Psalms 119:108

108 Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me thy ordinances.

Psalms 119:108 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:108

Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth,
O Lord
Not sacrifices out of his flocks and herds, such as were the voluntary and freewill offerings brought to the priests under the law, though there may be an allusion to them; nor out of his substance, such as David and his people willingly offered towards the building of the temple; but these are not the freewill offerings of his hands, but of his mouth; the spiritual sacrifices of prayer praise: prayer is an offering; see ( Psalms 141:2 ) ; and it is a freewill offering, when a man is assisted by the free Spirit of God, and can pour out his soul freely to the Lord, in the exercise of faith and love. Praise is an offering more pleasing to God than an ox or bullock that has horns and hoofs, because it glorifies him; and it is a freewill offering when it is of a man's own accord, comes from his heart; when he calls upon his soul, and all within him, to bless the Lord: and as every good man is desirous of having his sacrifices accepted with the Lord, so they are accepted by him when offered up through Christ, ( 1 Peter 2:5 ) ( Hebrews 13:15 ) ( Revelation 8:3 Revelation 8:4 ) ;

and teach me thy judgments;
for though he was wiser than his enemies, and had more understanding than his teachers, or than the ancients; yet needed to be instructed more and more, and was desirous of being taught of God. This petition, or what is similar to it, is often put up.

Psalms 119:108 In-Context

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe thy righteous ordinances.
107 I am sorely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to thy word!
108 Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me thy ordinances.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget thy law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from thy precepts.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.