Psalms 19:11

Moreover, by them is thy servant warned,.... By whom the psalmist means himself, who was the servant of the Lord, not only in common with other saints, but as he was a king and prophet, and as such

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Warned - literally, enlightened [ nizhaar (H2094)]; i:e., illuminated in the right way, in cases of doubt, danger, ignorance, or sin.

Thy servant; I thy servant, though a king and a prophet, and of some repute for wisdom and knowledge, yet I am daily taught by them. Warned, or, enlightened, as ; or clearly admonished, as this word signifies, , &c.; ,9. It is a faithful and excellent monitor to show me my duty in all conditions and to preserve me from falling into sin, and danger, and mischief. In keeping of them; to those that make it their great design and care to conform their whole lives to them. For he speaks not of a legal and perfect keeping of them, which no man attaineth to in this life, ; but of doing it in an evangelical sense, with the allowances which God through Christ makes for human infirmities. There is great reward in this life, and especially in the next.

Psalms 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: [and] in keeping of them [there is] great reward.Ver. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned] Clearly admonished, or furbished and brightened, Daniel 12:3, made circumspect. God’ s testimonies were David’ s counsellors, Psalms 119:24, better than ever was Polybius to Scipio, Agrippa to Augustus, Seneca to Nero, Anaxagoras to Themistocles, Plato to Dio, Aristotle to Alexander or Nigidius to Cicero; princes of old had their Mαημονες, Monitores, remembrancers. David desired no better than God’ s statutes for his learned counsel, and by them he resolved to be ruled; for so it followeth, And in keeping of them] Xenophon writes that in Lycurgus’ s laws this was much to be admired, that whereas all men commended them, yet no other city besides that of Sparta would ever observe them. Men do rather praise right things than practise them; as it was said of Demosthenes. But David was of another strain; he, after a large encomium of God’ s commandments, is set upon the keeping of them; and the rather because In keeping of them there is great reward] Not only for keeping, but in keeping of them. As every flower hath its sweet smell, so every good action hath its sweet reflection upon the soul; and as Cardan saith, that every precious stone hath some egregious virtue, so here, righteousness is its own reward, though few men think so and act accordingly: Haud facile invenies multis e millibus unum, Virtutem pretium qui putet esse sui. Howbeit, the chief reward is not till the last cast, till we come to heaven. The word here rendered reward signifieth the heel, and, by a metaphor, the end of a work, and the reward of it, which is not till the end. Gnekebh sic τελος apud Graecos. Sicut opus non est usque ad mortem perfectum, sic nec merecs, saith R. David here; As the work is not done till death, so neither is full wages till then to be had.

(11) Warned.—Better, illuminated, instructed.

Verse 11. By them is thy servant warned] נזהר nizhar, from זהר zahar, to be clear, pellucid. By these laws, testimonies, c., thy servant is fully instructed he sees all clearly; and he discerns that in keeping of them there is great reward: every man is wise, holy, and happy, who observes them. All Christian experience confirms this truth. Reader, what says thine?

11. The Psalmist, as Jehovah’s servant, lets himself be warned by the law. Cp. Ezekiel 33:4 ff. great reward] Cp. Proverbs 22:4; 1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Timothy 6:6.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned - The word used here - זהר zâhar - means, properly, to be bright, to shine; then, to cause to shine, to make light; and then, to admonish, to instruct, to warn.

11. Moreover—Besides the excellence of the law as experienced by the obedient soul, it is the only truthful guard and warning of the soul against sin.