Psalms 119:1-88

1 ^[a]Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.

2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—

3 they do no wrong but follow his ways.

4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.

5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!

6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

17 Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word.

18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.

21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands.

22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes.

23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.

24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.

25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.

26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees.

27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.

28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law.

30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.

31 I hold fast to your statutes, LORD; do not let me be put to shame.

32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.

33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.^[b]

34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.

37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.^[c]

38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.

39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.

40 How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.

41 May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise;

42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.

44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever.

45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.

46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame,

47 for I delight in your commands because I love them.

48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

49 Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.

50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

51 The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law.

52 I remember, LORD, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them.

53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law.

54 Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.

55 In the night, LORD, I remember your name, that I may keep your law.

56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

57 You are my portion, LORD; I have promised to obey your words.

58 I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

59 I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.

60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.

62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.

63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.

64 The earth is filled with your love, LORD; teach me your decrees.

65 Do good to your servant according to your word, LORD.

66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.

69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.

70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.

71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.

75 I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.

78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.

79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes.

80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.

81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.

82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?”

83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees.

84 How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?

85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, contrary to your law.

86 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.

87 They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.

88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.

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Psalms 119:1-88 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 119

This psalm is generally thought to be written by David, but when is uncertain; very probably towards the decline of life; and, as some think, for the sake or his son Solomon. It seems to be a collection of observations on the word of God and its precepts, the usefulness and excellency of it, he had made in the course of his life; interspersed with various petitions for the grace of God, to enable him to observe it. The psalm is a very extraordinary one; partly on account of the unusual length of it, it being more than double the length of the longest psalm in the whole book; and partly on account of its curious composition. It consists of twenty two parts, according to the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet; the names of which letters stand between each part; and every part consists of eight verses, all of which begin with the same letter: thus, for instance, the first eight verses begin with the letter a, "aleph", and the second eight verses begin with the letter b, "beth", and so on throughout; hence the Masorah calls this psalm the Great Alphabet. This the psalmist did, perhaps to excite attention to what he said, and also to help the memory. And it is observable that there are very few verses in the whole, not more than one or two, but what has something in it concerning the word of God, and its precepts and ordinances; there are nine or ten different words used relative to it, which signify much one and the same thing; as laws, statutes, judgments, testimonies Luther {m} observes, that neither Cicero, nor Virgil, nor Demosthenes, are to be compared with David for eloquence, as we see in the hundred nineteenth Psalm, where he divideth one sense and meaning into twenty two sorts. And it may also be remarked, that there is nothing in it concerning the tabernacle worship, or the rites and ceremonies of the legal dispensation; so that it seems to be calculated for, and is suited to, the word of God, and the ordinances of it, as we now have them in their full perfection: and the design of the whole is to show the fervent affection the psalmist had for the word of God, and to stir up the same in others.

{m} Mensal. Colloqu. c. 32. p. 365.

a, \\ALEPH.--The First Part\\.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 152

1. S Genesis 17:1; S Deuteronomy 18:13; Proverbs 11:20
2. Psalms 128:1
3. S Psalms 1:2
4. Psalms 112:1; Isaiah 56:2
5. ver 146; Psalms 99:7
6. S 1 Chronicles 16:11; S Psalms 40:16
7. S Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 6:5
8. S Psalms 59:4; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18
9. Psalms 128:1; Jeremiah 6:16; Jeremiah 7:23
10. Psalms 103:18
11. S ver 56; S Deuteronomy 6:17
12. S Leviticus 19:37
13. ver 46,80
14. ver 117
15. S Deuteronomy 4:8
16. S Psalms 38:21
17. S Psalms 39:1
18. ver 65,169; 2 Chronicles 6:16
19. S Psalms 9:1; 2 Chronicles 15:15
20. ver 21,118
21. S Deuteronomy 6:6; S Job 22:22; Psalms 37:31; Luke 2:19,51
22. ver 133,165; Psalms 18:22-23; Psalms 19:13; Proverbs 3:23; Isaiah 63:13
23. Psalms 28:6
24. Psalms 143:8,10
25. ver 26; S Exodus 18:20
26. ver 72; Psalms 40:9
27. ver 111
28. ver 97,148; Psalms 1:2
29. S Psalms 112:1; Psalms 1:2
30. Psalms 13:6; Psalms 116:7
31. ver 67; Psalms 103:20
32. S Genesis 23:4; 1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalms 39:12; 2 Corinthians 5:6; Hebrews 11:13
33. Psalms 42:2; Psalms 84:2
34. ver 131; S Psalms 63:1; Isaiah 26:9
35. ver 51; Job 30:1; Psalms 5:5; Jeremiah 20:7; Jeremiah 50:32; Daniel 4:37; Malachi 3:15
36. Deuteronomy 27:26
37. S ver 10
38. Psalms 39:8
39. ver 2
40. Psalms 44:25
41. ver 50,107; Psalms 143:11
42. ver 9
43. Psalms 25:4; Psalms 27:11; Psalms 86:11
44. Psalms 105:2; Psalms 145:5
45. Psalms 6:7; Psalms 116:3; Isaiah 51:11; Jeremiah 45:3; Psalms 107:26
46. Psalms 18:1; Isaiah 40:29; Isaiah 41:10; Psalms 20:2; 1 Peter 5:10
47. ver 9
48. Psalms 26:4
49. S Numbers 6:25
50. S Joshua 24:22
51. S Psalms 26:3
52. S Psalms 108:1
53. S Deuteronomy 10:20; Deuteronomy 11:22
54. ver 12
55. ver 27,73,144,169; S Job 32:8; Proverbs 2:6; Daniel 2:21; James 1:5
56. S Deuteronomy 6:25
57. ver 69
58. Psalms 25:4-5
59. ver 32
60. S Psalms 1:2
61. S Joshua 24:23; 1 Kings 8:58
62. Ezekiel 33:31; Mark 7:21-22; Luke 12:15; Hebrews 13:5
63. ver 25; Psalms 71:20; Isaiah 33:15
64. ver 9
65. S Numbers 23:19; 2 Samuel 7:25
66. ver 22; Psalms 69:9; Psalms 89:51; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 51:7; Isaiah 54:4
67. ver 20
68. ver 25,149,154
69. S Psalms 6:4
70. ver 76,116,154,170
71. Proverbs 27:11
72. S Psalms 42:10
73. S 1 Kings 17:24
74. ver 74,81,114,147
75. ver 33,34,55; S Deuteronomy 6:25
76. ver 94,155
77. Matthew 10:18; Acts 26:1-2
78. S ver 6
79. ver 77,143; S Psalms 112:1
80. ver 97,127,159,163,165
81. S Genesis 24:63
82. ver 9
83. ver 43
84. S ver 25; Romans 15:4
85. S ver 21; S Job 16:10; S Job 17:2; Jeremiah 20:7
86. ver 157; S Job 23:11; Psalms 44:18
87. Psalms 103:18
88. S Exodus 32:19; S Exodus 33:4; Ezra 9:3
89. Psalms 89:30
90. ver 172; Psalms 101:1; Psalms 138:5
91. ver 62,72; Psalms 1:2; Psalms 42:8; S Psalms 63:6; Psalms 77:2; Isaiah 26:9; Acts 16:25
92. S ver 44
93. ver 4,100,134,168; S Numbers 15:40
94. S Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalms 16:5; Jeremiah 51:19; Lamentations 3:24
95. ver 17,67,101
96. S Deuteronomy 4:29; S 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 34:4
97. S Genesis 43:29; S Ezra 9:8; 1 Kings 13:6
98. ver 41
99. Joshua 24:14-15; S Psalms 39:1; Luke 15:17-18
100. ver 115
101. ver 83,109,153,176; Psalms 140:5
102. S ver 55; Acts 16:25
103. ver 7
104. Psalms 15:4; Psalms 101:6-7; Psalms 103:11
105. ver 56; Psalms 111:10
106. Psalms 33:5
107. ver 12,108
108. ver 17; Psalms 125:4; Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 59:1; Micah 2:7
109. S ver 9
110. S Psalms 51:6
111. S Psalms 116:10
112. S Psalms 95:10; S Jeremiah 8:4; Jeremiah 31:18-19; Hebrews 12:11
113. S ver 17
114. Psalms 100:5; Psalms 106:1; Psalms 107:1; Psalms 135:3; Matthew 19:17
115. S Exodus 18:20; ver 12
116. Job 13:4; Psalms 109:2
117. S Psalms 17:10; Isaiah 29:13; Isaiah 6:10; Acts 28:27
118. ver 67,75
119. S Job 28:17; S Psalms 19:10; Pr 8:10-11,19
120. S Genesis 1:27; S Job 4:17; Job 10:8; Psalms 100:3; Psalms 138:8; Psalms 139:13-16
121. S Psalms 34:2
122. ver 9; Psalms 130:5
123. ver 7,138,172
124. Hebrews 12:5-11
125. Psalms 6:4
126. S ver 41
127. ver 41; Psalms 90:13; Psalms 103:13
128. S ver 47
129. ver 51; Jeremiah 50:32
130. ver 86,161; Psalms 35:19
131. ver 27,125
132. ver 1; S 1 Kings 8:61
133. S Genesis 26:5
134. S ver 6
135. ver 20; Psalms 84:2
136. ver 123
137. S ver 43
138. S Psalms 6:7; Psalms 69:3; Lamentations 2:11
139. ver 41,123
140. S ver 61
141. Psalms 6:3; Psalms 39:4; Revelation 6:10
142. ver 51; Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 15:15; Jeremiah 20:11
143. ver 51
144. Psalms 35:7; Psalms 57:6; Jeremiah 18:20,22
145. ver 138; Psalms 35:19
146. S Psalms 109:26
147. S Psalms 7:1
148. S ver 78
149. ver 150; Isaiah 1:4,28; Isaiah 58:2; Isaiah 59:13
150. S Psalms 41:2
151. ver 124; Psalms 51:1; Psalms 109:26
152. ver 2,100,129,134,168

Footnotes 3

[a]. This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet; moreover, the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
[b]. Or "follow it for its reward"
[c]. Two manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text "life in your way"