Psalms 119:79

79 They that dread thee be turned to me; and they that know thy witnessings. (Let they who fear thee/Let they who revere thee, turn to me; yea, all who know thy teachings.)

Psalms 119:79 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:79

Let those that fear thee turn unto me
Whose companion he was fond of being, ( Psalms 119:63 ) ; There were some good men, it seems, that turned from him, took the part of his enemies, and sided with them against him, which was matter of grief to him. Some think this refers to the affair of Bathsheba; when some that feared the Lord, that had been familiar with him, did not choose to keep company with him, but abstained from his conversation, having so foully sinned, and brought forth dishonour to God and on his ways. Jarchi and Kimchi both make mention of this. Now this grieved David; and he desires of all things that they would turn to him again, and favour him with their company; who were the excellent in the earth, in whom was all his delight. The Targum is,

``turn to my doctrine;''

to hear it, receive it, profess it, and abide by it;

and those that have known thy testimonies;
as such as fear the Lord do: they know them, and have a spiritual understanding of what they testify of; they know them, and love them, and delight in them; they know them, and own, acknowledge, and profess them; they know them, and keep, and observe them; and an excellent character this is.

Psalms 119:79 In-Context

77 Thy merciful doings come to me, and I shall live; for thy law is my thinking. (Let thy mercy come to me, and then I shall live; for thy Law is my delight.)
78 They that be proud be shamed, for unjustly they did wickedness against me; but I shall be exercised in thy behests. (Let they who be proud be shamed, for unjustly, or for no reason, they did wickedly against me; but I shall think about thy precepts.)
79 They that dread thee be turned to me; and they that know thy witnessings. (Let they who fear thee/Let they who revere thee, turn to me; yea, all who know thy teachings.)
80 Mine heart be made unwemmed in thy justifyings; that I be not shamed. (Let my heart obey thy statutes, and be without blemish, or without fault; and so I shall not shamed.)
81 [Caph]. My soul failed into thine health; and I hoped more in thy word. (My soul fainteth waiting for thy salvation, or thy deliverance; but still I trust in thy word.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.