Psalms 119:39

39 Turn away my reproach which I have feared, for thy judgments are good.

Psalms 119:39 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:39

Turn away my reproach which I fear
Either for the sake of religion, which was disagreeable to him; and he might be afraid it would be too heavy for him to bear, and be a temptation to him to forsake the good ways of God: or rather by reason of sin, which brings a reproach on good men; and causes the enemy to speak reproachfully, and is therefore dreaded by them who desire to be kept from sin, for that reason as well as others; see ( Psalms 39:8 ) . Jarchi and Kimchi think that David has some reference to his sins, in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba; lest they should be a perpetual reproach on his name and family, which he greatly feared;

for thy judgments [are] good;
the laws of God, and punishment of sin according to them; the Scriptures, and the doctrines contained in them; the ways of God, and true religion; which are evil spoken of, through the sins of the professors of them.

Psalms 119:39 In-Context

37 Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity, and cause me to live in thy way.
38 Confirm thy word unto thy slave, who is devoted to thy fear.
39 Turn away my reproach which I have feared, for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts; cause me to live in thy righteousness.
41 VAU. Let thy mercy come unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy spoken word.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010