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1. What be these statutes?

(1) As a statute-law the Word written sets down limits and rules, how far we are to go, and what to do, and leave undone.

(2) As statutes are enforced with rewards and penalties, so are the Lord's precepts, in keeping of which is great reward, and no less danger in transgressing any of them.

2. Whose be they?

(1) God is the Author of them all.

(2) He is the principal object or subject-matter of them.

(3) He is the preserver and maintainer of them.

(4) They are His by eminency, for the excellence and perfection of them, and to distinguish them from all the laws and statutes of men.

3. Why doth David call the Word the way of God's statutes?

(1)A metaphor, implying —

(a)That we are all travellers here in a strange country (Hebrews 11:13, 14). But the way we know not, nor can man or angel teach us the way, unless God show it to us, as He did to Adam, who could lose his way, but of himself could never find it.

(b) That God hath made known the way in His Word; called the way, because it points us the way, as also because it leads us to heaven and happiness, as a way tends to some end, or intended place.

(c) That this way and Word of God must be known of us, as the way must be of a traveller. And therefore as travellers, and as David here, we must be ever asking after the way.

(d) That as a traveller must keep the beaten and high-way, so must these statutes be pathed and trodden of all the travellers of heaven; neither must we turn out of this way to the right or left hand.

(e) That whosoever are out of this way, and transgress these statutes, they wander from the God of peace, and from life, are out of God's protection, and liable to all the curses of the law, as men out of the king's highway are out of the king's protection. Hence it is said of wicked men (Psalm 14:3). These things lie in the metaphor.

(2) Then for the singularity of this way: he saith, Thy way, not ways; for God's way is but one, but by-paths are many. Many are the sciences, and other knowledges worthy our labour and pains; but David above all desires the knowledge of this one and only way of God and of salvation.

4. Why doth David desire to be taught of God?

(1) David had good means, and was most diligent in the use of them; he was a diligent reader, and spent nights and days in meditation of the Word; but yet to all these, and above all these, he desires God's teaching, without which all these are in vain.

(2) He knows that all other teachers can but teach the ear; God alone teacheth and openeth the heart (Acts 16:14). And whereas Satan and wicked men may have a great deal of speculative knowledge, and go to hell, he desires an inward teacher, and to be inwardly taught by the teaching of the Spirit.

(3) He here craveth four things in this one petition, beyond all men's teaching:(a) Teach me to attend the way of Thy statutes, that I may understand them, and Thy Word be not a clasped book unto me; neither may I, by missing the right scope, pervert the same to mine own destruction.

(b) Teach me to affect the way of Thy statutes, that my heart may melt as Josiah's at the hearing of the law, and be pricked and broken with the threats of it, as were those converts that cried, Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved? (Acts 2:37). When the promises are preached, or promulgated, let my heart dilate and open itself, as the thirsty ground, and rejoice that it understandeth the Word taught, as (Nehemiah 8:13).

(c) Teach me to believe Thy statutes; for all true and comfortable knowledge is applicatory; it rests not in the understanding, but is a firm assent in the will, laying hold on the thing known. And this must we pray, seeing all knowledge, not mingled with faith, is unprofitable.

(d) Teach me to obey Thy statutes; for all sound knowledge is practical; and to know Christ as the truth is in Christ, is to cast off the old man with his lusts, and put on the new. This must be our prayer, that the Lord would so teach us His way as we may walk in it; that tie would so take us into His school as to become both more skilful and more holy; that seeing not hearers, but doers are justified, our portion may be in their blessedness, that hear the Word and keep it.

(T. Taylor, D. D.)

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KJV: HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

WEB: Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes. I will keep them to the end.