Psalms 119:89-176

89 (118-89) For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in heaven.
90 (118-90) Thy truth unto all generations: thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth.
91 (118-91) By thy ordinance the day goeth on: for all things serve thee.
92 (118-92) Unless thy law had been my meditation, I had then perhaps perished in my abjection.
93 (118-93) Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life.
94 (118-94) I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications.
95 (118-95) The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I have understood thy testimonies.
96 (118-96) I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.
97 (118-97) O how have I loved thy law, O Lord! it is my meditation all the day.
98 (118-98) Through thy commandment, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies: for it is ever with me.
99 (118-99) I have understood more than all my teachers: because thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 (118-100) I have had understanding above ancients: because I have sought thy commandments.
101 (118-101) I have restrained my feet from every evil way: that I may keep thy words.
102 (118-102) I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law.
103 (118-103) How sweet are thy words to my palate! more than honey to my mouth.
104 (118-104) By thy commandments I have had understanding: therefore have I hated every way of iniquity.
105 (118-105) Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths.
106 (118-106) I have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice.
107 (118-107) I have been humbled, O Lord, exceedingly: quicken thou me according to thy word.
108 (118-108) The free offerings of my mouth make acceptable, O Lord: and teach me thy judgments.
109 (118-109) My soul is continually in my hands: and I have not forgotten thy law.
110 (118-110) Sinners have laid a snare for me: but I have not erred from thy precepts.
111 (118-111) I have purchased thy testimonies for an inheritance for ever: because they are the joy of my heart.
112 (118-112) I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for ever, for the reward.
113 (118-113) I have hated the unjust: and have loved thy law.
114 (118-114) Thou art my helper and my protector: and in thy word I have greatly hoped.
115 (118-115) Depart from me, ye malignant: and I will search the commandments of my God.
116 (118-116) Uphold me according to thy word, and I shall live: and let me not be confounded in my expectation.
117 (118-117) Help me, and I shall be saved: and I will meditate always on thy justifications.
118 (118-118) Thou hast despised all them that fall off from thy judgments; for their thought is unjust.
119 (118-119) I have accounted all the sinners of the earth prevaricators: therefore have I loved thy testimonies.
120 (118-120) Pierce thou my flesh with thy fear: for I am afraid of thy judgments.
121 (118-121) I have done judgment and justice: give me not up to them that slander me.
122 (118-122) Uphold thy servant unto good: let not the proud calumniate me.
123 (118-123) My eyes have fainted after thy salvation: and for the word of thy justice.
124 (118-124) Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy: and teach me thy justifications.
125 (118-125) I am thy servant: give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.
126 (118-126) It is time, O Lord, to do: they have dissipated thy law.
127 (118-127) Therefore have I loved thy commandments above gold and the topaz.
128 (118-128) Therefore was I directed to all thy commandments: I have hated all wicked ways.
129 (118-129) Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul hath sought them.
130 (118-130) The declaration of thy words giveth light: and giveth understanding to little ones.
131 (118-131) I opened my mouth, and panted: because I longed for thy commandments.
132 (118-132) Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me according to the judgment of them that love thy name.
133 (118-133) Direct my steps according to thy word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 (118-134) Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy commandments.
135 (118-135) Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: and teach me thy justifications.
136 (118-136) My eyes have sent forth springs of water: because they have not kept thy law.
137 (118-137) Thou art just, O Lord: and thy judgment is right.
138 (118-138) Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies: and thy truth exceedingly.
139 (118-139) My zeal hath made me pine away: because my enemies forgot thy words.
140 (118-140) Thy word is exceedingly refined: and thy servant hath loved it.
141 (118-141) I am very young and despised; but I forget not thy justifications.
142 (118-142) Thy justice is justice for ever: and thy law is the truth.
143 (118-143) Trouble and anguish have found me: thy commandments are my meditation.
144 (118-144) Thy testimonies are justice for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.
145 (118-145) I cried with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord: I will seek thy justifications.
146 (118-146) I cried unto thee, save me: that I may keep thy commandments.
147 (118-147) I prevented the dawning of the day, and cried: because in thy words I very much hoped.
148 (118-148) My eyes to thee have prevented the morning: that I might meditate on thy words.
149 (118-149) Hear thou my voice, O Lord, according to thy mercy: and quicken me according to thy judgment.
150 (118-150) They that persecute me have drawn nigh to iniquity; but they are gone far off from thy law.
151 (118-151) Thou art near, O Lord: and all thy ways are truth.
152 (118-152) I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies: that thou hast founded them for ever.
153 (118-153) See my humiliation and deliver me for I have not forgotten thy law.
154 (118-154) Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken thou me for thy word’s sake.
155 (118-155) Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought thy justifications.
156 (118-156) Many, O Lord, are thy mercies: quicken me according to thy judgment.
157 (118-157) Many are they that persecute me and afflict me; but I have not declined from thy testimonies.
158 (118-158) I beheld the transgressors, and pined away; because they kept not thy word.
159 (118-159) Behold I have loved thy commandments, O Lord; quicken me thou in thy mercy.
160 (118-160) The beginning of thy words is truth: all the judgments of thy justice are for ever.
161 (118-161) Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart hath been in awe of thy words.
162 (118-162) I will rejoice at thy words, as one that hath found great spoil.
163 (118-163) I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved thy law.
164 (118-164) Seven times a day I have given praise to thee, for the judgments of thy justice.
165 (118-165) Much peace have they that love thy law, and to them there is no stumbling. block.
166 (118-166) I looked for thy salvation, O Lord: and I loved thy commandments.
167 (118-167) My soul hath kept thy testimonies and hath loved them exceedingly.
168 (118-168) I have kept thy commandments and thy testimonies: because all my ways are in thy sight.
169 (118-169) Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in thy sight: give me understanding according to thy word.
170 (118-170) Let my request come in before thee; deliver thou me according to thy word.
171 (118-171) My lips shall utter a hymn, when thou shalt teach me thy justifications.
172 (118-172) My tongue shall pronounce thy word: because all thy commandments are justice.
173 (118-173) Let thy hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
174 (118-174) I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my meditation.
175 (118-175) My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me.
176 (118-176) I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments.

Images for Psalms 119:89-176

Psalms 119:89-176 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 119

This psalm is generally thought to be written by David, but when is uncertain; very probably towards the decline of life; and, as some think, for the sake or his son Solomon. It seems to be a collection of observations on the word of God and its precepts, the usefulness and excellency of it, he had made in the course of his life; interspersed with various petitions for the grace of God, to enable him to observe it. The psalm is a very extraordinary one; partly on account of the unusual length of it, it being more than double the length of the longest psalm in the whole book; and partly on account of its curious composition. It consists of twenty two parts, according to the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet; the names of which letters stand between each part; and every part consists of eight verses, all of which begin with the same letter: thus, for instance, the first eight verses begin with the letter a, "aleph", and the second eight verses begin with the letter b, "beth", and so on throughout; hence the Masorah calls this psalm the Great Alphabet. This the psalmist did, perhaps to excite attention to what he said, and also to help the memory. And it is observable that there are very few verses in the whole, not more than one or two, but what has something in it concerning the word of God, and its precepts and ordinances; there are nine or ten different words used relative to it, which signify much one and the same thing; as laws, statutes, judgments, testimonies Luther {m} observes, that neither Cicero, nor Virgil, nor Demosthenes, are to be compared with David for eloquence, as we see in the hundred nineteenth Psalm, where he divideth one sense and meaning into twenty two sorts. And it may also be remarked, that there is nothing in it concerning the tabernacle worship, or the rites and ceremonies of the legal dispensation; so that it seems to be calculated for, and is suited to, the word of God, and the ordinances of it, as we now have them in their full perfection: and the design of the whole is to show the fervent affection the psalmist had for the word of God, and to stir up the same in others.

{m} Mensal. Colloqu. c. 32. p. 365.

a, \\ALEPH.--The First Part\\.

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