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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Psalms 139:24

And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God Continued...;   Self-Examination;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Self-Examination;   Sin;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Psalms, the Book of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Omnipresence of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Idol;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Law;   Leaven;   Way;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Nature;   Psalms;   Way;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Self-Examination;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mary;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Way;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 16;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 25;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Geneva Bible (1587)
And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me, and leade me in the way for euer.
Christian Standard Bible®
See if there is any offensive way in me;lead me in the everlasting way.
Hebrew Names Version
See if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Easy-to-Read Version
Make sure that I am not going the wrong way. Lead me on the path that has always been right.
Amplified Bible
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
American Standard Version
And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Contemporary English Version
Don't let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true.
Complete Jewish Bible
See if there is in me any hurtful way, and lead me along the eternal way.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And see if there be any way in me that is grievous, and lead me in the way everlasting.
King James Version (1611)
And see if there bee any wicked way in me: and leade me in the way euerlasting.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and see if there is any way of iniquity in me, and lead me in an everlasting way.
English Revised Version
And see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Berean Standard Bible
See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
Lexham English Bible
And see if there is in me the worship of false gods, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Literal Translation
and see if any wicked way is in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
New Century Version
See if there is any bad thing in me. Lead me on the road to everlasting life.
New English Translation
See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!
New Living Translation
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
New Life Bible
See if there is any sinful way in me and lead me in the way that lasts forever.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And see if there be any idol-way in me, and lead me in a way age-abiding.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(138-24) And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.
George Lamsa Translation
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Good News Translation
Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.
New American Standard Bible
And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
King James Version
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And loke well yf there be any way of peruersnesse in me: and [then] leade me in the way of the worlde.
New Revised Standard
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Darby Translation
And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And se thou, if weie of wickidnesse is in me; and lede thou me forth in euerlastinge wei.
Young's Literal Translation
And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
World English Bible
See if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Revised Standard Version
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Update Bible Version
And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Webster's Bible Translation
And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Bible in Basic English
See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Loke well, yf there be eny waye of wickednesse in me, & lede me in the waye euerlastinge.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Legacy Standard Bible
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,And lead me in the everlasting way.

Contextual Overview

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. 19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly;Your enemies take Your name in vain. [fn] 21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And see: Psalms 7:3, Psalms 7:4, Psalms 17:3, Proverbs 28:26, Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:10

wicked way: Heb. way of pain, or grief, Hebrews 12:15, Hebrews 12:16

and lead: Psalms 5:8, Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 119:1, Psalms 119:32, Psalms 143:8, Psalms 143:10

the way: Matthew 7:14, John 14:6, Colossians 2:6

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 32:31 - to try him Job 9:21 - yet would Job 10:2 - show me Job 34:32 - which Psalms 11:5 - trieth Psalms 19:12 - secret Psalms 26:2 - General Psalms 31:3 - lead Psalms 77:6 - and Proverbs 4:23 - Keep Proverbs 15:24 - way Lamentations 3:40 - search John 3:21 - he that 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine Revelation 14:6 - everlasting

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And see if [there be any] wicked way in me,.... Not that David thought himself free from wickedness, or that there was none to be found in his heart and life; and therefore said this in a boasting way, he knew otherwise; see Psalms 19:12; but he is desirous it might be thoroughly looked into and seen whether there was any such wicked way in him he was charged with; as that he had a design upon the life of Saul, and to seize his throne and kingdom, which never entered into his mind, 1 Samuel 24:9. Or, "any way of grief" d; what tended to wound and grieve his own soul, or to grieve the hearts of God's people; or to grieve the Holy Spirit of God; and which he ought to grieve for and repent of: suggesting, that upon the first conviction he was ready to relinquish any such wicked way, and express his abhorrence of it, and testify true repentance for it. Some render it, "the way of an idol" e; because a word from the same root signifies an idol: every carnal lust in a man's heart is an idol; and whatsoever engrosses the affections, or has more of them than God himself has, or is preferred to him, Ezekiel 14:4. The Targum is,

"and see if the way of those that err is me;''

and lead me in the way everlasting; or, "in the way of old" f: the good old way, the ancient path, in which the patriarchs before and after the flood walked, Or, "in the perpetual way" g; the way that endures for ever; in opposition to the way of the wicked, that perishes, Psalms 1:6; or in the way that leads to everlasting life, to eternal peace and rest, and endless pleasures; as opposed to the way of grief and sorrow. It designs Christ, the true and only way to eternal life, the path of faith, truth, and godliness, Matthew 7:13; in which the Lord leads his people, as a father does his child, and as the shepherd his flock. The Jewish commentators, Aben Ezra and Kimchi, interpret it the way of the world; and take it to be the same with the way of all flesh, death, or the grave; which is called man's world, or home, Joshua 23:14; and make the sense to be this: If thou seest any evil in me, take me out of the world; kill me at once, let me die But this seems to be foreign from the text; for the word "lead" designs a blessing or benefit, as Calvin well observes. The Targum is,

"lead me in the way of the upright of the world;''

the way in which upright men walk.

d דרך עצב "via doloris", Montanus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. e "Via idoli"; so some in Vatablus. f בדרך עולם "per viam sepiternam", Pagninus, Vatablus; "per viam antiquam", Gussetius; so Ainsworth. g "In via perpetua", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And see if there be any wicked way in me - Margin, “way of pain,” or “grief.” The Hebrew word properly means an image, an idol Isaiah 48:5, but it also means pain, 1 Chronicles 4:9; Isaiah 14:3. The word in the form used here does not occur elsewhere. Gesenius (Lexicon) renders it here idol-worship. DeWette, “way of idols.” Prof. Alexander, “way of pain.” The Septuagint and Vulgate, “way of iniquity.” So Luther. The Syriac, “way of falsehood.” Rosenmuller, “way of an idol.” According to this, the prayer is that God would search him and see if there was anything in him that partook of the nature of idolatry, or of defection from the true religion; any tendency to go back from God, to worship other gods, to leave the worship of the true God. As idolatry comprehends the sum of all that is evil, as being alienation from the true God, the prayer is that there might be nothing found in his heart which tended to alienate him from God - would indicate unfaithfulness or want of attachment to him.

And lead me in the way everlasting - The way which leads to eternal life; the path which I may tread forever. In any other way than in the service of God his steps must be arrested. He must encounter his Maker in judgment, and be cut off, and consigned to woe. The path to heaven is one which man may steadily pursue; one, in reference to which death itself is really no interruption - for the journey commenced here will be continued through the dark valley, and continued forevermore. Death does not interrupt the journey of the righteous for a moment. It is the same journey continued - as when we cross a narrow stream, and are on the same path still.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 139:24. If there be any wicked way — דרך עצב derech otseb: a way of idolatry, or of error. Any thing false in religious principle; any thing contrary to piety to thyself, and love and benevolence to man. And he needed to offer such prayer as this, while filled with indignation against the ways of the workers of iniquities; for he who hates, utterly hates, the practices of any man, is not far from hating the man himself. It is very difficult

"To hate the sin with all the heart,

And yet the sinner love."


Lead me in the way everlasting. — בדרך עולם bederech olam, in the old way - the way in which our fathers walked, who worshipped thee, the infinitely pure Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Lead me, guide me, as thou didst them. We have ארח עולם orach olam, the old path, Job 22:15. "The two words דרך derech and ארח orach, differ," says Bishop Horsley, "in their figurative senses: derech is the right way, in which a man ought to go; orach is the way, right or wrong, in which a man actually goes by habit." The way that is right in a man's own eyes is seldom the way to God.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINTH PSALM

David, having had aspersions laid upon him, calls upon God in this Psalm to witness his innocency. Now, that this his appeal be not thought unreasonable, he presents God in his two especial attributes, omniscience and omnipresence; then he shows he loved goodness, and hated wickedness.

This Psalm is divided into four parts: -

I. A description of God's omniscience, Psalms 139:1-7.

II. A description of his omnipresence, Psalms 139:7-18.

III. David's hatred to evil and evil men, Psalms 139:19-23.

IV. A protestation of his own innocency, which he offers to the trial of God, Psalms 139:23-24.

I. He begins with God's omniscience: "O Lord, thou hast searched me," c. Examined me with scrutiny.

He searches and knows our actions.

1. "Thou knowest," c. When and for what reasons I ever act.

2. "Thou understandest my thoughts," &c. Thou knowest my counsels and thoughts.

3. "Thou compassest my path," &c. The end I aim at.

4. "There is not a word," &c. Every word and thought thou knowest.

And for this he gives this reason: God is our Maker: "Thou hast beset me," &c. These two arguments prove that God knows all things.

1. God knows all the past and future: "Beset behind and before."

2. He governs man: "Thou God madest man," &c. The prophet concludes this Divine attribute, omniscience, with an acclamation: "Such knowledge," &c. It is beyond my reach and capacity.

II. From God's omnipresence the prophet argues that man cannot hide any thing from God, for he is every where present.

1. "Where shall I go," &c. That I may be hid from thy knowledge.

2. "Or whither shall I flee," &c. From thy face and eye.

There is no place that is not before thee.

1. "If I ascend up to heaven," &c.

2. "If I make my bed in hell," &c.

3. "If I take the wings of the morning," &c.

And among many instances that might be brought forward to prove God's omniscience and omnipresence, we may simply instance the formation of a child in the womb.

1. "Thou hast possessed my reins," &c. Thou hast undertaken wholly to frame, and cherish me when formed.

2. "Thou hast covered me," &c. Clothed me with flesh, skin, bones, &c.

Then the prophet breaks out in admiration of God's works.

1. "I will praise thee," &c.

2. "I am fearfully," &c. His works are enough to strike all men with reverential fear.

3. "Marvellous are thy works."

Then he proceeds with the formation of the infant embryo.

1. "My substance," &c. My strength, my essence. "Is not hid," &c.

2. "When I was made in secret," &c. In the secret cell of my mother's womb.

3. "And curiously wrought," &c. The word in the Hebrew signifies to interweave coloured threads. Man is a curious piece, and the variety of his faculties shows him such. [See the notes.]

4. "In the lowest parts of the earth," &c. In the womb, where it is as secret if God wrought it in the lowest part of the earth.

5. "Thine eyes did see my substance," &c. When in embryo, and without any distinct parts.

6. "And in thy book," &c. The idea of them was with thee, as the picture in the eye of the painter.

7. Which in continuance, &c.

The prophet closes this part with an exclamation.

1. "How precious also are thy thoughts," &c. In this and other respects.

2. "O how great is the sum of them." They are infinite.

3. And for this cause: "When I awake," &c., thy wisdom and providence are ever before my mind, and my admiration is full of them.

The prophet, having ended his discourse on the omniscience and omnipresence of God, justifies himself at God's tribunal.

1. "Surely thou wilt slay the wicked," &c. I dare not then associate with them.

2. "Depart, therefore, from me," &c. Keep at a distance.

3. "For they speak against thee wickedly," &c. Blaspheme my God.

So far from giving them the right hand of fellowship, he asks, -

1. "Do not I hate them, O Lord," &c. I hate them as sinners, but feel for and pity them as men.

2. Then he returns this answer to himself, "Yea, I hate them," &c. I count them my enemies, for they are thine.

IV. Lastly, it would appear that his heart was sincere and pure, or he would not abide such a trial.

1. "Search me, O God:" In the beginning of the Psalm he showed what God did now he entreats him to do it.

2. "Try me," c. Examine my heart and my ways.

3. "And see if there be any wicked way," &c. Presumptuous sins.

4. "And lead me in the way everlasting." This was the end proposed by his trial that, if God saw any wickedness in him that might seduce him, he would withdraw him from it and lead him to think, and devise, and do those things which would bring him to life eternal.


 
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