Ps. 119:0 THE ARGUMENT The author of this Psalm was David; which I know none that deny, and of which there is no just reason to doubt. The scope and design of it is manifest, to commend the serious and diligent study, and the stedfast belief and the constant practice of God’s word, as incomparably…

The undefiled; or, the perfect or sincere, as this word properly and most frequently signifies; such whose hearts and course of life agree with their profession. In the way; either, 1. In their way or course of life, which in Scripture is oft called a man’s way; or, 2.

That keep, in mind and heart, that carefully and diligently observe, his testimonies; his precepts. For the reason of this and the other titles of God’s word, see the argument or preface to this Psalm. That seek him, to wit, the Lord, expressed Ps.

Do no iniquity; or, are not workers of iniquity, i.e. do not knowingly, and resolvedly, and industriously, and customarily continue in sinful courses. So this phrase is understood Job 31:3, Job 34:8, Ps. 5:5, Ps. 6:8, Ps. 125:5, Prov.

Nor is it strange that thy people do so exactly and diligently observe and practise thy precepts, because they are commanded so to do by thee their sovereign Lord.

My desires answer thy commands. Directed, or established, to wit, by thy grace and Holy Spirit; for the direction of God’s word he had already.

Then shall I not be ashamed; either of my actions, or of my profession of religion, or of my hope and confidence in thy favour. When sinners shall be ashamed both here, Rom. 6:21, and hereafter, Dan.

Praise thee, i.e. worship thee; one eminent duty of God’s worship being put for all, as is frequent in Scripture. With uprightness of heart; or, with a right mind or heart; in a right manner, so as may be acceptable to thee, and beneficial to myself.

I will keep thy statutes; it is my full purpose to do so, whatsoever it cost me. Forsake me not utterly; not totally and finally; for then I shall fall into the foulest sins and greatest mischief.

BETH Young man; or, any man. But he names the young man, because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience, heady and wilful, and impatient of admonition, full of violent passions and strong lusts, and exposed to many and great temptations.

Deny me not thy grace and assistance, which I have so sincerely and earnestly desired, and laboured to obtain. Let me not wander, Heb. do not make me to wander, to wit, by leading me into temptation, by withdrawing thy grace, which is necessary to keep me from wandering.

I have not contented myself with bare hearing or reading thy word, but have received it in the love of it, have diligently pondered it, and laid it up in my mind and memory like a choice treasure, to be ready upon all occasions, to counsel, or comfort, or quicken, or caution me, as need requires;…

Blessed art thou; thou art infinitely blessed, and most worthy of all blessing and praise, and therefore do thou bless me in teaching me, as it follows. Or, Blessed be thou. I bless and praise thee for that great blessing of thy word, Ps. 119:11.

If thou wilt teach me, I will teach others, as I have already done; and so thou shalt have glory, and others benefit by it.

In the way of thy testimonies; in the study and practice of them.

I will diligently and seriously consider the nature, and design, and extent of thy precepts, and especially so far as they concern my own duty. Have respect unto thy ways; or, look unto them, as workmen constantly and carefully look to their rule to guide themselves by it.

GIMEL Deal bountifully; I plead no merit, but only thy free grace and rich mercy. That I may live; safely and comfortably, in spite of all the attempts of mine enemies to take away my life.

Open thou mine eyes; enlighten my mind by the light of thy Holy Spirit, and dispel all ignorance and error. Wondrous things out of thy law; those great and marvellous depths of Divine wisdom and goodness, and those profound mysteries of Christ and of God’s grace to mankind, and of that future and…

Stranger, or sojourner. I am not here as in my home, but as a pilgrim travelling homeward in a strange land; which calls for thy pity and help. That law of nature, which thou hast planted in all men’s minds, teacheth them to show humanity to strangers, and to direct travellers; much more may this…

Breaketh; fainteth, as it frequently doth, when a thing vehemently desired is denied or delayed. Compare Prov. 13:12. Unto thy judgments; to a more sound knowledge and serious practice of them.

Hast rebuked, or dost rebuke, i.e. severely punish and destroy. And therefore I justly long for thy judgments, as for the love which I have to them, so for fear of those terrible judgments which thou sendest upon the despisers of them.

Reproach, which I suffer unjustly and for thy sake, as he elsewhere complains. I have kept thy testimonies, and therefore I am innocent from those crimes for which they censure and reproach me.

Did sit and speak; did speak against me continually, (for sitting notes continuance,) and when they sat upon their seats of judicature, and when they sat together in companies, entertaining one another with discourses.

My delight; my chief comfort under all their censures and persecutions. My counsellors, to teach me how to carry myself under them.

DALETH My soul cleaveth unto the dust; I am in evident danger of present death, through the rage and power of mine enemies; I am like one laid in the grave, without all hopes of recovery. So this phrase is used Ps. 22:15.

My ways; my sins, in way of confession; and all my cares, and fears, and troubles, and concerns, in way of humble petition to thee, as appears from God’s answer.

Make me to understand, more thoroughly and more practically, the way of thy precepts; either, 1. The full mind and meaning of thy precepts, which are exceeding broad, as he saith afterwards; or, 2.

Melteth, like wax before the fire; it hath no strength nor consistency left in it, but consumeth or pineth away. For heaviness; through grief, partly for my extreme danger and misery; and principally for my sins, and thy wrath and terrors following upon them.

The way of lying; or, of falsehood; either, 1. The practice of lying, and dissembling, and cheating, which is so rife in Saul’s court, and in the courts of most princes; but, Lord, let it not be so in my courts. Or rather, 2.

I have chosen the way of truth, to wit, thy word or law, for my portion, and the rule of my worship and whole life. Laid before me; or, set before me, as the phrase is fully expressed, Ps. 16:8, as a delightful object, or as a mark to aim at, or as a rule to direct me.

I have stuck unto thy testimonies; I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts, in spite of all temptations, reproaches, persecutions, and discouragements, to which I was exposed in and for so doing. Put me not to shame; either, 1.

I will run the way of thy commandments, I will obey thy precepts with all readiness, fervency, and diligence, when thou shalt enlarge my heart: either, 1. When thou shalt bring me out of my present straits or distresses. This in deed is called enlarging, as Ps. 4:1, Ps.

HE Or, that I may keep it, &c. That I may persevere; for apostacy proceeds from the want of a good understanding.

Make me to go, by directing my mind into the right way, by inclining my will, and strengthening my resolution. For therein do I delight: forsake not him who delighteth in the: and in thy service; and as thou hast wrought in me to will work in me also to do.

Unto thy testimonies; to the love and practice of them. Not to covetousness; not to the inordinate love and desire of riches: which particular lust he mentions, partly, be cause this lust is most spreading and universal, and there is scarce any man who doth not desire riches either for the love of…

Vanity; the vain things and lusts of this present evil world, such as riches, honours, pleasures; from beholding them, to wit, with admiration and inordinate affection; for such a sight of the eyes doth usually affect the heart, and stir up men’s lusts and passions; of which see Num.

Confirm and perform thy promises, as concerning the kingdom, so also for the giving of gracious assistances, directions and comforts to those that fear thee, of which number I am one.

Turn away my reproach; either, 1. For the shameful disappointment of my hopes and confident boastings concerning the truth and certainty of thy promises; or, 2. For my manifold failings, and particularly for that shameful matter about Uriah and Bathsheba; or, 3.

After thy precepts; after a more solid knowledge and constant performance of thy precepts. Quicken me; do thou preserve and maintain both my natural and spiritual life. In thy righteousness; according to thy justice or faithfulness, which obligeth thee to make good thy promises.

VAU Let promised mercies be performed to me.

That reproacheth me; that chargeth me with folly for my piety and trust in thy promises. For I trust in thy word; or, because I trust, &c. This was the matter of their reproach.

Do not deal so with me, that I shall be altogether ashamed to mention thy word, which I have so often affirmed to be a word of truth and infallible certainty, of which I have often made my boast.

So shall I be obliged and encouraged to the constant and perpetual study and observation of thy laws.

I will walk at liberty; or, I shall walk at large, as it is in the margin; I shall be delivered from all my present straits, both of the outward and inward man, and enjoy great freedom and comfort in thy ways.

Before kings; who commonly entertain all godly discourses with scorn and contempt.

Whereas other princes place their delight in the glories and vanities of this world, and the study and practice of religion is generally irksome and loathsome to them, thy law shall be my chief delight and recreation.

Lift up; to lay hold upon them, to receive and embrace thy precepts and promises by faith and love, and cheerfully and vigorously to put them in practice; for as the hanging down of the hands is a gesture of sloth and listlessness, as 2 Chron.

ZAIN The word; thy promises. Caused me to hope, by thy command requiring it of me, and by thy grace working it in me.

This, to wit, thy word, as is evident both from the foregoing and following words. Hath quickened me; hath preserved my life in manifold dangers, and hath revived and cheered my spirit.

Greatly in derision, for my godliness and trust in thy word, as the following words imply.

Thy judgments of old; thy former and ancient dispensations to the children of men in punishing the ungodly, and protecting and delivering thy faithful servants, whose experience is my encouragement.

Horror; a mixed passion made up of indignation at their persons as sinful, and abhorrency of their sins, and dread and sorrow at the consideration of the judgments of God coming upon them.

My songs; the matter of my songs, my delight and recreation. In the house of my pilgrimage; either, 1. In this present world, which I do not own for my home, wherein I am a stranger and pilgrim, as all my fathers were, Ps. 39:12, Gen. 47:9. Or, 2.

Thy name; thy holy nature and attributes, thy blessed word, and thy wonderful works; all which come under the title of God’s name. In the night, when darkness causeth fear in others, I took pleasure in remembering thee; and when others abandon all business, and wholly give themselves up to rest and…

This I had, this comfortable and profitable remembrance and contemplation of thy name and statutes, of which he spoke Ps. 119:54–55, because I kept thy precepts; which if I had wilfully and wickedly broken, the remembrance of these things would have been sad and frightful to me, as now it is…

CHETH Whereas other men place their portion and happiness in worldly things, I have chosen thee for my portion and chief treasure, as he said, Ps. 16:5, Ps. 73:26, and thou hast an all-sufficient and an excellent portion for me.

Thy favour; thy gracious presence and merciful assistance, as it follows.

I seriously considered both my former counsels and courses, that I might be humbled for my past errors, and might now amend them, and my duty in all my future actions. And finding that my feet had too often swerved from thy rule, I turned them to it.

Being fully convinced of the necessity and excellency of obedience, I presently resolved upon it, and immediately put it in execution.

Robbed me; or, made a prey of me; done me many injuries for my respect to thy law.

I will rise out of my bed to praise thee in a solemn manner; not being contented with those short ejaculations which he might have used lying in his bed. Thy righteous judgments, i.e. laws, which are so useful to direct and comfort me.

Not excepting the poorest and meanest, whose society other princes disdain.

Thou dost satisfy the just desires and necessities of all men and all creatures with the fruits of thy goodness. The generality of other men chiefly desire the blessings of this life; but, Lord, give me thy spiritual blessings, the saving knowledge, love, and practice of thy law.

Good judgment; whereby I may rightly discern between truth and falsehood, good and evil, between the mind of God and my own or others’ inventions; that so I may be kept from those mistakes and errors in which many are involved, that I may truly judge what thy law requires or permits, and what it…

I went astray, as men generally do in their prosperity. See Deut. 32:15, Ps. 73:4–6;c. Prov. 1:32, Jer. 22:21.

Thou art good; gracious and bountiful in thy nature. And doest good to all men, both good and bad, Matt. 5:45, and in all things, yea, even when thou afflictest. Teach me thy statutes; which is the good that I desire above all things.

Forged a lie; a slander, charging me with hypocrisy towards God, and rebellion against my prince. But I will keep thy precepts; my practice shall confute their calumnies.

Their heart is as fat as grease; the sense is either, 1. They are stupid, and insensible, and past feeling, not affected either with the terrors or comforts of God’s word. So the like phrase is used Isa. 6:10, compared with John 12:40. Or, 2.

Good; necessary, and greatly beneficial. He repeats what in effect he said before, Ps. 119:67, partly to intimate the certainty and importance of this truth, and partly because it is a great paradox to worldly men, who generally esteem afflictions to be evil, yea, the worst of evils.

Not only thy promises, but even thy precepts, which are so unpleasant and hard to ungodly men, to me they are more desirable and more needful and profitable, because they do not only give me abundant satisfaction and comfort in this life, but also they conduct me with safety and delight unto that…

JOD I am thy creature, and therefore obliged to serve and obey thee with all my might; which that I may do aright I beg thy instruction or assistance. Or, thou hast made me once, make me a second time, and renew thy decayed image in me, that I may know and serve thee better; and that as I was made…

Will be glad; partly for my sake, of whose innocency and piety they are convinced, and therefore sympathize with me; and partly for their own sakes, both for the encouragement they have by my example to trust in God, and for the manifold benefits, both spiritual and temporal, which they expect from…

I know by the convictions of my own conscience, and by experience. Thy judgments, i.e. thy corrections, as the next clause explains this. In faithfulness; in pursuance of thy promises, and in order to my good, that by my afflictions thou mightest purge me from those sins which might provoke thy…

Yet in judgment remember mercy, and give me that comfort and assistance in, and that deliverance out of, my troubles which thou hast promised me.

That I may live; that I may be preserved from that violent and untimely death which mine enemies design to bring upon me. For thy law is my delight; I humbly beg and expect thy protection, because I am thy faithful servant.

They dealt perversely with me, Heb. they have perverted me; either by their calumnies, whereby they have put false and perverse constructions upon all my words and actions; or by endeavouring to overthrow and destroy me, or to turn me out of the way of thy precepts.

Turn unto me; either, 1. Turn their eyes to me as a spectacle of God’s wonderful mercy; or rather, 2. Turn their hearts and affections to me, which have been alienated from me, either by the artifices and calumnies of my adversaries, or by my sore and long distresses, which made them prone to think…

Sound, Heb. perfect, or entire, that I may love and obey them sincerely, constantly, and universally. That I be not ashamed, to wit, for my sins, which are the only just causes of shame, and for the disappointment of my hopes following upon them.

CAPH Fainteth, with longing desire, and earnest expectation, and hope deferred, and hitherto disappointed.

Mine eyes fail, with looking hither and thither, and to thee for help.

In the smoke; hung up in a smoking chimney. My natural moisture is dried and burnt up; I am withered, and deformed, and despised, and my case grows worse and worse every day.

The days; either, 1. The days of my life, as the word days is commonly used, Gen. 6:3, Job 7:1, Job 7:6, Ps. 39:5–6. I have but a little while to live in the world, give me some respite before I die, and help me speedily, otherwise it will be too late. Or rather, 2.

Have digged pits for me; have sought to destroy me by deceit and treachery, as well as by violence. Which; either, 1. Which men have no respect to thy law, which forbids such things. Or rather, 2.

Are faithful; they are in themselves most just and true, and they require justice and faithfulness from men, promising many blessings to those that perform it, and severely forbid all fraud and falseness, threatening grievous punishments to those that use it; and such promises and threatenings are…

They had almost consumed me upon earth, as to my present life and all my happiness upon earth; whereby he implies that his immortal soul and eternal happiness in heaven, of which he speaks, Ps. 16:11, Ps. 17:15, and elsewhere, was safe, and out of their reach.

Heb. and I will keep. I will testify my gratitude to thee by my obedience.

LAMED Although many things happen upon earth which seem contrary to thy word, and at which men take occasion to question the truth of thy word, yet in heaven it is sure and certainly true. In heaven; either, 1.

Every age gives fresh proofs of the truth of thy word. The earth abideth in that place and state in which thou didst establish it. See Eccles. 1:4.

They continue; the heaven and the earth last mentioned. According to thine ordinances; as thou hast appointed, and by virtue of thine appointment. All are thy servants; all things are subject to thy power and pleasure, and none can resist thy will or word.

Then; at the very instant; I could not have outlived one stroke of thine afflicting hand.

Revived and cheered me, when my heart was ready to sink and die within me.

I am thine by creation and redemption, and manifold obligations, as also by my own choice and designation. I have devoted myself to thy service, and committed myself to thy care.

As my best comforters, and counsellors, and defenders against all the assaults and designs of mine enemies.

I have seen an end of all perfection; I have observed by my experience that the greatest and most perfect accomplishments and enjoyments in this world, the greatest glory, and riches, and power, and wisdom, are too narrow and shortlived to make men happy.

MEM O how love I thy law! O Lord, thou knowest it, and to thee I appeal herein against all the censures and calumnies of mine enemies to the contrary.

Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies, because by that means I have thy wisdom to guide me, and thy power engaged to protect and save me; which is a more certain and effectual way to obtain my desires and ends than all the policy and craft of mine enemies is to hinder…

Understanding: he speaks not here of notional, but of spiritual, and practical, and experimental knowledge. Than all my teachers; than all or most (for that general word is oft so understood) of those who taught me formerly, or of the public teachers in Saul’s time; which probably were for the…

By which reason he intimates that the practice of religion is the best way to understand it, and that men’s vicious hearts and lives are the greatest hinderances of all true and solid knowledge of it.

Evil way; or, way of evil; which either is evil, or leads to it; sin, and the temptations or occasions of sin. That, I might keep thy word; I did this not for any carnal reasons, as some men abstain from divers sins for their credit or advantage, but out of pure respect to thy word.

To wit, by thy blessed Spirit, illuminating my mind, and working upon my heart, which other teachers cannot do.

The study and obedience of thy words yields me more satisfaction and delight than any worldly men find in their sensual pleasures.

Understanding; true, and useful and powerful knowledge. Therefore; because that discovers to me, as the wickedness, so the folly and mischief of such practices.

NUN To direct me in all my doubts and difficulties, to preserve from sin and misery, both which oft come under the name of darkness, and to comfort me in all my fears and distresses.

I have sworn; obliged myself by serious purpose and solemn vow, or by a formal oath, which was not unusual amongst God’s people, as 2 Chron. 15:15, Neh. 10:29. Will perform it; I do not repent of it, but by God’s grace I will fulfil it.

The free-will offerings of my mouth; either, 1. Those which I have promised with my mouth, though I am not now in a capacity of performing my promises, as being banished from thy house. Or rather, 2.

In my hand; exposed to perpetual and extreme danger, as any precious and frail thing is which a man carrieth openly in his hand, whence it may easily fall or be snatched away by a violent hand. See the same or like phrase, Judg. 12:3, 1 Sam. 19:5, Job 13:14.

I have chosen them for my chief portion, from which I will never part.

As I prayed to thee to incline mine heart to them, above Ps. 119:36, so I did not neglect my duty, but cheerfully complied with the motions of thy Spirit, and yielded up my mind and heart to the study and practice of them.

SAMECH Thoughts -this word signifies thoughts, Job 4:13, Job 20:2, or opinions, 1 Kings 18:21; which being indifferent to good and evil, is here taken in an evil sense, for vain thoughts, as we render it, or for thoughts, or opinions, or devices of men differing from or opposite to God’s law, as…

And therefore will avoid your society and conversation, lest I should be hindered from that which is good, and drawn to sin by your evil counsel or example.

Or, because of my hope, or confidence in thy promises, of the certainty whereof I have oft made my boast before others.

And being freed from those distractions and diversions which my pressing dangers occasion, I will wholly devote myself to the study and practice of thy blessed word.

All their crafty and deceitful devices, by which they design to insnare and ruin me, and other good men, shall deceive them and their own expectations, and bring that destruction upon themselves which they design for others.

Thou puttest away; thou removest them from thy presence, and from the society of thy people, and from the land of the living. Like dross; which, though for a season it be mixed with gold or silver, is not only separated from it as a useless and contemptible thing, but also is utterly consumed by…

The observation of thy terrible judgments against ungodly men, and the conscience of my own infirmity and manifold sins, makes me fear lest thou shouldst punish me also, as thou mightest justly do, if thou shouldst be strict to mark what is amiss in me; or lest I should partake with them in their…

AIN Judgment and justice, i.e. just judgment, as Eccles. 5:8, to wit, towards mine oppressors, whom I have no way injured.

Do thou undertake and plead my cause against all mine enemies, as a surety rescues the poor persecuted debtor from the hands of a severe creditor. For good; for my safety and comfort.

For the performance of thy righteous, or faithful, or merciful word or promise.

Not according to strict justice, nor according to my sins.

It is time; it is high time, or a fit season. To work; to put forth thy power for the vindication of thy own name and cause, and for the restraint and punishment of evildoers.

Partly, because it is one evidence of their excellency, that they are disliked by the vilest of men; partly, out of a just indignation and opposition against my sworn enemies; and partly, because the great and general apostacy of others makes this duty more necessary to prevent their own and other…

Therefore, for the reasons now mentioned, I do not make void all thy precepts, as they did, Ps. 119:126, nor yet am I partial in my approbation of them, as others are, who reject all such as are opposite to their lusts and interests; but I approve all of them without any exception, and that not…

PE Wonderful; in regard of the deep and wonderful mysteries, and most excellent counsels and directions, far exceeding all the rules of the greatest philosophers, and the exceeding great and precious promises of God contained in them.

The entrance of thy words; the very beginnings and rudiments of them; the first discoveries of those sacred mysteries; and much more the depths of them, in which their chief excellency consists.

I thirst after thy precepts, and pursue them eagerly, as it were with open mouth, ready and greedy to receive them. It is a metaphor from one that makes great haste after another, whereby he is forced to pant and to open his mouth for air to refresh himself.

Look thou upon me, to wit, favourably, as the next clause explains it, and as this phrase is commonly used; whereby also he implies that God at present did hide his face and favour from him. As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name; as thou hast done in all former ages.

Order my steps; by thy grace direct and govern all my motions and actions. In thy word; in the way prescribed in thy word; or, by thy word. Let thy Spirit accompany thy word, and ingraft it within me, so that I may be guided and ruled by it.

As he prayed against the inward impediment of his obedience, Ps. 119:133, so here he prayeth against an external impediment of it, and a common temptation to sin.

Look upon me with a pleased and favourable countenance. Compare Num. 6:25, Prov. 16:15.

Rivers of waters; plentiful and perpetual tears, witnesses of my deep sorrow for God’s dishonour and displeasure, and for the miseries which sinners bring upon themselves and others. They, to wit, the wicked, as before, Ps.

TZADDI Righteous art thou, by thine essence and nature, and therefore it is impossible that thou shouldst be unjust in any of thy laws or providences.

But this verse is otherwise rendered by all the ancient interpreters, and by divers others, and that more agreeably to the order of the words in the Hebrew text, Thou hast commanded righteousness, even thy testimonies (or, the righteousness of thy testimonies; or, thy righteous testimonies, by a…

Hath consumed me; I am tormented and cut to the heart with grief and anger at it. Have forgotten thy words, i.e. despise and disobey them; which in Scripture use is oft called a forgetting of them, as the remembering of them is oft put for loving and practising them.

Very pure; without the least mixture of any falsehood or sin, both which are frequent in the words or precepts of men. Therefore; because of that exact purity and holiness of it, for which very reason ungodly men either despise or hate it.

Small; or, a little one; not for age, but in respect of my condition in the world; mean and obscure.

An everlasting righteousness; constant and unchangeable, the same in all ages and places, and to all persons, of eternal truth and justice, never to be dispensed with, nor to be made void. The truth; nothing but truth; or as true as truth itself.

Outward troubles and anguish of spirit, or great anguish or distress.

I shall be kept from those sins which deserve and bring death.

The dawning of the morning, Heb. the twilight, to wit, of the morning, by comparing Ps. 88:13. And so this word is used 1 Sam. 30:17.

The night watches, Heb. the watches; which were kept only by night. And these watches were then three, as hath been more than once observed. And this is not to be understood of the first watch, which was at the beginning of the night, for the prevention thereof was very easy, and frequent, and…

According to thy word, which is oft called God’s judgment; or, according to thy custom or manner of dealing with me and with others of thy people; as this word is taken above, Ps. 119:132.

They draw nigh, to wit, to me, or against me, as Ps. 27:2; they are at hand, and ready to seize upon me. They are far from thy law; they cast away far from them all thoughts of and respect to thy law, which forbids such wicked practices.

Thou art near to me. Thou art as ready and present to succour me as they are to molest me. Thy commandments; considered with the promises and threatenings, which are frequently annexed to them. Or, the promises, as this word seems to be used, Ps. 111:7, and elsewhere in this Psalm.

Known of old, by my own long experience, ever since I arrived at any knowledge in those matters. That thou hast founded them for ever; that thou hast established them upon sure and everlasting foundations.

And therefore, on the contrary, I trust that thou wilt save me because I do seek them. My wicked enemies shall certainly be destroyed, by which means I shall be delivered.

According to the manner of thy administrations towards thy people, as Ps. 119:149.

Though they tempt me to do so, and persecute me because I will not do it.

I observed and considered their ungodly courses.

I love thy precepts; which was the cause of my grief for their violation of them.

From the beginning; either from the beginning of the world, or ever since thou hast revealed thy mind by thy word to the sons of men; all thy words have been found to be true and certain, and so they will be to the end of the world, as is implied in the next clause.

SCHIN Princes; who had power to do it, and who ought to have used their authority to protect me, whom they knew to be innocent and injured. But my heart standeth in awe of thy word; but I feared thine offence and displeasure more than their wrath.

Lying; or, falsehood; either, 1. In my speech and actions; all hypocrisy and deceit, which is the common practice of mine enemies, and of all godless politicians: or, 2. In doctrine and worship, as this word seems to be used, Ps. 119:29, because both there and here it is opposed to God’s law.

Seven times; many times; that definite number being oft taken indefinitely, as Lev. 26:28, and elsewhere.

Great peace; either outward prosperity and happiness, which God in his law hath expressly promised to good men; or at least inward peace, satisfaction and tranquility of mind, arising from the sense of God’s love to them and watchful care over them in all the concerns of this life and of the next.

Thus performing the condition which thou hast required, I justly and confidently hope for thy mercy promised.

I have not only obeyed thy commands, which a hypocrite may sometimes and in part do for worldly ends, but I have done it with my very soul, and from a hearty love to them.

For, or because, all my ways are before thee. This is added either, 1. As the reason or motive of his obedience, which was the consideration of God’s omniscience, and his desire to approve himself and his ways to God; or, 2. As a proof and evidence of it.

TAU Near before thee; which at present thou seemest to shut out, as the church complained, Lam. 3:8. Understanding; whereby I may both know and perform my duty in all particulars.

Shall speak, Heb. shall pour forth, freely and abundantly, like a fountain. Of thy word; in praise of it, for its righteousness, as it here follows, its truth, and purity, and other excellencies. Thy commandments; even those which to men of corrupted minds seem harsh and unjust.

For my guide and companion, and chief joy and treasure.

For thy salvation; either, 1. For deliverance from my present straits and calamities, that I may serve thee with more freedom, and may glorify thy name in a more solemn and public manner; or, 2.

Either, 1. Thy providential dispensation, whereby thou judgest and rulest the world, punishing the wicked, and protecting and delivering the godly. Or, 2. Thy word or testimonies, as this word most commonly signifies in this Psalm, which are the only ground of my hope in thy help.

I have gone astray like a lost sheep: this is meant either, 1. Of sinful errors. I have too often swerved from the path of thy precepts through mine own infirmity, or the power of temptation. Or, 2. Of penal errors.