Psalms 119:39 (ASV)

Passage

Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid; For thine ordinances are good.

Nearby Context

Psalms 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, And quicken me in thy ways.

Psalms 119:38 Confirm unto thy servant thy word, Which [is in order] unto the fear of thee.

Psalms 119:39 Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid; For thine ordinances are good.

Psalms 119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness. VAV.

Psalms 119:41 Let thy lovingkindnesses also come unto me, O Jehovah, Even thy salvation, according to thy word.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "turn", "away", "reproach", "whereof", "afraid", "thine", "ordinances", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "turn" and "away", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 38's "Confirm unto thy servant thy word Which..." into verse 40's "Behold I have longed after thy precepts...", so "turn" and "away" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "turn" and "away" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.