Charles H. Spurgeon on Psalms 119:33

The superior efficacy of divine teaching: it secures holy practice and insures its perpetuity.

Ver. 33-34. Light from above.

1. The blinding power of sin. "Teach me", i.e., "point out to me." "Give me understanding." Whatever may have been the original amount of light which came item eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that light has long been insufficient.

(a) Men need light to discern the right way from the wrong.

(b) Men need light to understand the beauties of the right way. Such beauties line the way of truth on either hand, but only the God taught mind appreciates them. Even Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, is as a root out of a dry ground, till the mind is taught of the Lord. Sin is the cause of this blindness. The farther any man walks in the way of sin, the less can he see of the beauties of holiness.

2. The enlightening grace of the Lord. "Teach me." "Give me understanding." This grace,

(a) May be boldly asked: "If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God."

(b) Will be freely given. "Who giveth to all men liberally." "Ask, and it shall be given."

(c) Will be amply sufficient. "I shall keep it unto the end." "I shall keep Thy law." To see is to follow.

3. The stimulating power of clearly revealed truth. "I shall observe it with my whole heart." To see is not only to follow, but to follow with love and gladness. It is written of the light which will come before the throne, "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." "O thou, that dwellest between the Cherubim, shine forth, "even here, on the way that leads to thy presence. F.G.M.

Ver. 33-35. Alpha and Omega.

1. God, the giver of spiritual instruction: Psalms 119:33.

2. Of spiritual understanding, without which this instruction is in vain: Psalms 119:34.

3. Of grace for practical obedience when thus instructed: Psalms 119:35.

4. For wholehearted obedience: Psalms 119:84.

5. For final perseverance: Psalms 119:33. C.A.D.

Ver. 33-36. Human Dependence on Divine help.

1. There can be no steady keeping in the way of the Lord without the Lord's guidance: Psalms 119:83.

2. There can be no observing of the way with the heart without Divine light for the mind: Psalms 119:34.

3. There can be no diligent pursuit of the way till divine energy be given to the will: Psalms 119:35.

4. There can be no true love of the way unless the heart be constrained by the love of God: Psalms 119:36. He who said, "Without me ye can do nothing, "is necessary for us to see the way, to understand the way, to walk in the way, and to love the way. F. G. M.

Psalms 119:34*