Psalms 119:118

118 Thou dost spurn all who go astray from thy statutes; yea, their cunning is in vain.

Psalms 119:118 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:118

Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes,
&c.] That wander from the way of the Lord's commandments; that deviate from his precepts, go astray constantly and wilfully; a people that err in their hearts, and with all their hearts. These the Lord treads down, as mire in the streets, as grapes in a winepress; which shows his abhorrence of them, his indignation at them, and how easily they are subdued under him;

for their deceit [is] falsehood:
or, "their hypocrisy [is] a lie" F13: the appearance they make is a false one; they appear outwardly righteous, but are inwardly wicked; have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it: or all their deceitful doctrines are lies in hypocrisy, though dressed up with all the art and cunning they are masters of; or all their subtle schemes to corrupt and subvert the true doctrines of the word are in vain and to no purpose.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 So Michaelis.

Psalms 119:118 In-Context

116 Uphold me according to thy promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope!
117 Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for thy statutes continually!
118 Thou dost spurn all who go astray from thy statutes; yea, their cunning is in vain.
119 All the wicked of the earth thou dost count as dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.