Psalms 119
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
God's guardian care of His people celebrated. (Psa 121:1-8) I will lift up mine eyes--expresses desire (compare Psa 25:1), mingled with expectation. The last clause, read as a question, is answered,
Open source ↗ALEPH.--The First Part. ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way,.... Who are in the right way to heaven and happiness, which is Jesus Christ; the strait gate, and narrow way to eternal life; the only true way of life and salvation, in which way believers walk by faith. All out of this way are altogether become filthy; but all in this way are clean, even every bit: they are without spot and blemish, blameless and unreproveable, and without fault, before the throne of God and in his sight; being washed from their sins in the blood of the Lamb, and clothed with his righteousness; and even "perfect" and complete in him, as the Targum renders the word. These are also found in the way of their duty, and walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless before men, and are sincere and upright in the sight of God; and are upon all accounts happy persons: who walk in the law of the Lord: within the boundaries and limits of it, according to its direction, as it is a rule of walk and conversation in the hands of Christ the Lawgiver; and who continue to walk in it, as in a pleasant path, with great delight; and cheerfully obey its precepts, as influenced by the love of God, and assisted by the Spirit and grace of Christ. The word "law", or "doctrine", as it signifies, may design every revelation of the divine will; and even the doctrine of Christ, which believers should abide in, and not transgress; and should walk uprightly according to the truth of it, and as becomes it, and as they are enabled to do.
Open source ↗The eightfold Aleph. Blessed are those who act according to the word of God; the poet wishes to be one of these. The alphabetical Psalm on the largest scale begins appropriately, not merely with a simple (Psa 112:1), but with a twofold ashr. It refers principally to those integri viae (vitae). In Psa 119:3 the description of those who are accounted blessed is carried further. Perfects,a s denoting that which is habitual, alternate with futures used as presents. In Psa 119:4 לשׁמר expresses the purpose of the enjoining, as in Psa 119:5 the goal of the directing. אחלי (whence אחלי, Kg2 5:3) is compounded of אח (vid., supra, p. 273) and לי (לוי), and consequently signifies o si. On יכּנוּ cf. Pro 4:26 (lxx κατευθυνθείησαν). The retrospective אז is expanded anew in Psa 119:6: then, when I namely. "Judgment of Thy righteousness" are the decisions concerning right and wrong which give expression to and put in execution the righteousness of God. (Note: The word "judgments" of our English authorized version is retained in the text as being the most convenient word; it must, however, be borne in mind that in this Psalm it belongs to the "chain of synonyms," and does not mean God's acts of judgment, its more usual meaning in the Old Testament Scriptures, but is used as defined above, and is the equivalent here of the German Rechte, not Gerichte. - Tr.) בּלמדי refers to Scripture in comparison with history.
Open source ↗The psalmist here shows that godly people are happy people; they are, and shall be, blessed indeed. Felicity is the thing we all pretend to aim at and pursue. He does not say here wherein it consists; it is enough for us to know what we must do and be that we may attain to it, and that we are here told. All men would be happy, but few take the right way; God has here laid before us the right way, which we may be sure will end in happiness, though it be strait and narrow. Blessednesses are to the righteous; all manner of blessedness. Now observe the characters of the happy people. Those are happy, 1. Who make the will of God the rule of all their actions, and govern themselves, in their whole conversation, by that rule: They walk in the law of the Lord, Psa 119:1. God's word is a law to them, not only in this or that instance, but in the whole course of their conversation; they walk within the hedges of that law, which they dare not break through by doing any thing it forbids; and they walk in the paths of that law, which they will not trifle in, but press forward in them towards the mark, taking every step by rule and never walking at all adventures. This is walking in God's ways (Psa 119:3), the ways which he has marked out to us and has appointed us to walk in. It will not serve us to make religion the subject of our discourse, but we must make it the rule of our walk; we must walk in his ways, not in the way of the world, or of our own hearts, Job 23:10, Job 23:11; Job 31:7. 2. Who are upright and honest in their religion - undefiled in the way, not only who keep themselves pure from the pollutions of actual sin, unspotted from the world, but who are habitually sincere in their intentions, in whose spirit there is no guile, who are really as good as they seem to be a…
Open source ↗Ps 119 This psalm combines elements of wisdom, lament, praise, thanksgiving, and confession. Eight Hebrew words are used frequently, translated as “instructions,” “laws,” “words,” “regulations,” “statutes,” “commands,” “decrees,” “commandments,” and “promises.” Together, these words encourage love for and obedience to God’s instructions, as found in the Scriptures (see 2 Tim 3:14-17). The expression of deep commitment to these instructions unifies the psalm. 119:1-8 Aleph (א): God, the author of these instructions, commands that his followers live by them. The psalmist prays to be given the grace to live by that revelation. 119:1-4 The wise are happy. They are people of integrity (see 84:11) who follow the path of divine instruction. They obey God’s revelation and search for it with all their hearts (see 27:7; 119:10, 45, 94, 155), and they reject all forms of evil. Cp. 1:1-2.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
אֶשֶׁר (ʼesher, H835) — happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy! תָּמִים (tâmîym, H8549) — entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh, H8451) — a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אֶשֶׁר (ʼesher, H835) — happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy! נָצַר (nâtsar, H5341) — to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal,… עֵדָה (ʻêdâh, H5713) — testimony דָּרַשׁ (dârash, H1875) — properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the…
Open source ↗פָּעַל (pâʻal, H6466) — to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise עֶוֶל (ʻevel, H5766) — (moral) evil הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
Open source ↗צָוָה (tsâvâh, H6680) — (intensively) to constitute, enjoin שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… פִּקּוּד (piqqûwd, H6490) — properly, appointed, i.e. a mandate (of God; plural only, collectively, for the Law) מְאֹד (mᵉʼôd, H3966) — properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication,…
Open source ↗אַחֲלַי (ʼachălay, H305) — would that! דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb כּוּן (kûwn, H3559) — properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a… שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
Open source ↗בּוּשׁ (bûwsh, H954) — properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to be ashamed; also (by implication) to be… נָבַט (nâbaṭ, H5027) — to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care מִצְוָה (mitsvâh, H4687) — a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)
Open source ↗יָדָה (yâdâh, H3034) — physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship… יֹשֶׁר (yôsher, H3476) — the right לֵבָב (lêbâb, H3824) — the heart (as the most interior organ); לָמַד (lâmad, H3925) — properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive) צֶדֶק (tsedeq, H6664) — the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a…
Open source ↗שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. מְאֹד (mᵉʼôd, H3966) — properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication,…
Open source ↗נַעַר (naʻar, H5288) — (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a… זָכָה (zâkâh, H2135) — to be translucent; figuratively, to be innocent אֹרַח (ʼôrach, H734) — a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravan שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
Open source ↗לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… דָּרַשׁ (dârash, H1875) — properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by… שָׁגָה (shâgâh, H7686) — to stray (causatively, mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally)… מִצְוָה (mitsvâh, H4687) — a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)
Open source ↗אִמְרָה (ʼimrâh, H565) — {something said} צָפַן (tsâphan, H6845) — to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny;… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… חָטָא (châṭâʼ, H2398) — properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit,…
Open source ↗בָרַךְ (bârak, H1288) — to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God לָמַד (lâmad, H3925) — properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive) חֹק (chôq, H2706) — an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
Open source ↗שָׂפָה (sâphâh, H8193) — the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a… סָפַר (çâphar, H5608) — properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe,… מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);…
Open source ↗שׂוּשׂ (sûws, H7797) — to be bright, i.e. cheerful דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb עֵדוּת (ʻêdûwth, H5715) — testimony עַל (ʻal, H5921) — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect)… הוֹן (hôwn, H1952) — wealth; by implication, enough
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
I will ponder the way that is blameless— when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with integrity of heart.