Psalms 18:22
in Psalms 18For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For all his ordinances were before me, And I put not away his statutes from me.
KJV
For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 18
Commentary
13 notes on this verseFor all his judgments were before me,.... That is, the precepts of the law of God, which David had a respect unto, loved, took delight and pleasure in, and so had them all in his sight, and made them the rule of his actions; and the law of God is delighted in by regenerate persons, after the inward man; and though it is abolished as a covenant of works, it is a rule of walk and conversation to the saints; and as such they keep it in view, and regard it impartially, not only some of its precepts, but all.
This site's exposition
rewarded me according to my righteousness
on Psalms 18:20-24
The claim of righteousness is defined by the verses under it. Keeping the ways of the LORD, holding His ordinances in view, and keeping himself from iniquity are what the cleanness of hands means here. Verse 24 adds that all of it stood in His sight.
This site's exposition
I have not disregarded His statutes
The claim moves from conduct to its guide. Albert Barnes took the word behind ordinances as what God has judged to be right, kept in view as the rule of conduct. Charles Spurgeon traced integrity in public to an inner love of the right.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Nor have I walked impiously apart from My God." "For all His judgments are in My sight" [Psalm 18:22]. "For" with persevering contemplation I weigh "all His judgments," that is, the rewards of the righteous, and the punishments of the ungodly, and the scourges of such as are to be chastened, and the trials of such as are to be proved. "And I have not cast out His righteousness from Me:" as they do that faint under their burden of them, and return to their own vomit.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And yet subsequently some human merit cooperates there: 1 Cor. 15: "The grace of God in me was not in vain." And therefore he adds, "The Lord will reward me," etc. Where he does three things. First he proposes the merit. Second, in what it …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Constant care to abstain from that sin, whatever it be, which most easily besets us, and to mortify the habit of it, will be a good evidence for us that we are upright before God. As David's deliverances cleared his integrity, so did the exaltation of Christ clear his, and for ever roll away the reproach that was cast upon him; and therefore he is said to be justified in the Spirit, 1 Tim. iii.
), that is, determining the controversy between him and his enemies, according to the justice of his cause and the cleanness of his hands, from that sedition, treason, and rebellion, with which he was charged. He had often appealed to God concerning his innocency; and now God had given judgment upon the appeal (as he always will) according to equity.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Those that forsake the ways of the Lord do, in effect, depart from their God, and it is a wicked thing to do so. But though we are conscious to ourselves of many a stumble, and many a false step taken, yet if we recover ourselves by repentance, and go on in the way of our duty, it shall not be construed into a departure, for it is not a wicked departure, from our God.
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The statements of innocence, righteousness, &c., refer, doubtless, to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul's persecutions and Absalom's rebellions, as well as the various wars in which he had been engaged as the head and defender of God's Church and people.
"For all his judgments were before me." The word, the character, and the actions of God should be evermore before our eyes; we should learn, consider, and reverence them. Men forget what they do not wish to remember, but the excellent attributes of the Most High are objects of the believer's affectionate and delighted admiration. We should keep the image of God so constantly before us that we become in our measure conformed unto it. This inner love to the right must be the main spring of Christian integrity in our public walk. The fountain must be filled with love to holiness, and then the streams which issue from it will be pure and gracious. "I did not put away his statutes from me." To put away the Scriptures from the mind's study is the certain way to prevent their influencing the outward conversation. Backsliders begin with dusty Bibles, and go on to filthy garments.
"For all his judgments were before me." The word, the character, and the actions of God should be evermore before our eyes; we should learn, consider, and reverence them. Men forget what they do not wish to remember, but the excellent attributes of the Most High are objects of the believer's affectionate and delighted admiration. We should keep the image of God so constantly before us that we become in our measure conformed unto it. This inner love to the right must be the main spring of Christian integrity in our public walk.
All his judgments were before me - I kept his law before my eyes, that I might see my duty and know how to walk and please God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For all his judgments - All his statutes, ordinances, laws. The word judgment is commonly used in this sense in the Scriptures, as referring to that which God has judged or determined to be right. Were before me - That is, I acted in view of them, or as having them to guide me. They were constantly before my eyes, and I regulated my conduct in accordance with their requirements. And I did not put away his statutes from me - I did not reject them as the guide of my conduct.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו | mishpatav | judgments his | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לְנֶגְדִּ֑י | lenegdi | [have been] to before me | H5048 → | 151 times |
| וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו | vechukotav | and statutes his | H2708 → | 104 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אָסִ֥יר | ʾasir | I have turned aside | H5493 → | 299 times |
| מֶֽנִּי׃ | meni | from me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יוjudgments his
mishpatavH4941 →422 times
לְנֶגְדִּ֑י[have been] to before me
lenegdiH5048 →151 times
וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יוand statutes his
vechukotavH2708 →104 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
אָסִ֥ירI have turned aside
ʾasirH5493 →299 times
מֶֽנִּי׃from me
meniH4480 →1188 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 119:117Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:6
Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 119:6
Through
Psalms 119:30I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me.
it leads to
- John 3:19–21
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
- Psalms 119:29
Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me Your law.
- Proverbs 1:29
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
- Luke 10:42
But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- John 3:19–21
Through
Psalms 119:13With my lips I proclaim all the judgments of Your mouth.
it leads to
- Psalms 71:15–18
My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.
- Psalms 71:15–18
Through
Psalms 119:112I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, even to the very end.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:33
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end.
- Psalms 119:33
Through
Psalms 119:128Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:104
I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.
- Psalms 119:104
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 18; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.