Psalm 119:4

Verse 4-5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently, Psalms 119:4 ; this is God's imperative. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Psalms 119:5 ; this should be our optative. Thomas Adams, 1614.

Verse 4-5. It is very observable concerning David, that when he prayeth so earnestly, O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes, he premises this as the reason, Thou hast commanded us to keep thy statutes diligently, thereby intimating that the ground of his obedience to God's precepts was the stamp of divine authority enjoining him. To this purpose it is that he saith in Psalms 119:94 , I have sought thy precepts, thereby implying that what he sought in his obedience was the fulfilling of God's will. Indeed, that only and properly is obedience which is done intuitu voluntatis divinae, with a respect to and eye upon the divine will. As that is only a divine faith which believeth a truth, not because of human reason but divine revelation, so that only is a true obedience which conforms to the command, not because it may consist with any selfish ends, but because it carrieth in it an impression of Christ's authority. Nathanael Hardy.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 4. --

Verse 4. -- The supplementary commandment. God having ordained moral law, supplements it with a commandment prescribing the manner keeping it. Hence:

Verse 4. -- Not only is service commanded, but the manner of it. Heartiess, care, perseverance required, because without these it will not be uniform, or victorious over difficulty.

Verse 4. -- How to obey: "Diligently."

Verse 4-6. -- A willing recognition ( Psalms 119:4 ). An ardent as ( Psalms 119:5 ). A happy consequence ( Psalms 119:6 ). --W. D.