Commentary on Psalms Volume 3 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
Psalm 119:73-80
י73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me: make me to understand, that I may learn thy commandments.י74. They who fear thee shall see me and be glad; because I have hoped in thy word.י75. I have known, O Jehovah! That thy judgments are justice; and thou hast humbled me in truth.י76. I beseech thee let thy goodness be for my consolation, according to thy word to thy servant.י77. Let thy compassion's come unto me, and let me live: for thy law is my delight. י78. Let the proud be put to shame; for they have falsely endeavored to pervert me: I will meditate on thy precepts.י79. Let such as fear thee turn unto me, and those who have known thy testimonies.י 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I may not be put to shame.
73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me. The avowal of the prophet, that he had been created by the hand of God, greatly contributed to inspire him with the hope of obtaining the favor which he supplicates. As we are the creatures and the workmanship of God, and as he has not only bestowed upon us vital motion, in common with the lower animals, but has, in addition thereto, given us the light of understanding and reasons — this encourages us to pray that he would direct us to the obedience of his law. And yet the prophet does not call upon God, as if He were under any obligations to him; but, knowing that God never forsakes the work which he has begun, he simply asks for new grace, by which God may carry on to perfection what he has commenced. We have need of the assistance of the law, since all that is sound in our understandings is corrupted; so that we cannot perceive what is right, unless we are taught from some other source. But our blindness and stupidity are still more strikingly manifest, from the fact that teaching will avail us nothing, until our souls are renewed by Divine grace. What I have previously said must be borne in mind.. That whenever the prophet prays for understanding being imparted to him, in order to his learning the Divine commandments, he condemns both himself and all mankind as in a state of blindness; for which the only remedy is the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
74. They who fear thee shall see me and be glad. This verse is either connected with the preceding, or it includes other benefits of God, besides the blessing mentioned in that verse. Whether the Psalmist adverts only to one particular species of blessing, or speaks generally, he by these words highly extols the benefits with which God had honored him, that all genuine saints in common might experience joy on that account. He does not mean to say that this joy proceeds solely from the trust which he reposed in God, but that it also proceeds from this, — that, having been preserved by him in a remarkable way, and loaded with many benefits, his hope had received an ample reward. As God invites all his servants in common to trust in him, it follows, that, whenever he exhibits a token of his grace towards any one