Psalm 119:89-176

89 LAMED. For ever, O Jehovah, thy word is settled in the heavens.

90 Thy faithfulness is from generation to generation: thou hast established the earth, and it standeth.

91 By thine ordinances they stand this day; for all things are thy servants.

92 Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

93 I will never forget thy precepts; for by them thou hast quickened me.

94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

95 The wicked have awaited me to destroy me; [but] I attend unto thy testimonies.

96 I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.

97 MEM. Oh how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

98 Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the aged, because I have observed thy precepts.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil path, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments; for it is thou that hast taught me.

103 How sweet are thy ·words unto my taste! more than honey to my mouth!

104 From thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false path.

105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

107 I am afflicted very much; O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy word.

108 Accept, I beseech thee, Jehovah, the voluntary-offerings of my mouth, and teach me thy judgments.

109 My life is continually in my hand; but I do not forget thy law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me; but I have not wandered from thy precepts.

111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes for ever, unto the end.

113 SAMECH. The double-minded have I hated; but thy law do I love.

114 Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

115 Depart from me, ye evil-doers; and I will observe the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according to thy ·word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

118 Thou hast set at nought all them that wander from thy statutes; for their deceit is falsehood.

119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.

120 My flesh shuddereth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

121 AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.

122 Be surety for thy servant for good; let not the proud oppress me.

123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the ·word of thy righteousness.

124 Deal with thy servant according to thy loving-kindness, and teach me thy statutes.

125 I am thy servant; give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.

126 It is time for Jehovah to work: they have made void thy law.

127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.

128 Therefore I regard all [thy] precepts concerning all things to be right: I hate every false path.

129 PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul observe them.

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light, giving understanding unto the simple.

131 I opened my mouth wide and panted; for I longed for thy commandments.

132 Turn unto me, and be gracious unto me, as thou art wont to do unto those that love thy name.

133 Establish my steps in thy ·word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man; and I will keep thy precepts.

135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.

136 Mine eyes run down with streams of water, because they keep not thy law.

137 TZADE. Righteous art thou, Jehovah, and upright are thy judgments.

138 Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness.

139 My zeal destroyeth me, because mine oppressors have forgotten thy words.

140 Thy ·word is exceeding pure, and thy servant loveth it.

141 I am little and despised: thy precepts have I not forgotten.

142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold upon me: thy commandments are my delights.

144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.

145 KOPH. I have called with [my] whole heart; answer me, O Jehovah: I will observe thy statutes.

146 I call upon thee; save me, and I will keep thy testimonies.

147 I anticipate the morning-dawn and I cry: I hope in thy word.

148 Mine eyes anticipate the night-watches, that I may meditate in thy ·word.

149 Hear my voice according to thy loving-kindness: O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy judgment.

150 They have drawn nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

151 Thou, Jehovah, art near, and all thy commandments are truth.

152 From thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

153 RESH. See mine affliction, and deliver me; for I have not forgotten thy law.

154 Plead my cause, and redeem me: quicken me according to thy ·word.

155 Salvation is far from the wicked; for they seek not thy statutes.

156 Many are thy tender mercies, O Jehovah; quicken me according to thy judgments.

157 Many are my persecutors and mine oppressors; I have not declined from thy testimonies.

158 I beheld them that deal treacherously, and was grieved; because they kept not thy ·word.

159 See how I have loved thy precepts: quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy loving-kindness.

160 The sum of thy word is truth, and every righteous judgment of thine is for ever.

161 SHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

162 I have joy in thy ·word, as one that findeth great spoil.

163 I hate and abhor falsehood; thy law do I love.

164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

165 Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing doth stumble them.

166 I have hoped for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done thy commandments.

167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.

168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are before thee.

169 TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, Jehovah: give me understanding according to thy word.

170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy ·word.

171 My lips shall pour forth praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

172 My tongue shall speak aloud of thy ·word; for all thy commandments are righteousness.

173 Let thy hand be for my help; for I have chosen thy precepts.

174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and thy law is my delight.

175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I have not forgotten thy commandments.

Psalm 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\\.

Footnotes

• [a] Strictly, 'all,' 'the whole.'
• [b] Or 'Thou makest me wiser [through] thy commandments.'
• [c] Or 'for it is mine.'
• [d] 'trodden under foot.'
• [e] For 'puttest away' some read 'accountest.' For 'dross' LXX has 'transgressors.'
• [f] Or 'land.'
• [g] Or 'to act:' see Jer. 18.23.
• [h] Or 'opening,' 'declaration.'
• [i] Or 'Look upon.'
• [j] See Note m, Ps. 56.3.
• [k] Or 'and upright in.'
• [l] Or 'well refined,' 'tried,' as Ps. 18.30.
• [m] Lit. 'a righteousness for ever:' see ver. 144.
• [n] Or 'I do not forget.'
• [o] As Lev. 25.25; Ps. 103.4.
• [p] Tzar, or 'adversaries,' as Ps. 8.2; 108.13.
• [q] Or 'and I loathed [them]:' see Ps. 139.21.
• [r] Or 'they have no stumbling-block.'
• [s] Or 'for thou teachest me.'
• [t] Or 'shall respond to,' 'sing in answer to:' see Ezra 3.11.