Psalms 119:21 - Meaning and Application

Here, the psalmist shows, first, the miserable nature of wicked people. Their inner spirit is wrong. They are proud and lift themselves above others. Even worse, they lift themselves up against God and place their own will against his will, as if their hearts, tongues, and actions belonged only to themselves. Pride lies at the root of every stubborn sin. Their whole way of life is also wrong. They stray from God’s commandments, just as Israel “always went astray in their hearts.” They go wrong in what they believe, accept ideas that go against God’s commands, and then it is no surprise that they go wrong in practice too, turning away on purpose from the good way.

This comes from their pride. They act as if they can say, “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?” like Pharaoh, who asked, “Who is the Lord?” Their condition is equally miserable. They are certainly under God’s curse, because God resists the proud, and those who reject the law’s commands place themselves under its curse (Galatians 3:10). The one who now seems far off in judgment will soon say to them, “Go, you cursed.”

Proud sinners may praise themselves, but God curses them. The full effect of that curse is kept for the next world, yet even now they often receive sharp warnings in this life. Providence crosses their plans, troubles them, and in the very area where they acted proudly, God shows that he is above them. These present warnings are signs of worse judgment to come.

David noticed the trouble proud people were under, and that made him cling more tightly to God’s word. It also made him pray more earnestly that he would not stray from God’s commandments. In this way, God’s judgments on sinners help God’s people grow wiser and more faithful.