150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. |
151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. |
152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. |
153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. |
154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. |
155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. |
156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. |
157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. |
158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. |
159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. |
160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. |
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. |
162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. |
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. |
164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. |
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. |
166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. |
167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. |
168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee. |
169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. |
170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. |
171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. |
172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. |
173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. |
174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight. |
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. |
119 Because this psalm was very large, and the matter of it of the greatest importance, the psalmist thought fit to divide it into two and twenty several parts, according to the number of the Hebrew letters, that he might both prevent tediousness, and fix it in the memory. Each part consists of eight verses. All the verses of the first part beginning with Aleph, all the verses of the second with Beth, and so on. It is observable, that the word of God is here called by the names of law, statutes, precepts or commandments, judgments, ordinances, righteousness, testimonies, way and word. By which variety, he designed to express the nature and perfection of God's word. It is called his word, as revealed by him to us; his way, as prescribed by him for us to walk in; his law, as binding us to obedience; his statutes, as declaring his authority of giving us laws; his precepts as directing our duty; his ordinances, as ordained by him; his righteousness, as exactly agreeable to God's righteous nature and will; his judgments, as proceeding from the great judge of the world, and being his judicial sentence to which all men must submit; and his testimonies, as it contains the witness of God's will, and of man's duty. And there is but one of these one hundred and seventy six verses, in which one or other of these titles is not found. The general scope and design of this psalm is, to magnify the law and make it honourable: to shew the excellency and usefulness of divine revelation, and recommend it to us, by the psalmist's own example, who speaks by experience of the benefits of it, for which he praises God, and earnestly prays for the continuance of God's grace, to direct and quicken him in his way.
119:150 Nigh - To me, they are at hand and ready to seize upon me.Are far - They cast away from them all thoughts of thy law.
119:152 Of old - By long experience. Founded - Thou hast established them upon everlasting foundations.
119:160 The beginning - From the beginning of the world.
119:161 But - But I feared thine offence and displeasure more than their wrath.
119:164 Seven times - Many times; a certain number being put for an uncertain.
119:165 Offend - Heb. they shall have no stumbling - block, at which they shall stumble and fall into mischief.
119:175 Judgments - Thy word or testimonies, which are the only ground of my hope in thy help.