Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 119:33-40

"Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; For therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, And not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, And quicken me in thy ways. Confirm unto thy servant thy word, Which [is in order] unto the fear of thee. Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid; For thine ordinances are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness. VAV." — Psalms 119:33-40 (ASV)

Teach me your statutes, not the mere words, but the way of applying them to myself. God, by his Spirit, gives a right understanding. But the Spirit of revelation in the word will not suffice, unless we have the Spirit of wisdom in the heart. God puts his Spirit within us, causing us to walk in his statutes.

The sin here prayed against is covetousness. Those who would have the love of God rooted in them must get the love of the world rooted out; for the friendship of the world is enmity with God.

Revive me in your way, to redeem time and to do every duty with liveliness of spirit. Beholding vanity deadens us and slackens our pace; a traveler must not stand gazing upon every object that presents itself to his view.

The promises of God's word greatly relate to the preservation of the true believer. When Satan has drawn a child of God into worldly compliances, he will reproach him with the falls into which he led him. Victory must come from the cross of Christ. When we enjoy the sweetness of God's precepts, it will make us long for more acquaintance with them.

And where God has worked to will, he will work to do.