Text -- Psalms 119:1-21 (NET)

Psalm 119

119:1 א (Alef) How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the 119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules, and seek him with all their heart, 119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong, but follow in his footsteps. 119:4 You demand that your precepts be carefully kept. 119:5 If only I were predisposed to keep your statutes! 119:6 Then I would not be ashamed, if I were focused on all your commands. 119:7 I will give you sincere thanks, when I learn your just regulations. 119:8 I will keep your statutes. Do not completely abandon me! 119:9 ב(Bet) How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions! 119:10 With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands! 119:11 In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you. 119:12 You deserve praise, O Lord! Teach me your statutes! 119:13 With my lips I proclaim all the regulations you have revealed. 119:14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules as if they were riches of all kinds. 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and focus on your behavior. 119:16 I find delight in your statutes; I do not forget your instructions. 119:17 ג(Gimel) Be kind to your servant! Then I will live and keep your instructions. 119:18 Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law! 119:19 I am like a foreigner in this land. Do not hide your commands from me! 119:20 I desperately long to know your regulations at all times. 119:21 You reprimand arrogant people. Those who stray from your commands are doomed.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 119:1

¹ sn Psalm 119. The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.

² tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”

³ tn Heb “walk in.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:3

¹ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:4

¹ tn Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:5

¹ tn Heb “if only my ways were established.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:6

¹ tn Or “when.”

² tn Heb “I gaze at.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:7

¹ tn Heb “I will give you thanks with an upright heart.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:8

¹ tn Heb “do not abandon me to excess.” For other uses of the phrase עַד מְאֹד (’ad mÿ’od, “to excess”), see Ps 38:6, 8.

NET Notes: Psa 119:9

¹ tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”

² tn Heb “purify his path.”

³ tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:11

¹ tn Or “hide.”

² tn Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:12

¹ tn Heb “[are] blessed.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:13

¹ tn Heb “of your mouth.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:14

¹ tn Heb “in the way of your rules.”

² tn Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19).

³ tn Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4; Ezek 27:12, 18.

NET Notes: Psa 119:15

¹ tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.

² tn Heb “gaze [at].”

³ tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).

NET Notes: Psa 119:16

¹ tn The imperfects in this verse emphasize the attitude the psalmist maintains toward God’s law. Another option is to translate with the future tense, “I will find delight…I will not forget.”

² tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural here.

NET Notes: Psa 119:17

¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

² tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.

³ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.

NET Notes: Psa 119:18

¹ tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).

² tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

NET Notes: Psa 119:19

¹ tn Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.

NET Notes: Psa 119:20

¹ tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”

NET Notes: Psa 119:21

¹ tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.