John Calvin Commentary Psalms 19:13

"Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression." — Psalms 19:13 (ASV)

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins. By presumptuous sins he means known and evident transgressions, accompanied with proud contempt and obstinacy. By the word keep back, he indicates that such is the natural propensity of the flesh to sin, that even the saints themselves would immediately break forth or rush headlong into it, if God did not, by His own guardianship and protection, keep them back.

It should be observed that while he calls himself the servant of God, he nevertheless acknowledges that he needed a bridle, lest he should arrogantly and rebelliously break forth in transgressing God's law. Though regenerated by the Spirit of God, he groaned, it is true, under the burden of his sins; but he knew, on the other hand, how great the rebellion of the flesh is, and how much we are inclined to forgetfulness of God, from which contempt of His majesty and all impiety proceed.

Now, if David, who had made so much progress in the fear of God, was not beyond the danger of transgressing, how will the carnal and unrenewed man, in whom innumerable lusts exercise dominion, be able to restrain and govern himself by his own free will? Let us learn, then, even though the unruliness of our wayward flesh has already been subdued by denying ourselves, to walk in fear and trembling; for unless God restrains us, our hearts will violently boil with a proud and insolent contempt of God.

This sense is confirmed by the reason added immediately after, that they may not have dominion over me. By these words he expressly declares that unless God assists him, he will not only be unable to resist but will be wholly brought under the dominion of the worst vices. This passage, therefore, teaches us not only that all mankind are naturally enslaved to sin, but also that the faithful themselves would become bond-slaves of sin if God did not unceasingly watch over them to guide them in the path of holiness and to strengthen them for persevering in it.

There is also another useful lesson here to which we should attend. We ought never to pray for pardon without, at the same time, asking to be strengthened and fortified by God's power for the future, so that temptations may not gain an advantage over us.

And although we may feel in our hearts the incitements of concupiscence goading and distressing us, we ought not, for that reason, to become discouraged. The remedy we should resort to is to pray to God to restrain us. No doubt, David could have wished to feel no stirrings of corruption in his heart; but knowing that he would never be wholly free from the remains of sin until at death he put off this corrupt nature, he prays to be armed with the grace of the Holy Spirit for the combat, so that iniquity might not reign victorious over him.

At the end of the verse, there are two things to be observed. David, in affirming that he shall then be upright and clean from much wickedness, first, attributes the honor of preserving him innocent to God's spiritual assistance; and depending on it, he confidently assures himself of victory over all Satan's armies.

Second, he acknowledges that unless he is assisted by God, he will be overwhelmed with an immense load and plunged, as it were, into a boundless abyss of wickedness. For he says that, aided by God, he will be clear not of one or two faults, but of many.

From this it follows that as soon as we are abandoned by God's grace, there is no kind of sin in which Satan cannot entangle us. Let this confession of David then move us to earnestness in prayer; for in the midst of so many and various snares, it is not fitting for us to become complacent or lazy.

Again, let the other part of the Psalmist’s reflection predominate in our hearts. Let us boast with him that although Satan may assault us with many strong armies, we will nevertheless be invincible, provided we have God's aid. We will also continue, despite every hostile attempt, to hold fast to our integrity.