taken from spurgeon's treasury
psalm 119. 113
i HATE vain thoughts, but Thy law do i love. kjv
i hate those who are double minded, but Thy law do i love. nasv
in this paragraph the psalmist deals with thought and things and persons which are the opposite of God's holy thoughts and ways. he is evidently in great fear of the powers of darkness and of their allies, and his whole soul is stirred up to stand against them with a determined opposition.
just as he begins the octave, verse 97, with
'o how i love Thy law,
so here he begins with a declaration of hatred against that which breaks the law.
the opposite of the fixed and infallible law of god is the wavering, changing opinion of men:
david had an utter contempt and abhorrence for this;
all his reverence and regard went to the sure word of testimony.
in proportion to his love to the law was his hate of man's inventions.
the thoughts of men are vanity;
but the thoughts of God are verity.
we hear much in these days of 'men of though', 'thoughtful preachers' and 'modern thought':
what is this but the old pride of the human heart?
vain man would be wise.
the psalmist did not glory in his thoughts...
when man thinks his best his highest thoughts are as far below those of divine revelation as the earth is beneath the heavens.
some of our thoughts are specially vain in the sense of vain glory, pride,conceit and self trust;
others in the sense of bringing disappointment, such as
fond ambition,
sinful dreaming,
and confidence in man;
others in the sense of emptiness and firvolity,
such as idle thougts and vacant romancings in which so many indulge...
the psalmist is not indifferent to evil thoughts as the careless are;
but upon them he looks with a hate as true as was the love with which he clung to the pure thoughts of God.
the last octave was practical, this is thoughtful;
there the man of God attended to his feet,
and here to his heart:
the emotions of the soul are as important as the acts of the life,
for they are the fountain and spring from which the actions proceed.
when we love the law it becomes a law of love
and we cling to it with our whole heart. (note: as a man thinks, so is he..) spurgeon
when david had an inclination in his heart to God's statutes, the immediate effect of it was to hate vain thougts. we read, 'i have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes' and it follows, 'i hate vain thoughts'. the vanity of his heart was a burden to him.
a new creature is as careful against wickedness in the head or heart, as in the life.
a godly man would be purer in the sight of God than in the view of man.
he knows none but God can see the wanderings of his heart or the thoughts of his head,
yet he is as careful that sins should not rise up as that they should not break out. stephen charnock
'i hate vain thoughts'
or the evil devices
or the double hearted imaginations
or the intermeddling, counter coursing thoughts
that is to say, that kind of practice of some men, that sail with every wind, and seek still to have two strings to their bow.
the hebrew word doth properly signify boughs or branches,
which shoot up perplexedly or confusedly in a tree. theodore haak d1657
in those vacant hours which are spared from business, pleasure, company and sleep and chich are spent in solitude, at home or abroad;
unprofitable, proud, coveous, sensual, envious or malicious imaginations,
occupy the minds of ungodly men and often infect their very dreams.
these are not only sinful in themselves, indicatindg the state of their hears,
and as such will be brought into the account at the day of judgment;
but they excite the dormant corruptions and lead to more open and gross violations of the holy law.
the carnal mind welcomes and delights to dewll upon these congenial imaginations,
and to solace itself by ideal indulgences,
whenopportunity of other gratification is not presented,
or when a man dare not commit the actual transgression.
but the spiritual mind recoils at them;
such thoughts will intudee from time to time,
but they are unwlcome and distressing
and are immediately thrust out;
while other subjects, from the word of God, are stored up in readiness to occupy the mind more profitably and pleasantly during the hours of leisure and retirement.
there is no better test of our true character,
than the habitual effect of vain thoughts upon our minds-
whether we love and indulge them,
or abhor and watch and pray against them. thomas scott d1821
a godly man may have roving thoughts in duty.
sad experience proves this;
the thoughts will be dancing up and down in prayer.
the saints are called stars;
but many times in duty they are wandering stars. the heart is like quicksilver which will not fix.
it is hard to tie two good thoughts together;
we cannot lock our hearts so close,
but that distracting thoughts,
like wind,
will get in.
hierom complains of himself..
'sometimes, saith he, when i am about God's service,
i am walking in the galleries, or
casting up accounts.
but these wandering thought are not allowed
i hate vain thoughts
they come as unwelcome guests, which are no sooner spied, but turned out of doors. thomas watson
'every dislike of evil is not sufficient;
but perfect hatred is required of us against all sorts and degrees of sin. david dickson
the word is used for the opinions of men;
and may be applied to all heterodox opinions,
human doctrines,
damnable heresies;
such as are inconsistent with the perfections of God,
derogate (detract) from His grace,
and from the person and offices of Christ;
and are contrary to the word,
and which are therefore rejected and abhorred by good men. john gill
'vain thoughts' hebrew seaphim, halting between two opinions. see I kings 18. 21. hence it signifies sceptical doubts. christopher wordsworth
our thoughts are set upon trifles and frivolous things, neither tending to our own profit nor the benefit of others
'the heart of the wicked is little worh
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