Psalm 119:38

38 ¹Confirm to your servant your promise, ²that you may be feared.

Psalm 119:38 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:38

Stablish thy word unto thy servant
Either God's word of promise, which never fails, is firm and stable in Christ; and the sense is, that God would assure him of the fulfilment of it, and give him a strong faith and firm belief of it; for otherwise the word of the Lord cannot be surer or more stable than it is: or else the word of his grace; and then the sense is, that he might be established in it, and the truths of it, and be established by it; for the word is a means of establishment, and a good thing it is to have the heart established with grace, with the doctrine of grace, ( Hebrews 13:9 ) ;

who [is devoted] to thy fear;
who served the Lord with reverence and godly fear; who feared the Lord and his goodness; that grace being a reigning one in his heart, and ever before his eyes. Or, "which is unto thy fear" ^F4; that is, which word is unto thy fear; which leads unto it, and has a tendency to promote and increase it; and so is a commendation of the word of God from this effect of it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Ktaryl rva) "quod ad timorem tuum", Pagninus, Montanus; "quod ad timorem tui facit", Musculus; "et ducit", Schmidt; "quod datum est ad timorem tui", Michaelis.

Psalm 119:38 In-Context

36 Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

38 Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.

39 Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.

40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! Waw

Cross References

• 1. 119:38 2 Sam. 7:25
• 2. 119:38 [Ps. 25:10; 112:1; 128:1; 130:4]