Psalms 139:24

24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 139:24 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 139:24

And see if [there be any] wicked way in me
Not that David thought himself free from wickedness, or that there was none to be found in his heart and life; and therefore said this in a boasting way, he knew otherwise; see ( Psalms 19:12 Psalms 19:13 ) ( 119:96 ) ; but he is desirous it might be thoroughly looked into and seen whether there was any such wicked way in him he was charged with; as that he had a design upon the life of Saul, and to seize his throne and kingdom, which never entered into his mind, ( 1 Samuel 24:9 ) . Or, "any way of grief" ^F4; what tended to wound and grieve his own soul, or to grieve the hearts of God's people; or to grieve the Holy Spirit of God; and which he ought to grieve for and repent of: suggesting, that upon the first conviction he was ready to relinquish any such wicked way, and express his abhorrence of it, and testify true repentance for it. Some render it, "the way of an idol" ^F5; because a word from the same root signifies an idol: every carnal lust in a man's heart is an idol; and whatsoever engrosses the affections, or has more of them than God himself has, or is preferred to him, ( Ezekiel 14:4 ) . The Targum is,

``and see if the way of those that err is me;''

and lead me in the way everlasting;
or, "in the way of old" ^F6: the good old way, the ancient path, in which the patriarchs before and after the flood walked, Or, "in the perpetual way" ^F7; the way that endures for ever; in opposition to the way of the wicked, that perishes, ( Psalms 1:6 ) ; or in the way that leads to everlasting life, to eternal peace and rest, and endless pleasures; as opposed to the way of grief and sorrow. It designs Christ, the true and only way to eternal life, the path of faith, truth, and godliness, ( Matthew 7:13 Matthew 7:14 ) ( John 14:6 ) ; in which the Lord leads his people, as a father does his child, and as the shepherd his flock. The Jewish commentators, Aben Ezra and Kimchi, interpret it the way of the world; and take it to be the same with the way of all flesh, death, or the grave; which is called man's world, or home, ( Joshua 23:14 ) ( Ecclesiastes 12:5 ) ; and make the sense to be this: If thou seest any evil in me, take me out of the world; kill me at once, let me die But this seems to be foreign from the text; for the word "lead" designs a blessing or benefit, as Calvin well observes. The Targum is,

``lead me in the way of the upright of the world;''

the way in which upright men walk.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (bue Krd) "via doloris", Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.
F5 "Via idoli"; so some in Vatablus.
F6 (Mlwe Krdb) "per viam sepiternam", Pagninus, Vatablus; "per viam antiquam", Gussetius; so Ainsworth.
F7 "In via perpetua", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Psalms 139:24 In-Context

22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.

24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb [hurtful]
• [b]. Or [the ancient way.] Compare Jer 6.16