
Text -- Psalms 119:169 (NET)




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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Clarke -> Psa 119:169
Clarke: Psa 119:169 - -- Let my cry come near before thee - This is really a fine image; it is of frequent occurrence, and is little heeded. Here the psalmists cry for deliv...
Let my cry come near before thee - This is really a fine image; it is of frequent occurrence, and is little heeded. Here the psalmists cry for deliverance is personified; made an intelligent being, and sent up to the throne of grace to negotiate in his behalf. He pursues this prosopopoeia in the next verse and sends his supplication in the same way. I have already had occasion to refer to a similar figure in Homer, where prayers are represented as the daughters of Jupiter. See on Psa 88:2 (note).
Calvin -> Psa 119:169
Calvin: Psa 119:169 - -- 169.Let my cry come 38 near into thy presence. The Psalmist repeats the same sentiment which has already come under our notice — that his chief d...
169.Let my cry come 38 near into thy presence. The Psalmist repeats the same sentiment which has already come under our notice — that his chief desire, and what he, most of all pressed after, regarding everything else as of secondary importance, was to make progress in the study of the divine law. By the word cry he denotes earnestness. I am anxious, as if he had said, above all things, and am chiefly inflamed with this desire, (even as it is just and reasonable,) that the light of understanding by which we excel the lower animals, and approach very near to God, may be preferred by me to all earthly advantages. The expression, according to thy word, may be understood in two ways. It may denote that David besought God to impart to him understanding according to his promise; or, as some explain it, it may intimate that he desired to have his mind framed according to the rule of God’s word, so that he might not be wise otherwise than according to the doctrine of the law. This last sense would not be inappropriate, did not these words in the following verse, Deliver me according to thy word, present an objection to such an interpretation. Having no doubt that these two sentences have a corresponding meaning — though at first sight it is more specious to understand David as praying to be made wise according to the rule of the law — I rather incline to the other sense, That he beseeches God to endue him with understanding, in fulfillment of his promise. And whilst God liberally promises all blessings to his people, to enlighten them by his Spirit, that they may excel in true and sound wisdom, is justly entitled to be ranked among the chief of his promises. This doctrine is profitable to us in many ways. In the first place we are taught that nothing is more to be desired than to have God guiding us by his light, that we may not be like brute beasts. In the second place we are taught that this is the peculiar gift of the Holy Spirit; for it would have been in vain for David to have besought. God to bestow upon him that which he had naturally in himself, or which he might have attained by his own painstaking. In the third place, what I have said concerning the promise is to be attended to, to the end the faithful may not hesitate to offer themselves to God to be enlightened by Him, who declares that he will be the guide of the blind, and who refuses not to be a master and teacher of little ones and of the humble.
TSK -> Psa 119:169
TSK: Psa 119:169 - -- Let my cry : Psa 119:145, Psa 18:6; 2Ch 30:27
give me : Psa 119:144; 1Ch 22:12; 2Ch 1:10; Pro 2:3-5; Dan 2:21; Jam 1:5
Let my cry : Psa 119:145, Psa 18:6; 2Ch 30:27
give me : Psa 119:144; 1Ch 22:12; 2Ch 1:10; Pro 2:3-5; Dan 2:21; Jam 1:5

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Psa 119:169
Barnes: Psa 119:169 - -- Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord - This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the...
Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord - This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter Tau (
Give me understanding according to thy word - According to the promises of thy word; or, give me the same views of truth which are set forth in thy word. This prayer had been several times offered before, and it shows how earnest was his desire to know the truth. See Psa 119:34, Psa 119:73,Psa 119:144.
Poole -> Psa 119:169
Poole: Psa 119:169 - -- Ver. 169. Near before thee which at present thou seemest to shut out , as the church complained, Lam 3:8 .
Understanding whereby I may both know ...
Gill -> Psa 119:169
Gill: Psa 119:169 - -- ת,
TAU.--The Twenty-second and last Part.
TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord,.... Not "my praise", as the Syriac version; but "my pr...
TAU.--The Twenty-second and last Part.
TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord,.... Not "my praise", as the Syriac version; but "my prayer", put up in great distress, and with great vehemence and importunity; see Psa 119:145; and when it is desired it might "come near before" the Lord, it does not so much suppose distance of place between the petitioner and the petitioned as earth is from heaven, as Aben Ezra observes, as distance of state and condition; the petitioner being a creature, and a sinful creature, and whose sins had separated between God and him: and now the only way of access is by Christ; prayer can only pass to God through him, who is the only Mediator between God and man; by whom persons and services are brought near unto, him with acceptance. The sum of this request is, that his prayer might not be rejected and shut out; but that it might be admitted, might come up before God, and into his ears, and be regarded by him, and accepted with him;
give me understanding according to thy word; meaning not natural, but spiritual understanding; not that he was without any, as natural men are, whose understandings are darkened; for he had a large share of understanding of spiritual things; but he wanted more, he desired to know more of himself, of his wants and weaknesses; to know more of God in Christ, and of Christ, his person, offices, and grace; to know more of the doctrines of the word, and of the duties of religion; and particularly that he might have a better understanding of the business of prayer, and might know both what to pray for, and how to pray as he ought; all which is a gift from God: and he desires in all to be directed "according to the word" of God, the means of enlightening the understanding, and of increasing spiritual knowledge; or else he means the promise of God, that he would give him more knowledge and understanding; that he might be taught of God, and follow on to know him, and increase in every branch of spiritual knowledge.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Psa 119:169
Geneva Bible -> Psa 119:169
Geneva Bible: Psa 119:169 TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding ( a ) according to thy word.
( a ) As you have promised to be the schoolmaster t...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Psa 119:1-176
TSK Synopsis: Psa 119:1-176 - --1 This psalm contains sundry prayers, praises, and professions of obedience.
MHCC -> Psa 119:169-176
MHCC: Psa 119:169-176 - --The psalmist desired grace and strength to lift up his prayers, and that the Lord would receive and notice them. He desired to know more of God in Chr...
Matthew Henry -> Psa 119:169-170
Matthew Henry: Psa 119:169-170 - -- Here we have, I. A general petition for audience repeated: Let my cry come near before thee; and again, Let my supplication come before thee. He...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Psa 119:169-176
Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 119:169-176 - --
The eightfold Tav . May God answer this his supplication as He has heard his praise, and interest Himself on behalf of His servant, the sheep that ...
Constable: Psa 107:1--150:6 - --V. Book 5: chs. 107--150
There are 44 psalms in this section of the Psalter. David composed 15 of these (108-110...

Constable: Psa 119:1-176 - --Psalm 119
The anonymous psalmist who wrote this longest psalm sought refuge from his persecutors and fou...
