Psalm 119:70

Today’s verse from Psalm 119 refers back to the preceding verse that deals with the proud.  The verse we consider today describes the heart of the proud.

Psalms 119:70  Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

When someone’s heart is as fat as grease, then it is really fat because grease is pure fat.

Grease – The fat part of the body of an animal; also, corpulence, fatness.  The melted or rendered fat of animals, esp.when it is in a soft state.

Although the word fat is sometimes used in a favourable sense in the Bible, in this verse it is used in an unfavourable sense.  If we compare this verse with other verses that use the word fat in an unfavourable sense, we will understand what it means to have a heart as fat as grease. 

The following passages describe those who grow fat through the indulgence of their fleshly and worldly appetites.

Deuteronomy 32:15  But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

This verse refers to Israel as Jeshurun, which is a name meaning upright.  When Israel waxed fat, they abandoned God and considered Him of little worth.  They became proud through the abundance of their worldly possessions.  They became too high and mighty for the Lord.  They did not sense a great need for Him and His salvation.  Then consider this passage:

Psalms 17:8  Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9  From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about

10  They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly….

13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14  From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

In this passage the psalmist David prays to be delivered from the wicked.  These wicked “have their portion in this life.”  They indulge themselves to the full in the things of this world.  Hence, they are said to be “inclosed in their own fat.”  And notice that they are described as proud:  “they speak proudly.”  The next passage brings the same thought before us. 

Psalms 73:3  For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4  For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5  They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6  Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7  Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

Here again we meet with the proud who have an abundance of this world’s goods to the point of fatness, having “more than heart could wish.”  They are described by James as those who “have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter” (James 5:5).  They are fed to the full.  Their hearts are fat.  Commenting on such persons Charles Spurgeon wrote:

“In this condition men have no heart except for luxury, their very being seems to swim and stew in the fat of cookery and banqueting.  Living on the fat of the land, their nature is subdued to that which they have fed upon; the muscle of their nature has gone to softness and grease.”

In the increase of fleshly delights we need to be careful lest our hearts grow fat and we become proud, overconfident, and careless with regard to spiritual things.  Our Lord warned us against this very thing.

Luke 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

A heart “overcharged with surfeiting” is a heart that indulges the things of this world to excess.  It is overweight with the cares and pleasures of this life.  

This next passage shows that those whose hearts are as fat as grease are insensitive to the word of God.

Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. 

One who is overweight physically can become physically sluggish.  He becomes indisposed to physical exercise.  Fat people also have problems with attacks of sleepiness at inappropriate times.  So it is with a heart that is fat.  Such people become sluggish, sleepy, and insensitive to God’s word.  They hear it preached.  They see the words on the page.  But it does not make the impression that it ought.  Their heart sleeps through the message and, therefore, they don’t get it.  This is indeed the case with a proud person.  Their pride blinds them to the warnings and convictions of Scripture.  They do not perceive their sin and neediness.  And one thing that can majorly contribute to pride is the consumption and possession of too much of this world’s goods.  That is why Paul wrote these words to Timothy:

1 Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy….

Matthew Henry’s comments on today's verse sum it up quite well:

“The proud are at ease (Ps. 123.4); they are full of the world, and the wealth and pleasures of it; and this makes them, (1.) Senseless, secure, and stupid; they are past feeling:  thus the phrase is used, Isa. 6.10.  Make the heart of this people fat.  They are not sensible of the touch of the word of God or his rod.  (2.) Sensual and voluptuous:  Their eyes stand out with fatness (Ps. 73.7); they roll themselves in the pleasures of sense, and take up with them as their chief good......”  

Now in contrast to the proud whose heart is as fat as grease, the psalmist writes:  but I delight in thy word.  Let the proud fatten their hearts with this world to the point of becoming indifferent and insensitive to God’s word, the psalmist will find his delight in God’s law.  He will fill his heart with the Scriptures rather than the world.  He will relish his Bible above all else this world has to offer to fill the hearts of men.  His sentiments are echoed in these verses:

Job 23:12  …I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Psalms 19:9  …the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether

10  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Jeremiah 15:16  Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart….