Psalms 19:13

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Keep back {H2820} thy servant {H5650} also from presumptuous {H2086} sins; let them not have dominion {H4910} over me: then shall I be upright {H8552}, and I shall be innocent {H5352} from the great {H7227} transgression {H6588}.

Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins, so that they won't control me. Then I will be blameless and free of great offense.

Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression.

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression.

Psalms 19:13 is a profound prayer from David, seeking divine protection not merely from common failings, but from a specific, more dangerous category of sin: presumptuous sins.

Context

This verse follows David's contemplation of God's revelation through creation (Psalms 19:1-6) and His perfect, life-giving law (Psalms 19:7-11). After acknowledging the perfection of God's statutes and their ability to enlighten and warn, David shifts to a personal plea for purity. Verse 12 asks for forgiveness for "secret faults," those sins committed unknowingly or unintentionally. Verse 13 then escalates the prayer to a request for deliverance from deliberate, defiant acts against God's known will, highlighting a progression in the Psalmist's understanding of sin and his dependence on God for spiritual integrity.

Key Themes

  • Protection from Presumptuous Sins: The primary request is for God to "keep back" His servant from sins committed knowingly and defiantly. These are not sins of weakness or ignorance but acts of rebellion against God's authority.
  • Freedom from Sin's Dominion: David prays that these sins would "not have dominion over me." This speaks to the desire for spiritual freedom and for sin not to become a ruling force or habit in one's life. This echoes the New Testament's teaching on sin no longer having dominion over believers.
  • Uprightness and Innocence: The desired outcome of God's protective hand is to be "upright" and "innocent from the great transgression." This signifies a life of integrity, moral soundness, and freedom from the most grievous forms of rebellion against God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "presumptuous" (zadon or related root zud) implies arrogance, insolence, or acting high-handedly. These are sins committed with a defiant attitude, a deliberate choice to disregard God's commands, as opposed to unintentional errors. The Old Testament differentiates between such sins and those committed in ignorance (e.g., Numbers 15:30-31, which describes severe consequences for "high-handed" sin). The "great transgression" (Hebrew: pesha gadol) refers to a severe breach of trust or rebellion, often against a covenant. It emphasizes the profound spiritual danger of unrepentant, deliberate sin.

Practical Application

Psalms 19:13 serves as a vital prayer for all believers. It reminds us:

  • To actively seek God's intervention in our lives to prevent us from falling into deliberate sin.
  • To cultivate a sensitive conscience that recognizes the difference between unintentional faults and willful disobedience.
  • To pray for freedom from the enslaving power of sin, desiring that it not gain mastery over our thoughts, words, or actions.
  • That true spiritual health involves not just forgiveness for past wrongs, but divine help to live an upright life of integrity before God.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 119:133

    ¶ Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

  • Romans 6:12

    Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

  • Romans 6:14

    For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

  • 1 Samuel 25:39

    And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed [be] the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

  • Acts 24:16

    And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.

  • Psalms 7:10

    ¶ My defence [is] of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

  • Psalms 84:11

    For the LORD God [is] a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back