Psalms 119:25-32

ד (Dalet)

119:25 I collapse in the dirt. ¹ 

Revive me with your word! ² 

119:26 I told you about my ways ³  and you answered me.

Teach me your statutes!

119:27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean! ⁴ 

Then I can meditate ⁵  on your marvelous teachings. ⁶ 

119:28 I collapse ⁷  from grief.

Sustain me by your word! ⁸ 

119:29 Remove me from the path of deceit! ⁹ 

Graciously give me ¹⁰  your law!

119:30 I choose the path of faithfulness;

I am committed to ¹¹  your regulations.

119:31 I hold fast ¹²  to your rules.

O Lord, do not let me be ashamed!

119:32 I run along the path of your commands,

for you enable me to do so. ¹³ 

[119:25]  ¹ tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[119:25]  ² tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”

[119:26]  ³ tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”

[119:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”

[119:27]  ⁶ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:27]  ⁷ tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).

[119:28]  ⁷ tn Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף (dalaf) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp, “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 44, 144.

[119:28]  ⁸ tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”

[119:29]  ⁹ tn The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30.

[119:29]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5, where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)

[119:30]  ¹¹ tn BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8).

[119:31]  ¹³ tn Or “cling to.”

[119:32]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.