Psalms 19:9 - Exposition

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever . Hengstenberg explains "the fear of the Lord" in this place as "the instruction afforded by God for fearing him." And certainly, unless we adopt some such explanation, we shall find it difficult to account for the intrusion of the clause into its present position. The Law, the testimony, the statutes (or precepts), the commandment ( Psalms 19:7 , Psalms 19:8 ), and the judgments ( Psalms 19:9 ), are external to man, objective; the fear of the Lord. as commonly understood, is internal, subjective, a "settled habit of his soul." It is not a thing of the same kind with the other five nominatives, and appears out of place among them. Hence it seems best, with Professor Alexander, to adopt Hengstenberg's explanation. The Law, viewed as teaching the fear of God, is undoubtedly "clean "— i.e. pure, perfect—and "endures for ever," or is of perpetual obligation. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether . In "judgments" we have another of the recognized synonyms for the entire Law ( Psalms 119:7 , Psalms 119:13 , Psalms 119:43 , Psalms 119:52 , Psalms 119:62 ), which is from first to last "exceeding righteous and true" ( Psalms 119:138 , Prayer-book Version).