Psalm 119:20

20 My soul coveted to desire thy justifyings; in all time. (My soul desireth to know thy judgements; at all times.)

Psalm 119:20 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:20

My soul breaketh for the longing
His heart was just ready to break, and his soul fainted; he was ready to die, through a vehement desire of enjoying the object longed for, after mentioned; "hope deferred makes the heart sick", ( Proverbs 13:1 Proverbs 13:2 ) ; the phrase is expressive of the greatness, vehemence, and eagerness of his mind after the thing he desired, which follows:

[that it hath] unto thy judgments at all times;
not the judgments of God on wicked men, though these are desirable for the glorifying of his justice; nor his dark dispensations of providence, though good men cannot but desire and long for the time when these judgments shall be made manifest: but rather the righteous laws and precepts of God are designed, which he desired to have a more perfect knowledge of, and yield a more constant obedience unto; or, best of all, the doctrines of grace and righteousness, that should be more clearly revealed in the times of the Messiah; who was to set judgment in the earth, his Gospel; and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and glorify the justice of God; than which nothing was more earnestly and importunately wished and longed for by Old Testament saints; see ( Psalms 119:81 ) ( Psalms 14:7 ) .

Psalm 119:20 In-Context

18 Lighten thou mine eyes; and I shall behold the marvels of thy law. (Open thou my eyes; and I shall see the marvels, or the wonders, that come forth from thy Law.)

19 I am a comeling in earth; hide thou not thy behests from me. (I am a newcomer, or a stranger, here on earth; hide thou not thy commandments from me.)

20 My soul coveted to desire thy justifyings; in all time. (My soul desireth to know thy judgements; at all times.)

21 Thou blamedest the proud; they be cursed, that bow away from thy behests. (Thou hast rebuked the proud; cursed be they who turn away from thy commandments.)

22 Do thou away from me shame and despising; for I sought thy witnessings. (Do thou away from me all shame and despising; for I have kept thy commands/for I have obeyed thy laws/for I have followed thy teachings.)