Psalms 119

Wesley: Wonderful—In regard of the deep mysteries, the most excellent directions, and the exceeding great and precious promises of God contained in them.

This is wonder that produces keeping—awe before mystery, direction, and promise. Shared logic: therefore my soul keeps them. Reverence is the beginning of obedience.

Calvin: not merely that the doctrine is wonderful, but that it contains high and hidden mysteries. Sublime wisdom led him to reverence. The law is proudly despised when not duly tasted—God speaking from heaven to abase flesh and raise us by faith. Impossible to keep the law from the heart without contemplating it with reverence; reverence begins pure subjection. Many despise the word as inferior to their acuteness.

Marvelous testimonies humble pride. Keeping flows from reverent taste, not clever superiority.

Unfolding words light even the simple. Those in Wesley’s line hear Scripture’s clarity for beginners—porch-light that invites all who will learn.

Shared encouragement: God does not lock understanding behind elite gates. Open the word; light meets the humble.

Calvin: light of truth in the word is so distinct that first sight illuminates—opening or gate; beginning of the law’s rudiments. Not only lifelong students see clear light, but those who have barely entered the porch. Little ones—not ingenious or lettered—upon learning first principles are endued with understanding. Powerful to excite desire: fools and simpletons, applying their minds, acquire wisdom unto salvation. Common to the godly to profit unto an unerring rule of life. All who follow their own understanding wander in darkness. Little ones enlightened: only when men, divested of self-confidence, submit humbly are they fit scholars.

Unfolding gives light to the humbled simple. Self-trust blocks the porch.

Wesley: Panted—I thirst after thy precepts, and pursue them eagerly.

Arminian interpreters hear hungry longing—open mouth against cold assent. Shared ardor: seek divine truth with earnest soul; little proficiency often punishes indolence.

Calvin: inflamed with love and longing, unceasingly sighing—like the hungry or parched who open the mouth and pant. Opening and drawing breath oppose cold assent. Holy Spirit teaches with what earnestness knowledge of truth is to be sought; those who profit little are punished by their own carelessness. Panting continually marks ardor and constancy.

The psalmist pants for God’s commandments. Vehement desire, not polite agreement, fits the school of the word.

Grace asked as God’s customary way toward name-lovers. Arminian interpreters hear afflicted faith appealing to God’s known manner—look on me as you do your own.

Shared comfort: even when favor seems hidden, God’s do to those who love his name still invites the plea. Love of the name marks true believers.

Calvin: regard me as you are accustomed to look on your people. Purpose: relief from miseries—prayer of an afflicted man who might conclude he is forsaken, yet reflects that forsaking is foreign to God’s nature and usual procedure. From the beginning God has testified mercy to servants; act toward me by that rule. Sole ground of confidence is free goodness—undeserved grace his only refuge. Learn God’s nature from daily experience of grace. Love of the name means genuine believers; slavish fear alone does not enroll among servants. Voluntary obedience; love proceeds from faith.

Turn and be gracious as your judgment/custom with name-lovers. Free goodness, known by experience, emboldens the delayed.

Wesley: Steps—My motions and actions.

Arminians hear prayer for steady walking by the promise and freedom from sin’s reign—grace cooperating so steps hold the path. Shared urgency: ask that iniquity not rule. The word guides; the heart still pleads for help to follow.

Calvin: only rule of living well is to regulate wholly by the law; God rejects what men do while wandering after inventions. Yet he confesses this is not within their will or power. Law will not make us better by merely prescribing; outward preaching is compared to a dead letter. Well instructed, he prays for an obedient heart to walk in the way set before him. Two points: God deals bountifully when he invites by word; yet all this is lifeless until he governs by his Spirit those he has taught by his word. He desires steps directed according to the word—not secret revelations that set the word at nought, but external doctrine with inward grace. Completeness: God engraves on hearts what he shows by word. Fancy that God measures commands by our strength is folly. In vain truth sounds if the Spirit does not pierce. To no purpose read or hear unless life is regulated by the Spirit’s secret influence. Second clause: bond-slave of sin until God delivers—direct me that iniquity may not have dominion. Left to ourselves, Satan’s despotic sway; freedom of the godly is to be governed by the Spirit and preserved from succumbing.

Steady steps and broken dominion are Spirit-governance. Word without Spirit leaves us under sin’s rule.

Redemption from oppression aimed at precept-keeping. Listen here for deliverance with a holy purpose—freed in order to obey.

Shared pattern: ask rescue for service, not for soft ease. Experience of God’s defense spurs integrity.

Calvin: godly are exposed to rapine; like sheep among wolves they perish unless God defends. Few governed by God’s Spirit—equity banished, cruelty and deceit everywhere. Deliver implies wonderful preservation or snares with no hope but God. Second clause: not ungrateful—I will keep thy precepts. Nothing strengthens endeavor after righteousness like finding God’s defense worth more than unlawful helps. He delivers that fruits may appear in life.

Redeem that I may keep. Liberation is unto precepts under God’s care.

Shining face and taught statutes sought together. Arminian readers hear fatherly favor as the setting for learning—smile that instructs.

Shared priority: nothing more important than rightly understanding the law. Prefer divine truth to the world’s pile.

Calvin: often repeated prayer—regarded nothing more important than rightly understanding the law. Make thy face shine: seek fatherly favor first—nothing hoped unless we have interest in his favor—yet shows the blessing’s greatness. No testimony of love more desired than progress in the law. Divine truth preferred to all possessions. Only to those embraced with fatherly love; begin by asking the shining face. More: only when God illumines minds with true knowledge of the law does he delight them with favor’s beams—sometimes even for believers the countenance is overcast when sweetness of the word is not tasted.

Shining face teaches statutes. Illumination is favor’s beam.

Wesley: Rivers—Plentiful tears, witness of my deep sorrow for God’s dishonour, and for the miseries which sinners bring upon themselves.

Wesleyan Arminians hear grief for God’s honor and sinners’ ruin—not smug tears. Shared zeal: cannot watch the law made nothing without sorrow.

Calvin: inflamed with no ordinary zeal—dissolved into tears at contempt of the law (hyperbole, yet true disposition). Corresponds to zeal for God’s house (Ps 69:9). Wherever the Spirit reigns he excites ardent zeal that burns when the Most High’s command is accounted nought. Not enough each please God; desire that the law be held in estimation by all. Lot vexed his soul in Sodom (2 Pet 2:8). If former ungodliness extorted bitter grief, corruption now is such that unconcerned dry eyes are thrice insensible. For pure zeal let grief begin at ourselves—far from perfect observance, carnal lusts rising against God’s righteousness.

Streams of tears over a broken law. Spirit-wrought zeal weeps first over our own shortfall.