Psalms 119:22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
We begin by defining reproach and contempt.
Reproach – A source or cause of disgrace or shame (to a person, etc.); a fact, matter, feature or quality bringing disgrace or discredit upon one.
Contempt – The action of contemning or despising; the holding or treating as of little account, or as vile and worthless; the mental attitude in which a thing is so considered.
When, like the psalmist, a person’s life is dedicated to keeping God’s testimonies, he will become the object of reproach and contempt. He will be evil spoken of. He will be discredited, ridiculed, and despised. His keeping of God’s testimonies is precisely the reason reproach and contempt are heaped upon him. The life of a godly man exposes the sin, foolishness, rebellion, and utter stupidity of the ungodly. Instead of repenting and cleaning up their lives, the ungodly will rather try to shame and discredit those who expose them.
Psalms 38:20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
Proverbs 29:27 …he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.
1 Peter 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
It has been thus since the dawn of time as witness the case of Cain and Abel.
1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Cain and Abel were brothers. Therefore, we see that reproach and contempt can even come from those of our own family.
Matthew 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
While on the one hand, we should rejoice when we are reproached for the name of Christ and the good we do, on the other hand such reproach is painful to bear. Therefore, the psalmist seeks relief in asking God to remove it from him. We should always ask God to remove the reproach and contempt rather than trying to remove it ourselves by letting up on our obedience to God’s testimonies. It is much to the psalmist’s credit that in spite of the persecution it brought upon him, he continued to keep God’s testimonies. Furthermore, it is best to commit this matter to God in prayer rather than trying to defend yourself. As I have often said, you cannot prove innocence to those who are determined to believe guilt. Thomas Manton said that “prayer many times proves a better vindication than an apology.” God is well able to silence those who reproach and despise you. Matthew Henry said it well:
“God has all men’s hearts and tongues in his hand, and can silence lying lips, and raise up a good name that is trodden in the dust.”
When He so pleases, God can even make our enemies to be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7).
Now our psalmist advances the fact that he had kept God’s testimonies as a reason why God should remove this reproach and contempt. The psalmist was not bragging. He was simply acknowledging the truth about his own conduct. He knew it was only through God’s mercy and strength that he could keep His testimonies. But, like Paul, he had not received God’s grace in vain (1Corinthians 15:10). He had rather used it in pursuing a constant obedience to God. And when he failed, as do we all, he consistently applied the remedy of repentance and confession and thus stayed on course in keeping God’s testimonies. Anyone who lives like that has a plea that he can bring to God when he is reproached by his enemies. It is a plea that God will vindicate in due time as the following passage assures us:
Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Of course, today’s verse has its ultimate realization in our Lord Jesus Christ of Whom it is written:
Psalms 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
Psalms 69:7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
Psalms 69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
At His second coming in glory every reproach and contempt ever heaped on our sinless Saviour will be completely removed and His enemies will be forced to bow the knee and confess that He is Lord. And all Christ’s followers will share in His vindication. Then shall the prayer of this psalm be fully and eternally answered.
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
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