Psalms 119:99

99 I understand more than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instructions.

Psalms 119:99 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:99

I have more understanding than all my teachers
Such as had been or would have been his teachers, who were bad ones in religious matters; especially such might be the religious teachers in Saul's time, when David was a young man: as the priests, whose lips should keep knowledge, and deliver it to the people, were in the times of Malachi; and as the Scribes and Pharisees, who, sat in Moses's chair, were in Christ's time; and as those legal teachers were in the apostles' times, who would be teachers of the law, not knowing what they said, nor whereof they affirmed; such as these David exceeded in spiritual understanding. Or his good teachers are meant; and though in common it is true that "a disciple is not above his master", ( Matthew 10:24 ) ; yet there are sometimes instances in which scholars exceed their teachers in knowledge and learning; and this is no reproach to a master to have such scholars: no doubt Apollos so improved in knowledge as to excel Aquila and Priscilla, of whom he learned much; as the Apostle Paul excelled Ananias; and so David excelled his teachers: and which is said by him, not in an ostentatious way of himself, nor in contempt of his teachers; but to commend the word of God, the source of his knowledge; and to magnify the grace of God, to whom he attributes all his wisdom, as in ( Psalms 119:98 ) . Kimchi interprets it,

``of them all I have learned and received instruction; and from them I have understood the good way, and they have taught me;''

for thy testimonies [are] my meditation;
what he learned of his teachers he compared with the word, the Scriptures, which testify of the mind and will of God; he searched into them, he meditated upon them, and considered whether what his instructors taught him were agreeable to them or and by this means he got more understanding than they had.

Psalms 119:99 In-Context

97 How I love your law! I think about it all day long.
98 Your commandment is with me all the time and makes me wiser than my enemies.
99 I understand more than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instructions.
100 I have greater wisdom than those who are old, because I obey your commands.
101 I have avoided all evil conduct, because I want to obey your word.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.