Psalm 119:139

139 My zeal consumes me, because my enemies have forgotten your words.

Psalm 119:139 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:139

My zeal hath consumed me
Zeal for God and his glory, for his word and ordinances and worship; which is a fervour of the mind, burning love, and flaming affections for God, shown in a holy indignation against sin and sinners. This was a zeal according to knowledge, sincere and hearty, and what continued; and which was shown in embracing and defending the truths of the word, and resenting every indignity cast upon them; to such a degree, that it ate up his spirit, wore away his flesh, and almost consumed him; see ( Psalms 69:9 ) ;

because mine enemies have forgotten thy words;
not merely through an indifference to them, and inattention in hearing them; nor through want of an earnest heed to keep and retain them; nor through negligence in laying them up, and a carelessness in making use of proper means to recollect them; but through an aversion to them, an hatred of them, and a spiteful malicious contempt of them, casting them away and despising them; which stirred up the spirit of the psalmist, and raised such an emotion in him as was almost too much for him.

Psalm 119:139 In-Context

137 You [are] righteous, O Yahweh, and your ordinances [are] upright.

138 You have ordained your testimonies [in] righteousness, and [in] exceeding faithfulness.

139 My zeal consumes me, because my enemies have forgotten your words.

140 Your word [is] very pure, and your servant loves it.

141 I [am] small and despised, [yet] I do not forget your precepts.