My flesh trembles for fear of you; and I am afraid of your judgments.
All Commentaries on Psalms 119:120 Go To Psalms 119
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
118. The grace of God, then, being known, which alone freeth from transgression, which is committed through knowledge of the law, he saith, in prayer, "Fix with nails my flesh in Thy fear" (ver. 120). For this some Latin interpreters have literally rendered the Greek kaqhlwson, which that language has expressed in one word. Some have preferred to render by the word confige, without adding clavis; and while they thus desire to construe one Latin by one Greek word, have failed to express the full meaning of the Greek kaqhlwson, because in confige nails are not mentioned, but kaqhlwson cannot be taken but of nails, nor can "fix with nails" be expressed without using two words in Latin. ...Hath he added, "For I have feared Thy judgments"? What meaneth, "Fix me in Thy fear: for I have feared"? If he had already feared, or if he was now fearing, why did he still pray God to crucify his flesh in His fear? Did he wish so much additional fear imparted to him as would suffice for crucifying his flesh, that is, his carnal lusts and affections; as though he should say, Perfect in me the fear of Thee; for I have feared Thy judgments? But there is here even a higher sense, which must, as far as God alloweth, be derived from searching the recesses of this Scripture: that is, in the chaste fear of Thee, which abideth from age to age, let my carnal desires be quenched; "For I have feared Thy judgments," when the law, which could not give me righteousness, threatened me punishment. ...For the inclination to sin liveth, and it then appeareth in deed, when impunity may be hoped for. But when punishment is considered sure to follow, it liveth latently: nevertheless it liveth. For it would rather it were lawful to sin, and it grieveth that what the law forbiddeth, is not lawful; because it is not spiritually delighted with the blessing of the law, but carnally feareth the evil which it threateneth. But that love, which casteth out this fear, feareth with a chaste fear to sin, although no punishment follow; because it doth not even judge that impunity will follow, since from love of righteousness it considereth the very sin itself a punishment. With such a fear the flesh is crucified; since carnal delights, which are forbidden rather than avoided by the letter of the law, are overcome by the delight in spiritual blessings, and also when the victory is perfected are destroyed.
Ain.
