Here, 1. David prays against the reproach and contempt of men, that
they might be removed, or (as the word is) rolled, from off him. This
intimates that they lay upon him, and that neither his greatness nor
his goodness could secure him from being libelled and lampooned. Some
despised him and endeavoured to make him mean; others reproached him
and endeavoured to make him odious. It has often been the lot of those
that do well to be ill-spoken of. It intimates that they lay heavily
upon him. Hard and foul words indeed break no bones, and yet they are
very grievous to a tender and ingenuous spirit; therefore David prays,
"Lord, remove them from me, that I may not be thereby either driven
from my duty or discouraged in it." 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. To him we may appeal as the assertor
of right and avenger of wrong, and may depend on his promise that he
will clear up our righteousness as the light, Ps. xxxvii. 6. Reproach
and contempt may humble us and do us good and then it shall be removed.
2. He pleads his constant adherence to the word and way of God: For I
have kept thy testimonies. He not only pleads his innocency, that he
was unjustly censured, but, (1.) That he was jeered for well-doing. He
was despised and abused for his strictness and zeal in religion; so
that it was for God's name's sake that he suffered reproach, and
therefore he could with the more assurance beg of God to appear for
him. The reproach of God's people, if it be not removed now, will be
turned into the greater honour shortly. (2.) That he was not jeered out
of well-doing: "Lord, remove it from me, for I have kept thy
testimonies notwithstanding." If in a day of trial we still retain our
integrity, we may be sure it will end well.