149. quicken me--revive my heart according to those principles of justice, founded on Thine own nature, and revealed in Thy law, which specially set forth Thy mercy to the humble as well as justice to the wicked (compare Psalms 119:30 ). The reliance on promises ( Psalms 119:49 ) is strengthened by experience of past dealings according with promises, and a prayer for guidance, encouraged by sanctified affliction. They include way and path; *heart and follow. In order to adhere to His word, we must seek deliverance from temptations to sin as well as from despondency. PSALM 119 LETTERS AND MEANINGS GIMEL GAMAL bestow on, deal bountifully, reward, serve, wean, weaned child GAMAL camel GEMUL benefit, that which he hath given, recompense, reward . As God made, so He can best control, us. . Power to live an upright life (verses 173-174). Beth. (Compare Psalms 119:77 Psalms 119:81 Psalms 119:92 ). 106-108. law is the truth--It therefore cannot deceive as to its promises. 101-104. that," &c. [MAURER]. The crafty malice of the wicked, in slandering him, so far from turning him away, but binds him closer to God's Word, which they are too stupid in sin to appreciate. Avoidance of sinful courses is both the effect and means of increasing in divine knowledge (compare Psalms 19:10 ). The pious take comfort, when harassed and distressed by wickedness of men who forsake God's law, in remembering that the great principles of God's truth will still abide; and also God's judgments of old--that is, His past interpositions in behalf of His people are a pledge that He will again interpose to deliver them; and they become the theme of constant and delightful meditation. The psalmist remembered his own frailty and sinful tendencies (astray like a lost sheep), and therefore asked God to seek him. 127,128. Commentary on Psalm 119:137-144 (Read Psalm 119:137-144) God never did, and never can do wrong to any. 3. his ways--the course He reveals as right. The promises are faithfully performed by Him that made them. Instead of fearing his persecutors, he fears God's Word alone ( Luke 12:4 Luke 12:5 ). b 3 They do no wrong;. their deceit is falsehood--that is, all their cunning deceit, wherewith they seek to entrap the godly, is in vain. Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Hebrew Scripture. Writing the Letter: Aleph Paleo Hebrew The numbered arrows show the order and direction for drawing the lines to make a hand-written aleph. 162. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. In the midst of deadly perils (the phrase is drawn from the fact that what we carry in our hands may easily slip from them, Judges 12:3 , 1 Samuel 28:21 , Job 13:14 ; compare 1 Samuel 19:5 ), and exposed to crafty enemies, his safety and guidance is in the truth and promises of God. "Which is to those who fear Thee." Psalm 119:1-3. The whole body of revelation is truth. It is referred to in almost every verse. Our hope of freedom from the reproach of inconsistency is in God's power, quickening us to live according to His Word, which He leads us to love. who walk by the law of the LORD. Resting on the promises consoles under affliction and the tauntings of the insolent. 105. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. . lift up unto . Psalm 119:9-16 inductive Bible study for small groups. If we obey Psalm 119, our way will be good. 147. prevented--literally, "came before," anticipated not only the dawn, but even the usual periods of the night; when the night watches, which might be expected to find me asleep, come, they find me awake ( Psalms 63:6 , 77:4 , Lamentations 2:19 ). be sound--that is, perfect, sincere. Not only the sinner before conversion, but the believer after conversion, is unable to recover himself; but the latter, after temporary wandering, knows to whom to look for restoration. "Thy Word is nothing but truth" [LUTHER]. in--or, "of" the way--course of life. Zeal against sin should constrain us to do what we can against it, at least to do more in religion ourselves. Compare Paul and Silas ( Acts 16:25 ; compare Psalms 63:6 ). 74. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.’” (Stephen, cited in Spurgeon), iii. The Jews inscribe in the first page of the great Bible, "How dreadful is this place! 82. To encourage us in prayer for divine aid in adhering to His truth, we are permitted to believe that by His help we shall succeed. Order my steps--Make firm, so that there be no halting ( Psalms 40:2 ). Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Shown in the provision and promise of a Savior. God does seek after us in His word. To the natural man the doors of God's Word are shut. If you turn to Psalm 119 in your Bible, you will notice that there is a strange word every 8 verses. . walk--act in the law--according to it (compare Luke 1:6 ). 87. consumed me upon earth--HENGSTENBERG translates, "in the land"; understanding "me" of the nation Israel, of which but a small remnant was left. 1 Blessed those whose way is blameless,. wiser than mine enemies--with all their carnal cunning ( Deuteronomy 4:6 Deuteronomy 4:8 ). These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. 122. Psalm 119:76 "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant." Each stanza contains eight verses, and the first letter of each verse is that which gives name to the stanza. (Compare Psalms 119:121-126 Psalms 119:153-155 ). Mine eyes fail for thy word--that is, with yearning desire for Thy word. But Scripture is mentioned in at … is settled in--that is, stands as firmly as the heaven in which it dwells, and whence it emanated. Rather, "This is peculiarly mine (literally, to me), that I keep Thy precepts" [HENGSTENBERG and MAURER]. The title “Psalms”: comes from the Greek psalmois, meaning “songs to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument”. The Psalm does not appear to have any relation to any special occasion or interest of the Jewish Church or nation, but was evidently "intended as a manual of pious thoughts, especially for instructing the young, and its peculiar artificial structure was probably adopted to aid the memory in retaining the language.". We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Our way can be good or bad. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Practice making So when He has led us to rely on His truth, He will "make us to the praise of His grace" by others. An ardent desire (compare Psalms 56:1 Psalms 56:2 ) for spiritual enlightening, establishment in a right course, deliverance from the wicked, and evidence of God's favor is expressed I opened my mouth, and panted--as a traveller in a hot desert pants for the cooling breeze ( Psalms 63:1 , 84:2 ). Hence the pious are encouraged and inclined to seek a knowledge of it, and persevere amidst the efforts of those planning and waiting to destroy them. 114. hiding-place--(Compare Psalms 27:5 ). How we need the Word of God, for it is our daily food and it is refreshment for our souls. hope in thy word--confidently rest on its teachings and promises. the way of thy statutes--that is, the way or manner of life prescribed by them. 108. freewill offerings--the spontaneous expressions of his gratitude, as contrasted with the appointed "offerings" of the temple ( Hosea 14:2 , Hebrews 13:15 ). What is remarkable about my observation is that nowhere in the first 40 verses of this glorious psalm does the term love even appear. 38. who is devoted to thy fear--or better, "which (that is, Thy word) is for Thy fear," for producing it. HENGSTENBERG translates more literally, "The sum of thy words is truth." 25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. commandments--or institutions. Though a wanderer from God, the truly pious ever desires to be drawn back to Him; and, though for a time negligent of duty, he never forgets the commandments by which it is taught. Did you know there are pictures of Jesus Christ, And His earthly and heavenly mission hidden within the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. But English Version is simpler; either, "They have consumed me so as to leave almost nothing of me on earth"; or, "They have almost destroyed and prostrated me on the earth" [MAURER]. Seek Your servant: “A poor, lost, weak, sinful – yes, even unprofitable – servant (see Luke 17:10), but still a servant of God.” (Boice), ii. This lengthy but beautifully written Psalm has its entire focus on the Word of God, which contain the instructions of the heavenly Father. It is referred to in Hebrew by its opening words, "Ashrei temimei derech". If we obey Jesus, our way will be good. 10-16. In sorrow the pious heart yearns for the comforts of God's promises ( Psalms 73:26 , 84:2 ). 97. My tongue shall speak of thy word--literally, "answer Thy Word," that is, with praise, respond to Thy word. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Yet we must guard against the misunderstanding that seasons of affliction automatically make one better or godlier. Zealous himself to keep God's law, he is deeply afflicted when others violate it (compare Psalms 119:53 ). 33-38. i. statutes--or ordinances, positive laws of permanent nature. Psalm 119 is the 119th psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord." HENGSTENBERG translates, "They stand for thy judgment," that is, ready, as obedient servants, to execute them. In this study, our reading is the second stanza of Psalm 119 which begins with the Hebrew letter Beth. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119. “The author had not become self-righteous by his devotions, despite his reiterated claims to have obeyed the Bible’s teachings.” (Boice), iii. The format of Psalm 119 is an alphabetic acrostic, meaning that the first letters of each line in Hebrew follow through the alphabet, 8 lines per letter, thus 8 lines x 22 letters in Hebrew = 176 lines. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible. A task which more able and learned expositors have performed, or will perform better; nevertheless, my services were not to be withheld from it on that account.” (Augustine, cited in Spurgeon), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – ewm@enduringword.com. vanity--literally, "falsehood;" all other objects of trust than God; idols, human power, &c. ( Psalms 31:6 , 40:4 , 60:11 , 62:9 ). 132. All rights reserved. (Bridges) iii. Day by day, let us hide more of God's Word deep within our hearts, for we desire to be holy as our Father in heaven is holy. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. 7. judgments--rules of conduct formed by God's judicial decisions; hence the wide sense of the word in the Psalms, so that it includes decisions of approval as well as condemnation. . 6. Life is desirable in order to serve God; that we may do so aright, we should seek to have our eyes opened to behold His truth, and earnestly desire fully to understand it. 171, 172. shall utter--or, "pour out praise" (compare Psalms 19:2 ); shall cause Thy praises to stream forth as from a bubbling, overflowing fountain. PE - Psalm 119: 129-136 The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119. Rather, as HENGSTENBERG explains it, "The opening up," or, "explanation of thy word." b. I have gone astray like a lost sheep: This great psalm ends on a touching note. But it rather refers to the Psalmist's own praises and prayers in the night time. 65-67. 168. all my ways are before thee--I wish to order my ways as before Thee, rather than in reference to man ( Genesis 19:1 , Psalms 73:23 ). We translate it "*instructions" in Psalm 119. “The consciousness of need is revealed in each successive petition. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 77. Psalm 119:93 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Psalm 119:93, NIV: "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life." . 141. The psalmist’s remedy was, ‘Seek thy servant;’ the apostle’s, ‘O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Man never outgrows the Word. 150-152. 73. 45-48. Psalms 119:175 Psalms 119:176 seem to sum up the petitions, confessions, and professions of the Psalm. Literally, "Mine eyes come down (dissolved) like water brooks" ( Lamentations 3:48 , Jeremiah 9:1 ). As I meditated on Psalm 119:5-8 this week, I was overwhelmed by the psalmist’s obvious love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. . As they keep God's law from motives of love for it, and are free from slavish fear, the are ready to subject their lives to His inspection. But, unlike most other psalms it was written in a unique style. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. 62. As mentioned in the first study of this series, there is symbology and meaning associated with every letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 is an expansion of Psalm 19:7–9: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. 153-155. . 81-83. The possession of God's gift of "salvation" ( Psalms 119:41 ) will be the Psalmist's answer to the foe's "reproach," that his hope was a fallacious one. house of my pilgrimage--present life ( Genesis 17:8 , 47:9 , Hebrews 11:13 ). Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Go through Psalm 119 with study notes, cross references, teaching points, and discussion questions. Being the second letter of the alphabet, Beth represents the number 2. The Book of Psalms is in the third section of the Hebrew Bible, the Khetuvim, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. On the grounds of his integrity, desire for God's word, and covenant relation to Him, the servant of God may plead for His protecting care against the wicked, gracious guidance to the knowledge of truth, and His effective vindication of the righteous and their cause, which is also His own. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. PSALM 119 * A Prayer to God, the Lawgiver Aleph. “Here is, first, a confession of imperfection and of helplessness. 136. 41-44. 165. nothing shall offend them--or, "cause them to offend" (compare Margin). Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Let my . This shows the English words related to the source biblical texts along with brief definitions. It is also the most intricate with regard to structure. 26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. . 4 You have given them the command. This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. 98-100. of knowledge, both of the matter of all useful, moral truth, and an experience of its application. my delights--plural, not merely delight, but equal to all other delights. What does this verse really mean? Such have a right to the manifestations of God's grace, resting on the nature of God as faithful to His promise to such, not on their own merits. Should treasure the word of God ’ s obvious love for the ninth time, showing a sense. 83. bottle in the fields of Moab, our way will be.. 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Cramped within any definitions of man 's dogmatical systems definitions and verses that use the same thing the... You do not contain some term or description of God 's words as!, surrounded me, o LORD, expressed Psalms 119:1, that seek,... Explanation of thy words is truth. in and through His word, we will remove all cookies! Psalms 119:132 ) which do not forget your commandments: we can against it ``. Wonderful -- literally, `` I will never forget your commandments: we can against it, least! Eyes to pass, not merely delight, but rather denotes fundamental directions conduct... Other people analyze this differently ( with disagreement about verses 84, 90, 121 and.