Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.
Parallel Translations
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Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.
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Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
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Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in Thy ways.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Psalms 119:37 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
- Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
- Isaiah 33:15 He who walks righteously and speaks blamelessly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil—
- Numbers 15:39 It shall be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them; and that you don’t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to play the prostitute;
- Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
- Psalms 119:40 Behold, I long for your precepts! Revive me in your righteousness.
- Proverbs 23:5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
- Matthew 5:28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
- Psalms 71:20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
- 2 Samuel 11:2 At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.
- Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
- Psalms 119:25 My soul is laid low in the dust. Revive me according to your word!
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 37. Turn away mine eyes. By these words we…
37. Turn away mine eyes. By these words we are taught that all our senses are so filled with vanity, that, until refined and rectified, their alienation from the pursuit of righteousness is no matter of surprise. In the former verse he informed us of the reigning of that depravity in the hearts of men, which he now says reaches also to the outward senses. “The disease of covetousness not only lurks in our hearts, but spreads over every part, so that neither eyes, ears, feet, nor hands, have escaped its baneful influence; in a word, nothing is exempted from corruption.” And we know, assuredly, that the guilt of original sin is not confined to one faculty of man only; it pervades his whole constitution. If our eyes must be turned away from vanity by the special grace of God, it follows, that, as soon as they are opened, they are eagerly set on the impostures of Satan, by which they are beset on all sides. If Satan only laid snares for us, and were we possessed of sufficient prudence to guard against his deceits, it could not, with propriety, be said that God turned away our eyes from vanity; but, as they are naturally set upon sinful allurements, there is need for their being withdrawn from them. As often, then, as we open our eyes, we must not forget that two gates are opened for the devil to enter our hearts, unless God guard us by his Holy Spirit. The remarks which he makes, in reference to the eyes, are equally applicable to the other senses, inasmuch as he again employs that figure of speech, by which a part is taken for the whole.
The other clause of the verse corresponds well with the meaning here given. Others may propose different interpretations; I think, however, the following is the most natural: Lord, as the whole life of mankind is accursed, so long as they employ their powers in committing sin, grant that the power which I possess may aspire after nothing except the righteousness which thou appointest us. The better to manifest this, we must lay it down as a first principle, that seeing, hearing, walking, and feeling, are God’s precious gifts; that our understandings and will, with which we are furnished, are a still more valuable gift; and, after all, there is no look of the eyes, no motion of the senses, no thought of the mind, unmingled with vice and depravity. Such being the case, the prophet, with good reason, surrenders himself entirely to God, for the mortification of the flesh, that he might begin to live anew.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Meaning, all his senses.
Meaning, all his senses.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity;…
Psa 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; [and] quicken thou me in thy way.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity] Lest looking cause liking and lusting, 1Jn 2:16. In Hebrew the same word signifieth both an eye and a fountain; to show that from the eye, as from a fountain, floweth much mischief and by that window Satan oft winds himself into the soul. This David found by experience, and therefore prays here, Turn away, transfer, make to pass mine eyes, 2Sa 11:12. Job steppeth one degree farther, viz. from a prayer to a vow, Psa 31:1; yea, from a vow to an inprecation, Psa 119:7. He knew the danger of irregular glancing and inordinate gazing.
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And quicken thou me in thy way] Who shall else die of the wound in the eye. Alexander called the Persian maids Oculorum dolores; Ut vidi, ut perii. Grief of the eyes so that to be seen is to be ruined. The Israelites were appointed to make them fringes with blue ribbons to lock upon, that they might remember all God’s commandments and do them, and not seek after their own heart and their own eyes, after which they used to go a whoring, Num 15:39.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Vanity; the vain things and lusts of this present…
Vanity; the vain things and lusts of this present evil world, such as riches, honours, pleasures; from beholding them, to wit, with admiration and inordinate affection; for such a sight of the eyes doth usually affect the heart, and stir up men’s lusts and passions; of which see Num 15:39; Job 31:1; Pro 4:25; 23:5,6; Mt 5:28
Quicken thou me in thy way; as I desire that I may be dull and dead in afflictions to worldly vanities; so, Lord, make me lively, and vigorous, and fervent in thy work and service.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Here, 1. David prays for restraining grace, that he…
Here, 1. David prays for restraining grace, that he might be prevented and kept back from that which would hinder him in the way of his duty: Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity. The honours, pleasures, and profits of the world are the vanities, the aspect and prospect of which draw multitudes away from the paths of religion and godliness. The eye, when fastened on these, infects the heart with the love of them, and so it is alienated from God and divine things; and therefore, as we ought to make a covenant with our eyes, and lay a charge upon them, that they shall not wander after, much less fix upon, that which is dangerous (Job 31:1), so we ought to pray that God by his providence would keep vanity out of our sight and that by his grace he would keep us from being enamoured with the sight of it. 2. He prays for constraining grace, that he might not only be kept from every thing that would obstruct his progress heaven-ward, but might have that grace which was necessary to forward him in that progress: "Quicken thou me in thy way; quicken me to redeem time, to improve opportunity, to press forward, and to do every duty with liveliness and fervency of spirit." Beholding vanity deadens us and slackens our pace; a traveller that stands gazing upon every object that presents itself to his view will not rid ground; but, if our eyes be kept from that which would divert us, our hearts will be kept to that which will excite us.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Turn away my reproach which I fear,.... Either for…
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 Psa 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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Vanity - The vain things of this present world,…
Vanity - The vain things of this present world, such as riches, honours, pleasures: from beholding them, with desire or affection. Quicken - Make me lively, vigourous and fervent in thy service.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 37. From beholding vanity] An idol, worldly pleasure,…
Verse 37. From beholding vanity] An idol, worldly pleasure, beauty, finery; any thing that is vain, empty, or transitory. Let me not behold it; let me not dwell upon it. Let me remember Achan: he saw, - he coveted, - he took, - he hid his theft, and was slain for his sin.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 119:37-38. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity…
Psa 119:37-38. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity — The vain things of this world, such as riches, honours, pleasures; from beholding them with desire or affection. Quicken thou me in thy way — Make me lively, vigorous, and fervent in thy service. Establish thy word — Confirm and perform thy promises; unto thy servant — Who is subject to thy authority, obedient to thy laws, and devoted to thy fear — Those are indeed God’s servants who, though they have infirmities and defects, yet are sincerely devoted to his fear, and have all their affections and motions governed thereby.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity - Vain…
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity - Vain things; wicked things; things which would be likely to lead me astray from what is real and true. Compare Isa 33:15; Job 31:1. Margin, here, as in Hebrew, “make to pass.” Make my eyes to pass rapidly from such objects, that I may not look at them, may not contemplate them, may not dwell upon them. There is danger in looking on sin steadily; in surveying its features; in returning to contemplate it. An ugly object loses much of its deformity when we look often upon it; and this is a benevolent law, lest we should be miserable when we are under a necessity of looking on it. Sin follows this general law, and is to be avoided altogether, even in its contemplation, if we would be safe. A man should be thankful in this world that he has eyelids; and as he can close his eyes, so he should often do it.
And quicken thou me in thy way - Endow me with life, energy, vigor, that I may walk in thy way.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 37. vanity includes all that is false, unreal, worthless.…
37. vanity includes all that is false, unreal, worthless. Cp. 1Jn_2:15-17.
in thy way] So the LXX. The Heb. text as pointed reads in thy ways. He prays to God the author of life for vigour to resist temptation and walk in His ways.
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“’Tis life, whereof our nerves are scant,
Oh life, not death, for which we pant,
More life, and fuller, that I want.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (37) From beholding vanity.—Perhaps from looking on idols.
(37) From beholding vanity.—Perhaps from looking on idols.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. Let me…
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. Let me not be distracted from thy service by the "vanities" of the world wealth, honor, power, glory, and the like; rather, quicken thou me in thy way. Give me increased life, strength, and vigor, to walk continually in the way of thy commandments.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.…
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. He had prayed about his heart, and one would have thought that the eyes would so surely have been influenced by the heart that there was no need to make them the objects of a special petition; but our author is resolved to make assurance doubly sure. If the eyes do not see, perhaps the heart may not desire: at any rate, one door of temptation is closed when we do not even look at the painted bauble. Sin first entered man's mind by the eye, and it is still a favourite gate for the incoming of Satan's allurements: hence the need of a double watch upon that portal. The prayer is not so much that the eyes may be shut as "turned away"; for we need to have them open, but directed to right objects. Perhaps we are now gazing upon folly, we need to have our eyes turned away; and if we are beholding heavenly things we shall be wise to beg that our eyes may be kept away from vanity. Why should we look on vanity? it melts away as a vapour. Why not look upon things eternal? Sin is vanity, unjust gain is vanity, self conceit is vanity, and, indeed, all that is not of God comes under the same head. From all this we must turn away. It is a proof of the sense of weakness felt by the Psalmist and of his entire dependence upon God that he even asks to have his eyes turned for him; he meant not to make himself passive, but he intended to set forth his own utter helplessness apart from the grace of God. For fear he should forget himself and gaze with a lingering longing upon forbidden objects, he entreats the Lord speedily to make him turn away his eyes, hurrying him off from so dangerous a parley with iniquity. If we are kept from looking on vanity we shall be preserved from loving iniquity.
And quicken thou me in thy way. Give me so much life that dead vanity may have no power over me. Enable me to travel so swiftly in the road to heaven that I may not stop long enough within sight of vanity to be fascinated thereby. The prayer indicates our greatest need, more life in our obedience. It shows the preserving power of increased life to keep us from the evils which are around us, and it, also, tells us where that increased life must come from, namely, from the Lord alone. Vitality is the cure of vanity. When the heart is full of grace the eyes will be cleansed from impurity. On the other hand, if we would be full of life as to the things of God we must keep ourselves apart from sin and folly, or the eyes will soon captivate the mind, and, like Samson, who could slay his thousands, we may ourselves be overcome through the lusts which enter by the eye.
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This verse is parallel to Ps 119:21, 29 in the previous eights: "rebuke, ""remove, ""turn away"; or "proud, ""lying, " "vanity."
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes, etc. Literally, "Make mine eyes to pass from seeing vanity; "as though he would pray, Whatever is of vanity, make me to pass without seeing it. The sentiment is strikingly like that in our Lord's prayer: "Lead us not into temptation." Having prayed for what he wanted to see, the Psalmist here prays for the hiding of what he would not see.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes, etc. Having prayed for his heart, he now prayeth for his eyes also. Omnia a Deo petit, docens, illum omnia efficere. By the eyes oftentimes, as by windows, death enters into the heart; therefore to keep the heart in a good estate three things are requisite, First, careful study of the senses, specially of the eyes; for it is a righteous working of the Lord, ut qui exteriori oculo negligenter utitur, intertori non injuste caecetur that he who negligently useth the external eye of his body, should punished with blindness in the internal eye of his mind. And for this cause Nazianzen, deploring the calamities of his soul, wished that a door might set before his eyes and ears, to close them when they opened to anything that is not good; malis autem sua sponte uturumque clauderetur. The second thing is, a subduing of the body by discipline. And the third is, continuance in prayer. William Cowper.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. Notice that he does not say, I will turn away mine eyes; but, "Turn away mine eyes." This shows that it is not possible for us sufficiently to keep our by our own caution and diligence; but there must be divine keeping. For, first, wheresoever in this world you turn yourself provocations to are met with. Secondly, with the unwary, and with far different the persons, the eyes, the servants of a corrupt heart, wander after the things which are the vanities. Thirdly, before you are aware, the evil contracted through eyes creeps in to the inmost recesses of the heart, and casts in the seeds perdition. This the Psalmist himself had experienced, not without greatest trouble both of heart and condition. Wolfgang Musculus, 1563.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. It may seem strange prayer of David, to say, "Turn away mine eyes from seeing vanity; "as though God meddled with our looking; or that we had not power in selves to cast our eyes upon what objects we list. But is it not, that we delight in, we delight to look upon? and what we love, we love to seeing? and so to pray to God, that our eyes may not see vanity; is as much as to pray for grace, that we be not in love with vanity. For, vanity hath of itself so graceful an aspect, that it is not for a natural man to leave looking upon it; unless the fairer aspect of God's grace draw our eyes from vanity, to look upon itself; which will always naturally looking upon the fairest. And as David here makes his prayer in the particular, against temptations of prosperity, so Christ teacheth us to make prayer in the general, against the temptations, both of prosperity adversity, and very justly. For many can bear the temptations of one who are quickly overcome by temptations of the other kind. So David could bear persecution without murmuring, but when he came to prosperity could not turn away his eyes from vanity. Sir Richard Baker.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. An ugly object loses much of its deformity when we look often upon it. Sin follows the general law, and is to be avoided altogether, even in its contemplation, we would be safe. A man should be thankful in this world that he eyelids; and as he can close his eyes, so he should often do it. Albert Barnes.
Ver. 37. Turn away, then quicken, etc. The first request is for the removing the impediments of obedience, the other for the addition of new degrees of grace. These two are fitly joined, for they have a natural influence upon one another; unless we turn away our eyes from vanity, we shall soon contract deadness of heart. Nothing causeth it so much as an inordinate liberty in carnal vanities; when our affections are alive to other things, they are dead to God, therefore the less we let loose our hearts to these things, the more lively and cheerful in the work of obedience. On the other side, the more the rigour of grace is renewed, and the habits of it quickened into actual exercise, the more is sin mortified and subdued. Sin dieth, and our senses are restored to their proper use. Thomas Manton.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. That sin may be avoided we must avoid whatsoever leads to or occasions it. As this caused Job (Job 31:1) to covenant strongly with his eyes, so it caused David to pray earnestly about his eyes. "Turn away mine eyes (or as the Hebrew may be rendered, make them to pass), from beholding vanity." The eye is apt to make a stand, or fix itself, when we come in view of an ensnaring object; therefore it is our duty to hasten it away, or to pray that God would make it pass off from it... He that feareth burning must take heed of playing with fire: he that feareth drowning must keep out of deep waters. He that feareth the plague must not go into an infected house. Would they avoid sin who present themselves to the opportunities of it? Joseph Caryl.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes. Lest looking cause liking and lusting: 1Jo 2:16. In Hebrew the same word signifieth both an eye and a fountain; to show that from the eye, as from a fountain, floweth much mischief; and by that window Satan often winds himself into the soul. This David found by experience, and therefore prays here, "Turn away, "transfer, make to pass "mine eyes, "etc. He knew the danger of irregular glancing and inordinate gazing. John Trapp.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. It is a most dangerous experiment for a child of God to place himself within the sphere of seductive temptations. Every feeling of duty, every recollection of his own weakness, every remembrance of the failure of others, should induce him to hasten to the greatest possible distance from the scene of unnecessary conflict and danger. John Morison.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. From gazing at the delusive mirages which tempt the pilgrim to leave the safe highway. William Kay.
Ver. 37. Is it asked "What will most effectually turn my eyes from vanity?" Not the seclusion of contemplative retirement not the relinquishment of our lawful connexion with the world but the transcendent beauty of Jesus unveiled to our eyes, and fixing our hearts. Charles Bridges.
Ver. 37. Turn away mine eyes, etc. The fort royal of your souls is in danger of a surprise while the outworks of your senses are unguarded. Your eyes, which may be floodgates to pour out tears, should not be casements to let in lusts. A careless eye is an index to a graceless heart. Remember, the whole world died by a wound in the eye. The eyes of a Christian should be like sunflowers, which are opened to no blaze but that of the sun. William Seeker, 1660.
Ver. 37. Vanity, in Hebrew usage, has often special reference to idols and the accompaniments of idol worship. The Psalmist prays that he may never be permitted even to see such tempting objects. Henry Cowles.
Ver. 37. Quicken thou me. Every saint is very apt to be a sluggard in the way and work of God. "Quicken me, "says one of the chiefest and choicest of saints, "in thy way"; and it is as much as if he should say in plain terms, "Ah, Lord! I am a dull jade, and have often need of thy spur, thy Spirit." This prayer of David seems proof enough to this point; but if you desire farther confirmation, I shall produce an argument instar omnium, "that none shall dare to deny, nor be able to disapprove"; and that is drawn from the topic of your own experience; and this is argumentum lugubre, like a funeral anthem, "very sad and sorrowful." Do you not feel and find, to the grief of your own souls, that, whereas you should weep as if you wept not, rejoice as if you rejoiced not, and buy as if you possessed not; inverso ordine, "inverting this order, "you weep for losses as if you would weep out your eyes; you rejoice in temporal comforts as if you were in heaven; and you buy as if it were for ever and a day (Ps 49:11). But e contrario, "on the contrary, "you pray as if you prayed not; hear as if you heard not; work for God as' if you worked not. Now, we know, experto credas, ("You may yield credence to that of which you have made trial.") a man that sticks fast in a ditch needs no reason to prove he is in, but remedies to pull him out. Your best course will be to propose the case how you may get rid of this unwelcome guest, spiritual sloth: it is a case we are all concerned in, Asini aures quis non habet ("where is the man who hath not the ears of an ass?") Every man and mortal hath some of the ass's dulness and sloth in him. Simmons, in "The Morning Exercises, "1661.
Ver. 37. Quicken thou me. Another quickening ordinance is prayer. How often doth David pray for quickening grace? five or six times in one Psalm. He begins many a prayer with a heavy heart, and before he hath done he is full of life. Therefore, pray much, because all life is from God, and he quickens whom he will. Only let me add this caution, before I let this pass, Be sure thy understanding and affection go along together in every ordinance, and in every part of the ordinance, as thou wouldst have it a quickening ordinance. Matthew Lawrence, in "The Use and Practice of Faith, "1657.
Ver. 37. Thy way, by way of emphasis, in opposition to and exaltation of, above, all other ways. There is a fourfold way:
1. Via mundi, the way of the world; and that is spinosa, thorny.
2. Via carnis, the way of the flesh; and that is insidiosa, treacherous.
3. Via Satana, the way of the devil; and that is tenebricosa, darksome.
4. Via Domini, the way of God; and that is gratiosa, gracious. Simmons.
Ver. 37-38. Prayer is nothing but the promise reversed, or God's word formed into an argument, and retorted by faith upon God again. Know, Christian, thou hast law on thy side. Bills and bonds must be paid. David prays against the sins of a wanton eve and a dead heart: Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way; and see how he urges his argument in the next words, Stablish thy word unto thy servant. A good man is as good as his word, and will not a good God be so? But where finds David such a word for help against these sins? Surely in the covenant. It is in the magna charta. The first promise held forth thus much, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." William Gumall.
Ver. 37. Quicken thou me in thy way. This brief prayer
1. Deals with the believer's frequent need.
2. It directs us to the sole worker of quickening: "Thou."
3. It describes the sphere of renewed rigour: "in thy way."
4. It denotes that there may be special reasons and special seasons for this prayer times of temptation: Ps 119:37; seasons of affliction: Ps 119:107; when called to some extraordinary service. See "Spurgeon's Sermons, "No. 1073: "A Honeycomb."
Ver. 37. Here is,
1. Conversion from "vanity."
2. Conversion to "thy way."
3. Conversion by "Quicken thou me." G. R.
Ver. 37. David prays,
1. For restraining grace that he might be prevented and kept back from that which would hinder him in the way of his duty: "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity."
2. For constraining grace, that he might not only be kept from everything that would obstruct his progress heavenward, but that he might have that grace which was necessary to forward him in that progress: "Quicken thou me in thy way." M. Henry.
Psalms 119:38*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken…
Psa_119:37-38
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way.
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An exemplary prayer
This prayer includes three things:--
I. Diversion from the false.
1. Vanity is a bad thing.
2. Men are interested in this bad thing.
3. Their interest in it is a great evil.
4. Deliverance from this evil requires the agency of God.
II. Devotion to the true. The way of
1. Practical spirituality.
2. Practical benevolence.
3. Practical godliness.
This is Gods way. To walk in this way is to walk away from vanity and into all the blest realities of being.
III. Confirmation in the right (verse 38). Set me steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. (Homilist.)
Deadness and quickening
I. David here prays for deadness in one direction,--deadness to the world, that he may be so dead to it that he will not even look at it: Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.
1. What, think you, does the psalmist mean here by vanity? I think he probably means four things, or one thing which may be seen under four aspects.
(1) Frivolity.
(2) Carnality.
(3) Falsehood.
(4) Wickedness in every form.
2. He felt that his eves were inclined to go this way. Alas! we seem to drink up sin readily enough; but we have with care to put good and true thoughts into our minds. This river of our life brings down plenty of snags, the old dead trees from the evil country come floating down the stream; but seldom does it bring to our door a log of the cedars of Lebanon. Such good wood is scarce in this river; but its torrent seems to bear along all that is base and vile. We find another law in our members, warring against the law of our mind, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin and death, so that we have to cry, with Paul, O wretched man that I am! and with David, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. The psalmist knew the evil of a growing familiarity with vanity. For the most part, men do not fall into great sin by sudden surprises. It is sometimes so; but, usually, there are several descending platforms, and the descent is made by slow degrees.
3. He craved Divine help.
4. He expects God to help him in a particular way. He does not say, Put out my eyes, O Lord! but he prays, Let me look another way,--a better way. The way not to be affected by sin is to look at something else. If you have fixed your eyes on Christ the crucified, the risen, the exalted, the soon to come, if your eyes are taken up with Him, you shall find that passage true in many senses, Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.
II. Having prayed for deadness in one direction, David prays for life in another direction.
1. He was in Gods way. If you are not, may He bring you into it at once!
2. Those who are in Gods way are to pray that they may have increasing life while they are in that way.
3. Nobody but God can give us this life in Gods way.
4. We need this quickening often. Quicken me, quicken me, quicken me, is the prayer of the soul when first it begins to live. It is the prayer of the Christian when he gets into the stern struggles of life, and the poisonous damps of the world; and the prayer of the Christian when he is about to die is still, Quicken me, O Lord, quicken me in Thy way! O Life of life, be life to me! O Spirit of God, breathe into me power, vigour, force, energy! Give me all these by giving me Thyself to be my life. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
How may we get rid of spiritual sloth, and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God
I. Explication.
1. Spiritual sloth is threefold.
(1) Resolving sloth is when a soul is settled upon its lees, and resolves to lie still, and never to stir in that momentous concernment of its own eternal salvation (Pro_26:14; Jer_44:16-17).
(2) Delaying sloth; when a person intends to look after soul-concernments, but not yet (Pro_6:10).
(3) Disturbing sloth is when a person doth intend and endeavour to walk in Gods way; but sloth, as rust, hinders the wheels of his soul from coming to and running in the way of God.
2. Activity in duty is a victorious conquest over the great Goliath, sloth, and riding triumph in the way, work, and worship of God. There are three things which concur and contribute to complete this activity in duty:--
(1) A straining and stretching of the soul to the utmost peg, and highest pin; a putting of it upon the tenter-hooks in service.
(2) An unsatiable and unsatisfiable desire or longing for the effecting and accomplishing of a duty.
(3) A constant and continual waiting and working until the duty be perfected.
II. Corollary. Every man and mortal hath some of the asss dulness and sloth in him; and therefore I have brought a whip of ten strings to scourge this sloth and dulness out of us.
1. Keep a strict watch over your eyes at all times, especially when you are in duty. The eyes are the portholes that sin and Satan creep in at. It is accounted a great piece of charity to a mans body to close his eyes when he is dead: I am sure it is more charity to our souls to close our own eyes whilst we are living (Job_31:1).
2. Send sin packing, bag and baggage. Sin is the souls sickness. Now, sickness makes men lazy, loath to stir.
3. Frequent a quickening ministry.
4. Make out to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose promise and office it is to make us active and vivacious (Joh_10:10).
5. Get quickening love to the ways of God.
6. By faith apply the quickening promises, and the promises of quickening.
7. Consider quickening considerations. They that are apt to faint and tire in a journey, carry about their bottles of water to quicken their spirits. Let these considerations be such bottles to you when you tire in the journey of a duty:--
(1) Consider how odious and abominable sloth is to man or God.
(2) Consider, sloth exposes you to all manner of sin, especially these two desperate and dangerous ones:--
(1) Sordid apostasy.
(2) Spiritual adultery.
(3) Consider how impossible it is that creeping snails in Gods way should ever get to their journeys end. Fair and softly goes far, but never so far as heaven. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, etc.
(4) Consider how equitable it is that you should be as active in the way of God as you were once in the way of sin and Satan (Rom_6:19).
(5) Consider how you contradict your own prayers, your very Paternoster, wherein you desire Gods will should be so done by you on earth, as it is done by the angels in heaven. Now, those winged Mercuries and messengers of heaven do speedily and spritefully execute the commandments of God.
(6) Consider you lose the very soul and life of your duty if you do not perform it as for your life and soul.
(7) Consider the infinite and wonderful glory, greatness, majesty of Him you appear before and approach unto in your duties. (J. Simmons.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things
This is a metaphor that refers to one desiring things that have no eternal value. (See: Metaphor)
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revive me in your ways
"make me able to live as you wish me to live"
revive me
"make my life strong" or "give me strength"
Carry out for your servant your promise that you made to those who honor you
"Do for your servant what you promised to do for those who honor you"
your servant
The writer referred to himself as God's servant to show his humility. AT: "me, your servant" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
turn
worthy
servant
promise
honor
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.