John Calvin Commentary Psalms 119:22

"Take away from me reproach and contempt; For I have kept thy testimonies." — Psalms 119:22 (ASV)

Remove from me reproach. This verse can be understood in two ways: Even if God's children walk as carefully as possible, they will not escape being subject to many slanders, and therefore they have good reason to petition God to protect the unfeigned godliness they practice against poisonous tongues.

The passage can also be appropriately understood as follows: "O Lord, since I am conscious of my own unfeigned integrity, and you are a witness to it, do not permit the unrighteous to tarnish my reputation by making unfounded accusations against me." But the meaning is more complete if we read it as one continuous thought: "O God, do not permit the ungodly to mock me for striving to keep your law."

For this impiety has been rampant in the world from the very beginning: the sincerity of God’s worshippers has been a cause for reproach and derision. Just as, even today, the same reproaches are still cast upon God’s children, as if, not satisfied with the ordinary way of life, they aspired to be wiser than others.

What was spoken by Isaiah must now be fulfilled: “Behold I and my children, whom thou hast given me to be for a sign;” so that God’s children, with Christ their head, are, among the profane, as objects of wonder. Accordingly, Peter testifies that they accuse us of madness for not following their ways (1 Peter 4:4); and since this reproach—becoming subjects of ridicule on account of their unfeigned affection for God’s law—tends to the dishonor of His name, the prophet very justly demands the silencing of all these taunts. Isaiah also, by his own example, directs us to seek this refuge, because although the wicked may arrogantly pour out their blasphemies on earth, God sits in heaven as our judge.

In the following verse, he states more plainly that it was not in vain that he implored God to vindicate him from such calumnies; for he was held in derision not only by the common people and by the most depraved of mankind, but also by the chief men, who sat as judges.

The term to sit, implies that they had spoken injuriously and unjustly of him, not merely in their houses and at their tables, but publicly and on the very judgment-seat, where it was their duty to execute justice and render to everyone his due. The particle גם, gam, which he employs, and which signifies also or even, contains an implied contrast between the secret whisperings of the common people and the imperious decisions of these imperious men, further enhancing the baseness of their conduct.

Nevertheless, in the midst of all this, he steadfastly persevered in pursuing godliness. Satan was assailing him with this scheme to drive him to despair, but he tells us that he sought a remedy for it in meditating on God's law.

We are taught here that it is not unusual for earthly judges to oppress God’s servants and mock their piety. If David could not escape this reproach, why should we, in our times, expect to do so?

Let us also learn that there is nothing more perverse than to depend on human judgments, because in doing so, we must necessarily be in a constant state of wavering. Therefore, let us rest satisfied with God's approval, though people may defame us without cause—not only people of low standing, but also the very judges themselves, from whom the utmost impartiality should be expected.