Psalms 18:23

"For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me."

Key Reflection

In the context of Psalm 18, the speaker is expressing deep commitment to God's laws and commands. This verse conveys a sense of unwavering dedication; the person asserts that all of God’s ordinances were always before them as guiding principles, and they never deviated from his statutes. For the original audience, this would have underscored the importance of maintaining strict adherence to divine law, reflecting a mindset deeply rooted in covenantal theology where obedience to God's commandments was paramount for righteous living and maintaining a close relationship with Him.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

I was also upright before him -Margin, with. The meaning is that he was upright in his sight. The word rendered upright is the same which inJob 1:1is rendered perfect. See the note at that passage. And I kept myself from mine iniquity -From the iniquity to which I was prone or inclined. This is an acknowledgment that he was prone to sin, or that if he had acted out his natural character he would have indulged in sin - perhaps such sins as had been charged upon him. But he here says that, with this natural proneness to sin, he had restrained himself, and had not been deserving of the treatment which he had received.

More from Psalms 18

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