs the ministry of the tongue, or in some other way finds expression. The order of the Psalmist is that of acquirement and attainment. We learn in childhood first to say prayers, afterwards to think them: we govern our words first, and then bring under subjection our thoughts. All prayer is either mental or vocal. Mental prayer includes meditation and contemplation. Vocal is such as is used in the services of the Church.
I. First, we will deal with the practice of meditation, and consider–
1. Its authority, which is derived from the Scriptures. We have instances of it in the Old Testament, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, of whom it is first expressly spoken (Gen 24:63). In the New Testament it is twice told of Mary how she pondered in her heart the things that were told her. Christ Himself gives examples of this kind of prayer (Joh 18:2; Mat 14:23; Luk 6:12). Mary of Bethany. The apostles also (Act 1:14; 1Ti 4:15; Gal 1:17-18). And so in the writings of the saints we have constant reference to the practice of meditation. St. Ambrose bids us exercise ourselves in meditation before conflict, that we may be prepared for it, and in a striking passage describes the nutritive effects of meditation; he says, we ought for a long while to bruise and refine the utterances of the heavenly Scriptures, exerting our whole mind and heart upon them, that the sap of that spiritual food may diffuse itself into all the veins of our soul, etc. St. Augustine enumerates the steps which lead up to prayer,–meditation begets knowledge, knowledge compunction, compunction devotion, and devotion perfects prayer. St. Basil enjoins mental prayer as a means of exercising the faculties of the soul. St. Gregory mentions the morning as a fitting time for meditation; he says, as the morning is the first part of the day, each of the faithful ought at that moment to lay aside all thoughts of this present life, in order to reflect upon the means of rekindling the fire of charity. St. Bernard represents meditation and prayer as the two feet of the soul, by which it ascends. St. Ignatius, in his Spiritual Exercise, systematised it. St. Theresa declares it essential to the Christian life.
2. Its dignity. It involves a continuing in communion with God in tender and affectionate intercourse, growing into a holy familiarity and friendship. St. Augustine in his confessions records the joy which he experienced when his soul found its resting place in God–Sometimes thou bringest me to certain feelings of tenderness, and to an extraordinary sweetness, which, should it still increase, I know not what would happen. Such communion is surely a preparation for heaven and a foretaste of beatitude. It is said of St. Francis de Sales, that one day when he was in retreat, and holding continuous and close communion with God, he became so overwhelmed with joy that at last he exclaimed, Withdraw Thyself, O Lord, for I am unable any longer to bear Thy great sweetness.
3. Its importance. This is because of its rich productiveness in the fruits of prayer; we have found that, whether it be regarded as a good work which stores up favour with God, or as an act of compensation for past neglect, or as a means of adding force to our petitions, or as to its subjective effect on our life–it outstrips other kinds of prayer in the number and quality of its effects.
4. Its nature and exercise. There are preliminary acts, such as–
(1) Adoration.
(2) Preparatory prayer that we may have the aid of the Holy Ghost.
(3) The endeavour to picture to yourself the event upon which you are to meditate.
Then there will be called into exercise: memory, that you may have the subject of meditation before the mind; understanding, that you may reflect upon it and investigate its meaning; the will, for we have to stir ourselves up to this exercise. The will acts On the body, by causing the muscles to contract; on the mind, by determining what trains of thought it shall pursue; on the spirit, by holy resolve: this its most wonderful power. Such resolve must be definite, and its execution not delayed. And the meditation will end with appropriate devotions and inquiries. But mental prayer includes also–
II. Contemplation. It is a gift which is very rarely possessed. It is said that, besides a peculiar elevation of soul towards God and Divine things, on the natural side contemplation requires certain qualities of mind and character, and is seldom attained except after a process of spiritual trial and purification; so that, in passing from the consideration of meditation to that of contemplation, we feel that we are going off the thoroughfare into the byways of religion. Some of its special features.
(1) There is no labour in it, as in meditation, but the soul beholds truth intuitively, and remains gazing upon God. The amazement of delight fills the soul as it beholds the things of God. So that it is
(2) a foretaste of eternal bliss, like to that which St. Peter enjoyed on the Mount of Transfiguration.
(3) Another feature is repose. It is restful calm, and closes the senses to the external world. It is ever associated with the idea of rest. Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard His word.
(4) The union of the soul with God is another mark, and is the first object of contemplative prayer.
III. A difficulty in the use of this mental prayer. It is dryness of spirit.
1. Its causes are–
(1) The condition of conscience,–some sin, perhaps hidden, may have come between the soul and God; or
(2) bodily health; or
(3) the providence of God. He sends it as a spiritual trial, and this form of it is the most severe. (Job 29:2-4; Psa 22:1-31 :l, 42:5, 143:7.) If we find no sin in the conscience, after diligent search, it is best to leave the matter in the hand of God. Only, never let dryness of spirit cause us to give up mental prayer. Let us not think that because we have not happy feeling therefore our prayer cannot be acceptable to God. God may delight in that which gives us no delight. As when the moon is in crescent, there are a few bright points still visible upon its unillumined part; and those bright points art supposed to be peaks of mountains so lofty as to be able to catch the sunlight; so in the darkness of the soul, the withdrawal of grace is not total, but there are still, as it were, certain eminences, which the Sun of Righteousness now and then touches with His glory. But whatever the dryness or the darkness be, if we persevere, the light will return at last. (W. H. Hutchings, M. A.)
Davids desire
All wish to please–
1. Some to please themselves. Whoever is offended, they must be indulged.
2. Some to please men. And this is not in all cases improper. Let every one of us please his neighbour, but it must be for his good to edification.
3. Some endeavour to please God. Such were Paul and his companions. We labour . . . to be accepted of Him. And such was David. He would dedicate all his powers to God. A natural man cares for his conduct as men see it. But he makes no conscience of his speech, or of his thoughts.
I. Davids prayer shows his humility, he asks only that his works may be acceptable.
II. His affection. He desires only to please Him.
III. Consciousness of duty. He knew that he was bound to seek Gods favour.
IV. Regard to self-interest. It could not but be well for him if he pleased God. Innumerable are the benefits of pleasing God. (William Jay.)
Pious desire
In these words we are taught–
I. The interesting light in which to contemplate the character of God.
1. God is His peoples strength. Of their bodies and of their souls.
2. Their Redeemer. He is so from the curse of the law; from sin; from the power of death and the grave. And at what cost of suffering was all this effected!
3. And we have individual interest in God. My strength: My Redeemer.
II. The pious desire of those that fear the Lord.
1. It is an habitual desire, but felt more strongly at certain seasons, as in meditation.
2. What David was persuaded of, that to the Lord everything was perfectly known.
3. About what he was concerned, that his words and thoughts might be acceptable in Thy sight. God delights in such meditation of His people. (Anon.)
.
Psa 20:1-9
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Let the words of my mouth] He has prayed against practical sin, the sins of the body; now, against the sins of the mouth and of the heart. Let my mouth speak nothing but what is true, kind, and profitable; and my heart meditate nothing but what is holy, pure, and chaste.
Acceptable in thy sight] Like a sacrifice without spot or blemish, offered up with a perfect heart to God.
O Lord, my strength] tsuri, “my fountain, my origin.”
My redeemer.] goali, my kinsman, he whose right it is to redeem the forfeited inheritance; for so was the word used under the old law. This prayer is properly concluded! he was weak, he felt the need of God’s strength. He had sinned and lost all title to the heavenly inheritance, and therefore needed the interference of the Divine kinsman; of HIM who, because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, also partook of the same. No prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered up in his strength; through HIM who took our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and restore the long-lost inheritance. Lord my helpar and my byer. – Old Psalter. He who is my only help, and he that bought me with his blood. This prayer is often, with great propriety, uttered by pious people when they enter a place of worship.
ANALYSIS OF THE NINETEENTH PSALM
I. There are TWO parts in this Psalm. The first is doctrinal; the second, penitential. The doctrinal part has two members:-
1. The first teaches us to know God by natural reason, from the book of creation, Ps 19:1-7.
2. But because this way is insufficient to save a soul, therefore in the second part we have a better way prescribed, which is the book of the Scriptures; the excellences of which are described, Ps 19:7-11.
II. The penitential part begins at the twelfth verse, for since the reward to be expected proceeds from the keeping of God’s law, and David’s heart told him he had not kept it, therefore, he begs pardon and grace, Ps 19:12-14.
I. “The heavens declare,” c. By the glory of God we are to understand his goodness, wisdom, power in a word, all his attributes, of which we have a double declaration: –
1. A testimony from the creatures, but especially the heavens, whose magnitude, beauty, order, variety, perpetual motion, light, influences, c., declare that there is an omnipotent, wise, good, and gracious God, who is their Creator with this David begins: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth,” c.
2. The vicissitude of day and night, proceeding from their motions, declares this also: “Day unto day uttereth speech,” c. 1. The heavens are diligent preachers for they preach all day and all night, without intermission. 2. They are learned preachers, for they preach in all tongues: “There is no speech-where their voice is not heard.” 3. They are universal preachers, for they preach to the whole world: “Their sound is gone through all the earth,” c.
3. But among all these creatures the SUN, for which God in heaven has set a throne, makes the fairest and clearest evidence, and that in the three following ways:-
1. By his splendour, light, and beauty he riseth as gloriously as a bridegroom coming from under his canopy.
2. By his wonderful celerity, not only in revolving round his own axis, which revolution, although he is one million three hundred and eighty-four thousand four hundred and sixty-two times bigger than the earth, he performs in twenty-five days fourteen hours of our time, but also in the swiftness with which his light comes to the earth. It travels at the rate of one hundred and ninety-four thousand one hundred and eighty-eight miles in a second of time and reaches our earth in eight minutes and about twelve seconds, a distance of ninety-five millions five hundred and thirteen thousand seven hundred and ninety-four English miles, at a mean rate.
3. His strange and miraculous heat, from which nothing is hidden, and by which every thing is benefited.
II. But as the declaration, even from the most glorious of creatures, is not sufficient to make men wise and happy, he has been pleased to declare himself by his WRITTEN WORD, called here the LAW generally; and is commended to us by the following reasons: –
1. From the author: It is the “law of Jehovah.”
2. From its sufficiency: It is “perfect.”
3. From its utility: “It converts the soul: – gives wisdom to the simple.”
4. From its infallibility: “The testimony of the Lord is sure.”
5. From its perspicuity: “The statutes of the Lord are right.”
6. From the effects it works on the soul: “They rejoice the heart.” They quiet the troubled conscience; “being justified by faith, we have peace with God.”
7. From its purity: “The commandment of the Lord is pure.” It is opposed to all bad opinions and evil practices.
8. From its effects in the understanding: “It enlightens the eyes.” It dispels all darkness and ignorance, all doubts and fears, diffidence, carnal security, false worship, c., and gives us to see our own deformities.
9. From its uncorruptness: “The fear of the Lord is clean.” Other religions are polluted with human inventions, strange ceremonies, uncommanded sacrifices, false gods, c.
10. From its perpetuity: “It endureth for ever.” It is an endless law, and an everlasting Gospel.
11. From its truth and equity: “It is altogether true and righteous.”
From all which David concludes, that it is both precious and delightful.
1. The price of it is beyond the best gold: “More to be desired than gold yea, than much fine gold.”
2. It is delightful: “Sweeter than honey and the honey-comb.”
3. This he knew by his own experience: “Moreover, by them is thy servant illuminated.”
4. It is profitable to observe them: “For in keeping of them there is, 1. A reward. 2. A great reward.”
III. But this last consideration sent David to the throne of mercy. What! a reward, a great reward! and only to those who keep God’s law? My conscience tells me that the reward is not for me I cannot plead this observance. David had public sins, secret faults and errors, to deplore. But he had at hand three means of help: 1. Confession of sin. 2. Petition for grace. 3. Faith in the Divine mercy, through the great Redeemer.
1. He knew he was an offender, but he knew not how greatly he had offended. He saw that he was guilty, and asked pardon. He felt that he was impure, and asked cleansing: “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from my secret faults.”
2. He prays that he may be preserved from presumptuous sins; that he might not be hardened in transgression: “Keep back also thy servant from presumptuous sins.” For which he gives two reasons: 1. If he were not kept back from them, sin would get the dominion over him. Sin would become a king, who would command, rule, and enslave him. 2. If thus kept back, he would be innocent from the great transgression; for he that gets under the strong habit of sin may at last deny God himself, renounce the blood of the covenant, and become a castaway.
3. Lastly, that his prayer may be heard, he prays for his prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight.” This is pleading, or supplication.
That prayer and supplication may be successful he acts faith in God, whom he,
1. Claims as his strength; literally, his rock, by whom alone he could resist and overcome.
2. His redeemer, through whom alone he could get pardon for the past, and grace to help him in time of need. To this word he adds nothing, as it includes every thing necessary to saint and sinner. See the notes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern and sanctify his words and thoughts, wherein he had many ways offended, as he here implies, and oft in this book confesseth and bewaileth. And this he the rather doth, because this caution was very necessary to preserve him from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts, and thence proceed to words and expressions, before they break forth into actions.
Be acceptable in thy sight, i.e. be really good and holy, and so well-pleasing to thee.
My strength: O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me, both against my temporal and spiritual enemies, and whose gracious powerful assistance is absolutely necessary to keep me from my own corrupt inclinations, and from all temptations to sinful thoughts, and words, and actions.
My redeemer: this expression seems to be added emphatically, and with special respect to Christ, who was certainly much in Davids eyes, to whom alone this word Goel can here properly belong, as may appear See Poole “Job 19:25“, to which I refer the reader, and by whose blood and Spirit alone David could and did expect the blessings and graces for which he here prayeth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Let the words of my mouth,…. Meaning either his speech in common conversation, which should not be filthy and foolish, rotten and corrupt; but such as ministers grace to the hearer: or else his address to God, both in prayer and thanksgiving;
and the meditation of my heart; his inward thoughts continually revolving in his mind; or his meditation on the word of God and divine things; or mental prayer, which is not expressed, only conceived in the mind;
be acceptable in thy sight; as words and thoughts are, when they are according to the word of God; and as the sacrifices of prayer, whether vocal or mental, and of praise, are through Jesus Christ our Lord. The psalmist, in order to strengthen his faith in God, that he should be heard and answered in the petitions he put up, makes use of the following epithets:
O Lord, my strength, or “rock” l,
and my Redeemer; who had been the strength of his life and of his salvation, the rock on which he was built and established, and the Redeemer who had redeemed his life from destruction, and out of the hands of all his enemies, and from all his iniquities.
l “rupes mea”, Musculus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius “mea petra”, Pagninus, Montanus, Rivetus; so Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart. David asks still more expressly to be fortified by the grace of God, and thus enabled to live an upright and holy life. The substance of the verse is this: I beseech thee, O God, not only to keep me from breaking forth into the external acts of transgression, but also to frame my tongue and my heart to the obedience of thy law. We know how difficult it is, even for the most perfect, so to bridle their words and thoughts, as that nothing may pass through their heart or mouth which is contrary to the will of God; and yet this inward purity is what the law chiefly requires of us. Now, the rarer this virtue — the rarer this strict control of the heart and of the tongue is, let us learn so much the more the necessity of our being governed by the Holy Spirit, in order to regulate our life uprightly and honestly. By the word acceptable, the Psalmist shows that the only rule of living well is for men to endeavor to please God, and to be approved of him. The concluding words, in which he calls God his strength and his redeemer, he employs to confirm himself in the assured confidence of obtaining his requests.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) Meditation.Heb., higgaon. (See Psa. 9:16; Psa. 92:3.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Let the words A comprehensive prayer that both the inner man and the outgoings of the heart may be acceptable to God.
Meditation of my heart Its devices and secret counsels. What higher standard of holiness does the New Testament set for us than is contained in these last two verses?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart,
Be acceptable in your sight,
O YHWH, my rock, and my redeemer.
So does he want to be right in mouth and heart so as to behave in a way that is totally acceptable to God. And he finishes with the heartfelt prayer that in both the words of his mouth and the thoughts of his heart he might be acceptable in God’s sight. He recognises that it is what is in the heart that defiles a man (Mar 7:20-23). As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Pro 23:7). And that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Mat 12:34), so that by our words we will be accounted righteous or condemned (Mat 12:37).
‘Be acceptable.’ The word connects with acceptability with God achieved through sacrifice (Lev 1:3-4). He desires that his words and thoughts be acceptable offerings to God, free from all taint and blemish.
For YHWH is his rock and his redeemer, and his desire is to please Him. The idea of the rock is of a solid and sure foundation (Psa 18:1; Isa 26:4 in context), and includes the idea of protection (Isa 32:2). The idea of a ‘redeemer’ is of one who acts on another’s behalf, delivering from bondage and from sin, and ensuring his reinstatement in blessing and favour, by the expenditure of saving effort and/or by the payment of a price.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 19:14. Let the words of my mouth, &c. Having thus extolled his Maker for the greatness of his power and mercy, and humbled himself for the number and heinousness of his iniquities, he closes this scene of praise and devotion; Let the words of my mouth, &c. be acceptableMy strength and my redeemer; words which seem prophetically to relate to Christ; as if he had said, “Thou wilt redeem me from the power of the devil, through the merits of Christ;” or rather, “Thou, who hast already redeemed me by the sacrifice of Christ, who was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev 13:8.
REFLECTIONS.1st, All things are full of God; and, to a mind disposed to contemplate, every object around him proclaims the glory of the great Creator.
1. The visible heavens, and the ethereal sky spread over us, declare the power, and display the wisdom, of the hand which made them. The regular successions of night and day speak to every people and language the voice of instruction. The glorious sun that shines, proclaims the brighter glory of him who made it, and daily causes it to go forth as a bridegroom from his chamber in the morning to run as a giant to its meridian height, and then at even to appear as if retiring to his rests in ruddy clouds, the tabernacle pitched for his reception. Note; Atheists are without excuse. If even there were no bibles, the eternal Power and Godhead are sufficiently visible in the works of creation and providence.
2. Spiritual things appear concealed under these visible emblems. The bright heavens represent the true and devoted preachers and apostles of the glorious gospel, raised up by divine power, and qualified for their blessed work. Faithful to the talk assigned, their word is gone out into all lands, and their preaching has reached the ends of the earth. The glorious sun in this firmament is Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness, arisen a light to lighten the Gentiles, whose warm, invigorating, and cheering beams believers happily experience; and he will continue to enlighten and enliven the faithful, till they shall be brought to that heaven of heavens, where their sun shall never go down, but with meridian beams of glory shine upon them for ever and ever.
2nd, However legible the glory of God might be in the works of creation to man in innocence, fallen man must have other means to teach him, or he will be brutish in his knowledge, and his understanding darkened. The book of God is now become more essential than the volume of nature.
This blessed word is here described under various properties: [1.] It is perfect, converting the soul: it contains a perfect discovery of the will of God; of that salvation wrought out by the Redeemer: it is the instrument that the Spirit makes use of to convert the sinner’s heart, and makes those holy and happy who truly by faith trust upon it. [2.] It is sure, making wise the simple: being the word of the faithful God, it cannot deceive us; and they who, however simple in the eyes of men, are enabled firmly to trust upon it, are truly wise, wise unto salvation. [3.] The statutes of the Lord are right; in themselves direct us in the right way to life and glory, and therefore rejoice the heart, which being found in Christ the way, and walking in holiness, rejoices in hope of the glory of God. [4.] The commandment of the Lord is pure, from all mixture and adulteration, and tending to produce purity of heart and life; enlightening the eyes, which, without this divine teaching, are closed in darkness. [5.] The fear of the Lord, the doctrine contained in that word which teaches this holy fear of God, is clean, and endureth for ever; cleanses and keeps us clean; so that those who have fully experienced the washing of water in the word, are without spot, and undefiled. [6.] The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether: his decisions in his word are not only true, and what will infallibly come to pass; but also most equitable, and no exception can be made to any of them. [7.] More to be desired are they, than gold, yea, than much fine gold: all the gold which the mines of Peru produce, is not to be compared with one great and precious promise of God’s word: the one can only make us appear great before men; by the other, we become partakers of a divine nature. [8.] Sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. None of the delights of sense can at all compare with the consolations which arise from God’s word: the one too frequently debases men into brutes, the other exalts them to partake of angelic joys. [9.] Moreover, by them is thy servant warned against the snares and temptations of sin and Satan, and directed in the discharge of every duty and relation towards God or man. [10.] And in keeping of them there is great reward; not of the law, as a covenant of life, for none then would obtain the reward; but of the gospel, by holding fast its doctrines, being influenced by its principles, and reaching after the accomplishment of its promises: in this way the reward of eternal life may be expected.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
READER, as oft as you and I look up and behold the heavenly bodies all ministering in their appointed order, and contemplate God’s covenant love, existing and confirmed at this hour as much as when first God promised that seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, day and night should remain; oh! let the view bring home additional proofs of God’s faithfulness. I would say to my heart, as Moses the man of God, said to Israel, Know thou, that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
And, Reader, let this confirmation of God’s faithfulness in the works of creation, become a blessed testimony to strengthen both our souls, of the faithfulness of Jehovah in the kingdom of his grace. Yes! blessed Jesus! thou art he whom God our Father hath given, as the light and life of thy people. In our nature, at the call of Jehovah, thou hast tabernacled. Thou hast with unceasing brightness, from day to day, been illuminating thy gospel church. Oh Lord! let the law of thy mouth, and thy statutes; thy testimonies, thy judgments, thy commandment, and thy fear, be inwrought by thy grace in our souls. And give us to esteem thee and thy word more than our necessary food. Cause us, under the enjoyment of it, to cry out with thy church of old, thy lips drop as the honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue. Thy love is better than wine. Precious Lord! what shame and confusion of face ought we to feel, in the recollection of our numerous offences, numerous neglects, and forgetfulness of thee. Lord! revive thy work! awaken meditation! Oh thou, who art the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof! be thou my constant joy, my unceasing delight; and let my meditation of thee be sweet, and all my springs be in thee!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Ver. 14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation, &c. ] Sint ad beneplaeitum verba, &c. Let both my words and thoughts, as well as my life and actions, be to favourable acceptation; let them be such as may suit with thy law and will.
O Lord, my strength
And my redeemer
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
meditation. Hebrew. haggaion. See App-66.
be acceptable = come with acceptance.
in Thy sight = before Thee.
strength = rock. Hebrew. zur. See notes on Psa 18:1, Psa 18:2.
redeemer. Hebrew. ga’al. See note on Exo 6:6. The Psalm begins with the Creator and ends with the Redeemer. Compare the heavenly worship, where we have the same two in the same order (Rev 4:11 with Psa 5:9).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 19:14
Psa 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in thy sight.
O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.”
This concluding prayer has been a favorite memory verse for thousands through the ages. It is a beautiful gem of spirituality in its own right.
“This last verse echoes the dual themes of the poem: the outward word and the inward meditation (coming from the contemplation of the heavens) of the psalmist.
The joining of the two themes of the psalm in this final verse is also, of course, a further witness of the unity of the whole psalm.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 19:14. It will be noticed that David specified his thoughts and words, but said nothing directly about his deeds. That was not an oversight, for the thoughts of the heart are the source from which actions spring. Jesus taught that in Mar 7:20-23. It is also taught in Php 4:8 which the reader should see. If a man will keep his thoughts pure he will likely not have much trouble with his actions.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
redeemer Heb. “goel,” Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield “Isa 59:20”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Let: Psa 5:1, Psa 5:2, Psa 51:15, Psa 66:18-20, Psa 119:108, Gen 4:4, Gen 4:5, Pro 15:8, Rom 15:16, Heb 11:4, Heb 13:15, 1Pe 2:5
strength: Heb. rock, Psa 18:1, Psa 18:2
redeemer: Job 19:25, Isa 43:14, Isa 44:6, Isa 47:4, Isa 54:5, 1Th 1:10, Tit 2:14, 1Pe 1:18, 1Pe 1:19, Rev 5:9
Reciprocal: Jos 1:8 – thou shalt Psa 9:16 – Higgaion Psa 27:1 – strength Psa 28:7 – strength Psa 31:4 – my strength Psa 49:3 – meditation Psa 139:4 – there is not Pro 15:26 – but Isa 41:14 – saith Jer 16:19 – my strength Luk 11:1 – teach Rom 12:1 – acceptable Eph 5:10 – acceptable 1Ti 4:15 – Meditate Heb 12:28 – we may
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 19:14. Let the words of my mouth, &c. Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern and sanctify his words and thoughts. And this was necessary in order to his preservation, even from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts, and thence, probably, proceed to expressions before they break forth into actions. Be acceptable in thy sight Be really good and holy, and so well pleasing to thee. O Lord, my strength O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me, both against my temporal and spiritual enemies, and whose gracious and powerful assistance is absolutely necessary to keep me from being overcome by my sinful inclinations and other temptations. And my Redeemer This expression seems to be added emphatically, and with a special respect to Christ, to whom alone this word, , goel, properly belongs. See notes on Job 19:25. Through his blood and Spirit alone did and could David expect the pardon and grace for which he here prays.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the {o} meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
(o) That I may obey you in thought, word and deed.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
In closing this psalm, David prayed that his words and thoughts would please God. In view of the context, this takes place as we allow the Word of God to affect our lives. David viewed his words and thoughts as sacrifices to God (cf. Heb 13:15). This is the implication of "acceptable" or "pleasing." As he closed this psalm he evidently regarded God not as his judge but as the foundation of his life and the One who had purchased him for a special purpose.
"The Word in the hand is fine; the Word in the head is better; but the Word in the heart is what transforms us and matures us in Christ (Psa 119:11; Co. 3:161-7)." [Note: Ibid.]
God has revealed Himself in nature and in Scripture. This revelation should move us to bow in humble adoration and willing obedience before our Creator. [Note: See Swindoll, pp. 56-66; and Allen, And I . . ., pp. 129-49.] Psalms 1, 19, , 119 all deal significantly with the Word of God.
"I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world." [Note: Lewis, p. 63.]