Psalms 119:91

91 The day lasteth continually by thy ordinance(s); for all things serve to thee. (All things continue to this day according to thy ordinances; for all things serve thee./Thy ordinances, or thy decrees, continue to this day; for all things serve thee.)

Psalms 119:91 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:91

They continue this day according to thine ordinances
That is, the heavens and the earth do, before mentioned, just as they were from the beginning of the creation. The heavenly bodies have the same motion, magnitude, distance, and influence; the sun rises and sets as it did; the moon keeps her appointed seasons of full and change, of increase and decrease; the fixed stars retain their place, and the planets have their exact revolutions: and on earth things are as they were; seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night; thus they are at this day, and will continue, according to the wise order and appointment of God. Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it,

``they stand or continue unto this day to do the will of God; to execute his judgments and decrees, or observe his order and ordinances.''

for all [are] thy servants;
or "they", or "these all" F1; the heavens and earth, and all that is in them, all the works of God; he called them into being, and they rose up at his command; he calls them to service, and they stand up as obedient ones to do his will; he "commandeth the sun, and it riseth not" before its time; and "he sealeth up the stars", that they shine not when he pleases; once he commanded the sun to stand still on Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon, and they obeyed him; see ( Isaiah 48:13 ) ( Job 9:7 ) ( Joshua 10:12 Joshua 10:13 ) . Hence it appears that the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, ought not to be served and worshipped; but the Lord, the Maker of them, only, since they are his servants; and that men ought surely to serve the Lord, if these do, and especially such who are his chosen, redeemed, and called ones.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (lkh) "illa omnia", Junius & Tremellius; "universa haec", Gejerus.

Psalms 119:91 In-Context

89 [Lamed]. Lord, thy word dwelleth in heaven; [into] without end. (Lord, thy word remaineth, or liveth, in heaven, forever.)
90 Thy truth dwelleth in generation, and into generation; thou hast founded the earth, and it dwelleth. (Thy faithfulness remaineth for all generations; thou hast founded the earth, and it still remaineth.)
91 The day lasteth continually by thy ordinance(s); for all things serve to thee. (All things continue to this day according to thy ordinances; for all things serve thee./Thy ordinances, or thy decrees, continue to this day; for all things serve thee.)
92 But for thy law was my thinking; then peradventure I had perished in my lowness. (If thy Law had not been my delight; then I would have perished in my time of trouble.)
93 [Into] Without end I shall not forget thy justifyings; for in those thou hast quickened me. (I shall never forget thy precepts; for through them thou hast given me life.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.