Psalm 119:139

139 My fervent love made me to be melted, either languished; for mine enemies forgat thy words. (My fervent love for thee made me feel greatly distressed; because my enemies did not obey thy 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 [Tzaddi]. Lord, thou art just; and thy doom is rightful. (Lord, thou art just; and thy judgements, or thy decrees, be righteous.)

138 Thou hast commanded rightfulness, thy witnessings; and thy truth greatly to be kept. (The teachings that thou hast commanded be right, and true; and greatly to be obeyed.)

139 My fervent love made me to be melted, either languished; for mine enemies forgat thy words. (My fervent love for thee made me feel greatly distressed; because my enemies did not obey thy words.)

140 Thy speech is set afire; and thy servant loved it. (Thy word is tried by fire; and thy servant loveth it.)

141 I am young, and despised; I forgat not thy justifyings. (I am young and despised; but I do not forget thy precepts.)