SEV Biblia, Chapter 119:40
ΒΆ He aquí yo he codiciado tus mandamientos, vivifícame en tu justicia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Psalms 118:40
Verse 40. Behold, I have longed ] Thou searchest the heart; thou knowest that I have long desired thy salvation; thou seest that this desire still remains. Behold it! it is thy work; and through thy mercy I breathe after thy mercy. Quicken me ] I am dying; O give me the spirit of life in Christ Jesus!
ANALYSIS OF LETTER HE. - FIFTH DIVISION In this part, which is wholly precatory, the psalmist prays: - I. That God would illuminate his mind.
II. That he would remove all those hinderances which might prevent him from doing his duty.
I. 1. The first petition is for illumination: "Teach me;" point me out what I am to learn and how I am to learn it.
2. The second is, "Give me understanding." Let me comprehend, that I may profit by this teaching.
3. The end for which he asks, - that he "may keep the law." He specifies the manner: 1. He will be no temporizer; he will keep it "to the end." 2. He will be no hypocrite; he will keep it "with his whole heart." 1. He prays for power: "Make me to go." Without thy Spirit's help I can do nothing: I do not know the way without thy teaching; I cannot walk in it without thy help.
2. He wishes to go in the path; the way in which all God's followers have walked.
3. It is a path, not a public road; a path where no beast goes, and men seldom.
4. He gives a reason why his petition should be granted: "Therein do I delight." II. He prays to have all impediments removed.
1. "Incline my heart." Bind it down to a willing obedience.
2. "Not to covetousness." Keep me from the love of money, the world, the creature.
3. He prays against the desire of the eye: "Turn away mine eyes." Let the eye of my body be turned away from vanity; the eye of my mind turned away to thee.
4. Let me find the benefit of this turning: "Stablish thy word," - make good thy word; give me grace to stand.
5. For which he gives this reason: "I am thy servant, and am devoted to thy fear." 6. He is afraid of the consequences if he be not faithful: "Turn away my reproach." Let it not be said, at the day of judgment, "I was hungry, and you gave me no meat," &c.
7. He knows if God condemns it must be justly: "For thy judgments are good." Man may condemn where thou approvest; he may approve where thou condemnest. Thy judgments alone are good.
8. He concludes, desiring the Lord to look on the state of his heart: "Behold!" 1. Is not my heart right before thee? 2. If so, quicken me; make me alive, and keep me alive! Without the latter, the former will answer no end.
LETTER W VAU. - SIXTH DIVISION
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 33-40 - Teach me thy statutes, not the mere words, but the way of applying the to myself. God, by his Spirit, gives a right understanding. But the Spirit of revelation in the word will not suffice, unless we have the Spirit of wisdom in the heart. God puts his Spirit within us, causin us to walk in his statutes. The sin here prayed against in covetousness. Those that would have the love of God rooted in them must get the love of the world rooted out; for the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Quicken me in thy way; to redeem time, and to do every duty with liveliness of spirit. Beholding vanity deadens us and slackens our pace; a traveller must not stand gazing upon ever object that presents itself to his view. The promises of God's wor greatly relate to the preservation of the true believer. When Satan ha drawn a child of God into worldly compliances, he will reproach his with the falls into which he led him. Victory must come from the cros of Christ. When we enjoy the sweetness of God's precepts, it will make us long for more acquaintance with them. And where God has wrought to will, he will work to do.
Original Hebrew
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