NKJV
39
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
KJV
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
A Prayer Against Reproach
My Thoughts
The word “reproach” is translated from the Hebrew word “חֶרְפָּה cherpâh” (Strongs H2781). The way it is used in the Bible is:
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taunt, scorn (upon enemy)
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reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace)
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a reproach (an object)
Psalm 119:39 reflects David’s prayer to God, seeking deliverance from reproach that he fears may tarnish his reputation and dishonor his family and faith. Acknowledging his past transgressions, David appeals to God’s goodness and righteous judgments to silence unjust accusations from enemies and prevent slander. The commentaries below highlight the importance of this prayer, drawing attention to the sensitivity of faithful individuals towards slander and the broader implications such reproach has on the Church. Ultimately, David desires to maintain a testimony that reflects the goodness of God’s ways as he navigates the challenge of reproach associated with being a devoted follower.
In the King James Version of this verse, the word fear is used; it’s not the same as the fear which is a reflection of reverence for God, which is found elsewhere in the Bible. I found in my research the following:
The four kinds of fear.
1. The fear of man, by which we are led rather to do wrong than to suffer evil.
2. Servile fear, through which we are induced to avoid sin only from the dread of hell.
3. Initial fear, in which we avoid sin partly from the fear of hell, but partly also from the love of God, which is the fear of ordinary Christians.
4. Filial fear, when we are afraid to disobey God only and altogether from the love we bear him. Jer 32:40.
—Ayguan, in J. Edward Vaux’s “Preacher’s Storehouse,” 1878.
Note: Psalm 119 is an acrostic pattern. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet; each of the 22 sections is given a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each line in that section begins with that letter. Today, we’re looking at verse 39, which is in the 5th section, which is called “He ה”. According to the hebrews4christians.com website, the letter Hey (“He” in several versions of the Bible) is the 5th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of five. The pictograph for Hey looks like a man with his arms raised. The meaning of the name “Hey” is “look” or “behold”. “Hey” is considered to be formed from the Hebrew letters Dalet and Yod, which can be a picture of returning to God by means of the transforming power of the Spirit. Another description is opening the door of the heart, and the picture is of the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
………Bill
Commentaries:
Matthew Henry
1. David prays against reproach, as before, v. 22. David was conscious to himself that he had done that which might give occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, which would blemish his own reputation and turn to the dishonor of his family; now he prays that God, who has all men’s hearts and tongues in his hands, would be pleased to prevent this, to deliver him from all his transgressions, that he might not be the reproach of the foolish, which he feared (Ps. 39:8); or he means that reproach which his enemies unjustly loaded him with. Let their lying lips be put to silence.
2. He pleads the goodness of God’s judgments: “Lord, thou sittest in the throne, and thy judgments are right and good, just and kind, to those that are wronged, and therefore to thee I appeal from the unjust and unkind censures of men.” It is a small thing to be judged of man’s judgment, while he that judges us is the Lord. Or thus: “Thy word, and ways, and thy holy religion, are very good, but the reproaches cast on me will fall on them; therefore, Lord, turn them away; let not religion be wounded through my side.”
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Charles Spurgeon
“Turn away my reproach which I fear.” He feared just reproach, trembling lest he should cause the enemy to blaspheme through any glaring inconsistency. We ought to fear this, and watch that we may avoid it. Persecution in the form of calumny may also be prayed against, for it is a sore trial, perhaps the sorest of trials to men of sensitive minds. Many would sooner bear burning at the stake than the trial of cruel mockings. David was quick-tempered, and he probably had all the greater dread of slander because it raised his anger, and he could hardly tell what he might do under great provocation. If God turns away our eyes from falsehood, we may also expect that he will turn away falsehood from injuring our good name. We shall be kept from lies if we keep from lies.
“For thy judgments are good.” Therefore, he is anxious that none may speak evil of the ways of God through hearing an ill report about himself. We mourn when we are slandered, because the shame is cast rather upon our religion than ourselves. If men would be content to attribute evil to us, and go no further, we might bear it, for we are evil; but our sorrow is that they cast a slur upon the word and character of God, who is so good that there is none good in comparison with him. When men rail at God’s government of the world it is our duty and privilege to stand up for him, and openly to declare before him, “thy judgments are good;” and we should do the same when they assail the Bible, the gospel, the law, or the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we must take heed that they can bring no truthful accusation against us, or our testimony will be so much wasted breath.
This prayer against reproach is parallel to Psa 119:31, and in general to many other of the seventh verses in the octaves, which usually imply opposition from without and a sacred satisfaction within. Observe the things which are good: “thy judgments are good;” “thou art good and doest good“ (Psa 119:68); “good for me to have been afflicted” (Psa 119:71); “teach me good judgment” (Psa 119:66).
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Enduring Word
Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good: While declaring the goodness of God’s judgments, the psalmist also prayed that his disgrace (reproach) would be turned away by the merciful God.
i. There is some reproach [disgrace] that we face as faithful followers of Jesus. Paul suffered these kind of reproaches (1 Timothy 4:10) and indeed even took pleasure in them (2 Corinthians 12:10). We expect and receive reproach as followers of Jesus (Hebrews 13:13, 1 Peter 4:14).
(David Guzik)
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Albert Barnes
Turn away my reproach – The reproach which is likely to come upon me from being a professed worshipper of God. In all ages good men have been exposed to this reproach.
Which I fear – Which I have reason to apprehend will come upon me. This may not mean that he was personally afraid of it, but merely that he had reason to apprehend that he was exposed to it. The prayer is proper, for there is nothing which our nature makes us shrink back from more than reproach. Compare Psalms 119:22; Psalms 69:9, Psalms 69:20; Romans 15:3; 2 Corinthians 12:10. The word reproach in the original is the same, which denotes shame or dishonor.
For thy judgments are good – Thy statutes; thy laws. I know they are good. I feel that I desire to obey them. I pray, therefore, that obedience on my part to that which is good may not subject me to shame; that people may see that thy laws are good, and that it is not a matter of reproach to obey them.
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John Gill
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 Psalm 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.
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Adam Clarke
Turn away my reproach, which I fear — This may be understood of the reproach which a man may meet with in consequence of living a godly life, for such a life was never fashionable in any time or country. But I have found the following note on the passage: “I have done a secret evil; my soul is sorry for it: if it becomes public, it will be a heavy reproach to me. O God, turn it away, and let it never meet the eye of man!” – Anon.
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Miscellaneous Quotes
“Turn away my reproach.” In the Hebrew it is, “Take away my rebuke;” as if he should have said, O Lord, I may commit some such evil against thy good law, yea, some such notorious transgression, as may tend to my shame; I beseech thee, take it away. Or else he meaneth, I have already, O Lord, by divers sins, and by name through adultery and murder brought shame and rebuke upon myself among men; I entreat thee to remove this shame and rebuke.
Out of the first exposition, we learn,
First, that the godly are subject unto notorious sins.
Secondly, that those sins will cause shame in them, though the wicked will not be ashamed.
Thirdly, that God only can take away this shame.
Fourthly, that we may pray for the removing of shame even amongst men, especially that which may bring with it some dishonor to God.
Fifthly, that the godly are most jealous over themselves.
Sixthly, the way to avoid sin is ever to be afraid lest we should sin.
Out of the second exposition note, that the remembrance of our former sins must draw out of us prayers unto God, that for them we may not be rebuked in displeasure in this life, nor confounded and abashed in the life to come.—Richard Greenham.
“For thy judgments are good.” The judgments of the wicked are bad judgments, but the judgments of God are good; I pray against those, I appeal to these: I fear the one, I approve the other. Now the judgments which God pronounces in his word, be they threatenings in the law, or consolations in the Gospel, yea, and those also which he executeth in the world, whether upon the godly or godless, they must needs be good.
1. Because God is goodness itself.
2. He cannot be deceived.
3. He will not be bribed.
4. He alone is no respecter of persons, but judgeth according to every man’s work.
—Richard Greenham.
“For thy judgments are good.” This reason shows he feared God’s rebuke. Man’s “reproach” comes from a corrupt judgment; he condemns where God will absolve, I pass not for it; but I know thy rebuke is always deserved, “for thy judgments are good.”
—William Nicholson.
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Cross-References
Psalm 119:42 (KJV 1900)
42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me:
For I trust in thy word.
2 Samuel 12:14 (KJV 1900)
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
Psalm 39:8 (KJV 1900)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions:
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Titus 2:8 (KJV 1900)
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
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Closing Thoughts
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? Proverbs 22:17-21 NKJV
He ה: Divine Breath and Revelation
33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.
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