Psalms 119:38

38 Affirm your promises to me - promises made to all who fear you.

Psalms 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.

Psalms 119:38 In-Context

36 Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot.
37 Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way.
38 Affirm your promises to me - promises made to all who fear you.
39 Deflect the harsh words of my critics - but what you say is always so good.
40 See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.