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

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: And see if (there be any) wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Wicked way in me, Heb. way of trouble or grief; any course of life which is grievous, either, 1. To myself, as all sin is to the sinner sooner or later: or, 2. To others; as I am accused of causing much trouble and designing mischief to the king and kingdom. In the way everlasting; in the right and good way, which is lasting, and leads to everlasting life; whereas the way of wickedness, to which this is opposed, will perish, as is said, , and bring men into utter destruction. Or, as others render it, in the old way, which is the good way, as it is called ; in the way of righteousness and holiness, which may well be called the old way, because it was from the beginning of the world written in man’ s heart, whereas wickedness is of a later date. Possibly it may be rendered, in thy way (the ellipsis of the pronoun being very frequent, as hath been noted and proved before; or, in the way, to wit, the way of God, which is oft called emphatically the way, as 119:1 29:27, and which is sufficiently understood from its opposition to the wicked way in the former clause) for ever, or as long as I live, as this Hebrew word olam without any prefix to it is used, 45:7, and elsewhere. But this with submission.

Psalms 139:24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Ver. 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me] Heb. any way of pain, or of grief, or of provocation; any cause of sin that is grievous to God or man, quae spiritum tuum vexat, ut Psalms 78:1-72 (Aben Ezra). A saint alloweth not of any wickedness, walloweth not in it, maketh it not his trade, is not transformed into sin’ s image, the great scum abideth not in him, but (as in right wine or honey) it is continually cast out. The good heart admitteth not the mixture of any sin. Sin may cleave to it, as dross to silver, but it entereth not into the frame and constitution; it is not woven into the texture of a good man’ s heart; there is no such way of wickedness to be found in him, no such evil heart of unbelief as to depart away from the living God, Hebrews 3:12. There is no time wherein he cannot say, as Hebrews 13:18, "Pray for us; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to please God." And lead me in the way everlasting] Heb. in the way of eternity, or of antiquity, that good old way, Jeremiah 6:16, traced by Adam, Abraham, Moses, &c., and that leadeth to heaven. Rid my heart of those remnants of hypocrisy, and help me to perfect holiness in the fear of God, 2 Corinthians 7:1.

(24) Wicked way.—The Hebrew may mean (after 1 Chronicles 4:9; Isaiah 14:3) way of sorrow, or (after Isaiah 48:5) way of an idol, i.e., idolatry, which is preferable. Way everlasting.—Rather, here as in Jeremiah 6:16; Jeremiah 18:15, of the old, i.e., the true, religion, in the ancient way. The word rendered “everlasting” merely expresses indefinite time, whether past or future.

Verse 24. If there be any wicked way] דרך עצב derech otseb: a way of idolatry, or of error. Any thing false in religious principle; any thing contrary to piety to thyself, and love and benevolence to man. And he needed to offer such prayer as this, while filled with indignation against the ways of the workers of iniquities; for he who hates, utterly hates, the practices of any man, is not far from hating the man himself. It is very difficult "To hate the sin with all the heart, And yet the sinner love." Lead me in the way everlasting.] בדרך עולם bederech olam, in the old way - the way in which our fathers walked, who worshipped thee, the infinitely pure Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Lead me, guide me, as thou didst them. We have ארח עולם orach olam, the old path, Job 22:15. "The two words דרך derech and ארח orach, differ," says Bishop Horsley, "in their figurative senses: derech is the right way, in which a man ought to go; orach is the way, right or wrong, in which a man actually goes by habit." The way that is right in a man's own eyes is seldom the way to God. ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINTH PSALM David, having had aspersions laid upon him, calls upon God in this Psalm to witness his innocency. Now, that this his appeal be not thought unreasonable, he presents God in his two especial attributes, omniscience and omnipresence; then he shows he loved goodness, and hated wickedness. This Psalm is divided into four parts: - I. A description of God's omniscience, Psalms 139:1-7. II. A description of his omnipresence, Psalms 139:7-18. III. David's hatred to evil and evil men, Psalms 139:19-23. IV. A protestation of his own innocency, which he offers to the trial of God, Psalms 139:23-24. I. He begins with God's omniscience: "O Lord, thou hast searched me," c. Examined me with scrutiny. He searches and knows our actions. 1. "Thou knowest," c. When and for what reasons I ever act. 2. "Thou understandest my thoughts," &c. Thou knowest my counsels and thoughts. 3. "Thou compassest my path," &c. The end I aim at. 4. "There is not a word," &c. Every word and thought thou knowest. And for this he gives this reason: God is our Maker: "Thou hast beset me," &c. These two arguments prove that God knows all things. 1. God knows all the past and future: "Beset behind and before." 2. He governs man: "Thou God madest man," &c. The prophet concludes this Divine attribute, omniscience, with an acclamation: "Such knowledge," &c. It is beyond my reach and capacity. II. From God's omnipresence the prophet argues that man cannot hide any thing from God, for he is every where present. 1. "Where shall I go," &c. That I may be hid from thy knowledge. 2. "Or whither shall I flee," &c. From thy face and eye. There is no place that is not before thee. 1.

24. any wicked way] Lit. any way of grief, or pain; conduct which leads to suffering and ruin. Some critics, comparing Isaiah 48:5, explain way of idolatry, in contrast to the way of Jehovah (Psalms 25:4), but there is no hint that this was the special danger of the Psalmist. the way everlasting] A way of life (Psalms 16:11; Proverbs 12:28) and peace (Isaiah 59:8), the opposite to the way of ruin and death. See Psalms 1:6; Psalms 25:4-5; Jeremiah 21:8. Whether the Psalmist’s view was limited to this world, or whether he saw that such a way must lead on to fuller life after death, cannot be decided with certainty. Some render the ancient way, and follow the Targum in explaining it to mean the good old way in which the godly men of former ages walked (cp. Jeremiah 6:16; Jeremiah 18:15); but this sense is less obvious.

And see if there be any wicked way in me - Margin, “way of pain,” or “grief.” The Hebrew word properly means an image, an idol Isaiah 48:5, but it also means pain, 1 Chronicles 4:9; Isaiah 14:3.

23, 24. Because of such sin and sinful men, the psalmist prays for a search of his own heart, that no enmity to God may be left there.