Psalms 19:14

Let the words of my mouth,.... Meaning either his speech in common conversation, which should not be filthy and foolish, rotten and corrupt; but such as ministers grace to the hearer: or else his

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern and sanctify his words and thoughts, wherein he had many ways offended, as he here implies, and oft in this book confesseth and bewaileth. And this he the rather doth, because this caution was very necessary to preserve him from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts, and thence proceed to words and expressions, before they break forth into actions. Be acceptable in thy sight, i.e. be really good and holy, and so well-pleasing to thee. My strength: O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me, both against my temporal and spiritual enemies, and whose gracious powerful assistance is absolutely necessary to keep me from my own corrupt inclinations, and from all temptations to sinful thoughts, and words, and actions. My redeemer: this expression seems to be added emphatically, and with special respect to Christ, who was certainly much in David’ s eyes, to whom alone this word Goel can here properly belong, as may appear See Poole "", to which I refer the reader, and by whose blood and Spirit alone David could and did expect the blessings and graces for which he here prayeth.

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.Ver. 14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation, &c.] Sint ad beneplaeitum verba, &c. Let both my words and thoughts, as well as my life and actions, be to favourable acceptation; let them be such as may suit with thy law and will. O Lord, my strength] Heb. my rock, In Mare, vel in Marah, vel in hoc mundo, say the Rabbis; in the sea of sorrow, and all along the wilderness of this world (Midrash Tillin.). And my redeemer] Or, my near kinsman, who is Jesus Christ, in whom we may look for all good from God, by virtue of the covenant. This David well understood, and therefore he layeth all the weight on this, "O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

(14) Meditation.—Heb., higgaîon. (See Psalms 9:16; Psalms 92:3.)

Verse 14. Let the words of my mouth] He has prayed against practical sin, the sins of the body; now, against the sins of the mouth and of the heart. Let my mouth speak nothing but what is true, kind, and profitable; and my heart meditate nothing but what is holy, pure, and chaste. Acceptable in thy sight] Like a sacrifice without spot or blemish, offered up with a perfect heart to God. O Lord, my strength] צורי tsuri, "my fountain, my origin." My redeemer.] גאלי goali, my kinsman, he whose right it is to redeem the forfeited inheritance; for so was the word used under the old law. This prayer is properly concluded! he was weak, he felt the need of God's strength. He had sinned and lost all title to the heavenly inheritance, and therefore needed the interference of the Divine kinsman; of HIM who, because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, also partook of the same. No prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered up in his strength; through HIM who took our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and restore the long-lost inheritance. Lord my helpar and my byer. - Old Psalter. He who is my only help, and he that bought me with his blood. This prayer is often, with great propriety, uttered by pious people when they enter a place of worship. ANALYSIS OF THE NINETEENTH PSALM I. There are TWO parts in this Psalm. The first is doctrinal; the second, penitential. The doctrinal part has two members:- 1. The first teaches us to know God by natural reason, from the book of creation, Psalms 19:1-7. 2. But because this way is insufficient to save a soul, therefore in the second part we have a better way prescribed, which is the book of the Scriptures; the excellences of which are described, Psalms 19:7-11. II. The penitential part begins at the twelfth verse, for since the reward to be expected proceeds from the keeping of God's law, and David's heart told him he had not kept it, therefore, he begs pardon and grace, Psalms 19:12-14. I. "The heavens declare," c. By the glory of God we are to understand his goodness, wisdom, power in a word, all his attributes, of which we have a double declaration: - 1. A testimony from the creatures, but especially the heavens, whose magnitude, beauty, order, variety, perpetual motion, light, influences, c., declare that there is an omnipotent, wise, good, and gracious God, who is their Creator with this David begins: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth," c. 2. The vicissitude of day and night, proceeding from their motions, declares this also: "Day unto day uttereth speech," c. 1. The heavens are diligent preachers for they preach all day and all night, without intermission. 2. They are learned preachers, for they preach in all tongues: "There is no speech-where their voice is not heard." 3.

14. be acceptable] An expression borrowed from the laws of sacrifice. See Leviticus 1:3-4 (R.V.); cp. Exodus 28:38. Prayer, “uttered or unexpressed,” is a spiritual sacrifice. Cp. Psalms 141:2; Hosea 14:2. The P.B.V., be always acceptable, is from the LXX. The Heb. for always would be tâmîd. If this word may be restored to the text on the authority of the LXX, it would suggest a reference to the daily sacrifice which was to be offered continually (Exodus 29:38 ff.), and in later times was called the Tâmîd. my strength &c.] My rock (see on Psalms 18:2), and my redeemer, delivering me from the tyranny of enemies and the bondage of sin, as He delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Cp. Exodus 15:13; Isaiah 63:9.

Let the words of my mouth - The words that I speak; all the words that I speak. And the meditation of my heart - The thoughts of my heart.

14. Let the words—A comprehensive prayer that both the inner man and the outgoings of the heart may be acceptable to God. Meditation of my heart—Its devices and secret counsels.