Psalms 119:62-112

62 (118-62) I rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification.

63 (118-63) I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments.

64 (118-64) The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy justifications.

65 (118-65) Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word.

66 (118-66) Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

67 (118-67) Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word.

68 (118-68) Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.

69 (118-69) The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart.

70 (118-70) Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law.

71 (118-71) It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications.

72 (118-72) The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.

73 (118-73) Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.

74 (118-74) They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad:because I have greatly hoped in thy words.

75 (118-75) I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me.

76 (118-76) O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

77 (118-77) Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.

78 (118-78) Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments.

79 (118-79) Let them that fear thee turn to me: and they that know thy testimonies.

80 (118-80) Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded.

81 (118-81) My soul hath fainted after thy salvation: and in thy word I have very much hoped.

82 (118-82) My eyes have failed for thy word, saying: When wilt thou comfort me?

83 (118-83) For I am become like a bottle in the frost: I have not forgotten thy justifications.

84 (118-84) How many are the days of thy servant: when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

85 (118-85) The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law.

86 (118-86) All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me.

87 (118-87) They had almost made an end of me upon earth: but I have not forsaken thy commandments.

88 (118-88) Quicken thou me according to thy mercy: and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth.

89 (118-89) For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in heaven.

90 (118-90) Thy truth unto all generations: thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth.

91 (118-91) By thy ordinance the day goeth on: for all things serve thee.

92 (118-92) Unless thy law had been my meditation, I had then perhaps perished in my abjection.

93 (118-93) Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life.

94 (118-94) I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications.

95 (118-95) The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I have understood thy testimonies.

96 (118-96) I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.

97 (118-97) O how have I loved thy law, O Lord! it is my meditation all the day.

98 (118-98) Through thy commandment, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies: for it is ever with me.

99 (118-99) I have understood more than all my teachers: because thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 (118-100) I have had understanding above ancients: because I have sought thy commandments.

101 (118-101) I have restrained my feet from every evil way: that I may keep thy words.

102 (118-102) I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law.

103 (118-103) How sweet are thy words to my palate! more than honey to my mouth.

104 (118-104) By thy commandments I have had understanding: therefore have I hated every way of iniquity.

105 (118-105) Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths.

106 (118-106) I have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice.

107 (118-107) I have been humbled, O Lord, exceedingly: quicken thou me according to thy word.

108 (118-108) The free offerings of my mouth make acceptable, O Lord: and teach me thy judgments.

109 (118-109) My soul is continually in my hands: and I have not forgotten thy law.

110 (118-110) Sinners have laid a snare for me: but I have not erred from thy precepts.

111 (118-111) I have purchased thy testimonies for an inheritance for ever: because they are the joy of my heart.

112 (118-112) I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for ever, for the reward.

Psalms 119:62-112 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\\.