Studies in Psalm 119:25-32
DALETH - Gleanings from Historical
CommentariesCollectedby
Jack Kettler
Introductory observations
from The
Treasury of David
“Here, it seems to me, we
have the Psalmist in trouble bewailing the
bondage to earthly things in which he finds
his mind to be held. His soul cleaves to the
dust, melts for heaviness, and cries for
enlargement from its spiritual prison. In
these verses we shall see the influence of the
divine word upon a heart which laments its
downward tendencies, and is filled with
mourning because of its deadening
surroundings. The word of the Lord evidently
arouses prayer (Psalm 119:25-29), confirms
choice (Psalm 119:30), and inspires renewed
resolve (Psalm 119:32): it is in all
tribulation whether of body or mind the surest
source of help.
This portion has D for its
alphabetical letter: it sings of Depression,
in the spirit of Devotion, Determination, and
Dependence.” (1)
25 My soul cleaveth unto the
dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
Matthew
Poole's Commentary on this verse
is brief yet beneficial:
“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
Psalm 22:15.
Quicken thou me; preserve my
life, or revive me and raise me out of the
dust by thy almighty power.
According to thy word,
according to thy promise.” (2)
The Psalmist prays for God to
“quicken,” revive, or make me live “according
to thy word.” According to thy word is because
God remembers His Word of promise. See Psalm
105:42.
26 I have declared my ways,
and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
Make me to understand, or
teach me thy statutes asks the Psalmist in
this passage.
John Gill's
Exposition of the Entire Bible unpacks this
passage for us:
“I have declared my ways...
That is, to the Lord; either the ways he had
chose and desired to walk in, and not wander
from, and therefore entreated help and
assistance, guidance and direction, in them;
or his sinful ways and actions, which he
acknowledged and confessed, lamented and
bewailed, and entreated the forgiveness of; or
all his counsels and cares, his affairs and
business, in which he was concerned, and which
he declared and committed to the Lord, to be
directed and assisted in; or all his wants and
necessities, which he spread before him at the
throne of grace; which he did not as though
the Lord was ignorant of these things, but
partly as knowing it was the will of God that
he should be inquired of by his people, to do
the things for them they want; and partly to
ease his own mind, and encourage his faith and
hope in the Lord; and thou heardest me: and
directed him in the way he should go, and what
he should do; forgave him his sins, and
supplied his wants; teach me thy statutes;
which he desired to learn and obey, in
gratitude for being heard and answered by him;
See Gill on Psalm 119:12.”(3)
27 Make me to understand the
way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy
wondrous works.
The Pulpit
Commentary ties together Verse 27
with the previous verse 26:
“Verse 27. - Make me to
understand the way of thy precepts. Exegetical
of the last clause of ver. 26. What the
psalmist longs for is to have a perfect
knowledge of God's Law in all its breadth
(ver. 96) and depth (Psalm 92:5) and fullness.
So shall I talk of thy wondrous works; rather,
so will I muse upon thy marvels (so Kay,
Cheyne, and the Revised Version). The
“marvels” spoken of are “the wondrous things
of God's Law” (ver. 18).” (4)
Note, “talk” from Strong’s
7878 שִׂיחַsiach:
commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse,
pray, speak, talk, with. In Psalm 119:15 siach
is translated meditate.
28 My soul melteth for
heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto
thy word.
Ellicott's
Commentary for English Readers provides a
unique understanding to this passage:
“(28) Melteth—The Hebrew word
is used in Ecclesiastes 10:18 of a dripping
roof of a house; in Job 16:20 of weeping. The
LXX. And Vulg. have “slumbered,” which suits
far better with the next clause, which is
literally, make me rise up. Symmachus has
‘distils.’” (5)
Note: The Psalmist knows the
solution to his soul’s melting or travail
found in God’s Word,“according
to thy word.”
Cross-References for verse
28: 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 20:2; Psalm 22:14;
Psalm 107:26; Psalm 119:29
29 Remove from me the way of
lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
Your or Thy law
וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ (wə·ṯō·w·rā·ṯə·ḵā)
Strong's Hebrew 8451: 1) law,
direction, instruction 1a) instruction,
direction (human or divine) 1a1) body of
prophetic teaching 1a2) instruction in
Messianic age 1a3) body of priestly direction
or instruction 1a4) body of legal directives
1b) law 1b1) law of the burnt offering 1b2) of
special law, codes of law 1c) custom, manner
1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
Barnes' Notes
on the Bible illuminate the
need for grace:
“Remove from me - Take it
from me; cause it to depart; let me not be
under its influence or power.
The way of lying - Every
false, deceitful, hypocritical way. We are not
to suppose that the psalmist was addicted to
lying, but that he felt he was, like all
people, in danger of acting from false views,
from wrong motives, or under the influence of
delusion and deceit. It is a prayer that he
might always be sincere and truthful. No man
who knows his own heart can doubt the
propriety of this prayer. On nothing does a
man need more to examine himself; in nothing
does he more need the grace of God, than that
he may be sincere.
And grant me thy law
graciously - The knowledge of thy law; grace
to obey thy law. The single word rendered
“grant graciously” is a word, which implies
the idea of mercy or favor. It was not a
thing, which he claimed as a right; it was
that for which he was dependent on the mercy
of God.” (6)
Cross-References for verse
29: Exodus 23:7; Psalm 119:28; Psalm 119:30
30 I have chosen the way of
truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
The Pulpit
Commentary expounds the need to be
continuous in our seeking fidelity to God’s
Word:
“Verse 30. - I have chosen
the way of truth. The converse of “the way of
lying” (ver. 29), the path of true religion,
of faithfulness and steadfastness to God. Thy
judgments have I laid before me. Thy
commandments have I set before my eyes as
rules to be observed constantly.” (7)
Note on the Psalmist’s
personal actions: I laid or I have set
שִׁוִּֽיתִי׃ (šiw·wî·ṯî)
Verb - Piel
- Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 7737: 1) to
agree with, be or become like, level, resemble
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be like 1a2) equivalent (participle)
1a3) to set, place 1a4) setting (participle)
1b) (Piel)
to level, smooth, still 1c) (Hiphil)
to make like 1d) (Nithpael)
to be alike 2) (Piel)
to set, place
Cross-References for verse
30: 2 Samuel 22:23; Psalm 18:22; Psalm 119:29;
Psalm 119:31
31 I have stuck unto thy
testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.
The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Bible Commentary conveys the intent of
Psalmist’s prayer:
“28-32. In order to adhere to
His word, we must seek deliverance from
temptations to sin as well as from
despondency.
Enlarge—or, “expand”
My heart—with gracious
affections.” (8)
Note on who the Psalmist is
addressing: O LORD;
יְ֝הוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine
singular
Strong's Hebrew 3069: 1)
Jehovah-used primarily in the combination
'Lord Jehovah' 1a) equal to H03068 but pointed
with the vowels of H0430
Cross-References for verse
31: Deuteronomy 11:22; Psalm 119:30
32 I will run the way of thy
commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my
heart.
The New International Version
translates the passage: “I run in the path of
your commands, for you have broadened my
understanding.”
Keil and
Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old
Testament while somewhat technical, is
edifying:
“The eightfold Daleth. He is
in deep trouble, and prays for consolation and
strengthening by means of God's word, to which
he resigns himself. His soul is fixed to the
dust (Psalm 44:26) in connection with such
non-recognition and proscription, and is
incapable of raising itself. In Psalm 119:25,
he implores new strength and spirits (חיּה
as in Psalm 71:20; Psalm 85:7) from God, in
conformity with and by reason of His word. He
has rehearsed his walk in every detail to God,
and has not been left without an answer, which
has assured him of His good pleasure: may He
then be pleased to advance him ever further
and further in the understanding of His word,
in order that, though men are against him, he
may nevertheless have God on his side, Psalm
119:26-27. The complaint and request expressed
in Psalm 119:25 are renewed in Psalm 119:28. דּלף
refers to the soul, which is as it were
melting away in the trickling down of tears; קיּם
is a Piel
of Aramaic formation belonging to the later
language. In Psalm 119:29-30 the way of lies
or of treachery, and the way of faithfulness
or of perseverance in the truth, stand in
opposition to one another. חנן
is construed with a double accusative,
inasmuch as תּורה
has not the rigid notion of a fixed teaching,
but of living empirical instruction. שׁוּה
(short for שׁוה לנגד, Psalm 16:8) signifies
to put or set, viz., as a norma normans that
stands before one's eyes. He cleaves to the
testimonies of God; may Jahve not disappoint
the hope which to him springs up out of them,
according to the promise, Psalm 119:31. He
runs, i.e., walks vigorously and cheerfully,
in the way of God's commandments, for He has
widened his heart, by granting and preserving
to the persecuted one the joyfulness of
confession and the confidence of hope.” (9)
In closing this section,
with a good summary from Matthew
Henry's Concise Commentary:
“119:25-32 While the souls of
the children of this world cleave to the earth
as their portion, the children of light are
greatly burdened, because of the remains of
carnal affections in their hearts. It is
unspeakable comfort to a gracious soul, to
think with what tenderness all its complaints
are received by a gracious God. We can talk of
the wonders of redeeming love, when we
understand the way of God's precepts, and walk
in that way. The penitent melts in sorrow for
sin: even the patient spirit may melt in the
sense of affliction, it is then its interest
to pour out its soul before God. The way of
lying means all false ways by which men
deceive themselves and others, or are deceived
by Satan and his instruments. Those who know
and love the law of the Lord, desire to know
it more, and love it better. The way of
serious godliness is the way of truth; the
only true way to happiness: we must always
have actual regard to it. Those who stick to
the word of God, may in faith expect and pray
for acceptance with God. Lord, never leave me
to do that by which I shall shame myself, and
do not thou reject my services. Those that are
going to heaven, should still press forward.
God, by his Spirit, enlarges the hearts of his
people when he gives them wisdom. The believer
prays to be set free from sin.” (10)
Notes on Psalm 119:25-32
Daleth:
C. H. Spurgeon,
The
Treasury of David, Vol. II,
(Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas Nelson), p.
189.
Matthew Poole's
Commentary
on the Holy Bible, vol. 2, (Peabody,
Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)
p. 184.
John Gill, Exposition
of the Old and New Testaments, Psalms,
9 Volumes, (Grace Works, Multi-Media Labs),
2011, p. 1382.
H. D. M. Spence
and Joseph S. Exell, The
Pulpit Commentary, Psalms, vol. 8.
(Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans Publishing
Company reprint 1978), p. 104.
Charles John
Ellicott, Bible Commentary for English
Readers, Psalms, Vol.4, (London,
England, Cassell and Company), p. 262.
6.Albert Barnes, THE AGES DIGITAL
LIBRARYCOMMENTARY, Barnes’
Notes on the Bible, Psalms, Vol. 5
p.1804.H. D. M. Spence and Joseph S.
Exell,
7.The Pulpit
Commentary, Psalms, Vol. 8. (Grand
Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans Publishing Company
reprint 1978), p. 105.
8.Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary
on the Whole Bible, (Grand Rapids,
Michigan, Zondervan, 1977) p. 450.
9.Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary
on the Old Testament, Psalms, vol. 5,
(Grand Rapids, Michigan, William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, Reprinted 1985), p.
247-248.
10.Matthew Henry, Concise
Commentary, Psalms, (Nashville,
Tennessee, Thomas Nelson), p. 957.
Mr. Kettler has previously
published articles in the Chalcedon Report
and Contra Mundum. He and his wife
Marea attend the Westminster, CO, RPCNA
Church. Mr. Kettler is the author of the book
defending the Reformed Faith against attacks,
titled: The Religion That Started in a
Hat. Available at:
www.TheReligionThatStartedInAHat.com