Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts [KJV]

As I was reading Psalm 119 this morning, I was moved to read commentaries on verse 45 to get a sense of what the psalmist meant by ‘liberty.’ I thought the information was extremely useful in terms of how the commentators explained the vast difference of being under sin and under righteousness (by grace); that is, liberty from the different perspectives of the worldling and the Christian.

I am finding that the transition between the old lifestyle and the Christian lifestyle is a huge one that takes a lot of rethinking.

I graduated from high school in the late 1960s; that rebellious decade greatly influenced my understanding of ‘liberty;’ Furthermore, the various rebellions that have occurred since the 1960s, have all added to the secular definition of the word ‘liberty.’

Consider its definition from dictionary.com; and as you read the commentator’s biblical definitions, note the great difference. 

Below, you will find Psalm 119:45 from 9 different translations of the Bible; followed by commentaries on that verse from John Calvin; Albert Barnes; John Gill; Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible; and the Expositor’s Commentary.

I believe it is good to read a passage of scripture from various translations when studying it because the various ways in which the verse is rendered often provide understanding that is not found in commentaries.

PSALM 119:45

New International Version I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
New Living Translation I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. English Standard Version and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.
King James Bible And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Amplified Bible And I will walk at liberty, For I seek and deeply long for Your precepts.
Christian Standard Bible I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts. Contemporary English Version I have gained perfect freedom by following your teachings,                       Young’s Literal Translation And I walk habitually in a broad place, For Thy precepts I have sought.    NET Bible I will be secure, for I seek your precepts.

COMMENTARIES ON PASLM 119:45

JOHN CALVIN’S COMMENTARY 119:43-45:

Take not the word of truth too long out of my mouth [414] It may be asked, why he demands rather to have his tongue filled with, than his heart fortified by, the word of truth; inasmuch as the latter takes the precedence, both in point of order and of excellence. What will it profit us to be fluent and eloquent in speech, if our hearts are destitute of faith? On the other hand, wherever there is firm faith, there to speech will flow ultroneously [archaic spontaneously; voluntarily]. My reply is, that David was not so concerned about outward confession as not to give the preference to the faith of the heart; but considering that he is making his address to God, there is nothing strange in his making mention only of the former, under which, however, he includes also the latter. “Lord, support not only my heart by faith, lest I be overwhelmed with temptation, but grant me also freedom of speech, that I may fearlessly sound forth thy praises among men.” We observe, when he asks to be endued with boldness of speech, that he begins with the heart.

It may be farther inquired here, why he says too long, just as if he were not afraid of being deprived of the word of truth for a short time. Such a supposition were most absurd, seeing we must watch every moment lest we be overtaken by the enemy, when we are unarmed and powerless. The solution of this difficulty must be drawn from our own experience; for in this, the infirmity of our flesh, it is almost impossible but that, occasionally, even the stoutest heart will quail under the violent assaults of Satan. And although their faith fails not, yet it shakes, and they do not find such presence of mind, as that there is constantly a uniform train of speech, and a prompt reply to the derision’s of the ungodly; but, on the contrary, they rather begin to stagger and quake for a short time. Conscious of this weakness, which is perceptible in all mankind, he accommodates his prayer in the following manner: “Though I am not always prepared with that boldness of speech which is desirable, suffer me not to continue long silent.” By this language the prophet tacitly admits, that he had not been so steadfast and bold as was requisite, but that he was, as it were, struck speechless by reason of fear. Whence we may learn, that the faculty of speaking freely is no more in our power than are the affections. of the heart. As far, then, as God directs our tongues, they are prepared for ready utterance; but no sooner does he withdraw the spirit of magnanimity, than not only our hearts faint, or rather fail, but also our tongues become mute. The cause of this is subjoined in these words, for I have waited for thy judgments for so he literally expresses himself. From which we conclude, that judgments refer not merely to the precepts of the law, but also to the promises, which constitute the true foundation of our confidence. Some render it, I was afraid of thy. judgments, deriving the word here employed from the root chvl chul; which translation I am unable to say whether it be suitable or not. But of this I am certain, that to understand judgments as equivalent to punishments, is quite foreign to the design of the prophet.

I will keep thy law continually He resolves to devote himself to the study of the law, not for a short time only, but even to the termination of his life. The employing of three synonymous words, tmyd, tamid, vlm, olam, d, ed, so far from being viewed as a superfluous accumulation of terms, contains an implied indication, that, unless the faithful make a strenuous and steady opposition, the fear of God may be gradually effaced from their minds by various temptations, and they will lose the affection which they bear for the law. In order, therefore, that he may be the better prepared for meeting these trials, he alludes to the difficulty and danger connected with them.

The next verse may be read as expressing a desire that he might walk. Be this as it may, we retain the commonly received reading, That David exults at the thought of his path becoming plain and easy, in consequence of his seeking diligently after God’s precepts; that is, to walk at ease The ways of men are frequently rugged and obstructed, because they themselves lay various stumbling blocks in them, or entangle themselves in many inextricable windings. Hence it comes to pass, that while none will submit to the word of God as their rule, every man endures the punishment legitimately due to such arrogance. On all sides God lays snares for us, puts pitfalls in our way, causes us to fall in with paths broken and rugged, and at last shuts us up in a bottomless pit: and by how much the more politic a mart is, by so much the more will he meet with obstructions in his path.

This verse teaches us that, if any man yield implicit obedience to God, he will receive this as his reward, that he shall walk with a calm and composed mind; and should he meet with difficulties, he will find the means of surmounting them. The faithful, however readily and submissively they give themselves up to God, may happen to find themselves involved in perplexity; nevertheless, the end contemplated by Paul is accomplished, that though they be in trouble and toil, yet they do not continue in irremediable distress, because it is the duty (so to speak) of God to point out a way for them where there seems to be no way, (2 Corinthians 4:8.) Moreover, when grievously oppressed, even then they walk at ease, for they commit the doubtful issue of events to God in such a manner, that, having him for their guide, they have no doubt they will come out boldly from the depths of distress.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

And I will walk at liberty – Margin, “at large.” Luther renders it, “freely.” The Septuagint, “in a broad place.” The Hebrew word means “wide, broad, large, spacious.” The reference is to that which is free and open; that in which there are no limits, checks, restraints; where a man does what he pleases. The meaning here is, that he would feel he was free. He would not be restrained by evil passions and corrupt desires. He would be delivered from those things which seemed to fetter his goings. This does not here refer so much to external troubles or hindrances, to being oppressed and straitened by external foes, as to internal enemies – to the servitude of sin – to the slavery of appetite and passion. Compare the notes at Romans 7:9-14. See also Job 36:16; Psalm 118:5. The margin well expresses the sense of the passage.

For I seek thy precepts – I seek or endeavor to obey them. I seek them as the guide of my life. I ask nothing else to direct me.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

And I will walk at liberty,…. Not in licentious way, but in Gospel liberty, under the influence of the free spirit; where is liberty, in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty. Or, “I will walk at large” (g); or, “in a broad way”, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi supply it: not in the broad road that leads to destruction, but in the law of God, which is exceeding broad, Psalm 119:96; as the Targum,

“in the breadth of the law.”

So a man walks when he walks in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord: and who also may be said to walk at large when delivered out of straits and difficulties; when he is brought into a large place, and his steps are enlarged under him; and having his heart enlarged with the love of God, and fear of him, and with spiritual joy, and having every grace in exercise, he not only walks in, but runs the way of God’s commandments; see Psalm 119:32; and See Gill on Psalm 118:5;

for I seek thy precepts; out of love and affection to them, to know more of them, the mind and will of God in them, and to practise them.

EXPOSITOR’S BIBLE COMMENTARY 119:44-46:

The verbs at the beginnings of Psalm 119:44-46 are best taken as optatives, expressing what the psalmist would fain do, and, to some extent, has done. There is no true religion without that longing for unbroken conformity with the manifest will of God. Whoever makes that his deepest desire, and seeks after God’s precepts, will “walk at liberty,” or at large, for restraints that are loved are not bonds, and freedom consists not in doing as I would, but in willing to do as I ought. Strong in such emancipation from the hindrances of one’s own passions, and triumphant over external circumstances which may mould, but not dominate, a God-obeying life, the psalmist would fain open his mouth unabashed before rulers. The “kings” spoken of in Psalm 119:46 may be foreign rulers, possibly the representatives of the Persian monarch, or later alien sovereigns, or the expression may be quite general and the speaker be a private person, who feels his courage rising as he enters into the liberty of perfect submission.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: 119:45-46:

We may observe in these verses, 1. What David experienced of an affection to the law of God: “I seek thy precepts, v. 45. I desire to know and do my duty, and consult thy word accordingly; I do all I can to understand what the will of the Lord is and to discover the intimations of his mind. I seek thy precepts, for I have loved them, v. 47, 48. I not only give consent to them as good, but take complacency in them as good for me.” All that love God love his government and therefore love all his commandments. 2. What he expected from this. Five things he promises himself here in the strength of God’s grace:—(1.) That he should be free and easy in his duty: “I will walk at liberty, freed from that which is evil, not hampered with the fetters of my own corruptions, and free to that which is good, doing it not by constraint, but willingly.” The service of sin is perfect slavery; the service of God is perfect liberty. Licentiousness is bondage to the greatest of tyrants; conscientiousness is freedom to the meanest of prisoners, Jn. 8:32, 36; Lu. 1:74, 75. (2.) That he should be bold and courageous in his duty: I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings. Before David came to the crown kings were sometimes his judges, as Saul, and Achish; but, if he were called before them to give a reason of the hope that was in him, he would speak of God’s testimonies, and profess to build his hope upon them and make them his council, his guards, his crown, his all. We must never be afraid to own our religion, though it should expose us to the wrath of kings, but speak of it as that which we will live and die by, like the three children before Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3:16; Acts 4:20…. To read the other half of comments on verses 45-48, click here   https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhcw/psalms/119.htm

CONCLUSIONS and STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Bible Hub has many free study tools for those who want to study verses or passages of scripture in depth
• Part of completing the transition from a secular humanistic worldview to a biblical worldview is to learn the biblical meanings for many words in our vocabulary; that takes more in-depth study
• Self-observation and journaling, although not mentioned above, are extremely useful tools in transitioning into a Christian worldview: see the CATEGORY, Jonathan Edwards, the three posts therein that provide a glimpse into his spiritual life by looking at his journaling and resolution making
• Those posts that provide a glimpse into Edwards life also emphasize the absolute necessity of a type of self-observation that completely owns sin and examines it for the motives that cause one to commit it; that is, instead of minimizing, denying, …covering up sin; one must face it with the intention of understanding why one loves to do it; those motives must be undermined by time after time recognizing that the sins we love to commit, do not lead to blessedness / happiness; but to shame, guilt, loss of fellowship with God, affliction…
• Romans 6 and the Proverbs 5 indicate that even though sin promises to give much, it actually leads to shame and bondage; those are great passages to frequently review and ponder in such a way that you see those things playing out in your own life