Many of the principles already addressed are mentioned again throughout the second half of Psalm 119, but the reader’s attention will now be focused on the positive expressions of the value of the Word of God. The last eight verses of the first half of the psalm expressed the most grievous condition of the one who is persecuted for righteousness’ sake. The Word lifts up the sorrowful one, and he offers up many praises on its behalf.
1. “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (v. 89). The Word is not subject to change. Although God has given mankind different covenants which contain different practices, He has never made changes within that covenant. The New Testament will stand, without addition or subtraction, as long as the earth stands (Matt. 24:35). We can depend upon everything being true and eternal in our covenant.
2. “God’s faithfulness endures to all generations” (v. 90-91). We can rely upon Him to keep His Word regarding every spiritual promise. Even the natural world continues to operate the way He set it up.
3. One’s delight over the Law of God sustains him during times of affliction. If that love did not exist, a person could easily perish (v. 92).
4. Through God’s precepts comes life (v. 93). While it is true that eternal life comes through knowing and obeying, it may be here that the writer is referring to the sustaining of his physical life. Many translations use the word quicken (“to make alive”), and a few render the idea as “revive.” In either case the Word produces life. Jesus would later teach: “The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Peter acknowledged shortly thereafter that Jesus had “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). On earth we are truly alive when following God’s Word, and those Words also lead to eternal life.
5. “I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad” (v. 96). A great many things may be described as perfect. We talk about “the perfect marriage” or “the perfect athlete,” but that perfection always comes to an end. The King of Tyre was at one time “full of beauty and perfect in beauty”; in fact, he was ”the seal of perfection” (Ezek. 28:12). He was perfect from the day he was created until he committed iniquity (v. 15). All physical perfection, whether it pertains to beauty or to athletic skills, eventually comes to an end. God’s commandment, however, is exceedingly broad; it continues to stand.
6. The psalmist loves and meditates on God’s law, which makes him wiser than his enemies (vs. 97-98). Those who oppose the righteous proceed in opposition to God and His principles. They follow either their own inclination or the devil’s ideology, which directly contradicts Truth. Therefore, the one acting consistently with godly principles will be wiser than his enemies.
7. He will also possess more understanding than his teachers (v. 99), since they usually follow man’s wisdom as they teach worldly knowledge. The accumulated wisdom of man is no match for the Scriptures.
8. The servant of God also has more understanding than the aged (older) men (v. 100). Wisdom should characterize the elderly, but knowing and keeping God’s precepts makes one even wiser—at any age. Notice, however, that it is not just knowing the Word but following it as well, thus making it true not only in theory but actuality.
9. The words of the Lord are sweet to the taste; they are even sweeter than honey to the mouth (v. 103). David had previously recorded the same thought (Ps. 19:10, cf. Rev. 10:9-10).
10. The Word of God allows us to discern between truth and error. The Word of God tastes sweet, and it gives us understanding; therefore, we must hate every false way (v. 104). Hate is a strong word, but we must realize that only the Word of God can save; false doctrine will lead people away from God. Only the pure Word can accomplish what God wants it to; hence, the commandments to be certain that we are in the Word and not being led astray to a pathway that does not lead to eternal life.
11. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (v. 105). How do we know where to walk unless we have a sufficient amount of light to see where we are going? God’s Word is the glorious light that enables us to see what pleases God; we must direct our steps accordingly. The wisdom of men cannot show us the way; our own cleverness fails, also. Only God’s revelation can cause us to walk in paths of righteousness.
12. “I have sworn and have confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments” (v. 106). In order for the Word to have the proper influence in our lives, we must be committed to it. It cannot be kept on a casual basis or half-heartedly. Toward that end, the psalmist also writes: “I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the very end” (v.112). The psalmist has no regrets and will never consider walking contrary to the law; he has made a lifetime commitment.
13. God’s testimonies always form the basis of our heritage (inheritance). They rejoice our hearts (v. 111) and cause us to utter “the freewill offerings” of our mouths (v. 108). God is worthy of our praises because of all that the Word does for us and is to us. Our hearts overflow with joy.
14. God is our hiding place and shield (v. 114), and He will never let us be ashamed of our hope (v. 116). We do not want, therefore, to be around evildoers, who would drag us in the wrong direction (v. 115). The writer makes a bold statement in light of these facts: “I hate the double-minded” (v. 113). Such have no lasting commitment to the Word. They will now follow portions of it and now rebel against other parts. They possess no consistency. It would be like serving in an army in which one could never tell which side one’s fellow soldiers were going to fight—yours or the enemies. No wonder the psalmist despises these unstable souls.
15. The writer’s attitude toward those who stray from God’s statutes is based on the Almighty’s disposition toward them: He rejects them, “for their deceit is falsehood” (v. 118). All of their principles of life are based upon lies. They have given up living by the sweet and valuable Word of God, thus rejecting the place of safety (v. 117). But they put others at risk, also, who might be taken captive by their anti-God ideology. These men are dangerous.
16. The Word of God is to be praised because it teaches that the Creator of heaven and earth will not allow the guilty and rebellious to go unpunished. “You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross” (v. 119). Dross refers to the impurities that form on metal during the smelting process. It is easily removed, and the wicked prove to be just as easy for God to get rid of. Knowing the power that God possesses, the psalmist writes: “My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments” (v. 120).
17. The servant of God affirms that he has “done justice and righteousness” (v. 121) and asks the Lord to be surety for him for good (v. 122). Surety is often used to describe one person guaranteeing another’s debt. If the borrower cannot pay what he owes, the person who is surety for him will be required to pay the debt. Should the ungodly intend to collect a debt from the righteous man (whether owed or imagined), God will take care of the matter so that His servant should not be oppressed.
18. The next words would not only apply in the above situation; they also apply in an even broader way: “It is time for You to act, O Lord, For they have regarded Your law as void” (v. 126). Many people think that: 1) God’s Word does not mean what it says; 2) They are exempt from it; or 3) God will not punish them. They are wrong on all three counts. This is one of those times that creating one’s own reality is not going to work out. It would be like someone on board the Titanic convincing himself fifteen minutes before drowning, “This ship’s not going to sink.” The biggest mistake anyone could ever make is not taking God at His Word.
19. The testimonies of God are wonderful; the psalmist pants after them (vs. 129, 131). Previously, the sons of Korah had written: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God” (Ps. 42:1-2a). This is the attitude that Christians ought to have today in seeking God, His Word, and His righteousness (Matt. 5:6). The Word is wondrous in so many ways.
20. The entrance (or unfolding of God’s Word) gives light (v. 130). In other words, the more it is explained, the more those who love it shall understand the truth.
21. Those who do not obey God’s commandments fall into different categories. Some are double-minded, as seen earlier, while others regarded it as nothing. Still others know it is good and true, but through weakness, a touch of rebellion, or just plain neglect do not ever keep it. Even those who had obeyed the gospel in Laodicea were guilty of complacency (Rev. 3:14-22). The church at Ephesus had lost their first love (Rev. 2:1-7). The psalmist laments regarding those individuals: “Rivers of waters run down from my eyes because men do not keep Your law” (v. 136). May we feel the same!
22. The next section again praises the Word of God for being upright, very faithful, and everlastingly righteous (vs. 137-138, 142). Furthermore God’s commandments are His delights (v. 143). He also claims that the Word of God is very pure (v. 140). Just as God can dispose of the wicked like dross, He keeps impurities away from His Word. It has been refined by the Lord to make sure that we get only the truth. His principles are good, His promises are kept, His prophecies are accurate. These precepts are pure and perfect, and God’s servant loves it. The fact that his enemies have forgotten His words just inspires that much more zeal within him (v. 139).
23. The theme that dominates the next 18 verses is that of the ungodly oppressing the righteous. Several statements similar to those made previously are included: “I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord”; “Save me”; “I rise before the dawning of the morning and cry for help”; “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word”; “O Lord, revive me”; “They draw near who follow after wickedness” (vs. 145-150); “Consider my affliction and deliver me”; “Plead my cause and redeem me”; “Many are my persecutors and enemies”; “Princes persecute me without a cause” (vs. 153-154, 157, 161). Intermingled is the plea for God to revive him according to His justice (v. 149), His Word (v. 154), His judgments (v. 156), and His lovingkindness (v. 159).
24. The ungodly are far from God’s law (v. 150); they do not even seek His statutes, and therefore salvation is far from the wicked (v. 155). The psalmist sees them and is disgusted. Various translations describe them as traitors, treacherous, transgressors. The Hebrew word is stronger than “grieved”; “disgust” or “loathing” is more appropriate. Lying is characteristic of them (v. 163); they take after their father, the devil (John 8:44) and do not treat the Word as one who finds a great treasure (v. 162).
25. “Thy word is true from the beginning” conveys a good thought—that it is true from its beginning to its end—but that is not the idea of the Hebrew phrase. The majority of versions have: “The sum of Your word is truth.” The New King James renders it: “The entirety of Your word is truth” (v. 160). One thought that presents itself is that the Bible is entirely true. There is no part that is not inspired or the work of mere men. But more than that is the tenet that its sum gives it perfection. In other words, one cannot go to one text and say: “See! The Sabbath is to be kept holy” (Ex. 14:8). Nor can one say, “See! David praised God with musical instruments, and so can we.” Verses must be studied in their context, and the fact is that some things that were required under one covenant (dietary laws, times of worship, the manner of worship) are not necessarily authorized under another covenant. Sometimes one passage is explained by another. We all need the sum of God’s Word.
26. Many other wondrous things about God’s law are also made known before the psalm ends. People who love God’s law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble (so as to be lost) (v. 165). No wonder the writer’s heart “stands in awe of the Word” (v. 161). “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments” (v. 164). His lips will utter praise (v. 171), and his tongue will speak of God’s Word (v. 172). This precept emphasizes again the obligation that God’s people have of spreading the Word. Others will not know the value of the Word unless they hear from those who know and realize it.
27. After calling for God’s helping hand for deliverance again, the writer says he longs for God’s salvation. As long as he lives, he will delight in God’s law and praise Him (vs. 174-175). This is not just an empty promise; He will surely follow through. The final verse (v. 176) is not what we would expect after so many affirmations of faithfulness. He claims, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant.” This statement is certainly reminiscent of the Good Shepherd in the New Testament, about whom Jesus spoke, searching for His lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7).
What does he mean? Has he, despite all of his protestations of faithfulness, actually gone astray like a lost sheep? Does the Lord really need to seek him? Or is he saying that, if he does fall away, the Lord should seek him? Or is he using a hyperbole—that is, he feels ungodly and lost as he compares himself to a holy God and, therefore, is always in need of being brought back to the right way? No consensus among scholars apparently exists.
He did mention previously that, before he was afflicted, he went astray (v. 67). If he is avowing this again, then it is an appeal to God to always bring us back—that, despite our conviction, our weaknesses are great. Despite all of the encouragement we have to live by God’s faithful Word, we still allow ourselves to get sidetracked at times. This fact serves to highlight God’s great love, grace, and patience, as well as our continual need of Him to care for us spiritually. At least, when God’s servant has gone astray, he has not forgotten His commandments. He knows what they are and where He is; he calls upon God’s love to seek him and return him.
One last thought is suggested by verse 152: “Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that you founded them forever.” The Pulpit Commentary says of this verse: “The study of God’s commandments had long ago convinced the psalmist that they are not passing or temporary enactments, but eternal laws, decreed and laid down forever” (8:3:112).
In other words, the Bible is not some hastily thrown- together work, composed by the invention of men. The writer had long been convinced from a study of the Scriptures that God’s hand was in it. Those who study it with an open mind today will draw the same conclusion.