Carefully Examining the Text

Psalm 121

There are some connections with Psalm 91. The idea of shade or shadow in 121:5; 91:1. The word keep in 121:3, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8 is also in 91:11. The word foot is used in 121:3 and 91:12 McCann, 1181. The name LORD appears in vs. 2, 5, 5, 7, 8.

121:1 From whence shall my help come?- The word help is m.s. and is used of God in Exodus 18:4; Deut. 33:7, 26, 29; Ps. 20:2; 33:20; 115:9, 10, 11; 121; 1, 2; 124:8; 146:5. The f.s. form is used in Ps. 40:13, 17; 44:26; 46:1; 108:12. “The question exposes his anxiety and sense of inadequacy” Laymen, 687. 

121:2 My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth- Ps. 115:15; 124:8; 134:3; Jer. 32:17 The verb made is used 12 times in Gen. 1-2 to speak of God’s creation of all things. “The thought of this verse leaps beyond the hills to the universe; beyond the universe to its Maker. Here is living help: primary, personal, wise, immeasurable” Kidner, 431. 

121:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel- “Protection is a burning issue for a pilgrim who is travelling arduously and through lonely country” Kidner, 431. 

will neither slumber not sleep- contrast I Kings 18:27. The word slumber is repeated from vs. 3. “God is ever vigilant” Longman, 414. “This sentry never dozes on duty!” Laymen, 687. “In all paths of life, he is promised the ever-vigilant protection of God” Allen, 154. 

121:6 The sun will not smite you by day- Gen. 1:16 The word smite is a word that often indicates to strike with violence- Gen. 4:15; Ex. 2:11, 12; 12:12. Sunstroke is “a real danger in the semi-desert climate of the Land of Israel” Alter, 438. “By day and by night are frequently used to mean ‘always’ or ‘constantly’ (cf. Pss. 22:2; 88:1)” Miller, 398. Ps. 91:5-6; II Kings 4:18-19; Isa. 49:10; Jonah 4:8; Rev. 7:16.

121:7 The LORD will protect you for all evil- Ps. 41:2; 91:10-12 “In light of other scriptures, to be kept from all evil does not imply a cushioned life, but a well-armed one. Cf. Psalm 23:4, which expects the dark valley but can face it” Kidner, 432.  

121:8 The LORD will guard your going out and coming in- Num. 27:17; Deut. 28:6; 31:2 This “is not only a way of saying ‘everything’: in closer detail it draws attention to one’s ventures and enterprises (cf. Ps. 126:6). 

Jesus and Psalm 121

121:2 Jesus is Creator of Heaven and earth- John 1:1-3, 10; Col 1:16

121:1, 2 This particular form of the word help is only used twice in the NT- Acts 27:17 for the supporting cables under the boat. Heb. 4:16 He gives grace to help in time of need.

121:3 The One who not let Israel’s feet slumber has His feet nailed to the cross- Luke 24:39-40.

121:3-4 Matt. 8:24; Mk. 4:38; Lk. 8:23 Jesus sleeping on the boat though not the same Greek word. 

121:3, 5, 7, 7, 8 The word for God guarding or keeping His people is the word from the LXX for Jesus guarding His disciples- John 17:12; Gal. 6:13; II Thess. 3:3; II Tim. 1:12; Jude 24.

120:1-2 Words of Trust and Petition

120:1 In my trouble I cried to the LORD- 102:2 The word order in Hebrew is “To the LORD in distress to me I cried/called and He answered me.” The point is the emphasis falls on the LORD to whom He called. Who are we calling on or looking to in times of distress? The author “expresses the sole dependence on God in the hour of distress” VanGemeren, 769. 

The Hebrew word for trouble or distress was used in Pss. 34:6, 7; 46:1; 50:15; 86:7; 91:15; 116:3.  

While he has suffered from “lying lips” (vs. 2), a “deceitful tongue” (vs. 2, 3), and people who “hate peace” (vs. 6), and “are for war” (vs. 7), “instead of answering back, this man has looked in a better direction” Kidner, 430. 

And He answered me- Pss. 3:4; 18:6; 22:21; 66:14; 118:21; Jonah 2:2 God answered. “The most natural translation of verse 1 points to a past event” Kidner, 430.  

120:2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips-“He was the victim of lying and misrepresentation” Allen, 149.  “He refers to these liars by a synecdoche, whereby body parts represent the person” Longman, 411. “He has proved by bitter experience the untruth of the adage, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’” Laymen’s, 686. 

From a deceitful tongue- The word for deceitful is a relatively rare OT word used but is used both in 120:2, 3. It is used in Ps. 78:57 of a treacherous bow and in Prov. 10:4 of a negligent hand and in Prov. 19:15 of a lazy man. Contrast the tongue of 119:172 with this tongue. 

120:3-4 Words of vengeance 120:3 What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you- “These verses turn to address these liars” Broyles, 446. The question What is asked twice. “The form of the question involves a frequent Hebrew idiom, ‘God do so to you, and more also’ (cf. I Sam. 3:17; I Kings 2:23; Ruth 1:17). The thought is that God will do something worse to these insolent liars than they have done to the psalmist” Miller, 396.

You deceitful tongue?- “Ps. 64:3f, 7f, where God’s arrows turn the slanderers’ verbal arrows against them” Kidner, 430.

120:4 Sharp arrows of the warrior- “The reference to weapons presupposes their metaphorical usage for slander, as in 52:2; 57:4; Jer. 9:3, 8” Allen, 146. Sometimes the word arrow is used of the judgment God brings upon the wicked.

With the burning coals of the broom tree- Do the images of the sharp arrows and burning coals describe the words hurled against the psalmist (Alter, 436) or the weapons God turns against the deceitful tongue (Kidner, 430)?

“In short, the answer is that the liar, wounding though his weapons are, will be destroyed with far more potent shafts than lies. God’s arrows or truth and coals of judgment” Kidner, 430. “The broom tree has a low combustion point and thus blazes up immediately with intense heat” Miller, 396. “The roots of the broom tree apparently burn well and yield notable charcoal. On coals as a symbol of judgment cf.., Ps. 140:10” Kidner, 430. 

120:5-7 Words of Woe 120:5 Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech “This lament ends on a sad note, as the psalmist bemoans his present wretched condition. The section begins with a strong exclamation of sadness (woe), often heard in funeral processions (I Kings 13:30; Jer. 22:18; Amos 5:16)  

“Now the singer’s special situation as an alien comes to light, and with the motivation of these slander”" Kidner, 430. The word sojourn is the Hebrew גור which describes the wanderings of Abraham (Gen. 12:10; 20:1; 21:23, 34), Isaac (Gen. 26:3), Jacob (Gen. 32:4; 35:27), and hi

Jesus Fulfills Psalm 119 

Psalm 119 and Jesus 

General Pictures: Jesus as the Word- While there are 177 synonyms for God’s law, word found in Psalm 119. Jesus is the ultimate embodiment of Word. The Word has become flesh and dwelt among us- John 1:1-14

He does things Psalm 119 attributes to the Word. The Word gives light in 119:105, 130 and Jesus is the Light- John 8:12; 9:5.

Jesus fulfills the picture of the Psalmist trusting God, His word, and seeking to follow Him.

See the comments below about the Servant beginning with Psalm 119:17. 

Jesus fulfills the picture of the God in whom the Psalmist trusts. See the comments about God teaching in 119:12. Jesus is Creator and Sustainer of our world as God is said to be in 119:89-91 (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17).

The Ministry of Jesus and His fulfillment of Psalm 119

Most of these passages and their fulfillment in Jesus are described more completely in the passages below. 

In the temple at 12- Luke 2:47 and context when Jesus was in the temple at 12 and all were amazed at His understanding fulfills Psalm 119:99-100.

 In the temptation- Matt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13 Jesus resisted temptation by appealing to the Word of God and fulfills Psalm 119:11, 101. 

 In prayer- Mark 1:35 Jesus rose a great while before day and prayed like we read in Psalm 119:147. Luke 6:12 Jesus prayed all night before choosing the apostles and that type of thing is mentioned in Psalm 119:62.

 In His miracles- In Psalm 119:29, 58, 132 the psalmist’s cry to God be gracious to Me. In Jesus’ miracles He is often met with the cry to have mercy on me in Matt. 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30-31.

 In His teaching- Compare Matt. 11:30 to Psalm 119:39 and how its ties with the teaching of Jesus.

 In His crucifixion- The cross of Jesus is foreshadowed in the psalmist’s persecution- see Psalm 119:23.

109:8 forsaken is the same word in Psalm 22:1; 16:10

119:39, 42 The reproach of the Cross- Rom. 15:3; Heb. 11:26; 13:13

119:108 Jesus the sacrifice- Heb. 10:5-10

119:141 despised- Isaiah 53:3

 In His resurrection- See 119:25 and the word revive or made alive.
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119:153-160 ר

God’s mercy- vs. 156, lovingkindness- vs. 159, truth- vs. 160, and righteousness- vs. 160 are all mentioned here. 

119:153 Look upon my affliction and rescue me- This word for look will begin vs. 153, 158, 159. This plea for rescue from affliction ties canonically to Exodus 3:7-8- Hermenia, 282. He begs “for deliverance from affliction (vs. 153) and from his persecutors and adversaries (vs. 157a), who are faithless with God (vs. 158)” Miller, 394. Only God can rescue (vs. 153) and redeem (vs. 154). 

For I do not forget Your law- “He obeys God’s law, but they don’t, and this again is the basis of his call to God to help him” Longman, 408. “The plea is based on the psalmist’s remembrance of God’s law (vs. 153b) and diligence in keeping it (vs. 157b, 159a). But he still recognizes his need of God’s mercy (vs. 156a)” Miller, 395. “The protestation of innocence is not to be understood as an expression of pride but rather as an appeal to God’s fatherly heart” VanGemeren, 761.

119:154 Plead my cause and redeem me- Ps. 35:1; 43:1; 74:22; Hos. 4:1 uses plead my cause and Ps. 69:18 the cry for redemption. “The language used is that of a lawsuit, for God will champion his cause. The effect of God’s pleading his case is that he will be redeemed from bondage. The word ‘redeem’ is well-known for it use in kinsman-redeemer passages” Ross, 581.

Revive me according to Your word- revive is used in vs. 25, 37, 50, 93, 107, 116, 144, 149. “There is a mounting urgency, if repetition is any sign of it, in the plea for life, heard three times in this stanza is an identical exclamation (a single word in Hebrew) to end verses 154, 156, 159” Kidner, 428. 

119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked- The wicked are far from God’s law in vs. 150 and salvation is far from them. Vs. 150 is a verb while the word far here in vs. 155 is an adjective. 

For they do not seek Your statues- The psalmist sought God with all His heart in vs. 2, 10, but the wicked did not seek God’s statutes.

119:156 Great are Your mercies, O LORD- Mercies is used elsewhere in this Psalm in vs. 77.

119:157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries- The word many in vs. 157 is the same word as great in vs. 156. “His love runs to meet us and is equal to every threat” Motyer, 571. 

119:158 I behold the treacherous and loathe them- This verb translated loathe is only used 6 times, the others are Psalms 95:10; 139:21; Ezekiel 6:9; 20:43; 36:31. 

Because they do not keep Your word- “The psalmist not only follows this way, but also he is grieved to see those who do not” Ross, 583.

119:159 Consider how I love Your precepts- In vs. 153 he begs God to see his affliction and in vs. 158 to see the treacherous, and in vs. 159 to see his love for God. 

Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness- Loving-kindness is found in Psalm 119:41, 64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159. “YHWH’s righteous ordinances will give him not death, but life” Hermenia, 282. 

119:160 The sum of Your word is truth- “The sum is literally ‘the head’; hence AV, ‘from the beginning.’…Here it only means ‘the head of Thy word.’ In this kind of phrase it means, as in the RSV, the sum (cf., e.g. 139:17); and its use as an equivalent to ‘a census in Exodus 30:12; Numbers 1:2, etc., shows that ‘the sum of’ is not a way of saying ‘by and large,’ but rather, ‘every part of’” Kidner, 428-429.

119:129-136 פ

“His own appreciation of the supernatural quality of the Lord’s word (129) is bracketed with his grief over the flouted word (136)” Motyer, 570. “YHWH’s Torah will be presented in the פ strophe as a wonder-working power” Hermenia, 279.

119:129 Your testimonies are wonderful- The same root for wonders is in vs. 18, 27. The word wonderful is used in Exodus 15:11; Psalm 77:11, 14; 78:12; 88:10, 12; 89:5; 139:5; Isaiah 9:6: 25:1; 29:14. This word is especially used of “YHWH’s deeds in the exodus (cf. Exod. 15:11; Ps. 77:11, 14; 78:12)” Hermenia, 279. They “inspire awe and reverence” Miller, 393. “The word is used most often in Biblical Hebrew to describe ‘extraordinary phenomena, transcending the power of human knowledge and imagination” NICOT, 884. 

Therefore, my soul observes them- The word observes could be translated treasures. It is found 61 times in the OT and 10 times in Psalm 119. 

Psalm 119:137-144 צ

119:137 Righteous are You, O LORD- Ezra 9:15; Neh. 9:33; Ps. 116:5; 129:4; 145:17; Jer. 12:1; Lam. 1:18; Dan. 9:7, 14. “Since God is righteous, so His judgments are right (vss. 137-138)” Miller, 393. This word righteous in Greek versions is used for Jesus as Righteous in Matt. 27:19; Acts 3:14; 7:52. Righteous is used in vs. 137, 138, 142, 142, 144.

And upright are Your judgments- NASB Your laws are right- NIV

119:138 You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness- The law expresses the character of the lawgiver. “Because the Lord perfectly and eternally expresses and conveys Himself in His word” Motyer, 571. “Trust in the reliability of God’s word is directly proportionate to one’s trust in the Lord Himself” VanGemeren, 759. 

And exceeding faithfulness- The word for faithfulness is found in vs. 30, 75, 86, 90, 142. This is used to describe God in Deut. 32:4. “God’s commandments, then, are an expression of His absolute righteousness and His faithfulness to His covenant that is an inseparable element of His righteousness” Ross, 572. 

Psalm 119:145-152 ק

“After the pair of strophes in vv. 129-136 and 137-144, which emphasized the torments of the petitioner at the hands of attackers who have forgotten the Torah, the pair of strophes that follow (Vv. 145-152 and 153-160) is dominated by pleas for YHWH for rescue from these attacks” Hermenia, 281. 

119:89-96 ל

“From its nadir, Psalm 119 moves to its zenith. Complaint has given way to a profession of faith in God’s sovereignty for all time (vv. 89a, 90a), in all places (vv. 89b, 90a), and over ‘all things’ (v. 91). The profession is highlighted by the uniqueness of vs. 90, which does not contain one of the eight synonyms” McCann, 1171. 

119:97-104 מ

“The mem strophe is a quiet interlude without petition” Allen, 143. The eight verses begin either with the word מה in vs. 97, 103 and מן in vs. 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 104. While this last word can indicate a preposition meaning “from, out of” like in vs. 101, 102, 104, it also can be used as a comparison in vs. 98, 99, 100.

119:105-112 נ

119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet- “The psalmist thinks of the person traveling by foot at night with a lamp attached to his ankles or feet to show him the way (Prov. 6:23)” Miller, 391.

The MT actually has foot instead of feet but a manuscript along with the LXX and Syriac have feet- Ross, 549. This language reminds us of “what Scripture elsewhere calls the believer’s walk” Ross, 551. In contrast the lamp of the wicked goes out- Prov. 13:9; 20:20; 24:20.

The LORD is a lamp in Ps. 22:28; II Sam. 22:29.

119:113-120 ס

“The psalmist stands in contrast to the undecided (113), the evildoers (115), the wanderers (118), and the wicked (119)” Motyer, 570.

119:113 I hate those who are double minded- vs. 104 “Double-minded is akin to the word in Elijah’s taunt at those who hobbled ‘first on one leg then on the other’ (I Kings 18:21)” Kidner, 427. These are people “who appear to be following God, but really they aren’t” Longman, 407. 

But I love Your law- vs. 97 His love for God’s law is a strong contrast to the hate earlier in the verse. These verbs are antithetical. 

119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield- The You is emphatic. Hiding place is found of God in Psalm 32:7; 61:4; 91:1. Shield appears of God in Psalm 3:3; 28:7; 33:20; 84:9, 11; 115:9, 10, 11.

I wait for Your word- vs. 74, 81

119:121-128 ע

“The flow of thought is more awkward than in most of the other stanzas of this psalm, being hindered by the sparsity of words beginning with the letter ‘ayin” Miller, 392. “The key term of the ‘ayin strophe is עבדך ‘your servant,’ vv. 122, 124, 125. It is used to claim Yahweh’s patronage (v. 125)” Allen, 144. “The petitioner presents himself as a good and faithful servant of YHWH and appeals to YHWH to care for his servant” Hermenia, 279.

119:89-96 ל

“From its nadir, Psalm 119 moves to its zenith. Complaint has given way to a profession of faith in God’s sovereignty for all time (vv. 89a, 90a), in all places (vv. 89b, 90a), and over ‘all things’ (v. 91). The profession is highlighted by the uniqueness of vs. 90, which does not contain one of the eight synonyms” McCann, 1171. 

119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven- God’s word is eternally relevant. Just as the stars in the heavens provide fixed points of navigation, God’s word gives us something certain to adjust our lives to and by. 

Allen, 137, states that word here is “an expression of God’s all-embracing purpose which is not only embodied in the Torah but reflected in the created universe (cf. vs. 91).” “The whole creation is evidence of God’s powerful, eternal word” Ross, 540. 

119:90 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations- Faithfulness (vs. 86 with commandments) “is often paired with ‘steadfast love’ (Pss. 25:10; 57:3; 85:10; 98:3), it communicates the way in which God exercises sovereignty- with faithful love that issues in forgiveness (see Exod. 34:6-7)” McCann, 1171. To all generations is parallel to forever in vs. 89. 

You established the earth, and it stands- Ps. 33:6-9 “The stable universe is a visible token of Yahweh’s faithfulness. The results of the divine word in its creative and sustaining role are seen in the ordered world, whose order is homage to its Master” Allen, 143.  “The order of creation reveals the love, care, and fidelity of the Lord” VanGemeren, 752. 

119:91 They stand this day according to Your ordinances- This is the same verb translated stands in vs. 90. This emphasizes “what God created is fixed and permanent. This is confirmed in the second colon: ‘for all things are your servants’” Ross, 541. 

For all things are Your servants- “The switch to the plural is slightly distorting, but the implied antecedent is probably ‘all created things’ or ‘heaven and earth.’” Alter, 427. “A striking feature of these verses is the coupling of God’s creative, world-sustaining word with His law for man. Both are the product of the same ordering mind; and not only men but ‘all things’ are His ‘servants’ (91)” Kidner, 426. 

119:92 If Your law had not been my delight- 119:16, 24, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174.

Then I would have perished in my affliction- Would he have perished because he lost hope or because the law prevented him from doing things self-destructive?

119:93 I will never forget Your precepts- This phrase actually begins with the word forever like vs. 89. 

For by them You have revived me

119:94 I am Yours, save me- The I is emphatic. He knows he belongs to God.
 
For I have sought Your precepts

119:95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me- The word destroy is the same word translated perished in vs. 92. 

I shall diligently consider Your testimonies- “As violence increases, the psalmists seeks refuge in a diligent study” VanGemeren, 752. 

119:96 I have seen a limit to all perfection- This may be “a contrast between limited human understanding and divine Torah-wisdom” Allen, 137. “The feebleness of human potential (apart from God) is blatant” Allen, 143.  God’s limitless knowledge is shown in Job 11:7-9; 28:3.

Your commandment is exceedingly broad- vs. 32 “On the other hand, the commands of God are not limited but boundless (spacious). All earthly perfection is limited- God’s word is not. His commands no limits, because His word is eternal and esta

Psalm 119:49-56

119:53 Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked- The word translated “burning indignation” is a rare word used only in Ps. 11:6 and Lam. 5:10. In Ps. 11:6 the word speaks of the divine judgment on the wicked. “The psalmist’s commitment to the Lord and His word dictates what He loves and what He hates. He cannot be neutral when it comes to wicked behavior by those who refuse to live by God’s law” Estes, 413-414. “The truly devout naturally have a moral outrage over the ungodly who forsake God’s laws” Ross, 512. 

119:57-64
 

119:57 The LORD is my portion- This line is two words in Hebrew. Portion is use in Ps. 16:5; 73:26; 142:5. “Portion is from a root which can mean to divide into shares. The noun, in this context, means God’s sharing Himself with man, hence fellowship” Miller, 388.  The word portion is used “frequently in the book of Joshua for the allotments of land designated for the tribes of Israel in Canaan- Josh. 15:13; 18:7; 19:9. The tribe of Levi was granted no territorial allotment because the Lord was their portion and inheritance among the Israelites (Num. 18:20; Deut. 10:9; Josh. 13:14). Kraus notes that this special relationship between the tribe of Levi and the Lord ‘later is transferred to the mouth of the pious. Yahweh alone is their livelihood” Estes, 415. 

119:63 I am a companion of all those who fear You- “The psalmist’s loyalty to the LORD also finds expression in his association with other believers” Ross, 519. This word for companion is used 12 times in the OT, including Prov. 28:24; Isaiah 1:23. Bad companions say much about who the person is in these two verses, but so do the good companions of this verse. He is “finding his sense of community with those who like him honor the Lord by the obedience to his word” Estes, 416. 

119:65-72

119:67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray- The psalmist “gratitude for bitter medicine cf. 75” Kidner, 426. He has described affliction, hardship, and persecution before but here is “the psalmist’s acknowledgment that his affliction was a result of going astray (v. 67)” Longman, 406. The verb for going astray is used only four times but it is sometimes used of unintentional sin- Lev. 5:18; Num. 15:28 and used in Job 12:16 of those misled. 

But now I keep Your word- vs. 71, 75. “Affliction has brought him back forth a wayward life (vss. 67, 71), God has dealt well with him (vs. 65)” Miller, 389.

119:71 It was good for me that I was afflicted- Deut. 8:16 “When there is opposition to the faith, God uses such times of affliction as a means of developing our faith (James 1:2), even if it an affliction we brought on ourselves” Ross, 525. 

That I may learn Your statutes- “The suffering impels reflection, which in turn leads the sufferer to embrace God’s teaching as the guide to turning life around” Alter, 425. “We are pupils in His school of affliction (67, 70), He is principal of the school, and the graduation award is the treasure of His word” Motyer, 568. 

119:72 The law of Your mouth is better to me- “In v. 72, it forms a better than structure typical of wisdom literature” NICOT, 883. 

That thousands of gold and silver pieces- vs. 127; Ps. 19:10; Prov. 3:14-15; 8:10, 11, 19; 16:16; Luke 12:15

119:33-40

ה
 
The alphabetic arrangement lends itself to these hiphil verb forms, but the rest of the psalm reveals a studied effort to demonstrate reliance upon the God of the word as well as the word of God” Miller, 387. These hiphel verbs are in the imperative but, “in these petitions a tone of humility and dependence comes through” VanGemeren, 744. 

119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes- vs. 12, 26. “God is the teacher (v. 33); the Hebrew verb ‘to teach’ ( ׳רה) underlines the noun torah, which occurs in v. 34.” McCann, 1169. 

And I shall observe it to the end- vs. 112 “To the end is one sense of a word which also means ‘consequence’ or ‘reward,’ as in Psalm 19:11 (12, Heb.). Hence NEB here has ‘I shall find my reward’; and in verse 112 ‘they are a reward that never fails’” Kidner, 425. “For the psalmist the road of obedience has no off ramp” Estes, 410. 

119:34 Give me understanding- “He recognizes that the ability to observe the law depends on understanding it correctly” Longman, 405. 

That I have observe You law and keep it with all my heart- With all my heart in vs. 2, 10. Just like he sought the LORD with all his heart and here he keeps God’s law with all my heart.  

119:35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments- Ps. 23:3

For I delight in it- True happiness is found in walking in God’s path. To him this path is a path of sheer delight- Estes, 410. 

119:36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies- The verb is used in 119:36, 51, 112, 157; 141:4; I Kings 8:58. While he prays for God to incline his heart to Him, the other passages the psalmist inclines his heart toward God. Ps. 51:10. Often our hearts default to evil- Jer. 17:9. While Solomon prayed the prayer of I Kings 8:58, his heart turned to evil in I Kings 11:2-4, 9.

And not to dishonest gain- Ex. 18:21; Jer. 6:13; 8:10; Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13.

119:37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity- Ps. 31:6 uses the word vanity for idols.

The problem in this section is “the wayward heart that wants to obey (34), but can so easily be drawn away to selfish ends (36) and follow the enticements of the eyes (37)” Motyer, 567.  

And revive me in Your ways

119:38 Establish Your word to Your word to Your servant,

As that which produces reverence for You- The word produces reverence or fear of God- Deut. 17:19.

119:39 Turn away my reproach which I dread- vs. 22.

For Your ordinances are good.

119:40 Behold, I long for Your precepts 

Revive me through Your righteousness-Revive is used in vs. 17, 25, 37, 40, 50, 77, 88, 93, 107, 116, 144, 149, 154, 156, 159, 175. Only God can give Him life.

119:41-48

119:41 May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD- “The occurrence of ‘steadfast love’ in vv. 41 is the first of seven (see vv. 64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159)” McCann, 1170. 

Your salvation according to Your word- 

119:42 So I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me- God’s lovingkindness and salvation seem to the be the answers to the insults hurled his way.  Reproaches is the same word used in vs. 22 and 39. 

For I trust in Your word- “Through constant meditation upon them (vs. 45b, 48b), he has learned to trust them (vs. 42b) and to hope in them (vs. 43b)” Miller, 388. “To trust God’s word (vs. 42) is to trust God’s very self, the essence of which God revealed to be steadfast love (see <

“vv. 25-28 describe his internal distress (I-lament), that is, that is the threat of physical and spiritual destruction” Hermenia, 268. 

119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust- “Clinging to the dust is a graphic depiction of being in a life-threatening condition (see Ps. 44:25)” Ross, 490.

Revive me according to Your word- revive is used in vs. 25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159. This “is a prayer for God to renew his vitality” Ross, 490. Lev. 18:5 connects life with keeping God’s law.

The Psalms refer “to YHWH as the God who can give life to the dead (Pss. 30:4; 116:3-4, 8-9)” Hermenia, 269.

119:26 I have told of my ways, and you have answered me- “More than anything else, the time of trouble is to be a time of prayer. These eight verses contain seven prayers” Motyer, 567. “The word (drk), ‘way’ appears five times (vs. 26, 27, 29, 30, 32). 

Teach me Your statues- vs. 12 

119:27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts- vs. 18. This same word translated make me understand is used in vs. 34, 73, 125, 144, 169. He asks for understanding “that I may learn Your commandments” (73), that “I may know Your testimonies” (125), that “I may observe Your law” (34). God’s enlightening helps the psalmist do all of this. At the same time, God’s enlightening comes from the word itself (104, 130). 

So I will meditate on Your wonders- meditate- vs. 15. Wonders connects with vs. 18. “The time of trouble is also a time of special commitment, to fix the mind on His wonderful word” Motyer, 567. Wonders are connected with God’s mighty acts throughout history.

119:28 Strengthen me according to Your word- God revives us (25) and strengthens us (28) by His word.” Ross, 269. The word strengthen “is literally ‘cause me to stand,’ which is reminiscent of the literal meaning ‘resurrection’” McCann, 1169.

119:29 Remove the false way from me- 139:24; Prov. 14:12; 16:25 “The word ‘deceit’ may be ‘falsehood’ or ‘deception.’

And graciously grant me Your law- “Graciously teach is a single word, ‘be gracious.’” Kidner, 424. “The word of God. Is also a means of grace, as it keeps one away from the ways of the world’’ VanGemeren, 865. “It is a happy reminder that God’s law is a good gift and is only the antithesis of grace when it is used to earn salvation” Kidner, 424. 

119:30 I have chosen the faithful way- It is a time “to choose and set the heart on his truth” Motyer, 567. The faithful way or way of truth is a stark contrast with the false way of vs. 29. While he has chosen God’s way, he asks for God’s blessing in removing the false way. 

119:31 I cleave to Your testimonies- In vs. 25 the author cleaves to dust but here it is God’s testimonies they cleave to. This verb is used of our relationship to the LORD in Deut. 10:20; 11:22; 13:4; 30:20.

O LORD, do not put me to shame!- vs. 6; Ps. 31:1

119:32 I shall run the way of Your commandments- This expresses his eagerness to please God. Running “is another way of suggesting not mere compliance with YHWH’s expectations but living by them enthusiastically and energetically” Estes, 409. 

For You will enlarge my heart- Maybe God has deepened his understanding or his happiness. “The motif of ‘widening’ the heart (v. 32b)…is a contrast to the image of ‘distress’ and ‘confinement’ or ‘narrowness’ that, in the lament psalms, describe  the external and internal troubles of the petitioner (Cf., for example, Pss. 31:8-9; 118:5)” Hermenia, 269.