Psalms 119:66-96

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe in your mitzvot.

67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray; But now I observe your word.

68 You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes.

69 The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.

70 Their heart is as callous as the fat, But I delight in your law.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn your statutes.

72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

73 Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your mitzvot.

74 Those who fear you will see me and be glad, Because I have put my hope in your word.

75 LORD, I know that your judgments are righteous, That in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

76 Please let your lovingkindness be for my comfort, According to your word to your servant.

77 Let your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For your law is my delight.

78 Let the proud be put to shame, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts.

79 Let those who fear you turn to me. They will know your statutes.

80 Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees, That I may not be put to shame.

81 My soul faints for your salvation. I hope in your word.

82 My eyes fail for your word. I say, "When will you comfort me?"

83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke. I don't forget your statutes.

84 How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

85 The proud have dug pits for me, Contrary to your law.

86 All of your mitzvot are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!

87 They had almost wiped me from the eretz, But I didn't forsake your precepts.

88 Preserve my life according to your lovingkindness, So I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

89 LORD, your word is settled in heaven forever.

90 Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have established the eretz, and it remains.

91 Your laws remain to this day, For all things serve you.

92 Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

93 I will never forget your precepts, For with them, you have revived me.

94 I am yours. Save me, For I have sought your precepts.

95 The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me. I will consider your statutes.

96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, But your commands are boundless.

Psalms 119:66-96 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\\.