Psalm 119 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 119!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Committed

• The largest of the acrostic psalms, Ps 119 consists of sections of eight verses with a line pair in each verse. The first letter of each line pair begins with the thematic letter of that eight-verse section, such that vv. 1-8 begin with the letter aleph, vv. 9-16 begin with the letter beth, etc. For further details and their poetic effect, see the poetic feature From Aleph to Taw.
• The section of vv. 1-8 has been described as a commitment to seek YHWH with a whole heart largely due to the hope expressed in this and the following verse, followed by the firmer commitment in v. 8. Indeed, the macro speech act beginning here is hoping his ways will reflect the happy ones who seek YHWH with a whole heart, with the central emotion of determination.

  

Aleph

• The story triangle reflects the sequence of results following this commitment:

v. 1

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
1a	אַשְׁרֵ֥י תְמִֽימֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ	The happiness of those blameless in their way,
1b	הַֽ֝הֹלְכִ֗ים בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃	of those walking in the teaching of YHWH!

Expanded Paraphrase

Let me put on display the happiness of those blameless in their way, of those walking in the teaching of YHWH, listening to it and obeying it!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are eight significant words relating to YHWH's communication and instruction throughout the psalm, for which, see the poetic feature The Big Eight. Nonetheless, it seems that תּוֹרָה takes a privileged position as mentioned in the first verse, as well as being the most frequent (25 instances). For the denotatum of תּוֹרָה in Ps 119, see the exegetical issue, The Meaning of תּוֹרָה in Ps 119.
• Psalm 119:1 begins with an exclamation concerning the happiness of those whose way is perfect as well as those who walk in the way of YHWH. See Pss 1, 32, 112, and 128 for those likewise beginning with אַשְׁרֵי (lit. “the happiness of”).
• Note, also, the TORAH IS JOURNEY metaphor present in the phrase, those walking in the teaching of YHWH. The metaphor is present throughout the entire psalm, as summarized in the following table:
• Vv. 1-4 contain the first of two instances of the absence of the psalmist as a participant for three or more verses. The second is vv. 89-91, which begins the second half of the psalm. This is a major factor in reflecting the poetic structure, in which v. 89 provides a significant section boundary. Nevertheless, the psalmist’s allies (“the congregation”) have been determined as the addressee from vv. 1-3, since YHWH is in the third person throughout, changing to “You have commanded” only in v. 4:

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
2a	אַ֭שְׁרֵי נֹצְרֵ֥י עֵדֹתָ֗יו	The happiness of those keeping his testimonies!
2b	בְּכָל־לֵ֥ב יִדְרְשֽׁוּהוּ׃	They seek him with a whole heart.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let me put on display the happiness of those keeping his testimonies! They seek him with nothing less than a whole heart and, therefore, find him.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Notice the focus fronting of the adverbial with a whole heart. The psalmist counts himself among the happy ones who seek YHWH in v. 10, individualizing the general characteristic provided in vv. 1-3.

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
3a	אַ֭ף לֹֽא־פָעֲל֣וּ עַוְלָ֑ה	Also, they have not done injustice;
3b	בִּדְרָכָ֥יו הָלָֽכוּ׃	they have walked in his ways.

Expanded Paraphrase

Also, they have not done injustice which would disqualify them from finding YHWH. But rather, they have walked in his ways.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that v. 3 is one of only three verses in the psalm without one of the Big Eight words, as discussed in the poetic feature introduced under v. 1 (see also vv. 90, 122). At least in the case of v. 3 and 90, there is probably a structural motivation behind the absence (being the beginning of the first and second halves of the psalm).
• Although in his ways (בִּדְרָכָ֥יו) could be understood as fronted for replacing focus (that is, rather than carry out injustice as in v. 3a, it's in YHWH's ways that they walk), it is more likely simply the first of many fronted B-lines for poetic binding of the couplet.

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
4a	אַ֭תָּה צִוִּ֥יתָה פִקֻּדֶ֗יךָ	You have commanded your precepts,
4b	לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מְאֹֽד׃	so that people might fully keep them.

Expanded Paraphrase

You, YHWH, have commanded your precepts, so that people, including myself, fully keep them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As noted under v. 1, v. 4 introduces YHWH as the addressee for the remainder of the psalm (with the exception of v. 115).
• There is an agency shift from the main clause into the infinitive clause in this verse, which we interpret as an impersonal construction. In light of the impersonal construction, the infinitive can be rendered with the generic people or with a passive.
• Note that fully (for מְאוֹד) has been borrowed from ganz, völlig ("completely, totally") as a more generic intensifier. More specific nuance, though perhaps not licensed by מְאוֹד, is found in glosses such as diligently (CSB, ESV, KJV, NASB, NJPS), carefully (CEB, NET), or faithfully (GNT, REB). For fully in a modern English translation, see, e.g., the NIV.

v. 5

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
5a	אַ֭חֲלַי יִכֹּ֥נוּ דְרָכָ֗י	I pray that my ways might be committed
5b	לִשְׁמֹ֥ר חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	so that I keep your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

I pray that my ways might be committed like those blameless people so that I keep your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The particle אַחֲלַי only occurs here and in 2 Kgs 5:3. The suggested translation should involve a realistic hope, as our CBC. It is advisable to maintain the optative/wish semantics behind the particle, while being careful to avoid a counterfactual reading as if it were not only not true, but also impossible, in the real world, to fulfill. The latter is typically implied by English translations with a past simple verb following the optative particle and a conditional in the second clause (as the CSB's If only my ways were committed to keeping your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed...). Preferable, then, is modal verb of possibility following the particle and a simple future in the second clause (as the ESV's Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame...).

v. 6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
6a	אָ֥ז לֹא־אֵב֑וֹשׁ	Then I will not be ashamed
6b	בְּ֝הַבִּיטִ֗י אֶל־כָּל־מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	when I consider all of your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

Then I will not be ashamed when I consider all of your commands and see myself fall short.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• See notes on v. 5

v. 7

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
7a	א֭וֹדְךָ בְּיֹ֣שֶׁר לֵבָ֑ב	I will praise you with a sincere heart
7b	בְּ֝לָמְדִ֗י מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	when I learn your righteous rules.

Expanded Paraphrase

But rather, I will praise you with a sincere heart when I learn your righteous rules and do them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The illocution begun in the previous verse continues into the present as stating the result of his ways being committed, viz. he will not be ashamed, but will praise, such that the psalmist is both hopeful that his pursuit of obedience will result in praise with a sincere heart and passionate about the righteous nature of YHWH's rules.
• Here, and throughout the psalm, למד should be understood as the "process by which humans or animals acquire knowledge or skill from an identified or unidentified source, ► which usually results in a specific behavior or skill" (SDBH).

v. 8

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
8a	אֶת־חֻקֶּ֥יךָ אֶשְׁמֹ֑ר	I will keep your purposes.
8b	אַֽל־תַּעַזְבֵ֥נִי עַד־מְאֹֽד׃	Do not forsake me at all!

Expanded Paraphrase

This is my commitment: I will keep your purposes. But do not forsake me at all in this endeavor, or I will fail miserably!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The combination עַד מְאֹד can be used to modify an adjective. In this psalm, however, only sole מְאוֹד functions as such (see vv. 96, 138, 140). Each instance of עַד מְאֹד in this psalm modifies a verb phrase (cf. also vv. 4, 43, 51, 107), so unto greatness i.e., exceedingly, completely (HALOT). Furthermore, it provides a similar ending to the מְאֹֽד found at the half-way point of the section of vv. 1-8:
• Note that the fronting of your purposes (אֶת־חֻקֶּיךָ) simply fulfills the א-acrostic. Nevertheless, it may also be significant that this is the second instance of חֹק in this section, so while אַ֭חֲלַי יִכֹּ֥נוּ דְרָכָ֗י לִשְׁמֹ֥ר חֻקֶּֽיךָ “I pray that my ways might be committed so that I keep your purposes.” was the psalmist's wish in v. 5, the final verse of the section provides the determined resolution to carry it out.

Bet

• The section introduced in this verse (vv. 9-16) provides the second part of the introduction to the psalm, Committed, and affirms the commitment made in the aleph-section.

  

v. 9

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
9a	בַּמֶּ֣ה יְזַכֶּה־נַּ֭עַר אֶת־אָרְח֑וֹ	How will a young man keep his way pure?
9b	לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	By keeping it according to your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

Think about it: How will a young man keep his way pure? Only by keeping it according to your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• These two section aleph and bet are bound semantically and formally in that the generic 3rd person is found both in vv. 1-3 and v. 9, describing those “blameless in their way” and the one keeping his way pure, respectively, such that the young man should be considered as part of the psalmist’s allies, just as in vv. 1-3 (as well as the “simple person” in v. 130), a group to which the psalmist aspires to belong. Some, however, have argued that the psalmist is referring to himself as the “young man,” in light of the similar descriptions of the psalmist throughout the psalm.
• It is possible to read this verse as only the question, though we have preferred to interpret the verse as including both the question and answer.
• The piel זכה could be read as a causative, "to purify," or, as our preference, pluractional, indicating repetition through time, i.e., "to keep pure,” with the modality of ability. Further, although Revell (2004; http://www.pericope.net/Assets/pericope_texts/Pausal_Forms_Revell/PausalTNK.pdf ) reads כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ as a pausal form, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of all of the ancient versions and a large number of Hebrew manuscripts.

v. 10

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
10a	בְּכָל־לִבִּ֥י דְרַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ	I have sought you with all my heart.
10b	אַל־תַּ֝שְׁגֵּ֗נִי מִמִּצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	Do not let me stray from your commands!

Expanded Paraphrase

That's why I have sought you with nothing less than all my heart. But I still need your help, so do not let me stray from your commands!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the comparison between those the psalmist describes as the happy, who seek YHWH “with a whole heart” (v. 2), and the psalmist himself, who now the counts himself among them, see the poetic structure.
• The hiphil of the root שׁגה could be read as causative (“to make stray”), but is more likely tolerative (“let stray”), implying that, if not for YHWH’s hindrance (in force-dynamic terms), the psalmist’s probable tendency could be to stray, such that he is conscientious of his own weakness and neediness, according to our emotional analysis.

v. 11

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
11a	בְּ֭לִבִּי צָפַ֣נְתִּי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	I have treasured your promise in my heart,
11b	לְ֝מַ֗עַן לֹ֣א אֶֽחֱטָא־לָֽךְ׃	so that I might not sin against you.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have treasured your promise in my heart and think about it all the time, so that I might not sin against you.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The use of “heart” (לֶב) is either that of "midst, inner self," that is, in that place unseen by others, so we have a blend of the idea of the heart as an internal organ and the idea of the heart as a locus of thought, such that to do X "in one's heart" is to do X in a place it cannot be seen or heard. The result of this interpretation is that, if in a secret place, it may be that the contents of YHWH's promise can never be taken away from the psalmist. However, most of these examples use prepositions of movement, such as אֶל, not בְּ.
• Note that the malefactive interpretation of the lamed preposition, i.e., dative of "disadvantage" > sin against, is quite rare, though see also Gen 20:6; Exod 10:16; Num 32:23; Deut 1:41, etc.

v. 12

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
12a	בָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה יְהוָ֗ה	You are blessed, YHWH.
12b	לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	Teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

You are blessed, YHWH; I praise you. Teach me your purposes, as I know you will eventually.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The expression blessed are you, YHWH (בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה) became a stereotypical expression (cf. 1 Chr 29:10) from around this time into later Rabbinic literature. The passive adjective :blessed" (בָּרוּךְ) is always followed by YHWH (יְהוָה) in the Psalms, even when the pronoun is absent (see Pss 28:6; 31:22; 41:14; 72:18; 89:53; 106:48; 124:6; 135:21).
• The declaration amounts to a performative action of praise on the part of the psalmist.

v. 13

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
13a	בִּשְׂפָתַ֥י סִפַּ֑רְתִּי	With my lips I have proclaimed
13b	כֹּ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיךָ׃	all the rules that come from your mouth.

Expanded Paraphrase

With my lips I have proclaimed all the rules that come from your mouth.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The construct chain מִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִיךָ is a relationship of product-author/source, hence the our translation “the rules of your mouth” >> the rules that come from your mouth. Furthermore, the body part of “mouth” takes on even more prominence with the inclusio of final פִיךָ with the fronted בִּשְׂפָתַי (with my lips).

v. 14

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
14a	בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ שַׂ֗שְׂתִּי	I rejoice in the way of your testimonies
14b	כְּעַ֣ל כָּל־הֽוֹן׃	as one rejoicing over all wealth!

Expanded Paraphrase

I rejoice in the way of your testimonies as one rejoicing over all wealth!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For over (עַל) as part of a rejoicing (שׂושׂ) verb phrase, see Deut 28:63; 30:9; Isa 62:5; Jer 32:41; Zeph 3:17 (cf. HALOT, DCH and the NIV's as one rejoices in great riches and SG21's dynamic que si je possédais tous les trésors).
• The function of the quantifier all (כֹּל) in the phrase all wealth (כָּל־הוֹן) is inclusive of all differentiable members of this set, in comparable fashion to "thousands of gold and silver pieces" (אַלְפֵ֗י זָהָ֥ב וָכָֽסֶף) in v. 72.

v. 15

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
15a	בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ אָשִׂ֑יחָה	Let me meditate on your precepts
15b	וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃	and let me consider your ways.

Expanded Paraphrase

That's why this is all I want to do: Let me meditate on your precepts and let me consider your ways and think about all you have done.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As part of the psalmist’s affirmation, there is a certain emotion of determination evident in the present verse, indicated clearly by the cohortative verb forms.
• In light of parallels in Book 5 of the Psalms, it may be the YHWH’s precepts here are comparable to, or possibly include, his actions (see Ps 111:7: מַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָ֭דָיו אֱמֶ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים כָּל־פִּקּוּדָֽיו “The deeds of his hands are faithful and just. All his commandments are enduring,).

v. 16

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
16a	בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע	I will delight in your purposes.
16b	לֹ֭א אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃	I will not forget your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let me confirm my commitment: I will delight in your purposes. I will not forget your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

Though not formally indicated by a ה-suffix, as the cohortative verbs of the preceding verse, we have preferred to read the two yiqtol verbs of the current verse, I will delight (אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע) and I will not forget (לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח) as indirect speech acts of commissives, just as in v. 15. Thus, the psalmist concludes his determined affirmation of commitment to obedience. Note that this is also the first instance of a verse containing two of the Big Eight words in the same verse (as discussed in the poetic feature, The Big Eight).

Although Revell (2004) reads דְּבָרֶֽךָ as a pausal form, which would make the noun singular rather than plural, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of all of the ancient versions, 11Q5, and a large number of Hebrew manuscripts. Hence: “your words.”

Discernment when in Danger

Gimel

• Verse 17 begins a new global speech act of plea:

  

v. 17

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
17a	גְּמֹ֖ל עַֽל־עַבְדְּךָ֥ אֶֽחְיֶ֗ה	Deal fairly with your servant, so that I will live
17b	וְאֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה דְבָרֶֽךָ׃	and I will keep your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

Deal fairly with your servant, who trusts you, according to your loyalty, so that I will live and if I am alive I will surely keep your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the MT's גְּמֹל and alternative reading of גְּמֹר is found in the text of 4Q90 and 11Q5, as “avenge for [the benefit of] your servant.” It is contextually understandable and semantically comparable to the preferred deal fairly from גמל, though not followed by any of the ancient or modern translations. For the MT’s reading, the best understanding in context seems to be “deal fairly with.” It must be stressed that the "dealing fairly with" is the result of recompense for integrity, as indicated by all of the ancient versions (apart from the Syr.) and both 4Q90 and 11Q5's גמור, “avenge.”
• Note that this verse contains the first appearance of the term servant (עֶבֶד) in the psalm. A number of interpretations have been offered for such a self-identification on the part of the psalmist. The most relevant contributions to the message of the psalm include the psalmist’s lowly position, on the one hand, but also his covenantal relationship to YHWH, on the other. The term, in combination with the root דבר, also provides a structural inclusio for the gimel stanza.
• The second verb of the verse, I will live (אֶחְיֶה), is introduced asyndetically (without a conjunction). While this is unusual for an interpretation of purpose/result, the semantics of the verse seem to point strongly in this direction, as it is a very common construction throughout the psalm (albeit with the explicit weyiqtol form; see, e.g., vv. 18, 27, 33, 34, etc.). Furthermore, it seems that the same interpretation should be applied to the third verb, “I will keep,” which has explicitly been interpreted as purpose/result.
• Revell (2004) again reads your words (דְבָרֶֽךָ) as a pausal form, which would make the noun singular rather than plural. Nevertheless, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of all of the ancient versions and a large number of Hebrew manuscripts.

v. 18

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
18a	גַּל־עֵינַ֥י וְאַבִּ֑יטָה	Open my eyes, so that I will see
18b	נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	wonderful things from your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Open my eyes, so that I will see wonderful things from your teaching, the same way you have made us remember your wonders on past occasions.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The request to “open my eyes” (גַּל־עֵינַי) entails the following in the context of the psalmist's journey with Torah:
• One interpretation of the “wonderful things” (נִפְלָאוֹת) which makes sense of the entire gimel stanza is that it involves YHWH’s dealings with the psalmist and his adversaries detailed in other surrounding verses:

v. 19

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
19a	גֵּ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י בָאָ֑רֶץ	I am a sojourner in the land.
19b	אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֥ר מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	Do not hide your commands from me.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am a sojourner in the land, traveling the path of your word. So do not hide your commands from me as a sign of your displeasure.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The big question in the following verse is the meaning of sojourner (גֵּר) and therefore the scope of בָאָרֶץ as either a specific “land” or “the earth” in general? Should the land of Israel be in view here? Is the exile in view? Or is this a spiritual disposition in general for the whole planet? Is it an identification with vulnerable groups of people? The other uses of אֶרֶץ in the psalm point to a cosmic reading (vv. 64, 87, 90), though v. 119 seems to present a certain ambiguity, as the current case. The article may also point in this direction, as a particular land has not been activated in the discourse. The advantage of the generic “earth” reading is that it does not requiring a specific setting within which to understand the psalm, for example the exile or post-exile. The meaning of “sojourner on the earth” could therefore be a spiritualization. Nevertheless, in the land has been preferred, in light of the sojourning imagery employed:

v. 20

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
20a	גָּרְסָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֣י לְתַאֲבָ֑ה	My soul is consumed with longing
20b	אֶֽל־מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ בְכָל־עֵֽת׃	for your judgments all the time.

Expanded Paraphrase

My soul is consumed with longing for your judgments– it's all I can think about – all the time.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the first word, is consumed (גָּרְסָה), the sense is dependent on the longing (תַּאֲבָה) for YHWH's judgments. The preposition with (לְ), then, seems to most naturally indicate the stimulus role of the גרס verb phrase.
• The verse concludes with all the time (כָל־עֵת), the first temporal adverb in a series which will become more prevalent from v. 89 onwards (see the poetic feature Always and Forever).

v. 21

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
21a	גָּ֭עַרְתָּ זֵדִ֣ים אֲרוּרִ֑ים	You have rebuked the arrogant people, cursed ones,
21b	הַ֝שֹּׁגִים מִמִּצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	those who abandon your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

You have rebuked the arrogant people, cursed ones, those who abandon your commands rather than longing for them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse introduces the psalmist’s adversaries for the first time. As here, they are typically described by their attitude and reputation, as well as their actions in relation to the psalmist and their actions in relation to YHWH and Torah. Their attitude and reputation involve being arrogant (vv. 21, 51, 69, 78, 85 and 122), cursed (v. 21), wicked (vv. 53, 61, 95, 110, 155), the wicked of the earth (v. 119), and evildoers (in the psalmist's only direct address towards them – v. 115), double-minded (v. 113), adversaries (vv. 139, 157), unfaithful (v. 158), and man(kind) (v. 134) in general. Significantly, they are characterized as "leaders" (vv. 23, 161), probably in contrast to the low social status adopted by the psalmist's perspective of himself (see the notes under v. 17). On one occasion, the result of their actions – distress and affliction – is construed as agentive (v. 143: צַר־וּמָצוֹק מְצָאוּנִי “Distress and affliction have found me”). On their relationship with both YHWH and YHWH’s word, see the following relations diagram:
• The intepretation involving the appositional relationship between the three descriptions of this group has been preferred.
• On those who abandon (הַשֹּׁגִים): while שׁגה is quite consistently "do wrong... unintentionally", both here and in v. 118 we have unique cases of to "do wrong against something (really to wander away from),” in which the verb “has the more general sense of to sin.”

v. 22

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
22a	גֹּל* מֵֽ֭עָלַי חֶרְפָּ֣ה וָב֑וּז*	Take insult and contempt away from me,
22b	כִּ֖י עֵדֹתֶ֣יךָ נָצָֽרְתִּי׃	because I have kept your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

They deserve your rebuke, but I do not. So take insult and contempt away from me, because I have kept your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the MT’s גַּל, we have preferred the revocalization follows 11Q5's roll from גול and as represented in all the ancient versions and modern translations.
• Although this is the only instance in which insult (חֶרְפָּה) and contempt (בּוּז) appear as a pair, they both belong to the contextual domain of human status (SDBH) and are thus unlikely to refer to two completely different concepts, but rather complementary sides of the same social status.

v. 23

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
23a	גַּ֤ם יָֽשְׁב֣וּ שָׂ֭רִים בִּ֣י נִדְבָּ֑רוּ	Also, leaders have been sitting and speaking together against me.
23b	עַ֝בְדְּךָ֗ יָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	Your servant meditates on your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Also, leaders have been sitting in their position of counsel and speaking together against me. Nevertheless, your lowly servant meditates on your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Both גַּם here, also, and in v. 24, "indeed," has been interpreted as a proposition-level discourse particle scoping over their entire respective sentences.
"
• In terms of participant analysis, the “leaders” (שָׂרִים) mentioned here have been understood to belong to the group of the psalmist’s adversaries (see v. 21 above). For the appearance of ""leaders"" (שָׂרִים) elsewhere in the psalm, see v. 161.
"
• Note that the use of בְּ in a דבר verb phrase for the malefactive sense of “against” is extremely rare.
• Since sitting (ישׁב) is understood as conceptually subordinate to speaking (דבר), the compound verb phrase may indicate the continuous aspect of ongoing slander.

v. 24

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
24a	גַּֽם־עֵ֭דֹתֶיךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֗י	Indeed, your testimonies are my delight,
24b	אַנְשֵׁ֥י עֲצָתִֽי׃	my advisers.

Expanded Paraphrase

Indeed, your testimonies are my delight; they act as my advisers, not the leaders, even though that is their job!.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For notes on indeed (גַּם), see v. 23.
• Note that, rather than an appositional relationship between your testimonies (עֵדֹתֶיךָ) and my advisers (אַנְשֵׁי עֲצָתִי; which are not linearly adjacent, in any case), we have preferred a second verbless clause with subject-elision.
• In contrast to the leaders (שָׂרִים) in v. 23, who may be expected to carry out this function of advising, it turns out to be your testimonies that are personified as those carrying out the expected function of my advisers.

Dalet

• Verse 25 begins the global speech act of explanation, with the first half of the stanza (vv. 25-28) providing a mini-lament (see emotional analysis):

  

"
• Once again (see vv. 17, 23 above), the verbal root דבר, here your promise, provides an inclusio, though this time for only the half-stanza (vv. 25-28) and paired with my life/I נַפְשִׁי:

v. 25

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
25a	דָּֽבְקָ֣ה לֶעָפָ֣ר נַפְשִׁ֑י	My life sticks to the dust.
25b	חַ֝יֵּ֗נִי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	Keep me alive according to your promise!

Expanded Paraphrase

My life sticks to the dust and I would be dead without your help. Keep me alive according to your promise to your servants!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the expression of sticking (דבק) to the dust as “almost dying” or “feel like I am dying,” cf. Ps 22:30 and especially the treatment in Ps 22:16, where we have both the root "stick" (דבק) and "dust" (עפר) in the same verse.
• Note that we have preferred according to your promise (כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ) as a singular because Revell (2004) reads it as a pausal form. Only Targum Psalms contains a plural among the ancient versions, though the number of Hebrew manuscripts containing the mater yod is not few. The use of דבר, in any case, indicates that the psalmist had received specific promises of protection (see vv. 49, 76).

v. 26

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
26a	דְּרָכַ֣י סִ֭פַּרְתִּי וַֽתַּעֲנֵ֗נִי	I declared my ways and you answered me.
26b	לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	Teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Previously, I declared my ways, calling for help so that you would pay attention to my circumstances, and you took notice and answered me so that I came through them. Teach me your purposes, because I need to understand that you will do it again.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the meaning of the clause I declared my ways (דְּרָכַי סִפַּרְתִּי), compare with v. 59's חִשַּׁ֥בְתִּי דְרָכָ֑י וָאָשִׁ֥יבָה רַ֝גְלַ֗י אֶל־עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ “I considered my ways and turned my feet to your testimonies”, which is the only other instance of the combination (non-stative) qatal + wayyiqtol in the psalm, beside v. 73 (see the verbal semantics table). Compare also the clearer sense of כָל־דְּרָכַ֣י נֶגְדֶּֽךָ “all of my ways are before you” in v. 168.
"
• For way (דֶּרֶךְ) as general circumstances of suffering (and even accompanying מִשְׁפָט – probably undertood as a “right”), see Isa. 40:27: לָ֤מָּה תֹאמַר֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּתְדַבֵּ֖ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִסְתְּרָ֤ה דַרְכִּי֙ מֵיְהוָ֔ה וּמֵאֱלֹהַ֖י מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י יַעֲבֽוֹר׃ ESV “Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God’”? On the other hand, see the JOURNEY metaphor throughout the psalm, however, which may indicate simply a holistic view of his life(style), both in relation to God's law and to other people
• Although lack of expected reference movement preceding an imperative (i.e., providing the grounds for the following imperative) is the prototype throughout the psalm, the current instance of a qatal verb, I declared (סִפַּרְתִּי), is slightly different in that it is followed by a wayyiqtol, and you answered me (וַתַּעֲנֵנִי). It seems Allen is probably correct, then, to posit that, "The psalmist appeals in v. 26 to an earlier lament that received a divine answer, in hope of another positive response." Thus, the illocution in context is one of reminding YHWH of previous episodes of salvation.

v. 27

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
27a	דֶּֽרֶךְ־פִּקּוּדֶ֥יךָ הֲבִינֵ֑נִי	Give me understanding of the way of your precepts,
27b	וְ֝אָשִׂ֗יחָה בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	so that I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.

Expanded Paraphrase

Give me understanding of the way of your precepts, so that I will meditate on your wonderful deeds, in full trust.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the purpose/result reading of the weyiqtol', so that I will meditate (וְאָשִׂיחָה), see also Symmachus.

v. 28

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
28a	דָּלְפָ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִתּוּגָ֑ה	I weep from grief.
28b	קַ֝יְּמֵ֗נִי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	Lift me up according to your promise.

Expanded Paraphrase

But, for now, I still weep from grief. So please take notice like last time and lift me up according to your promise.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the rare verb weep from grief' (דלף), see also Eccl 10:18 and Job 16:20.
• We take according to your promise (כִּדְבָרֶךָ) to be singular because Revell (2004) reads it as a pausal form, only Targum Psalms and the LXX contain a plural among the ancient versions, though the number of Hebrew manuscripts containing the mater yod is not few. Although the LXX gives slightly more evidence for the plural than in v. 25b, for consistency within the stanza that singular is preferred here also.

v. 29

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
29a	דֶּֽרֶךְ־שֶׁ֭קֶר הָסֵ֣ר מִמֶּ֑נִּי	Remove any disloyal ways from me
29b	וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ חָנֵּֽנִי׃	and be gracious to me with your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Also remove any disloyal ways from me so something like that previous episode does not happen again and be gracious to me with your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In the phrase be gracious to me, the idea of “graciously giving” is possibly in view, as in Gen 33:5: הַיְלָדִ֕ים אֲשֶׁר־חָנַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עַבְדֶּֽךָ ESV “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
• The preferred instrumental nature of your instruction (תוֹרָתְךָ) as an adverbial is transparent in the LXX and Jerome. It seems most plausible that the reception of the law is the gracious action, i.e., “be gracious to me by (means of giving) your law”.
• Although “treachery" is not the most obvious sense of שֶׁקֶר (SDBH), it works well in the sense of general covenant unfaithfulness (≠ faithfulness in v. 30).
• The indefinite construct chains דֶּֽרֶךְ־שֶקֶר and דֶּרֶךְ־אֱמוּנָה in both verses 29 and 30 are nonspecific, so “remove from me a way of disloyalty" >> “remove from me any disloyal ways” and “I have chosen a way of faithfulness” >> “I have chosen a faithful path.”
• While the fronting of disloyal ways (דֶּרֶךְ־שֶׁקֶר) could be read as poetic, as in vv. 26-27, its topical status quickly becomes clear in contrast to the following verse's "a faithful way" (דֶּרֶךְ־אֱמוּנָה), also fronted. The waw, (as uniquely additive in this stanza) and discourse unit (see the discussion of v. 26's wayyiqtol and v. 27's result in verbal semantics) allows for further binding between these two verses, in which "a faithful way" (דֶּרֶךְ־אֱמוּנָה) is confirmed as that which the psalmist has chosen, implicitly rejecting the possibility that he had chosen "disloyal ways" (דֶּרֶךְ־שֶׁקֶר).

v. 30

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
30a	דֶּֽרֶךְ־אֱמוּנָ֥ה בָחָ֑רְתִּי	I have chosen a faithful way.
30b	מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ שִׁוִּֽיתִי׃	I have set your rules before me.

Expanded Paraphrase

Look, I have chosen a faithful way. I have set your rules before me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the contrast with the preceding verse, see the notes there.
• The difficulty in the second clause seems to be the verb I have set (שִׁוִּיתִי) lacking any locative prepositional phrase, which is more commonplace. Hence, we have supplied the expected before me.

v. 31

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
31a	דָּבַ֥קְתִּי בְעֵֽדְוֺתֶ֑יךָ	I cling to your testimonies.
31b	יְ֝הוָ֗ה אַל־תְּבִישֵֽׁנִי׃	YHWH, do not let me be shamed.

Expanded Paraphrase

I cling to your testimonies. What more can I do? YHWH, do not let me be shamed like those who abandon your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Providing a "sticks to/clings" (דבק) inclusio for the dalet-stanza (see also v. 24), “this verse substitutes 'stipulations' in place of God himself."
• Other verses in the psalm make explicit the understanding that avoiding shame comes through right commitment to YHWH’s word (v. 6) and integrity (v. 80).

v. 32

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
32a	דֶּֽרֶךְ־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אָר֑וּץ	I run along the path of your commands,
32b	כִּ֖י תַרְחִ֣יב לִבִּֽי׃	because you broaden my understanding.

Expanded Paraphrase

I run along the path of your commands, because you broaden my understanding; otherwise, I would be off the path.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preferred interpretation of along the path of your commands (דֶּרֶךְ־מִצְוֺתֶיךָ) as a nominal adverb is explicit in the Syr. The lack of an explicit preposition in the MT is probably due to the ד–initial acrostic. The nominal adverb reading also seems to best favour the manner/lifestyle domain of the path metaphor throughout the psalm, best glossed as something similar to DCH's "(by) way (of)" (as the Syr., ESV, NIV, KJV's “in” and the NET's “along”). The image seems to continue the “obedient life as journey” metaphor (cf. Ps 1; 119:1, 3, etc.), though here at a faster pace (cf. vv. 60, 147–148)!
• The continuous aspect of the yiqtol of run (אָרוּץ) has been preferred here over a future reading, as supported by the LXX’s aorist and Syr. perfect.
• The Syr. is the only ancient version to explicitly offer a sense of the expression תַרְחִיב לִבִּי, here translated you broaden my understanding. Rather than a wooden lexeme-for-lexeme, as the others (e.g. "you made my heart spacious" NETS), it opts for the “rejoicing” reading (see the qal in Isa 60:5). However, the “understanding” interpretation has been preferred here (see the DCH, NIV, NJPS, SDBH). Notice the same phraseology in 1 Kgs 5:9, unambiguously in parallel to wisdom: וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים חָכְמָ֧ה לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּתְבוּנָ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְרֹ֣חַב לֵ֔ב כַּח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore.”

He

• Verse 33 begins a new global speech act of petition:

  

v. 33

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
33a	הוֹרֵ֣נִי יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֥רֶךְ חֻקֶּ֗יךָ	Teach me, YHWH, the way of your purposes,
33b	וְאֶצְּרֶ֥נָּה עֵֽקֶב׃	so that I will keep it to the end.

Expanded Paraphrase

Teach me, YHWH, the way of your purposes, so that I will keep it to the end.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that clause-initial vocatives are not possible within the constrains of the acrostic, so second position is the next natural (if not clause-final). Although caused by the acrostic need for a ה-initial line, pragmatically, the vocative could provide extra prominence for the "detached element," indeed, at the beginning of the entire ה–stanza. Thus, the vocative YHWH (יְהוָה) further highlights the importance of the root "teach" ירה in the psalm as a whole (this being only one of two occurrences of the verbal form – see also v. 102). Notice also the chiastic structure of vv. 33-34:

Although the nominal עֵקֶב can indeed mean “reward” (see Ps 19:12), the LXXs' διὰ παντός (“continually") and Targum Psalms' עד גמירא (“to the utmost”) make the adverbial “to the end” reading more likely. Further support for temporal adverb reading is the prevalent thematic position of such, as discussed in the poetic feature, Always and Forever.

v. 34

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
34a	הֲ֭בִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תֽוֹרָתֶ֗ךָ	Give me understanding so that I will keep your teaching
34b	וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכָל־לֵֽב׃	and I will observe it with a whole heart.

Expanded Paraphrase

Give me understanding so that I will keep your teaching and I will observe it with a whole heart.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 35

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
35a	הַ֭דְרִיכֵנִי בִּנְתִ֣יב מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ	Guide me in the path of your commands,
35b	כִּי־ב֥וֹ חָפָֽצְתִּי׃	for I delight in it.

Expanded Paraphrase

Guide me in the path of your commands, for I delight in it.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The most natural reading of the fronting of in it (בוֹ) seems to be as completive focus, that is, under the presupposition the psalmist "delights in" something, that something happens to be the path of your commands. On the other hand, it may simply provide another instance of a verb-final B-line (see note under v. 3).

v. 36

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
36a	הַט־לִ֭בִּי אֶל־עֵדְוֺתֶ֗יךָ	Turn my heart to your testimonies
36b	וְאַ֣ל אֶל־בָּֽצַע׃	and not to unjust gain.

Expanded Paraphrase

Turn my heart to your testimonies and not to unjust gain, which I would be tempted to pursue if I abandoned your way.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The negator, not (אַל), typically occurs with a yiqtol verb as a prohibition. Such an elision here has been understood, in parallel to the positive imperative in the first clause.

v. 37

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
37a	הַעֲבֵ֣ר עֵ֭ינַי מֵרְא֣וֹת שָׁ֑וְא	Turn my eyes away from seeing futile things.
37b	כִּדְבָרְךָ* חַיֵּֽנִי׃*	Keep me alive according to your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

Turn my eyes away from seeing futile things, which do not satisfy anyway, unlike the joy of your word. Keep me alive according to your word of both blessing towards those who keep your word and curse against those who ignore it.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The second half of the ה-stanza is quite clearly demarcated by the chiasm involving the imperative keep me alive.
• Our preferred text follows 11Q5's reading, כדברכה (according to your word), in light of the pattern of keep me alive (חַיֵּנִי) + prepositional phrase throughout the psalm (cf. חַיֵּנִי כִּדְבָרֶךָ “keep me alive according to your word” in vv. 25, 107, כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ חַיֵּנִי “keep me alive according to your justice” in vv. 149, 156 and כְּחַסְדְּךָ חַיֵּנִי “keep me alive according to your loyalty” in vv. 88 and 159). None occur with a בְּ prepositional phrase, as the MT here.

v. 38

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
38a	הָקֵ֣ם לְ֭עַבְדְּךָ אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	Fulfill for your servant your promise,
38b	אֲ֝שֶׁ֗ר לְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃	which is designed for the fear of you.

Expanded Paraphrase

Fulfill for your servant your promise of rejecting the wicked, which is designed for the fear of you.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preferred interpretation, for the fear of you (as the MT) is also read in the NASB and (roughly) the CSB, ESV, NIV, Luther 2017, EÜ, ZÜR, TOB, that is, YHWH's word has, for its purpose, the fear of YHWH.
• The question then arises: is the function of לְ in "for fear of you" (לְיִרְאָתֶךָ) as belonging, re-evaluation, normative, that is, “according to,” or purpose? With the “promise" semantics of אִמְרָה in this verse, purpose seems the most likely.

v. 39

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
39a	הַעֲבֵ֣ר חֶ֭רְפָּתִי אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָגֹ֑רְתִּי	Turn away insults directed towards me, which I fear,
39b	כִּ֖י מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ טוֹבִֽים׃	because your judgments are good.

Expanded Paraphrase

And when you do, also turn away their insults directed towards me, which, if I am honest, I fear, because your judgments are actually good and we can trust that you will put them into effect so that there will be justice in the world.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that this verse seems to be the only verse which indicates that the psalmist fears something which is not YHWH or his word. The emotional result accompanying the request (throughout vv. 38-39) is one of concern for his own reputation and perhaps the repercussions of YHWH not fulfilling his promise (v. 38). The expected result is that YHWH-fearers who see the psalmist’s hope will rejoice (v. 74) and join with him (v. 79), which may not be the case if the present insults damage his reputation beyond repair.

v. 40

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
40a	הִ֭נֵּה תָּאַ֣בְתִּי לְפִקֻּדֶ֑י ךָ	Look, I long for your precepts.
40b	בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃	Keep me alive by your justice.

Expanded Paraphrase

Look, I long for your precepts. So keep me alive by your justice, which carries out these good judgments.

Grammatical Diagram

Waw

• For the clausal relationships of jussive + result (vv. 41-42) // jussive + result (vv. 44-48) see the exegetical issue: The Cohesion of Ps. 119:41-48. At a glance, the grammatical cohesion of the stanza can be seen as follows:

v. 41

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
41a	וִֽיבֹאֻ֣נִי חֲסָדֶ֣ךָ יְהוָ֑ה	Now, let your loyal acts come to me, YHWH;
41b	תְּ֝שֽׁוּעָתְךָ֗ כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃	[let] your salvation [come to me] according to your promise,

Expanded Paraphrase

Now, let your loyal acts come to me in order to deal with me fairly, YHWH; [let] your salvation [come to me] according to your promise of blessing and curse,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that the suffix on a qal בוא can often encode the goal of movement, which would require an oblique constituent in many languages, such as the Greek ἐπʼ ἐμὲ and English “to me.”

v. 42

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
42a	וְאֶֽעֱנֶ֣ה חֹרְפִ֣י דָבָ֑ר	so that I will answer a word to those insulting me,
42b	כִּֽי־בָ֝טַחְתִּי בִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	because I trust in your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will answer a word to those insulting me and will not shrink away in shame, because I trust in your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note the thematic effect of the root a word/words (דבר) in vv, 42-43, providing lexical cohesion within this poetic section. These are two of only three instances in the psalm not suffixed as “your word(s)”:
• Note that, regarding the suffix on the participle those insulting me (חֹרְפִי), “The singular reference to enemies in v 42a is doubtless collective." The LXX and Peshitta contain a plural form in the present verse, and the psalmist’s adversaries are uniformly referred to in the plural throughout the psalm.
• The temporal frame of the because (כִּי) clause is the future, being governed by the result and I will answer (וְאֶֽעֱנֶה) clause, so one could render “I will have trusted in your words.” Nevertheless, our translation maintains the simple English stative, which is clearer and communicates the same effect.
• Although Revell (2004) reads in your words (בִּדְבָרֶךָ) as a pausal form, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of all of the ancient versions (except Jerome) and a large number of Hebrew manuscripts, contra 11Q5, however.

v. 43

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
43a	וְֽאַל־תַּצֵּ֬ל מִפִּ֣י דְבַר־אֱמֶ֣ת עַד־מְאֹ֑ד	And do not take true words out of my mouth at all,
43b	כִּ֖י לְמִשְׁפָּ טֶ֣ךָ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃	– because I hope in your judgments –

Expanded Paraphrase

And do not take true words out of my mouth at all even if I am tempted to resort to lies – because I hope in your judgments and know you will punish falsehood –

Grammatical Diagram

v. 44

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
44a	וְאֶשְׁמְרָ֖ה תוֹרָתְךָ֥ תָמִ֗יד	so that I will keep your teaching always,
44b	לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃	forever and ever,

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will keep your teaching always, forever and ever, always,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For a similar function of temporal adverbials for good closure of a strophe, see also v. 20 and the מֵעוֹלָם of v. 52. However, we do not get another forever לְעוֹלָם until v. 89, the mid-point (and turning point) of the psalm, as discussed in the poetic feature, Always and Forever. (Notice that v. 44 is the half-way point to this transition.) Furthermore, the pair forever and ever (לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד; also found in Exod 15:18; Mic 4:5; Pss 9:6; 10:16; 21:5; 45:7, 18; 52:10; 104:5; 111:8; 145:2 and 21) is a common construction of intensification, which is all the more remarkable, as preceded by always (תָמִיד) in the present verse.

v. 45

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
45a	וְאֶתְהַלְּכָ֥ה בָרְחָבָ֑ה	so that I will live at ease
45b	כִּ֖י פִקֻּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃	– because I care about your precepts –

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will live at ease with a clean conscience and free from oppression – because I care about your precepts –

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For walking around (in the hithpael stem, as here) carefree in the land of the living, see אֶ֭תְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝אַרְצ֗וֹת הַֽחַיִּֽים ESV “I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living” (Ps 116.9). Note that the articular בָרְחָבָה is probably to be understood as a characteristic class, as reflected in its use in the more dynamic expansion: I will walk about in the wide place >> I will live at ease.

v. 46

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
46a	וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה בְ֭עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶ֥גֶד מְלָכִ֗ים	so that I will speak about your testimonies before kings
46b	וְלֹ֣א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃	and I will not be ashamed,

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will speak about your testimonies before kings, who come to learn your ways and walk in your paths and I will not be ashamed,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The kings are only mentioned here, which provides quite a significant event in terms of the summary story of the entire psalm:
• The question arises: should the kings (מְלָכִים) be considered as part of the psalmist's adversaries, or neutrally, as those who will receive the psalmist’s testimony when he is delivered from the current ordeal? While some have considered them to belong to the adversaries, since the שָׂרִים (“leaders”) are unambiguously adversaries (vv. 23, 161) and other contexts of foreign kings in the Psalter (Ps 2:2; 48:5; 68:13, 15; 110:5; 149:8) indicate their status as antagonists, the rebellion of the psalmist's own people are more so in view in this psalm (see v. 139). Furthermore, their neutral position has been preferred since the action of speaking of YHWH's testimonies is not one of antagonism, but rather an invitation to covenant relationship with YHWH (and, by extension, submission to his divine kingship). The adversaries throughout the psalm are aware of YHWH's word, but choose to ignore it (see verses 21, 53, 118, 126, 135, 150, 155 158). Elsewhere in the Psalter, and indeed the Hebrew Bible, we witness an ingathering of kings and nations (Isa 2:1-4; 60:3; Ps 2:10-12; Ps 102:19-23; Ps 148:11 and especially Ps 138:1-5), while such testimony provides the typical "praise among the congregation" turn in the back half of many laments (e.g., Ps 22). Finally, the other contexts of foreign kings in the Psalter (see, e.g., Pss 138:4; 148:11), unambiguously and (as it turns out, quite consistently in Book 5, though see 149:8) describe the kings as welcomed to praise.
• This verse contains quite a rare collocation of piel דבר with בְּ as “about/concerning,” though see also Deut 3:26 (especially the Vulgate's de hac); 6:7; 11:19 and Ezek 33:30's הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים בְּךָ֙.

v. 47

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
47a	וְאֶשְׁתַּֽעֲשַׁ֥ע בְּמִצְוֺתֶ֗יךָ	so that I will delight in your commands,
47b	אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהָֽבְתִּי׃	which I love,

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will delight in your commands, which I love,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note the poetic binding of this and the following verse:
• This and a number of other uses of love (אהב) throughout the psalm (vv. 48, 119, 127, 140, 159, 167) "are the only verses in the Hebrew Bible where any of these synonyms for God’s word are the object of the verb “to love.”"

v. 48

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
48a	וְאֶשָּֽׂא־כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־מִ֭צְוֺתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי	so that I will commit to your commands, which I love,
48b	וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	and I will meditate on your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

so that I will commit to your commands, which I love, and vow to obey them, and I will meditate on your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse has proved controversial both textually and semantically. Notice the linear structure of vv. 47-48 in 11Q5, the earliest manuscript of the psalm organised by poetic lines:
• Such vertical alignment of the two verses, along with the strange expression “I raise my hands towards your commands,” has raised concerns of dittography, with a suggested emendation of וְאֶשָּֽׂא־כַפַּ֗י אֵלֶיךָ וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃, ("I will lift my hands to you and I will rejoice in your purposes.").
• Nevertheless, there is no textual evidence for the emendation in either Hebrew manuscripts or ancient translations, so emendation should not be undertaken lightly. If indeed a textual error, it appeared extremely early in the transmission process. The apparent difficulties introduced by dealing with the Masoretic Text as it stands are far from insurmountable. In Ps 63:5 the “lifting of hands” seems to refer to praise or an oath, while in Ps 141:2 it is in parallel to “prayer.” In Lam 2:19 it is also unmistakably a prayer, while in Lam 3:41 it is a vow or prayer of repentance. Thus, the only way such a collocation could be used in reference to "your commands" (מִצְוֺתֶיךָ) is as a vow to keep them. Under the emended reading, however, it would be a matter of prayer/praise. Nevertheless, since "idioms are partially decomposable," other "hand" nouns and "lifting" verbs can shed light on our case, such as Neh 8:6 (וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֻּ֛ לַיהוָ֖ה אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה). If ever there was a context in which an expression of determined devotion is expressed towards YHWH’s word, it is in the present psalm, noted by scholars as containing numerous cases in which “it is more appropriate to speak of metaphorical metonymy." Ps 119 is not unique in this sense, however. Notice the similar expressions regarding YHWH's word in Ps 97:8 (שָׁמְעָ֬ה וַתִּשְׂמַ֨ח׀ צִיּ֗וֹן וַ֭תָּגֵלְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת יְהוּדָ֑ה לְמַ֖עַן מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃) and Isa 42:21 (יְהוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר׃).
• Note, finally, that the preferred reading (the MT) includes the present verse being only the second instance of a verse with two occurrences of the Big Eight (see the poetic feature), after v. 16. Such an occurrence, however, is supported by the structural contribution of this feature in the last verse of the ב-stanza and the last verse of the ו-stanza, both, indeed, concluding their respective macro speech acts (see the notes under v. 9 and v. 33 above).

Zayin

• The beginning of the ז-stanza marks the beginning of the next macro speech act: explanation.

v. 49

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
49a	זְכֹר־דָּבָ֥ר לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	Remember the promise for your servant
49b	עַ֝֗ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽחַלְתָּֽנִי׃	in which you have caused me to hope.

Expanded Paraphrase

Remember the promise for your servant in which you have caused me to hope, your promise that you discipline me as a son, but will not finish me off.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The beginning of the ז-stanza marks the beginning of the next macro speech act: explanation.
• The word remember (זְכֹר), which begins the ז-stanza, is paired with the verbal root נחם (“comfort”) to create the following binding of the first half of the stanza:

v. 50

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
50a	זֹ֣את נֶחָמָתִ֣י בְעָנְיִ֑י	This is my consolation in my suffering:
50b	כִּ֖י אִמְרָתְךָ֣ חִיָּֽתְנִי׃	that your word has kept me alive.

Expanded Paraphrase

This is my consolation in my suffering: that your word has kept me alive.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• An alternative interpretation takes the that (כִּי) clause as a causal subordinator ("because") (as Targum Psalms, Syr, and possibly the LXX/Jerome). It is difficult to find a satisfactory antecedent for this (זֹאת) in the previous verse, however, so the complementizer reading has been preferred.

v. 51

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
51a	זֵ֭דִים הֱלִיצֻ֣נִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד	Arrogant people have completely derided me.
51b	מִ֝תּֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃	I have not turned from your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Even still, arrogant people have completely derided me. But I have not turned from your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the prepositional phrase עַד מְאֹד as “completely," see Jerome's nimis, while the other ancient versions strictly mimic the MT. BHRG comments on the function of עֵד as "extend[ing] to an extreme dimension," so "greatly." Nevertheless, the negative examples throughout the psalm imply complete negation (vv. 8, 43), not only "great," as does לִשְׁמֹר מְאֹד in v. 4. In light of the hyperbole used on numerous occasions "greatly >> completely" seems appropriate.

v. 52

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
52a	זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶ֖יךָ מֵעוֹלָ֥ם ׀ יְהוָ֗ה	I remember your decisions which are from eternity, YHWH,
52b	וָֽאֶתְנֶחָֽם׃	and I am comforted.

Expanded Paraphrase

Instead, I remember your decisions which are the same from eternity past, YHWH, and I am comforted.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present verse is unique in the psalm as having only one prosodic word in its B-line. Further, it contributes to the poetic feature, Always and Forever, by containing the temporal adverb.
• The preferred diagram has the adverbial from eternity (מֵעוֹלָם) as modifying your decisions (מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ),
• For the sequence of a wayyiqtol with stative semantics (and I am comforted וָאֶתְנֶחָם) following a stative qatal, see the discussion in Joüon-Muraoka §118p.

v. 53

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
53a	זַלְעָפָ֣ה אֲ֭חָזַתְנִי מֵרְשָׁעִ֑ים	Rage has seized me because of wicked people,
53b	עֹ֝זְבֵ֗י תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	those who reject your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

In fact, rage has seized me because of wicked people, those who reject your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present half-stanza finds its cohesion in the alternation between phrases containing “instruction,” and the construction "have become" הָיָה + לִי:
• The rare word זַלְעָפָה in the expression rage has siezed me seems at home in the ANGER IS HEAT metaphor, in light of עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ כְּתַנּ֣וּר נִכְמָ֔רוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב ESV “Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine” in Lam 5:10. Compare the similar expression "zeal has consumed me" (צִמְּתַתְנִי קִנְאָתִי) in v. 139, where the psalmist claims to be destroyed by "strong emotions."

v. 54

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
54a	זְ֭מִרוֹת הָֽיוּ־לִ֥י חֻקֶּ֗יךָ	Your decrees have become my songs
54b	בְּבֵ֣ית מְגוּרָֽי׃	during my sojourning.

Expanded Paraphrase

Your decrees have become my songs during my sojourning, as I seek to obey your word. They bring me joy and I think about them all the time.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the imagery of YHWH’s decrees as the psalmist’s songs, see the following imagery table:
• The construct chain בֵית מְגוּרָי is a relationship of entity – characteristic, i.e., the house of my sojourning >> the house where I sojourn. This is the only instance of בֵּית with מָגוֹר, which is more typically found with אֶרֶץ (which, as a location, is similar to the present case) or יְמֵי “days of'” (i.e., 'the time during which I sojourned'). For justification of the phrasal gloss, during my sojourning cf. the comments by Procházková (2021, 44): "One variant of the journey metaphor in the Bible regards passages that include the theological motif of homelessness and pilgrimage," in light of the TORAH IS JOURNEY metaphor throughout the psalm.

v. 55

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
55a	זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי בַלַּ֣יְלָה שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה	I remember your name in the night, YHWH,
55b	וָֽ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	and I keep your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

I remember your name all the time, even in the night, YHWH, that is, your character and what you have done, and it helps me obey, so I keep your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are a couple of possible interpretations concerning the significance of in the night (בַלַּיְלָה) in this verse. One is very positive, “the time for spiritual devotions by people... Conversely, if night is the time when a person is freed from distracting activity, it can become the occasion for troubling thoughts and emotional turmoil." In light of the B-line and v. 62, the first sense seems most likely here (that is, devotion at all times), such that a primary emotion of the present verse is enthusiasm for YHWH’s instruction.

v. 56

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
56a	זֹ֥את הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֑י	This has become mine:
56b	כִּ֖י פִקֻּדֶ֣יךָ נָצָֽרְתִּי׃	that I have kept your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

This has become mine: that I have kept your precepts. I have nothing else to call mine.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as in v. 50 (discussed above), translations are divided between reading the כִּי in the present verse as either a complementizer (that) or a causal subordinator ("because").The latter is unlikely, however, with lack of a satisfactory antecedent for זֹאת (“this”). Instead, the keeping of YHWH's precepts was the psalmist's “possession,” just as YHWH is his “lot” in v. 57. As well as fulfilling the ז acrostic, the focal nature of the cataphoric זֹאת in זֹאת הָיְתָה־לִּי “this has become mine” is quite uncontentious, with the content arriving in v. 56b (כִּי פִקֻּדֶיךָ נָצָרְתִּי “that I have kept your precepts”).
• The verb הָיְתָה has been preferred as has become instead of “has been.”

Khet

• The mention of my lot (חֶלְקִי) at the beginning of v. 57 sets the tone for the entire ח-stanza, culminating in the mention of הָאָ֗רֶץ in v. 64. Despite the enemies' traps potentially restricting the psalmist's feet (v. 61), he “turns" them to YHWH's testimonies (v. 59). The use of חֲצֽוֹת (v. 62) may also hint at spatial restriction: “half”, or at least the inclusion of both time and space.
• The story of שׁמר throughout the stanza evolves from I commit to (v. 57) to "I rushed to do so" (v. 60), to "I am not the only one" (v. 63). The fact that there are others who "keep your precepts" (שֹׁמְרֵ֗י פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ) is proof that "YHWH, the earth is full of your faithfulness" (חַסְדְּךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֗רֶץ; v. 64) within the frame of texts like Josh 14:5: כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ and in light of the parallels between "Israel," the "house of Aaron," and "fearers of YHWH" in Pss 115:9-11 and 118:2-4. Thus, "the hymn [v. 64a] fittingly concludes the canto as a whole."

v. 57

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
57a	חֶלְקִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אָמַ֗רְתִּי	My lot is YHWH. I commit
57b	לִשְׁמֹ֥ר דְּבָרֶֽיךָ׃	to keeping your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

My lot is nothing else than YHWH rather than territory or possessions, so I can hope in him, so I commit to keeping your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The mention of my lot (חֶלְקִי) at the beginning of v. 57 sets the tone for the entire ח-stanza, culminating in the mention of הָאָרֶץ in v. 64. Despite the enemies' traps potentially restricting the psalmist's feet (v. 61), he “turns" them to YHWH's testimonies (v. 59). The use of חֲצֽוֹת (v. 62) may also hint at spatial restriction: “half”, or at least the inclusion of both time and space.
• The story of שׁמר throughout the stanza evolves from I commit to (v. 57) to "I rushed to do so" (v. 60), to "I am not the only one" (v. 63). The fact that there are others who "keep your precepts" (שֹׁמְרֵי פִּקּוּדֶיךָ) is proof that "YHWH, the earth is full of your faithfulness" (חַסְדְּךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֗רֶץ; v. 64) within the frame of texts like Josh 14:5: כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ESV “The people of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses; they allotted the land,” and in light of the parallels between "Israel," the "house of Aaron," and "fearers of YHWH" in Pss 115:9–11 and 118:2–4. Thus, "the hymn [v. 64a] fittingly concludes the canto as a whole."
• Note that this verse contains the only third person reference of YHWH between v. 4 and v. 115. Nevertheless, we understand YHWH to be the addressee of this verse, just as of the surrounding discourse, since:
  • One clause probably does not constitute a significant change in addressee (whereas a whole verse [v. 115] does). See also v. 126a.
  • "Verse 57a contains a "spiritualized Levitical confession" ... This Levitical confession later is transferred to the mouth of the pious" (Kraus 1989, 417), so may have become a refrain, hence the third person. >> "V 57 repeats an old Levitical formula" (Allen 2002, 188). See a similar idea in the use of נחל in v. 111: נָחַ֣לְתִּי עֵדְוֺתֶ֣יךָ לְעוֹלָ֑ם כִּֽי־שְׂשׂ֖וֹן לִבִּ֣י הֵֽמָּה “I have inherited your testimonies forever, because they are the joy of my heart”. A number of grammatical alternatives take YHWH as a vocative, so consistency in addressee is probably still intended even under our preferred syntax.
  • The preferred interpretation is represented in Gall., TgPss, CSB, CEB, ELB, ESV, NABRE, NET, NIV, JPS 1985.

v. 58

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
58a	חִלִּ֣יתִי פָנֶ֣יךָ בְכָל־לֵ֑ב	I have entreated your favor with a whole heart.
58b	חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃	Be gracious to me according to your promise!

Expanded Paraphrase

I have entreated your favor with a whole heart. So be gracious to me according to your promise!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For construction piel חלה plus פָּנִים (I have entreated your favor), see also Ps 45:14; Job 11:19 and Prov 19:6, all of which refer to an inferior seeking an audience with the face of X, i.e., entering into their presence is to seek their favor.

v. 59

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
59a	חִשַּׁ֥בְתִּי דְרָכָ֑י	I considered my ways
59b	וָאָשִׁ֥יבָה רַ֝גְלַ֗י אֶל־עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃	and turned my feet to your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

After you disciplined me, I considered my ways and immediately turned my feet to your path in order to obey your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the verbal sequence of qatal + wayyiqtol as indicating an anterior event, see the notes under v. 26 above. The illocution of both this and the following verse, therefore, is the psalmist’s explanation of his previous zeal of obedience.

v. 60

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
60a	חַ֭שְׁתִּי וְלֹ֣א הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְתִּי	I hurried and did not delay
60b	לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	in keeping your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

I hurried and did not delay in keeping your commands.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 61

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
61a	חֶבְלֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים עִוְּדֻ֑נִי	The ropes of traps laid by wicked people have surrounded me.
61b	תּֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	I have not forgotten your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Even though the ropes of traps laid by wicked people have surrounded me. Nevertheless, I have not forgotten your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The information packaging of the entire utterance the ropes of traps laid by wicked people have surrounded me (חֶבְלֵ֣י רְשָׁעִ֣ים עִוְּדֻ֑נִי) is quite plausibly construed as thetic. In the B-line, the fronting of your instruction תּֽוֹרָתְךָ is almost certainly functioning to bind the couplet, as in numerous other cases throughout the psalm (see the notes under v. 3).
• The gloss the ropes of traps laid by wicked people is drawn from the sense of the construct chain חֶבְלֵי רְשָׁעִים as a semantic relationship of entity–source.

v. 62

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
62a	חֲצֽוֹת־לַ֗יְלָה אָ֭קוּם לְהוֹד֣וֹת לָ֑ךְ	I get up at midnight to praise you
62b	עַ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	for your just rules.

Expanded Paraphrase

I get up at midnight to praise you for your just rules, because I know you will eventually come through.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the significance of midnight, see the note above under v. 55.

v. 63

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
63a	חָבֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי לְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְרֵא֑וּךָ	I am a friend to all who fear you
63b	וּ֝לְשֹׁמְרֵ֗י פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃	and to those who keep your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am a friend to all who fear you and to those who keep your precepts. I am not alone in this.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The and (waw) links two verbal modifiers describing two habitual actions of the same group of people.

v. 64

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
64a	חַסְדְּךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֗רֶץ	YHWH, the earth is full of your faithfulness.
64b	חֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃	Teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Indeed, YHWH, the earth is full of your faithfulness to those who have trusted in you for salvation. Teach me your purposes. Help me understand them!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The sense of חֶסֶד (faithfulness) is to be differentiated from the other instances throughout the psalm, since “the earth” does not enjoy the same particular covenant relationship and Torah history as “your servant.”

Tet

• Verse 65 not only begins the ט-stanza, but also a new macro speech act of petitioning wisdom and integrity, so that others who fear YHWH will be encouraged and the wicked shamed:
• Furthermore, the root טוב accounts for five of the eight verses of the stanza.

v. 65

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
65a	ט֭וֹב עָשִׂ֣יתָ עִֽם־עַבְדְּךָ֑	You have done good to your servant,
65b	יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	YHWH, according to your promise.

Expanded Paraphrase

I believe that you have done good to your servant, YHWH, according to your promise.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 66

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
66a	ט֤וּב טַ֣עַם וָדַ֣עַת לַמְּדֵ֑נִי	Teach me goodness, that is, discernment and knowledge,
66b	כִּ֖י בְמִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ הֶאֱמָֽנְתִּי׃	because I believe in your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

Teach me goodness, that is, discernment and knowledge to really understand it, because I believe in your commands.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Despite the construct chain טוּב טַעַם וָדַעַת “goodness, that is, discernment and knowledge,” only a number of French versions seems to capture this, with most other modern translations taking טוּב as attributively modifying only טעם (e.g., the ESV's Teach me good judgment and knowledge). The construct chain could be interpreted either as entity–synonym: goodness, that is, discernment and knowledge (cf. all the other instances of the imperative לַמְּדֵנִי in the psalm); entity–result: “goodness (which leads to) discernment and knowledge”; or entity–origin: “goodness (which comes from) discernment and knowledge.” The first option has been preferred.
• Note that "this is the only example in the Hebrew Bible in which commandments (מצות) is the object of belief." In light of the causal כִּי, the idea seems to be that the psalmist believes in the trustworthiness and effectiveness of keeping the commands, since “knowledge” and “discernment” are characterised as “goodness.” Nevertheless, “the idea that Torah includes promises occurs elsewhere in Ps 119."

v. 67

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
67a	טֶ֣רֶם אֶ֭עֱנֶה אֲנִ֣י שֹׁגֵ֑ג	Before I was afflicted, I was going astray,
67b	וְ֝עַתָּ֗ה אִמְרָתְךָ֥ שָׁמָֽרְתִּי׃	but now I have kept your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

This is what happened: Before I was afflicted, I was going astray, but now that you have chastened me, I have kept your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The strategic role of the root ענה, here I was afflicted, begins to accelerate in this verse. Having already appeared as a noun עני “my suffering” in v. 50 – which will show up again in vv. 92 and 153), the verbal form is found in increasingly dramatic circumstances in vv. 71 and 75 (see the notes there).
• Note that before indicates the “going astray” of the main clause was previous to the event of “being afflicted.” The participle found within the main clause is also indicative of “going astray” as an ongoing wayward life.
• For the root, שׁגג, clearly related to שׁגה (see vv. 10, 21, 118), the sense of erring/sinning inadvertently is in view. Applied to the LIFE AS PATH metaphor throughout the psalm, going astray has been preferred. Nevertheless, the innocence of being deceived externally, as in Job 12:16's עִ֭מּוֹ עֹ֣ז וְתֽוּשִׁיָּ֑ה ל֝וֹ֗ שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה (the deceived and the deceiver are his; ESV) is probably not in view here, as the psalmist needed YHWH's discipline (see Story Behind). The plain sense of 'erring' is the prototype also in Rabbinic Hebrew.

v. 68

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
68a	טוֹב־אַתָּ֥ה וּמֵטִ֗יב	You are good and one who does good.
68b	לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	Teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

I know that you are good and one who does good. Teach me your purposes so that I will understand your treatment of me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• One who does good seems to be quite a unique use of the hiphil participle of יטב (although, of course, in other conjugations its sense approaches that found here), with the other five instances as getting tipsy (Judg 19:22), being good at playing an instrument (1 Sam 16:17; Ezek 33:32), and being impressive, in general (Prov 30:29 x2).

v. 69

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
69a	טָפְל֬וּ עָלַ֣י שֶׁ֣קֶר זֵדִ֑ים	Arrogant people have covered me in lies.
69b	אֲ֝נִ֗י בְּכָל־לֵ֤ב ׀ אֱצֹּ֬ר פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃	I keep your precepts with a whole heart.

Expanded Paraphrase

Arrogant people have covered me in lies, since I was afflicted, looking down on me as if my faith was in vain and as if I had not responded to your discipline. But I keep your precepts with nothing less than a whole heart.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Both this verse and the next highlight the contrast between the psalmist and his adversaries:
• The double fronting of I, with a whole heart (אֲ֝נִ֗י בְּכָל־לֵ֤ב; and "I, your instruction is my delight" [אֲ֝נִ֗י תּוֹרָתְךָ֥ שִֽׁעֲשָֽׁעְתִּי] in v. 70) is a classic case of topic + focus. In the first instance, "I" אֲ֝נִ֗י is introduced to contrast the preceding "arrogant people" (זֵדִ֑ים), while the lie (שֶׁ֣קֶר) may involve ulterior motives for the psalmist's obedience, the presupposition of which is corrected by the focal “with a whole heart” (בְּכָל־לֵ֤ב). In the second instance, "I" (אֲ֝נִ֗י) is again contrasted with the antecedent of the suffix in “their heart” (לִבָּ֑ם), while the psalmist confirms (or rejects otherwise false accusations to the contrary) that "your instruction" (תּוֹרָתְךָ֥) is his delight, not whatever the other may appreciate with their insensitive and hardened hearts.
• Our preferred interpretation of the grammar is found in all the major modern translations, Jerome's Hebr. and Targum Psalms.
• The verb "smear/cover" (טפל) is quite rare, only found in Job 13:4 and 14:17 otherwise in the Hebrew Bible. The Akkadian cognate ṭapālu might indicate an early instances of its metaphorical use, presented in the following table:
• We take according to your promise (כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ) to be singular because Revell reads it as a pausal form, only Targum Psalms and the LXX contain a plural among the ancient versions, though the number of Hebrew manuscripts containing the mater yod is not few. Although the LXX gives slightly more evidence for the plural than in v. 25b, for consistency within the stanza that singular is preferred here also.

v. 70

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
70a	טָפַ֣שׁ כַּחֵ֣לֶב לִבָּ֑ם	Their heart is insensitive like animal fat.
70b	אֲ֝נִ֗י תּוֹרָתְךָ֥ שִֽׁעֲשָֽׁעְתִּי׃	I delight in your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Their heart is insensitive like animal fat. In other words, they do not care that they do not obey your word; they do not react when you rebuke them. But as for me, I delight in your teaching and not their approval.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are a number of grammatical, textual and lexical issues with this verse. Nevertheless, Symmachus reads "is fat>>insensitive" (טפשׁ) as ἐμυαλώθη, from μυελόομαι, "be full of marrow" (LSJ), which may simply be a colloquial way of communicating “be fat/plump.” The sense seems to be comparable to hiphil קשׁה the heart (cf. Ps 95:8 אַל־תַּקְשׁ֣וּ לְ֭בַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה and Prov 28:14 וּמַקְשֶׁ֥ה לִ֝בּ֗וֹ יִפּ֥וֹל בְּרָעָֽה) or qal חזק the heart (cf. Exod 9:35 וַֽיֶּחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל, passim). The image of their insensitivity is summarized in the following table:

v. 71

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
71a	טֽוֹב־לִ֥י כִֽי־עֻנֵּ֑יתִי	It was good for me that I was afflicted,
71b	לְ֝מַ֗עַן אֶלְמַ֥ד חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	so that I would learn your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

It was good for me that I was afflicted, so that I would learn your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The ט-stanza concludes with two verses beginning with the phrase good/better for me טוֹב לִי.
• This verse picks up on the afflicted (ענה) theme (see the notes under v. 67). As the MT reads, the verb here is first singular passive, so the agent of the affliction is still not explicit until v. 75. The LXX, however, reads ἐταπείνωσάς με “you afflicted me” here, as does עניתני in 11Q5, giving the clue away a few verses early.
• We also have here one of only two instances of the construction teach me your purposes not as an imperative (as in vv. 12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135), concluded by a yiqtol verb in v. 171, which provides another notable point of progression in a psalm which is very much a static prayer.

v. 72

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
72a	טֽוֹב־לִ֥י תֽוֹרַת־פִּ֑יךָ	The teaching which proceeds from your mouth is better for me
72b	מֵ֝אַלְפֵ֗י זָהָ֥ב וָכָֽסֶף׃	than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Expanded Paraphrase

The teaching which proceeds from your mouth is better for me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. I do not need anything the arrogant could offer me!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As a cardinal numeral modification construction, thousands in מֵאַלְפֵי זָהָב וכָֽסֶף has been understood similarly to quantifiers proper, probably in reference to “pieces” as glossed on the construct dependents זָהָב וָכָסֶף.
• See also the word pair gold and silver in the context of the Exodus in Ps 105:37 (וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב) and idols in Ps 115:4 (עֲֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם) and 135:15 (עֲצַבֵּ֣י הַ֭גּוֹיִם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם).

Yod

v. 73

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
73a	יָדֶ֣יךָ עָ֭שׂוּנִי וַֽיְכוֹנְנ֑וּנִי	Your hands made me and established me.
73b	הֲ֝בִינֵ֗נִי וְאֶלְמְדָ֥ה מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃	Give me understanding so that I learn your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

Your hands made me and established me. I am your loyal subject, so do not abandon me now! Give me understanding so that I learn your commands.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While also initiating the yod–stanza, the fronting of your hand (יָדֶיךָ) also plausibly serves as a topic shift (drawn from the set of body parts already activated by "your face" [פִּיךָ] in v. 72).
• The uncommon collocation of you made and you established may be an allusion to the Song of Moses, speaking of Israel as a whole: ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ (Deut 32:6). More natural is reference to the creation of the earth (בּוֹרֵ֨א הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם ה֣וּא הָאֱ לֹהִ֗ים יֹצֵ֨ר הָאָ֤רֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ֙ ה֣וּא כֽוֹנְנָ֔הּ; Isa. 45.18), or sky (שָׁ֭מֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂ֣י אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ יָרֵ֥חַ וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה; Ps 8:4). Thus, here the psalmist is appealing to and is confident in his relationship to YHWH.

v. 74

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
74a	יְ֭רֵאֶיךָ יִרְא֣וּנִי וְיִשְׂמָ֑חוּ	Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,
74b	כִּ֖י לִדְבָרְךָ֣ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃	because I have hoped in your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

And when I do, those who fear you will see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The introduction of those who fear you as a topic shift (the psalmist's allies have not been mentioned since v. 63) in this verse provides the beginning of a symmetrical structure governing the stanza as a whole (compare also the root ידע in vv. 75, 79 and יְהִי).
• The verbal collocation see (ראה) and rejoice (שׂמח) is also found in 1 Sam 6:13 (the return of the Ark); 2 Sam 19:5 (Saul being pleased with David's victories); Ps 69:33 (the humble rejoicing in the psalmist's salvation); 107:42 (the upright rejoicing at the deliverance of the poor); and Job 22:19 (the righteous rejoicing at the destruction of the wicked). In light of the parallels of rejoicing after the act of deliverance (see, e.g., Ps 69.33 – the humble rejoicing in the psalmist's salvation; 107.42 – the upright rejoicing at the deliverance of the poor; and Job 22.19 – the righteous rejoicing at the destruction of the wicked), the temporal sequence here seems to involve present trusting (“I have trusted”) with the assurance that the psalmist will be delivered and enlightened, so those YHWH fearers around him will have cause for rejoicing after the fact.

v. 75

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
75a	יָדַ֣עְתִּי יְ֭הוָה כִּי־צֶ֣דֶק מִשְׁפָּטֶ֑יךָ	I know, YHWH, that your rules are absolutely just
75b	וֶ֝אֱמוּנָ֗ה עִנִּיתָֽנִי׃	and [that] you afflicted me in faithfulness.

Expanded Paraphrase

I know, YHWH, that your rules are absolutely just and [that] you afflicted me in faithfulness, not out of anger or spite.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• We are finally introduced (according to the MT) to the agent of the psalmist’s affliction in our present verse, after a number of hints (most recently vv. 67 and 71; see the notes there).
• For the intensive equative reading of the nominal predicate in צֶ֣דֶק מִשְׁפָּטֶ֑יךָ (cf. אֱמוּנָה in v. 86), we draw upon GKC §141c: "The employment of a substantive as predicate of a noun-clause is especially frequent, either when no corresponding adjective exists ... or when the attribute is intended to receive a certain emphasis. For in all cases there is a much greater stress upon a substantival predicate, since it represents something as identical with the subject... than upon an adjectival or verbal predicate" (§141c). While the adjectival צַדִּיק is evidently an option, GKC's "emphasis" argument amounts to an intensive focal nature of an equative construction: "Your rules are justice itself" >> "Your commands are absolutely just.”
• In line with Targum Psalms' בקושטא סגפתני ("in truth you have afflicted me" (Stec 2004, 214) i.e., justly, in faithfulness communicates the right action of YHWH in carrying out his disciplinary duties upon his covenant subject when necessary (see story behind for further discussion). Furthermore, while a subordinate B-/C-line would naturally be verb-final, as in most other cases throughout the psalm (see the note under v. 3), the adverbial אֱמוּנָ֗ה is a prime candidate for a corrective focus reading, in that the psalmist's affliction had no other initial cause than YHWH's faithfulness.

v. 76

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
76a	יְהִי־נָ֣א חַסְדְּךָ֣ לְנַחֲמֵ֑נִי	Please let your loyalty comfort me
76b	כְּאִמְרָתְךָ֥ לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃	according to your promise which you gave to your servant.

Expanded Paraphrase

But please let your loyalty keep comforting me according to your promise which you gave to your servant.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This is the first of a couple of instances of jussive יְהִי + infinitival whereby the היה seems to primarily indicate modality (let) and also satisfy the acrostic (here yod, but see also taw in v. 173 – תְּהִֽי־יָדְךָ֥ לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי). Furthermore, this verse begins a sequence of five verse-initial jussive verb forms; five verse-initial jussives are also found in the ת-stanza.

v. 77

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
77a	יְבֹא֣וּנִי רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ וְאֶֽחְיֶ֑ה	Let your merciful acts come to me so that I will live,
77b	כִּי־תֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ שַֽׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃	because your teaching is my delight.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let your merciful acts come to me so that I will live, because your teaching is my delight.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While the relationship from the psalmist to YHWH's word (especially the Big Eight) is unambiguous throughout the psalm (see Participant Analysis), there are a few occasions in which YHWH's word and actions work towards the psalmist. This seems to be what is intended by the בוא phrases in vv. 41 and 77. “To come” then, in these verses, probably means “come to my aid.” speaking both of YHWH's loyal acts, salvation, and, in our present verse, merciful acts.

v. 78

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
78a	כִּי־שֶׁ֣קֶר עִוְּת֑וּנִי	Let arrogant people be ashamed, because with a lie they have caused me to be seen as crooked.
78b	אֲ֝נִ֗י אָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃	I meditate on your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

On the other hand, let arrogant people be ashamed, because with a lie they have caused me to be seen as crooked, as if I was all-talk but did not walk in integrity. I, on the other hand, am focused on one thing: I meditate on your precepts.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present verse introduces the final structural section of the yod-stanza with a contrast involving the verb be ashamed.
• The lexicons understand the verb עות, translated here as they have caused to be seen as crooked. Since perversion of justice seems to be the verb's primary sense, in this context, and accompanied by the nominal adverb שׁקר, the psalmist’s reputation in society is at stake.
• For the clarification of the nominal adverb to unjustly see the ancient versions.

v. 79

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
79a	יָשׁ֣וּבוּ לִ֣י יְרֵאֶ֑יךָ	Let those who fear you turn to me,
79b	וְ֝יֹדְעֵ֗י עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃	and those who know your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let those who fear you turn to me, and those who know your testimonies, since they might be going through something similar.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the sense of those joining the psalmist and his cause, compare the ingathering to David in 1 Sam 22:1-2, also in defiance of the “leaders.”

v. 80

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
80a	יְהִֽי־לִבִּ֣י תָמִ֣ים בְּחֻקֶּ֑יךָ	Let my heart be blameless in regard to your purposes,
80b	לְ֝מַ֗עַן לֹ֣א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃	so that I will not be ashamed.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let my heart be blameless in regard to your purposes, so that I will not be ashamed when I and others who fear you consider my life and obedience, no matter what the arrogant say.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preposition בְּ in the phrase blameless in regard to your purposes (תָמִ֣ים בְּחֻקֶּ֑יךָ) is similar to "figurative contact by means of mental process," though here תָמִ֣ים is an evaluative quality, rather than emotional-cognitive process.

Kaph

• This verse begins the macro speech act of lamenting lamenting his lack of salvation and YHWH's seeming slowness to carry out justice against the psalmist's adversaries.

  

• The כ–stanza has been characterized as “by far the most desperate,” hitting a record low before the poignant transition into the heights of vv. 89-112 (see below). It begins with the repetition of כלה (“waste away, fade”) in the first two verses, which are further bound by the symmetry in post-verbal לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י here and כָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ in v. 82, followed by two instances of the question “Why?”

v. 81

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
81a	כָּלְתָ֣ה לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י	My soul has wasted away for need of your salvation.
81b	לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃	I have hoped in your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

But do it now! My soul has wasted away for need of your salvation, even though I have hoped in your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Regarding the emotions of the second line of this verse we have preferred a positive affirmation (in line with the other instances of this expression throughout the psalm – cf. vv. 43, 49, 74, 114, 147), indicative of a gritting of teeth and adversative relationship to its surrounding clauses. It is distinct from the other instances in that it is found in a context of such clear lament. Another possibility involves reading piel יחל as 'wait', so the psalmist continues to wait (not necessarily as a positive reflection of his faith) until deliverance comes.

v. 82

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
82a	כָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	My eyes have started fading for need of your promise, saying,
82b	לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר מָתַ֥י תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃	"When will you comfort me?"

Expanded Paraphrase

My eyes have started fading in weeping and weariness for need of your promise, saying, "When will you comfort me?"

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While some have understood כלה in the present verse as “my eyes look constantly until they fail” (Rashi; צופים תמיד עד כי כלו), notice the parallel with נַפְשִׁ֑י in the previous verse. The sense is undoubtedly "literally: to be finished; hence, process by which objects are heavily damaged to the extent that they are almost gone" (SDBH), where נַפְשִׁ֑י (v. 81) refers to the psalmist('s life) himself and עֵ֭ינַי (here) represent health and vigor in general. There is a blend from "eyes" into the whole person of the psalmist in the grammar of the present verse, however, with the eyes as the grammatical subject of the main clause, being followed by the infinitive לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר (see also v. 148), which is unambiguously carried out by the psalmist himself.
• We take לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ to be singular because it is singular in all the ancient versions, Revell reads it as a pausal form, there is no mater yod in either 11Q5 and 4Q89 (it is only present in Kennicott 148).

v. 83

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
83a	כִּֽי־הָ֭יִיתִי כְּנֹ֣אד בְּקִיט֑וֹר	because I have become like a leather bottle in smoke.
83b	חֻ֝קֶּ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	I have not forgotten your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

because I have become like a leather bottle in smoke, an unworthy sojourner in need of your discipline, but becoming increasingly brittle and at risk of not making it through this if it does on any longer! Look, I have not forgotten your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

See diagram for v. 82

Notes

• The noun קִיטוֹר, clearly derived from the verbal root קטר (“make a sacrifice,” “go up in smoke”), only appears elsewhere in the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, where it is said that וְהִנֵּ֤ה עָלָה֙ קִיטֹ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ כְּקִיטֹ֖ר הַכִּבְשָֽׁן׃ (Gen 19:28). For the imagery of a leather bottle in smoke, see the following table:
• 11Q5 contains "you have made me" (עשיתני) for the MT’s I have become (הָיִיתִי) and "your loyalty" (חסדכה) in place of the MT's your purposes (חֻקֶּיךָ). The former unambiguously involves YHWH as the ultimate causer of the psalmist’s discipline. Furthermore, the fact that the function of smoke treatment of leather bottles was intentional up to a point, but risky afterwards, seems plausible from Targum Psalm's addition of "a skin bottle that hangs (דתלי) in the smoke."

v. 84

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
84a	כַּמָּ֥ה יְמֵֽי־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	How many are the days of your servant?
84b	מָתַ֬י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בְרֹדְפַ֣י מִשְׁפָּֽט׃	When will you carry out judgment against those persecuting me?

Expanded Paraphrase

How many are the days of your servant? Am I going to have much life left to live after this ordeal? When will you carry out judgment against those persecuting me?

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For כַּמָּ֥ה as 'How much/many' cf. the LXX and Hebr. One possibility of the intended sense may be in line with the psalmist's self-identification as “insignificant and unworthy” (צָעִ֣יר אָנֹכִ֣י וְנִבְזֶ֑ה; v. 141) and his identification with the “young man” (נַּ֭עַר) and “simple people” (פְּתָיִֽים) in vv. 9, 130. (See the participant analysis notes.) Similarly, a request follows the self-identification as a “sojourner” in v. 19 (גֵּ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י בָאָ֑רֶץ אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֥ר מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ). In sum: "I am young and weak (and yes, unworthy), so I have no hope of vindication outside of you.” More likely, however, in light of the surrounding co-text (see the following question, for example), is that the question of "days" is actually "How many are the days [of] my [suffering]?”

v. 85

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
85a	כָּֽרוּ־לִ֣י זֵדִ֣ים שִׁיח֑וֹת	Arrogant people have dug pits for me,
85b	אֲ֝שֶׁ֗ר לֹ֣א כְתוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	which is not [done] according to your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Arrogant people have dug pits for me to catch me by any means possible, just like with their ropes and traps, which is not [done] according to your teaching. Are you going to do something about it?

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Once again, this half-stanza is semantically organized by a contrast between the psalmist’s actions and those of his adversaries.
• For the phrase they have dug pits (כָּרוּ ... שִׁיחוֹת), see the only other occurrence in Jeremiah 18:22: כִּֽי־כָר֤וּ שִׁיחָה לְלָכְדֵ֔נִי (ESV: “For they have dug a pit to take me”).

v. 86

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
86a	כָּל־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה	All of your commands are absolutely trustworthy.
86b	שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃	They have persecuted me without cause. Help me!

Expanded Paraphrase

If all of your commands are absolutely trustworthy, why do they get away with it when they have persecuted me without cause? Help me before it is too late!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For an explanation of the nominal for an adjectival function, see the note under v. 75 above. Here GKC’s (§141c) "emphasis" argument again amounts to an intensive focal nature of an equative construction: "Your commands are faithfulness itself" >> "Your commands are absolutely trustworthy".

v. 87

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
87a	כִּ֭מְעַט כִּלּ֣וּנִי בָאָ֑רֶץ	They have almost finished with me in the land,
87b	וַ֝אֲנִ֗י לֹא־עָזַ֥בְתִּי פִקֻּודֶֽ יךָ׃	but I have not abandoned your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

They have almost finished with me in the land, but I have not abandoned your precepts, since I am holding out hope in your salvation.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The ancient versions are ambiguous as to whether כִּמְעַט refers to temporality (They will “soon” finish me) or ability (they “almost” finished me). The qatal verb form, however, makes the ability (and potentially finished implications) preferable, since the temporal interpretation would require a future time reference.
• The sense of the preferred preposition in (בְּ) seems not to be the action of destroying taking place in the land, but rather the result of that finishing off, “(from being) among those (living) in the land", which bring us very close to the מארץ read in 11Q5. Nevertheless, the gloss “finish with” (as the ESV) sounds natural enough in English to access the intention of these elided ideas.

v. 88

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
88a	כְּחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּ֑נִי	Keep me alive according to your loyalty,
88b	וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה עֵד֥וּת פִּֽיךָ׃	so I will keep the testimony which proceeds from your mouth.

Expanded Paraphrase

Keep me alive according to your loyalty, so I will keep the testimony which proceeds from your mouth. If you do not save me how can I pursue obedience to your word?

Grammatical Diagram

Faithful Forever

Lamed

• At the half-way point of the psalm, the emotional contrast between כ- and ל-stanzas is the starkest. The present verse moves from lament into the macro speech act of praising YHWH for the endurance of his word and faithfulness.

  

v. 89

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
89a	לְעוֹלָ֥ם יְהוָ֑ה	Forever, YHWH,
89b	דְּ֝בָרְךָ֗ נִצָּ֥ב בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃	your word endures in heaven.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let me get some perspective. No less than forever, YHWH, your word endures in heaven.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The beginning of this stanza contains an absence of "I" phrases in vv. 89-91, just as vv. 1-4 (see participant analysis) and two of the only three verses in the psalm lacking one of the Big Eight (vv. 3, 90) along with v. 122.
• While the acrostic-fulfilling constituent is frequently in pre-vocative position, here,לְעוֹלָם is indeed focused as preceding the vocative, as well as preceding the entire participial clause, which exhibits standard order otherwise. The lamed prepositional phrases in the entire stanza progress from forever (v. 89) to “for many generations” (v. 90) to “today” (v. 91), back to “forever” (v. 93), culminating in the רְחָבָ֖ה ... מְאֹֽד going beyond קֵ֑ץ in v. 96! As discussed in the poetic feature, Always and Forever, temporal adverbs are especially prevalent in this stanza yet take a central role throughout the remainder of the psalm. Notice the previous instances of לְעוֹלָם falls exactly half way up to this point (v. 44), and is picked up again at the end of the צ–stanza in vv. 142, 144; the end of the ק–stanza in v. 152; and at the end of the ר–stanza in v 160. Thus the ל, מ and נ–stanzas have been delimited as structurally central and form a thematic interlude between the first and section larger sections (vv. 1-88 and 113-160, respectively). Similarly, the final two stanzas form a structural conclusion to the poem (see poetic structure).

v. 90

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
90a	לְדֹ֣ר וָ֭דֹר אֱמֽוּנָתֶ֑ךָ	Your faithfulness endures throughout each generation.
90b	כּוֹנַ֥נְתָּ אֶ֝֗רֶץ וַֽתַּעֲמֹֽד׃	You established the earth and it stands.

Expanded Paraphrase

Your faithfulness endures throughout each and every generation. Long before I was around, you established the earth and it stands.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As noted in the poetic feature, The Big Eight, this is only the second verse without even one occurrence of the eight “Torah words” (after v. 3).
• While the constituent throughout each generation (לְדֹ֣ר וָ֭דֹר) is necessarily line-initial for purposes of the acrostic, as a temporal adverbial in a verbless clause, its fronting also indicates constituent focus.
• The waw in לְדֹ֣ר וָ֭דֹר creates the repetition which gives rise to a distributive reading: “generation and generation” >> “each generation.” For the directional reading of the preposition לְ as throughout, see BHRG (§39.11(5)(b)).
• Just as the statives "endures" (נצב) in v. 89 and "stand" (עמד) in v. 91, this wayyiqtol עמד can also indicate [the movement into] a state, so it [began to] stand >> it stands.

v. 91

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
91a	לְֽ֭מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ עָמְד֣וּ הַיּ֑וֹם	They stand today by your decisions,
91b	כִּ֖י הַכֹּ֣ל עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃	because all things are your servants.

Expanded Paraphrase

They, that is, both heaven and earth, are still standing today by no other force or power than your decisions, because all things are your servants, so you retain the prerogative to act as you, in your divine wisdom, see fit!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preferred grammatical interpretation is attested in the ELB, ESV, EÜ, KJV, Luther 2017, NABRE, NASB, NET, ZÜR. The antecedent is best judged to be the entirety of heavens (בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם in v. 89) and earth (אֶ֝֗רֶץ in v. 90), as a merism, hence הַכֹּ֣ל. See also Jer 51:19, where YHWH is described as the one who formed “all” (כִּֽי־יוֹצֵ֤ר הַכֹּל֙ ה֔וּא).
• While the by your decisions (לְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ) is necessarily line-initial for purposes of the acrostic, it also fits the profile as a focused constituent, as reflected in the expanded paraphrase. "And it stands" (וַֽתַּעֲמֹד) was activated in the previous clause, so can be taken as given, while "forever" (לְעוֹלָם) and "throughout the generations" (לְדֹ֣ר וָ֭דֹר) also imply that they still stand "today" (הַיּוֹם), so this, too, can be taken as given.

v. 92

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
92a	לוּלֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י	If your teaching were not my delight,
92b	אָ֝֗ז אָבַ֥דְתִּי בְעָנְיִֽי׃	then I would have perished in my affliction.

Expanded Paraphrase

If your teaching were not my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction. But you gave me the promises to hope in, so I came through it.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• After a three-verse absence, the psalmist enters the discourse once again here in the first person.
• With this counterfactual assertion, the psalmist is convinced about his need for YHWH's teaching, otherwise he would not have come through his previous periods of affliction.
• Note: the sense of my affliction (עני) does not speak of material privation (as in Deut 15:11; Job 24:9), but rather the psalmist's state of persecution and oppression by his adversaries.

v. 93

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
93a	לְ֭עוֹלָם לֹא־אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח פִּקּוּדֶ֑יךָ	I will never forget your precepts,
93b	כִּ֥י בָ֝֗ם חִיִּיתָֽנִי׃	because you have kept me alive by them.

Expanded Paraphrase

I will never ever forget your precepts, because you have kept me alive by them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as in the first half of the stanza (beginning in v. 89), the second half also begins with the prepositional phrase forever (לְ֭עוֹלָם).

v. 94

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
94a	לְֽךָ־אֲ֭נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי	I am yours; save me,
94b	כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃	because I care about your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am yours; so save me, as I know you will eventually, because I, for one, care about your precepts.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 95

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
95a	לִ֤י קִוּ֣וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לְאַבְּדֵ֑נִי	Wicked people have waited for me to kill me.
95b	עֵ֝דֹתֶ֗יךָ אֶתְבּוֹנָֽן׃	I pay attention to your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

Wicked people, on the other hand, have waited for me to kill me. I only pay attention to your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In contrast to the first clause, the psalmist does not pay attention to those out to get him, but rather stays focused on YHWH's testimonies. See the similar contrast in v. 161 (שָׂ֭רִים רְדָפ֣וּנִי חִנָּ֑ם וּמִדְּבָרֶיךָ פָּחַ֥ד לִבִּֽיוּ֝מִדְּבָרְךָ֗ וּ֝מִדְּבָ֯רְיךָ֗), where he does not fear those persecuting him, but rather YHWH's words.

v. 96

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
96a	לְֽכָל תִּ֭כְלָה רָאִ֣יתִי קֵ֑ץ	I have seen everything come to an end.
96b	רְחָבָ֖ה מִצְוָתְךָ֣ מְאֹֽד׃	Your command extends even beyond.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have seen everything come to an end, that is, people come and go, including the wicked and their plans. Your command extends even beyond the passing nature of everything else.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The word תִּכְלָה only appears here in the Bible, though it is quite unambiguously drawn from the root כלה, See also the similar תַּכְלִית in Job 28:3: וּֽלְכָל־תַּ֭כְלִית ה֣וּא חוֹקֵ֑ר ("and searches out to the farthest limit," ESV). Although “quality” could be in view (with “perfection”), the terminus (as similarly, “end”) is probably a more accurate interpretation in light of the surrounding co-text's discussion of YHWH and his word's eternal value, rather than the temporal nature of suffering. Thus, as indicated by the clearer instances of the root כלה, completion has been preferred, along the lines of TgPs's לכל מה דאשתרי ואשתכלל ("all that is begun and finished"). Thus: I have seen an end to every completed thing >> I have seen everything come to an end.
• The sense seems to be that even if everything else, no matter how perfect, comes to an end, YHWH's command goes above and beyond even that. Hence the fronting of the constituent "to every completed thing" (לְֽכָל תִּ֭כְלָה). While it also fulfills the acrostic, it plausibly provides a topic shift which sets up the contrast with מִצְוָתְךָ֣ “your command” in the next line.

Mem

• “Love” has already been mentioned in the psalm (though not since vv. 47-48 – see notes there), but here begins a significant pattern of contrast throughout the majority of the rest of the psalm. On occasion the contrast is evident in a single verse (see, e.g., vv. 113 and 163), but is here used as a thematic inclusio for the entire מ-stanza.
• Verse 97 also initiates a new macro speech act. While it is somewhat continuous with the previous stanza, the repetition of the exclamative "how!" (מָה) both here and in v. 103 is determinative for a the macro speech act as exclaiming the supreme wisdom and goodness of YHWH's word.

  

• Part of the continuity with the previous stanza involves the sustained interest in temporal adverbs, such as “all day” here and “forever” in v. 98, which are both focus-fronted.

v. 97

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
97a	מָֽה־אָהַ֥בְתִּי תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ	How I love your teaching!
97b	כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם הִ֣יא שִׂיחָתִֽי׃	It is my meditation all day.

Expanded Paraphrase

How I love your teaching! It is my meditation all day.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 98

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
98a	*מֵ֭אֹ֣יְבַי תְּחַכְּמֵ֣נִי *מִצְוָתֶךָ	Your command makes me wiser than my enemies,
98b	כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם הִיא־לִֽי׃	because it is mine forever.

Expanded Paraphrase

Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, because no one can take it away from me and it is mine forever.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse begins a sequence of three verses with comparative מִן followed by a כִּי clause.

v. 99

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
99a	מִכָּל־מְלַמְּדַ֥י הִשְׂכַּ֑לְתִּי	I have gained more insight than all my teachers,
99b	כִּ֥י עֵ֝דְוֺתֶ֗יךָ שִׂ֣יחָה לִֽֿי׃	because your testimonies are my meditation.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have gained more insight than all my teachers, because it is your testimonies that are my meditation all day.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 100

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
100a	מִזְּקֵנִ֥ים אֶתְבּוֹנָ֑ן	I gain more understanding than elders,
100b	כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ נָצָֽרְתִּי׃	because I have kept your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

I gain more understanding than even elders, because I have not only meditated on, but have kept your precepts.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 101

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
101a	מִכָּל־אֹ֣רַח רָ֭ע כָּלִ֣אתִי רַגְלָ֑י	I have withheld my feet from every evil path
101b	לְ֝מַ֗עַן אֶשְׁמֹ֥ר דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃	so that I might keep your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

To that end, I have withheld my feet from every evil path so that I might keep your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The phrase every path provides a structural inclusio for the second half of the present stanza:
• Although Revell reads your word (דְּבָרֶֽךָ) as a pausal form, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of all of the ancient versions and a large number of Hebrew manuscripts.

v. 102

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
102a	מִמִּשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ לֹא־סָ֑רְתִּי	I have not turned away from your rules,
102b	כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּ֗ה הוֹרֵתָֽנִי׃	because you have instructed me.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have not turned away from your rules, for one simple reason: because you have instructed me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For a similar case of “turning” from YHWHs rules, see Deut 5:32 (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם אֶתְכֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תָסֻ֖רוּ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאל׃).

v. 103

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
103a	מַה־נִּמְלְצ֣וּ לְ֭חִכִּי אִמְרָתֶ֗ךָ	How pleasing are your words to my palate!
103b	מִדְּבַ֥שׁ לְפִֽי׃	[They are] more [pleasing] to my mouth than honey.

Expanded Paraphrase

How pleasing are your words to my palate! [They are] more [pleasing] to my mouth than honey, that is, they are both satisfying and invigorating.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the imagery of honey, see the following table:
• The verb מלץ only appears here in the Bible, though it is related to: מְלִיצָה as an allusive (slippery) expression or proverb (see Hab 2:6 and Prov 1:6).
• The lamed in both to my palate (לְחִכִּי) and to my mouth (לְפִי) of this verse indicates an experiencing organ, rather than locative, as in, “in my mouth” (BHRG §39.11.2); see the LXX's bare dative τῷ στόματί μου, ESV, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NIV; contra the CSB, CEB.
• Although Revell reads your words אִמְרָתֶ֗ךָ as a pausal form, the plural is almost certainly intended in light of the verbal form and the ancient versions (with the exception of Jerome's Hebr.).

v. 104

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
104a	מִפִּקּוּדֶ֥יךָ אֶתְבּוֹנָ֑ן	I gain understanding from your precepts.
104b	עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן שָׂנֵ֤אתִי ׀ כָּל־אֹ֬רַח שָֽׁקֶר׃	Therefore, I hate every path of falsehood.

Expanded Paraphrase

I gain understanding from your precepts. Therefore, I hate every path of falsehood and do not go near them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As well as the end of the מ-stanza, the logical discourse marker therefore (עַל־כֵּן) indicates the conclusion of a larger thought unit (see also vv. 119, 127-129).

Nun

• Verse 105 begins the נ-stanza and a new macro speech act of committing to obey YHWH's word, despite the psalmist’s precarious situation

v. 105

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
105a	נֵר־לְרַגְלִ֥י דְבָרֶ֑ךָ	Your word is a lamp for my feet
105b	וְ֝א֗וֹר לִנְתִיבָתִֽי׃	and a light on my path.

Expanded Paraphrase

I do not get lost, because your word is even a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Whereas other places in the Bible attribute light to YHWH himself (see, e.g., Isa 2:50, ”In Ps 119, many statements made earlier regarding God are carried over to the "word of God." Furthermore, it is significance that the dominant metaphor for YHWH’s word throughout the psalm is as the “path,” whereas here it is “the light” upon the path, resulting in a conceptual blend between TORAH IS A PATH/JOURNEY and TORAH IS A LIGHT:
• For the pair lamp (נֵר) and light (אוֹר), cf. Prov 6:23: כִּ֤י נֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה וְת֣וֹרָה א֑וֹר וְדֶ֥רֶךְ חַ֝יִּ֗ים תּוֹכְח֥וֹת מוּסָֽר, which makes explicit the דֶ֥רֶךְ חַ֝יִּ֗ים!
• The evidence is quite evenly split between the singular and plural readings of your word (דְבָרֶ֑ךָ). So the conservative approach should most likely be followed, viz. the addition of the mater yod came about from the pausal reading.
• A similar variation is found in the suffix of my feet (רגלי), which is plural in all the ancient versions (except Jerome's pedi). The class (singular) is probably the intention of the MT, however, as in the case of “eye” for “sight” generally in Pss 88:10 and 92:12, so a plural gloss has been found preferable.

v. 106

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
106a	נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּ֑מָה	I have solemnly sworn
106b	לִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	to keep your righteous rules.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have solemnly sworn to keep your righteous rules.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note: both the NJPS (I have firmly sworn to keep Your just rules) and NABRE (I make a solemn vow to observe your righteous judgments) read נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּ֑מָה as a serial verb construction, rendered here as I have solemnly sworn. Compare the construction with Gen 26:3: וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ. Since this is a unique case of intransitive piel קום, it seems preferable to read as part of the שׁבע verb phrase, and thus as the serial verb construction.
• The serial verb construction contributes to the poetic structure of this half-stanza in providing continuity between the declaration of the vow & the request for its acceptance:

v. 107

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
107a	נַעֲנֵ֥יתִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד	I am utterly afflicted,
107b	יְ֝הוָ֗ה חַיֵּ֥נִי כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃	YHWH, keep me alive according to your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

At the same time, I am utterly afflicted, YHWH, so keep me alive according to your word and both I and others will praise you for your salvation.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse introduces a speech act until v. 110 of lamenting his situation and the wicked actions of his adversaries, similar to vv. 25-28 and the כ-stanza, but on a smaller scale.
• The line-initial position of the vocative may indicate the urgent nature of the following request, or, since this imperative is very common in the psalm and only follows a line-initial vocative in v. 149 and v. 159, simply differentiate the verse's two lines. It may be, however, that the psalmist intensifies his request throughout the psalm: the imperative חַיֵּנִי appears in vv. 25, 37, 40 and 88 all without a vocative, though from here on they are preceded by vocatives (vv. 149, 159, and, similarly, v. 156, though on the previous poetic line).

v. 108

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
108a	נִדְב֣וֹת פִּ֭י רְצֵה־נָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה	Please accept with pleasure the offering coming from my mouth, YHWH,
108b	וּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃	and teach me your rules.

Expanded Paraphrase

Please accept with pleasure the offering of this prayer coming from my mouth, YHWH, and fulfill my request of teaching me your rules, so that I will learn to obey them fully.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For other instances of qal רצה as accept with pleasure see Amos 5:22, Mal 1:10 (both with מִנְחָה), and Ps 51:18 (with עֹלָה). The נִדְב֣וֹת פִּ֭י are perhaps comparable to the “sacrifices of thanksgiving” in זֶ֣בַח תּוֹדָ֑ה (Ps. 116:17) and וְ֭יִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵ֣י תוֹדָ֑ה וִֽיסַפְּר֖וּ מַעֲשָׂ֣יו בְּרִנָּֽה (Ps 107:22).

v. 109

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
109a	נַפְשִׁ֣י בְכַפִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד	I am always in danger,
109b	וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	but I have not forgotten your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am always in danger, but I do not know why, since I have not forgotten your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as at the beginning of this macro-poetic section (vv. 89-112), the present verse once again begins a sustained pattern of temporal adverbs to close out the stanza:
• For other instances of someone's life (נֶפֶשׁ) being in their hand (כַּף; always with שִׂים, except here) see also Judg 12:3; 1 Sam 19:5; 1 Sam 28:21 and Job 13:14, which all amount to "take a risk." Here the risk seems to be involuntary, however, so simply "be in danger" is in view.The conceptualization of בְכַפִּ֣י as spatially limited may be in contrast to the mention of רחב elsewhere (see, esp. וְאֶתְהַלְּכָ֥ה בָרְחָבָ֑ה in v. 45).

v. 110

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
110a	נָתְנ֬וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים פַּ֣ח לִ֑י	Wicked people have set a trap for me,
110b	וּ֝מִפִּקּוּדֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א תָעִֽיתִי׃	but I have not wandered from your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

Wicked people have set a trap for me, but I have not even wandered from your precepts. What is going on?

Grammatical Diagram

v. 111

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
111a	נָחַ֣לְתִּי עֵדְוֺתֶ֣יךָ לְעוֹלָ֑ם	I have inherited your testimonies forever,
111b	כִּֽי־שְׂשׂ֖וֹן לִבִּ֣י הֵֽמָּה׃	because they are the joy of my heart.

Expanded Paraphrase

It seems I have nothing besides your word. I have inherited your testimonies forever, come what may, because they are nothing less than the joy of my heart.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• See the notes under v. 109 for the contribution of “my heart” and the temporal adverbs to the poetic structure.
• The predicational they are the joy of my heart (שְׂשׂ֖וֹן לִבִּ֣י הֵֽמָּה) probably provides a scalar focus reading of "the joy of my heart," since "they" is unambiguously the topic.

v. 112

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
112a	נָטִ֣יתִי לִ֭בִּי לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת חֻקֶּ֗יךָ	I have turned my heart to carry out your purposes
112b	לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֵֽקֶב׃	forever - to the end!

Expanded Paraphrase

So I have turned my heart and decided to carry out your purposes forever - to the end!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There are a number of ancient and modern translations which take עֵקֶב as the noun "reward," though we have preferred the sense of "end" (cf. the notes under v. 33).

Danger in Light of Forever

Samekh

• Verse 113 introduces a new macro speech act of petitioning support in his situation, alleviation from his situation, and wisdom to understand his situation, which stretches all the way to v. 128:
• In a stanza of contrasts, the following can be discerned: “the double-minded” and “your law” (v. 113); “the double-minded” and “my shelter and shield” (vv. 113-114); “evildoers” and “my God” (v. 115); “evildoers” and “my hope” (vv. 115-116); the psalmist and “those who go astray” (vv. 117-118), especially in their relation to “your decrees”; and “the wicked of the earth” and the psalmist (vv. 119-120). The result: the objects of the psalmist's love and hate are clear. Furthermore, it is YHWH's word that he fears, not the wicked.

v. 113

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
113a	סֵעֲפִ֥ים שָׂנֵ֑אתִי	I hate double-minded people,
113b	וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ אָהָֽבְתִּי׃	but I love your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

I hate double-minded people with split loyalties, but I love your teaching, because it teaches me how to obey and trust you.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As a unique occurrence in this particular form, much of the sense of סֵעֵף in translations is drawn from the clearer context of סְעִפָּה in 1 Kgs. 18:21.
• The question then arises, do the double-minded people belong to the psalmist's adversaries or simply those struggling with temptation, as the psalmist frequently seems to? We have preferred to understand them as belonging to the psalmist’s adversaries in light of the ancient translations, particularly the LXX and the revisers (παράνομος “lawless,” διάφορος “disagreeing,” παραβάτης “transgressor”).

v. 114

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
114a	סִתְרִ֣י וּמָגִנִּ֣י אָ֑תָּה	You are my shelter and my shield.
114b	לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃	I have hoped in your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

No matter what has happened, you are still my shelter and my shield. I have hoped in your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the imagery of shelter and shield, consider the following table:
• This seems to be a unique case of this word-pair for shelter and shield, but their semantic proximity is apparent in uses such as Ps 32:7 (אַתָּ֤ה׀ סֵ֥תֶר לִי֮ מִצַּ֪ר תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי); Ps 91:1 (יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן); and מָגֵן in Pss 3:4; 18:31; 115:9-11; 144:2, etc.

v. 115

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
115a	סֽוּרוּ־מִמֶּ֥נִּי מְרֵעִ֑ים	Get away from me, evildoers,
115b	וְ֝אֶצְּרָ֗ה מִצְוֺ֥ת אֱלֹהָֽי׃	so that I will keep the commands of my God!

Expanded Paraphrase

So you, evildoers, get away from me, so that I will keep the commands of my God without being distracted by your nonsense!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse is the first instance since v. 3 that someone other than YHWH has been directly addressed by the psalmist.

v. 116

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
116a	סָמְכֵ֣נִי כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣ וְאֶֽחְיֶ֑ה	Sustain me according to your promise, so that I will live;
116b	וְאַל־תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי מִשִּׂבְרִֽי׃	and do not let me be put to shame because of my hope.

Expanded Paraphrase

Sustain me according to your promise when I do not have strength, so that I will live; and do not let me be put to shame because of my hope, if it turned out to be misplaced.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Out of the two options for וְאַל־תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי מִשִּׂבְרִֽי, namely: “Do not let me be ashamed of my hope” and Do not let me be put to shame because of my hope, the latter is preferred in light of the more common causal function of מִן and the two-participant event of the hiphil, “X puts Y to shame,” rather than a simple “X is ashamed.”

v. 117

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
117a	סְעָדֵ֥נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה	Uphold me so that I will be saved,
117b	וְאֶשְׁעָ֖ה בְחֻקֶּ֣יךָ תָמִֽיד׃	and I will always pay regard to your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Uphold me when I am weak, so that I will be saved, and I will always pay regard to your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the contribution of the temporal adverb always, see the poetic feature, Always and Forever.

v. 118

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
118a	סָ֭לִיתָ כָּל־שׁוֹגִ֣ים מֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָ	You have rejected all those who go astray from your purposes,
118b	כִּי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר תַּרְמִיתָֽם׃	because their betrayal is unprompted.

Expanded Paraphrase

You have rejected all those who go astray from your purposes, because their betrayal of me is unprompted. I had done nothing to incite their rage.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Despite some variation in the versions, reject has been preferred for סָ֭לִיתָ.
• The verbless clause שֶׁ֝֗קֶר תַּרְמִיתָֽם is often taken as borderline tautologous (see, e.g., “their deceit is falsehood” in the KJV), so care should be taken to make transparent the correct nuance. Nevertheless, taking שֶׁקֶר as adverbial, as other instances in the psalm (vv. 78, 86), seems to be the most satisfying. Furthermore, in light of the clearer instances of the root רמה (see, e.g., the verb רָמָה and the nominals רְמִיָּה and מִרְמָה), it seems safe to treat תַּרְמִית as “treachery” >> “betrayal.” The result could either be: “without cause” i.e., unprompted negative actions towards the psalmist (cf. the LXX: “their betrayal is unjust/unprompted,” or “in vain,” i.e., useless (Symmachus, NIV, NASB, SG21), in their actions against the psalmist or in their rejection of Torah. In the end, “without cause” seems to best accommodate the actions against the psalmist or rejection of Torah in general, in that they will not get away with it, so YHWH rightly ends up rejecting them.

v. 119

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
119a	סִגִ֗ים *חָשַׁבְתָּ* כָל־רִשְׁעֵי־אָ֑רֶץ	You consider all the wicked of the earth dross.
119b	לָ֝כֵ֗ן אָהַ֥בְתִּי עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃	Therefore I love your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

You consider all the wicked of the earth dross, that is, useless, to be burned off the purified metal. Therefore I love your testimonies that I have heard about, because you judge rightly in your dealings with people.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Our preferred reading is the emended חָשַׁבְתָּ from the MT's הִשְׁבַּ֥תָּ. For a similar construction of qal חשׁב with a double object, see Isa 53:4 (וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ נָג֛וּעַ). There may be an attraction to וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י חַיָּֽה־רָעָ֖ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ (Ezek 34:25), which has an explicit מִן, however, and not a double object. The major problem with the MT's הִשְׁבַּ֥תָּ is the logical relation with the following לָ֝כֵ֗ן. The preferred, “you considered” fits the logical connection with v. 119b the best, only emending a he to a khet.
• For the imagery of “considering dross,” see the table under v. 140.
• The most accurate analysis of the construct phrase all the wicked of the earth (כָל־רִשְׁעֵי־אָ֑רֶץ) seems to be entity–location/origin.

v. 120

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
120a	סָמַ֣ר מִפַּחְדְּךָ֣ בְשָׂרִ֑י	My skin has goose bumps from fear of you,
120b	וּֽמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ יָרֵֽאתִי׃	and I am in awe of your rules.

Expanded Paraphrase

My skin has goose bumps from my fear of you and your justice, and I am in awe of your rules. I want nothing else than to to follow them as long as I live.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This "is the only place in the Hebrew Bible that משפט is the object of the verb 'to fear.'"The verb has goosebumps (סָמַר) shares its root with the nominal מַסְמֵר “nail” in Eccl 12:11 and as a כְּיֶ֥לֶק סָמָֽר “bristly/hairy locust” in Jer 51:27. See also Job 4:15: וְ֭רוּחַ עַל־פָּנַ֣י יַחֲלֹ֑ף תְּ֝סַמֵּ֗ר שַֽׂעֲרַ֥ת בְּשָׂרִֽי (“A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up”; ESV). Though in the piel, we have the same collocation of סמר and בָּשָׂר, so we can safely assume the same expression of fear (and probably hair) is in view both in Job 4:15 and here.

Ayin

• This stanza begins with two consecutive verses lacking any of the Big Eight Torah words, as discussed in the poetic feature, The Big Eight. The lines are also structurally bound by the repetition of negators (בַּל, אַל) and the root עשׂק “oppression.” Furthermore, the fairly common self-identification as עַבְדְּךָ has not been used since v. 84, and is now repeated three times in the present section.

v. 121

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
121a	עָ֭שִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּ֣ט וָצֶ֑דֶק	I have carried out justice and righteousness.
121b	בַּל־תַּ֝נִּיחֵ֗נִי לְעֹֽשְׁקָֽי׃	Do not leave me to my oppressors!

Expanded Paraphrase

That is why I have carried out justice and righteousness, just like you do. So do not leave me to my oppressors!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 122

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
122a	עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב	Take responsibility for your servant for my good;
122b	אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃	do not let arrogant people oppress me.

Expanded Paraphrase

Take responsibility for your servant so that it all turns out for my good; do not let arrogant people oppress me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the analysis of the lamed in "take responsibility for your servant for my good" (עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב), BHRG comments that it is as a result relationship: "Be responsible for your servant that it may go well with him [lit. for good]”.

v. 123

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
123a	עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ	My eyes have started fading for need of your salvation,
123b	וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	of your just promise.

Expanded Paraphrase

My eyes have started fading in weeping and weariness for need of your salvation, for need of of your just promise.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• In the midst of a speech act of requesting liberation and favorable treatment (vv. 121-125), the mini-lament of the present verse is unique.
• For the analysis of the lamed following כלה, for need of, see the note on under v. 81.
• The waw is probably one of re-characterization, rather than two distinct entities, and is best rendered either zero or with whatever conventions the target languages uses for re-evaluative apposition: “My eyes have started fading for need of your salvation, of your just promise.”

v. 124

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
124a	עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ	Deal with your servant according to your loyalty
124b	וְחֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃	and teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Please, quickly deal with your servant according to your loyalty and teach me your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The function of with (עִם) in "deal with your servant" (עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥) is that of human interaction, i.e., "the sharing of an activity between a trajector x and landmark y".

v. 125

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
125a	עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי	I am your servant; give me understanding
125b	וְ֝אֵדְעָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃	so that I will know your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am your servant; give me understanding so that I will know your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 126

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
126a	עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה	It's time for YHWH to act –
126b	הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	they have broken your law!

Expanded Paraphrase

It is time for YHWH to act – look, the arrogant people, they have broken your law, after all!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the grammatical alternatives of this verse and their significance, see the exegetical issue The Grammar and Meaning of Ps. 119:126.
• Regarding the addressee of the verse, we have preferred a continuation of YHWH, despite his third-person mention in the first line as the only third-person reference of YHWH between v. 115 and the end of the psalm. One clause probably does not constitute a significant change in addressee (whereas a whole verse, as v. 115, does). For a similar case of one line containing YHWH in the third-person, see also v. 57a. Further, as a contribution towards the multiple pleas for YHWH to act, the nudge is directed towards YHWH, whether third person or not. (See the exegetical issue for a number of vocative interpretations of לַיהוָ֑ה). For other intended perlocutionary effects concerning the right time to act, see the psalmist's prompts of מָתַי “when” in vv. 82, 84.
• Should the third-plural agent of they have broken (הֵפֵרוּ) be considered impersonal (as in v. 136 – see below) or belonging to the psalmist’s adversaries? Grammatically, the 3pl could plausibly analysed as an impersonal construction and is indeed rendered as such in a number of translations (see the a passive construction in the CEB and NIV, the generic “people” in the GNT, and the impersonal French “on” in SG21 and TOB). Nevertheless, the consistent reference of the psalmist's adversaries as those who break YHWH's Torah makes the specific identity quite plausible here in light of the encouragement to act against them (in the first line).
• For the hiphil verb have broken (פרר), the collocation with "covenant" (בְּרִית) is very much expected As discussed by Reynolds, such a collocation would naturally lead one to think of Sinai, whereas the scope of תּוֹרָה in the present psalm is much more extensive than Sinaitic legislation (see the exegetical issue The Meaning of תּוֹרָה in Ps 119).

v. 127

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
127a	עַל־כֵּ֭ן אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ	Therefore I love your commands
127b	מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז׃	more than gold, even more than pure gold.

Expanded Paraphrase

You have rejected them and consider them dross, so I know you will act. Therefore I love your commands more than gold, even more than pure gold. There is nothing I want more than to obey your word. There is nothing I need more than your justice.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The ע-stanza concludes with two occurrences of the conjunction עַל כֵּן, with the verses 127-128 being further bound by yet another instance of the love/hate contrast.
• The waw is one of intensification, i.e., X even Y, rather than X and Y. פַּז as a semantic hyponym of זָהָב is unlikely to be added to the latter (cf. Ps 19.11).

v. 128

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
128a	עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ כָּל־*פִּקּוּדֶיךָ* יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי	Therefore I have performed all your precepts correctly.
128b	כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃	I hate every path of falsehood.

Expanded Paraphrase

Therefore I have performed all your precepts correctly. I hate every path of falsehood, just like you do.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preferred emendation your precepts follows the suffix foun in the LXX and Syr., (both, “your commandments”) only requiring the lack of lamed on the MT's כֹ֣ל (thus עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־*פִּקּוּדֵיךָ* יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי for the MT’s עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי). It also provides a 2ms suffix in a verse where otherwise there would not be one, which is uncharacteristic of the psalm (every other instance of פִּקּוּדִים throughout the psalm has the 2ms suffix).
• The Information Structural contribution of the fronted all your precepts (*כָּל־*פִּקּוּדֶיךָ) is most likely constituent focus, since it follows the אָהַ֣בְתִּי “I love” clause of v. 127 – thus accommodating what would be performed rightly by someone who loves YHWH’s commands – possibly also causing the repetition of therefore (עַל־כֵּ֤ן; though also fulfilling the acrostic). The fronting of every path of falsehood (כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר) in the second line indicates its contrastive topical status between the אָהַ֣בְתִּי “I love” of v. 127 and שָׂנֵֽאתִי I hate here.

Pe

• Verse 129 begins a new macro speech act of requesting liberation, favorable treatment and wonderful instruction, for which the psalmist longs:

v. 129

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
129a	פְּלָא֥וֹת עֵדְוֺתֶ֑יךָ	Your testimonies are wonderful things!
129b	עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן נְצָרָ֥תַם נַפְשִֽׁי׃	Therefore I have kept them.

Expanded Paraphrase

Your testimonies are wonderful things! I have trusted them, therefore I have kept them.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The use of wonderful things (פְּלָאוֹת) as adjectival cannot be explained for lack of an adjectival form of this root, in light of the common ptc. נִפְלָאוֹת (cf. vv. 18, 27). Like vv. 18 and 27's “wonderful things/deeds,” we follow TDOT's understanding that "The noun peleʾ has fundamentally the same meaning as nip̱lāʾôṯ" (J. Conrad, פלא). It is understandable, however, that the LXX, Jerome and S all interpret it adjectivally.

v. 130

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
130a	פֵּ֖תַח דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ יָאִ֗יר	The explanation of your words illuminates,
130b	מֵבִ֥ין פְּתָיִֽים׃	giving simple people understanding.

Expanded Paraphrase

The explanation of your words illuminates, giving simple people like me understanding.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• It seems plausible that the simple people (פְּתָיִים) should be considered as part of the psalmist's allies, just as the general “young man”(נַּעַר) in v. 9.The description פֶּתִי is found in parallel with דל in שֹׁמֵ֣ר פְּתָאיִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּ֝לּוֹתִ֗י וְלִ֣י יְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ (Ps 116:6), so it may be that the "simple people" are not simply young, naïve and innocent, but rather to be grouped among the vulnerable of society, tying together both spiritual illumination (desire for Torah) and physical well-being (the general salvation pleaded for throughout the psalm).
• For the borrowed language of the Aaronic blessing (especially Num 6:25: יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ), see the use of illuminates יָאִיר here, פְּנֵה־אֵלַ֥י וְחָנֵּ֑נִי in v. 132 and פָּ֭נֶיךָ הָאֵ֣ר בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ in v. 135. For the image of YHWH’s word as light see the notes under v. 105.

v. 131

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
131a	פִּֽי־פָ֭עַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה	I opened my mouth wide and panted
131b	כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃	because I long for your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

I opened my mouth wide and panted because I long for your commands. I am desperate,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• There may be a hint at the image of YHWH’s word as nourishment and satisfaction in the present verse, as the “honey” of v. 103 (see the notes there).

v. 132

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
132a	פְּנֵה־אֵלַ֥י וְחָנֵּ֑נִי	Turn to me and be gracious to me
132b	כְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לְאֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃	according to the custom which is for those who love your name.

Expanded Paraphrase

Turn to me and be gracious to me according to the custom which is for those who love your name.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While the abstract “justice” is a plausible rendering of מִשְׁפָּט, in light of the lack of article, we have preferred custom, according to the manner YHWH typically graciously treats those who love his name. (Interestingly, the Babylonian manuscripts JTS 611, 631 and 680 all seem to have an article on מִשְׁפָט). For a concrete case of YHWH’s dealings with the psalmist himself, see v. 49 (זְכֹר־דָּבָ֥ר לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ עַ֝֗ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽחַלְתָּֽנִי). The reference to the psalmist’s allies provides structural continuity in this half-stanza:
• Note also the intertextual allusion to the Aaronic blessing (see the notes under v. 130).

v. 133

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
133a	פְּ֭עָמַי הָכֵ֣ן בְּאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	Direct my steps by your word
133b	וְֽאַל־תַּשְׁלֶט־בִּ֥י כָל־אָֽוֶן׃	and do not let any evil gain control over me.

Expanded Paraphrase

By your grace, direct my steps by your word and do not let any evil gain control over me, which would undoubtedly happen without your protection.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The preferred reading is a 2ms verb with YHWH as the subject and any evil (כָל־אָוֶן) as the object (as Jerome; DHH, ELB, EÜ, Luther 2017, NBS, NFC, NVSR, PDV, SG21, TOB, ZÜR). For the rare hiphil שׁלט plus בְּ (only here in the Bible), see also 11Q5 Col. xix: 15: אל תשלט בי שטן ורוח טמאה (“let not Satan or an evil spirit have dominion over me”), functioning as a בְּ of social contact, "often [with] a negative effect on the landmark."
• For the quantifier any (כָל) with singular אַוֶן, see the notes on כָּל־הֽוֹן under v. 14.

v. 134

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
134a	פְּ֭דֵנִי מֵעֹ֣שֶׁק אָדָ֑ם	Save me from the oppression of man
134b	וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃	so that I may keep your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

Save me from the oppression of man so that I may keep your precepts. If they have their way with me, I will not be around to follow your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that save (פדה) in non-theological uses denotes acquiring someone/something specifically through payment from an injurious situation (e.g., Exod 13:13, 15; Lev 27:27; Num 18:15), whereas ישע typically denotes “rescue.” In theological uses, however, the two terms are more or less synonymous.

v. 135

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
135a	פָּ֭נֶיךָ הָאֵ֣ר בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	Make your face shine upon your servant
135b	וְ֝לַמְּדֵ֗נִי אֶת־חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	and teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Stay close to me and make your face shine upon your servant with your perpetual blessing for your people, and teach me your purposes to help me understand why you promise to bless us and keep us, yet many of your people do not even care about your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The use of make your face shine (הָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ) followed by teach me your purposes (וְ֝לַמְּדֵ֗נִי אֶת־חֻקֶּֽיךָ) seems to approximate the similar request "be gracious to me" (חָנֵּנִי) – see especially חִלִּ֣יתִי פָנֶ֣יךָ בְכָל־לֵ֑ב חָ֝נֵּ֗נִי כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ (v. 58), in the context of seeking YHWH's favor, as well as vv. 29 and 132.
• Again, for the intertextual allusion to the Aaronic blessing, see the notes under v. 130; for the use of YHWH’s WORD IS LIGHT imagery, see v. 103.

v. 136

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
136a	פַּלְגֵי־מַ֭יִם יָרְד֣וּ עֵינָ֑י	Streams of water have been flowing down from my eyes,
136b	עַ֝֗ל לֹא־שָׁמְר֥וּ תוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃	because your teaching has not been kept!

Expanded Paraphrase

Streams of water have been flowing down from my eyes, because your teaching has not been kept! This is not how it should be. You will not put up with it.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The emotions provided by the present verse, as miserably disappointed that people do not keep YHWH's instruction, indicate that the third-plural verb of the second clause should be understood as an impersonal construction. While the consistent reference of the psalmist's adversaries as those who break YHWH's Torah makes the specific identity possible here (as in v. 126), the sadness of the psalmist’s reaction hints that they are not the semantic agents of לֹא־שָׁמְר֥וּ, in contrast to the anger and zeal elsewhere (see, e.g., v. 53, 139), as well as YHWH's rebuke and rejection (גָּ֭עַרְתָּ and סָ֭לִיתָ in vv. 21 and 118, respectively). The result is that there is a distinction to be made between the frustration towards the wicked and the miserable disappointment regarding the psalmist’s perception of society in general, with the implication that the corruption of his enemies' conduct (cf. vv. 139, 155, 158) has affected society, the same way it could tempt the psalmist (v. 115).
• The status of streams of water (פַּלְגֵי־מַ֭יִם) as the grammatical subject is explicit in the prepositional phrases of both Jerome and the Syr. (cf. BTX4ª, DHH, ELB, EÜ, KJV, Luther 2017, NET, NIV, PDV, RVA, TOB, ZÜR), though the preposition found in each translation has seemingly been determined according to sense, since the MT only provides a bare nominal my eyes.For the function of עַל as a conjunction, in this case because, see also Gen 31:20, Exod 17:7, Isa 53:9; Jer 2:25, Job 16:17, 32:2 and Ezra 3:11. In Kennicott mss 38 and 39, however, we have the more common על אשר and 11QPsª has the more common על כי. See BHRG §39.20.4, GKC §158b.

Tsade

• Verse 137 begins a new macro speech act of praising YHWH for the enduring justice of his word, despite the perplexing situation of ongoing suffering:
• It is no surprise, then, that the poetic structure of this stanza lexically revolves around the theme of justice:

v. 137

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
137a	צַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה	You are just, YHWH,
137b	וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר *מִשְׁפָּטֶךָ*׃	and your justice is right.

Expanded Paraphrase

You are just, YHWH, and your justice is right.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The subject of the second clause, מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, has been emended to drop the yod – which may have arisen on account of the mater lectionis vowel anyway – and read as singular, in agreement with the predicate יָשָׁר. The consonants משפטך are read by Kennicott ms 43, De-Rossi 412, as well as the LXX, Jerome and Targum Psalms.

v. 138

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
138a	צִ֭וִּיתָ צֶ֣דֶק עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ	You have commanded your righteous testimonies
138b	וֶֽאֱמוּנָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃	and great faithfulness.

Expanded Paraphrase

You have commanded your righteous testimonies and great faithfulness. Why do people not listen?

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the pair righteousness (צֶדֶק) and faithfulness (אֱמוּנָה), see Isa 11:5 (וְהָ֥יָה צֶ֖דֶק אֵז֣וֹר מָתְנָ֑יו וְהָאֱמוּנָ֖ה אֵז֥וֹר חֲלָצָֽיו); Ps 96:13 (יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ); and, of course, v. 75: יָדַ֣עְתִּי יְ֭הוָה כִּי־צֶ֣דֶק מִשְׁפָּטֶ֑יךָ וֶ֝אֱמוּנָ֗ה עִנִּיתָֽנִי.

v. 139

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
139a	צִמְּתַ֥תְנִי קִנְאָתִ֑י	My zeal has consumed me
139b	כִּֽי־שָׁכְח֖וּ דְבָרֶ֣יךָ צָרָֽי׃	because my adversaries have forgotten your words.

Expanded Paraphrase

My zeal has consumed me because my adversaries have forgotten your words.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The other instances of צָמַת make the “put an end to,” or “annihilate” interpretation quite likely. In any case, the hyperbole seems to be captured by the common be consumed (cf. the cases of כלה as “fade, waste away” in vv. 82-83 and 123). The sense is similar – albeit more extreme – to that of v. 53a (see the notes there).
• The LXX contains τοῦ οἴκου σου “of your house” after קִנְאָתִ֑י “my zeal,” which is most likely a harmonisation to Ps. 69:10 (כִּֽי־קִנְאַ֣ת בֵּיתְךָ֣ אֲכָלָ֑תְנִי) – see Rahlfs' apparatus.

v. 140

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
140a	צְרוּפָ֖ה אִמְרָתְךָ֥ מְאֹ֗ד	Your word is absolutely pure
140b	וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ אֲהֵבָֽהּ׃	and your servant loves it.

Expanded Paraphrase

Yet your word is absolutely pure and your servant loves it.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the imagery of purification and metallurgy, see the following table:

v. 141

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
141a	צָעִ֣יר אָנֹכִ֣י וְנִבְזֶ֑ה	I am insignificant and unworthy;
141b	פִּ֝קֻּדֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	I have not forgotten your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

I am totally dependent on you but I am considered insignificant and unworthy by others, as if you did not care about me, but I have not forgotten your precepts.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For insignificant (צער) as opposite of “be honored,” see וְהִכְבַּדְתִּ֖ים וְלֹ֥א יִצְעָֽרוּ (Jer 30:19). Similarly, SDBH defines uses of the niphal of unworthy (בזה) such as the one here as the “state in which someone considers someone or something else unworthy of attention or respect, and shows that by his/her actions.” Thus something like “considered inferior” could reflect the psalmist's enemies' attitude towards him. Alternatively, “unworthy” may reflect the self-abasing attitude of the psalmist throughout the poem (see his continual use of עֶבֶד and identification with the נַעַר “young man” in v. 9 and פְּתָיִֽים “simple people” in v. 130). At the same time, this is a unique instance of this word pair and the insignificance of being young/small is present in Judg 6:15; 1 Sam 9:21 and probably directly linked to wisdom in Job 30:1; 32:6. Thus, as in חֶרְפָּה וָבוּז in v. 22, we may have two facets of the same social status.

v. 142

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
142a	צִדְקָתְךָ֣ צֶ֣דֶק לְעוֹלָ֑ם	Your justice is an eternal justice
142b	וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ אֱמֶֽת׃	and your teaching is truth.

Expanded Paraphrase

Just as your sovereignty over creation is eternal, so your justice is an eternal justice and your teaching is truth. You are not double-minded and deceitful like my arrogant enemies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note the continued importance of forever (לְעוֹלָם) throughout the psalm, again repeated line-finally both here and in v. 144. Its contribution in the following two stanzas provides similar endings, occurring as the first major constituent in the final line of each. It may be the case that the twofold repetition here primes the audience for the following two in vv. 152 and 160. See further the poetic feature, Always and Forever.
• Although at first glance glaringly tautologous, none of the ancient versions make a distinction between justice (צְדָקָה and צֶדֶק) in this verse, so the salient constituent seems to be the adverbial "forever" (לְעוֹלָ֑ם), captured aptly by the Syr. paraphrase: “your righteousness remains forever.”

v. 143

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
143a	צַר־וּמָצ֥וֹק מְצָא֑וּנִי	Distress and affliction have found me.
143b	מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃	Your commands are my delight.

Expanded Paraphrase

But at the same time, distress and affliction have found me. Even still, your commands are my delight.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the quite rare affliction (מָצוֹק), cf. the cannibalistic effects of the exile (Deut 28:53, 55, 57; Jer 19:9) and the profile of those who found refuge in David's camp during his years on the run (1 Sam 22:2). The choice of מָצוֹק is probably also for prosodic/phonetic purposes (see the poetic structure). The maqqef on צַר־וּמָצ֥וֹק is not visible in any of the major manuscripts, despite its presence in the BHS (and Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible). At the same time, neither Codex Leningrad nor Codex Aleppo have an accent on צַר, and both צַר וּמָצ֥וֹק are written almost as one word, so they are evidently very similar conceptually, indicating the thetic information packaging of this sentence.

v. 144

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
144a	צֶ֖דֶק עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ לְ עוֹלָ֗ם	Your just testimonies are eternal.
144b	הֲבִינֵ֥נִי וְאֶחְיֶֽה׃	Give me understanding so that I will live.

Expanded Paraphrase

I want to believe that your just testimonies are eternal. Give me understanding of your eternal dealings so that I will live.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the continued importance of forever (לְעוֹלָם), see the notes under v. 142.
• Most modern translations follow the preferred diagram in rendering "justice" (צֶ֖דֶק) as part of a construct chain your just testimonies (צֶ֖דֶק עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ).

Qoph

• Verse 145 begins the macro speech act of requesting salvation in light of the the psalmist's faithfulness and the enduring nature of his own word

  

v. 145

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
145a	קָרָ֣אתִי בְכָל־לֵ֭ב עֲנֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה	I have called out with a whole heart; answer me, YHWH,
145b	חֻקֶּ֥יךָ אֶצֹּֽרָה׃	let me keep your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Since I have called out with a whole heart; answer me, YHWH, let me keep your purposes, since only with your gracious salvation is that going to happen.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The first word of the present verse provides the structural clue for the beginning of the stanza as a whole, which is then taken over by the roots קדם and קרב (vv. 147-148, 152).
• We have interpreted the final augmented אֶצֹּֽרָה as a jussive verb form with a commissive illocution of committing to faithfulness.

v. 146

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
146a	קְרָאתִ֥יךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי	I have called out to you; save me,
146b	וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃	so that I will observe your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have called out to you; save me, so that I will observe your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 147

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
147a	קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה	I have gone ahead before sunrise and called out for help.
147b	לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃	I have hoped in your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have gone ahead before sunrise and called out for help. It is the first thing I do in my day, since I have hoped in your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The textual evidence leads to the conclusion that before sunrise is a suitable rendering of בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף (see also the notes under v. 148).
• The qere tradition has been followed here (לִדְבָרְךָ֥) as most likely the singular your word.

v. 148

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
148a	קִדְּמ֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת	I have been alert since before dawn
148b	לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃	to meditate on your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

I know you will give me understanding through it, so I have been alert since before dawn to meditate on your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as in v. 82 (see the notes there), there is a blend from “my eyes" into the psalmist’s whole person (I), indicated by the agency of the infinitive לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ without an explicit shift in grammatical subject.
• The preferred reading of before dawn (אַשְׁמֻרוֹת) is as a nominal adverb./li>
• For אַשְׁמֻרוֹת as before dawn, cf. the LXX's πρὸς ὄρθρον ("at dawn," NETS). The psalmist has already spoken of being up at midnight (v. 62).
• The final form of on your word (בְּאִמְרָתֶךָ) is read as singular by TgPs and the Syr. The singular reading is also favored by the shortage of manuscripts displaying the plene yod and Revell’s (2004) classification as a pausal form.

v. 149

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
149a	ק֭וֹלִי שִׁמְעָ֣ה כְחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ	Listen to my voice according to your loyalty;
149b	יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃	YHWH, keep me alive according to your justice.

Expanded Paraphrase

When I call out to you, listen to my voice according to your loyalty; YHWH, keep me alive according to your justice, which is my only hope.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Note that Lam 3:56 begins very similarly: קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי, though, crucially, with a qatal in place of the imperative here. See also the qatals of רָאִ֤יתָה in Lam 3:59-60, where the psalmist continues to appeal רְאֵֽה in both 119:159 and 160. Thematically, one could say that the psalmist is not in Lamentations 3 yet, but still in 1-2; 4-5.

v. 150

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
150a	קָ֭רְבוּ רֹדְפֵ֣י זִמָּ֑ה	Those pursuing a wicked scheme are near;
150b	מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ רָחָֽקוּ׃	they are far from your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Those pursuing a wicked scheme against me are near, but they are far from your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While the nominal זִמָּה can simply mean “wickedness,” the more concrete sense derived from the verbal root זמם “to plan” fits the context of the psalm, so it is translated here as wicked scheme. The psalmist’s oppressors have spoken against him (v. 23), insulted and derided him (vv. 42, 51), laid traps for him (vv. 61, 110), dug pits for him (v. 85) and waited to kill him (v. 95).
• Note the contrast of “near” and “far” in the present verse, continued by “You are near” in v. 151. The "distance" image belongs to the TORAH AS PATH metaphor, in the same manner as turning to the right or left in Deut 5:32 (see Procházkova 2021, 57).

v. 151

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
151a	קָר֣וֹב אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה	You are near, YHWH,
151b	וְֽכָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אֱמֶֽת׃	and all your commands are truth.

Expanded Paraphrase

At the same time, the reality is that you are near, YHWH, and all your commands are truth.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Rendering אֱמֶֽת as the adjective “true" rather than the noun “truth” is required for a natural reading of the syntax (i.e., not equating “all of your commands” and the abstract noun “truth,” but rather commenting on their nature as “true”) since there is no adjectival form for “true” in BH (the niphal participle נֶאֱמָנִים is often employed, but typically in the sense of “firm, trustworthy”).

v. 152

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
152a	קֶ֣דֶם יָ֭דַעְתִּי מֵעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ	From long ago I have known from your testimonies
152b	כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְסַדְתָּֽם׃	that you established them forever.

Expanded Paraphrase

This is nothing new. From long ago I have known from your testimonies that you established them forever. They do not change and they are still worthy of my trust.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This final verse of the ק-stanza provides another instance of the importance of the temporal adverb forever (לְעוֹלָם) in the psalm, with a similar structural function to that of vv. 144 and 160, as discussed in the poetic feature, Always and Forever. In the present case, it is also augmented also by the presence of the adverbial long ago (קֶדֶם) in this case, such that the fronted constituent of each clause in the verse span a lengthy period of time in the past into eternity future.

Resh

• Verse 153 introduces a new macro speech act of arguing that the wicked should be dealt with and the psalmist redeemed on the basis of his own word and just nature.

  

v. 153

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
153a	רְאֵֽה־עָנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי	Look at my affliction and rescue me,
153b	כִּי־תֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	because I have not forgotten your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

Look at my affliction and rescue me, because I have not forgotten your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The very first word of the verse ends up playing a significant structural role throughout the entire ר-stanza:

v. 154

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
154a	רִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי	Defend my case and redeem me.
154b	לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃	Keep me alive by your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

Defend my case against those who oppress me and want to shame me and redeem me. Keep me alive by your word, which guides me on the right path and offers life-giving promises.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The use of redeem (גאל) in the context of “defending a case” probably alludes to the "gate scene frame” (cf. Ruth 4:1-2) already activated by the mention of the leaders in v. 23 (see the notes there), who are about to reappear in v. 161. The construct chain רִ֭יבִי is analysed as entity-malefactor, that is, “the case (brought against) me.”
• Note that this is a unique case of lamed functioning as normative (by), as followed by most modern translations, with the preposition כְּאִמְרָתְךָ being much more frequent (see vv. 41, 58, 76, 116, 170; the two other instances of לְאִמְרָתְךָ – in vv. 82, 123 – most likely provide a stimulus for the עֵינַי כָּלוּ verb phrase in both cases).

v. 155

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
155a	רָח֣וֹק מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים יְשׁוּעָ֑ה	Success is far from wicked people,
155b	כִּֽי־חֻ֝קֶּיךָ לֹ֣א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃	because they do not care about your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Success is far from wicked people. They are not going to get away with their schemes, because they do not care about your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The gender mismatch between far (רָחוֹק) and success (יְשׁוּעָה) is alleviated by both the LXX and Jerome's adverbial reading of רָחוֹק, though for such an adverbial reading we would expect בְּרָחוֹק as in לָמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תַּעֲמֹ֣ד בְּרָח֑וֹק (Ps 10:1) or מֵרָחֹ֥ק as in וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י מֵרָחֹ֥ק עָמָֽדוּ (Ps 38:12). A close parallel, with the expected agreement, is Prov 15:29 – רָח֣וֹק יְ֭הוָה מֵרְשָׁעִ֑ים. Joüon-Muroaka maintain, however, that "The adjective רָחוֹק distant, remote remains invariable and is treated like an adverb (far)," that is, an adverb of suppletion, that is, "the name given to diverse parts of speech which, in view of the dearth of specifically adverbial formations, function as adverbs."

v. 156

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
156a	רַחֲמֶ֖יךָ רַבִּ֥ים ׀ יְהוָ֑ה	YHWH, your merciful acts are numerous.
156b	כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃	Keep me alive according to your judgments.

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH, your merciful acts are numerous. I have read about them and even seen them in my own life. Keep me alive according to your judgments against those who oppress me and for those who trust in you,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Despite a number of textual variants and grammatical alternatives in this verse, largely involving the MT's כְּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, the other ancient versions and manuscript evidence (including 11Q5) contain the plene yod, and thus the plural “your judgments” has been preferred.

v. 157

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
157a	רַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י	My persecutors and my adversaries are numerous!
157b	מֵ֝עֵדְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃	I have not turned away from your testimonies.

Expanded Paraphrase

Because my persecutors and my adversaries are also numerous! Even still, I have not turned away from your testimonies.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Since the subject-predicate order רֹדְפַי וְצָרָי רַבִּים would have sufficiently fulfilled the acrostic, the predicational numerous (רַ֭בִּים) is initial to create a symmetrical pattern between "my persecutors and my adversaries are numerous" (רַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י) and "your merciful acts are numerous" (רַחֲמֶ֖יךָ רַבִּ֥ים) in v. 156a and thus a tail-head linkage between the two strophes of the ר–stanza.
• This is the only instance in the Bible of the combination persecutor (רדף) and adversary (צָר). It may be that "persecutors" (רֹדְפִים) is a hyponym of the set of "adversaries" (צָרִים), the latter an intensification of רֹדְפִים, or even a re-evaluation, that is, they constitute the same set. Since there is no external evidence for the relationship between these two lexemes, however, the simple additive waw has been maintained. See also vv. 63 and 79 for the positive counterparts of characteristic actions.
• Just as in v. 150 (see the notes there), the imperfective aspect of the participle my persecutors and its substantive use in this case would indicate an ongoing way of life, as well as the situational context of the psalm involving the continuous persecution.

v. 158

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
158a	רָאִ֣יתִי בֹ֭גְדִים וָֽאֶתְקוֹטָ֑טָה	I have seen unfaithful people and felt disgusted
158b	אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִ֝מְרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃	by those who have not kept your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have seen unfaithful people and felt disgusted by those who have not kept your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While a number of manuscripts attest כִּי in place of אֲשֶׁר, and while causal subordination is sometimes carried out by an extra implicature of אֲשֶׁר, the preferred view adopts a much more common function of אֲשֶׁר.
• The root בגד often refers to objective transgression of a legal standard (see e.g., Exod 21:8; Judg 9:23; 1 Sam 14:33). In its theological usage, as is the case here, בגד is used to describe members of the covenant community who sin against God (see e.g., 1 Sam 14:33; Isa 24:16; 48:8; Jer 3:8, 11; 12:1; Pss 25:3; 78:57). We therefore use the term unfaithful to express this idea.

v. 159

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
159a	רְ֭אֵה כִּי־פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ אָהָ֑בְתִּי	See that I love your precepts.
159b	יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃	YHWH, keep me alive according to your loyalty.

Expanded Paraphrase

See that I love your precepts. YHWH, keep me alive according to your loyalty, the same loyalty I have shown you.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 160

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
160a	רֹאשׁ־דְּבָרְךָ֥ אֱמֶ֑ת	The sum of your word is truth
160b	וּ֝לְעוֹלָ֗ם כָּל־מִשְׁפַּ֥ט צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	and all of your just judgment is eternal.

Expanded Paraphrase

I know you will do it, because the sum of your word is truth through and through and all of your just judgment is eternal and unchanging.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present verse concludes the ר-stanza and once again contributes to the structural signals of the forever (לְעוֹלָם) prepositional phrase, as discussed in the poetic feature, Always and Forever. It also contains two instances of the Big Eight words, as discussed in the poetic feature, The Big Eight
• For this use of רֹאשׁ as “sum, total” (so BDB) cf. Ps 139:17 (וְלִ֗י מַה־יָּקְר֣וּ רֵעֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑ל מֶ֥ה עָ֝צְמוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם) and Job 22:12 (הֲֽלֹא־אֱ֭לוֹהַּ גֹּ֣בַהּ שָׁמָ֑יִם וּרְאֵ֤ה רֹ֖אשׁ כּוֹכָבִ֣ים כִּי־רָֽמּוּ) and Dan 7:1 (בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ חֶלְמָ֣א כְתַ֔ב רֵ֥אשׁ מִלִּ֖ין) as “contents.” The Pentateuchal occurrences are particularly prevalent (see Exod 30:12; Num 1:2, 49; 4:2, 22; 26:2; 31:26, 49). The construct chain רֹאשׁ־דְּבָרְךָ֥ is thus analyzed as specification of undivided whole, in similar manner to other quantifiers, such as כֹּל.

Praising

• In light of the concluding case of forever (לְעוֹלָם) in v. 160 (see the notes under v. 89 concerning its structural significance throughout the psalm) and the internal cohesion of the upcoming section, verse 161 constitutes a poetic section break and opens up the final section, consisting of the ש- and ת-stanzas (in similar manner to the first two stanzas). It also begins the next macro speech act of justifying his hope: he is ever determined because of his love of YHWH's instruction and hatred of falsehood:

Shin/Sin

• As well as yet another love/hate contrast (see the notes under vv. 113, 127-128), the root רבב, great, plays a structural role in the organization of this stanza. In light of other passages – such as v. 14 (בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ שַׂ֗שְׂתִּי כְּעַ֣ל כָּל־הֽוֹן); v. 72 (טֽוֹב־לִ֥י תֽוֹרַת־פִּ֑יךָ מֵ֝אַלְפֵ֗י זָהָ֥ב וָכָֽסֶף) and v. 127 (אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז) – the quantitative aspect of רָב is probably in view in the present verse.

v. 161

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
161a	שָׂ֭רִים רְדָפ֣וּנִי חִנָּ֑ם	Leaders have persecuted me without cause,
161b	וּ֝מִדְּבָרְךָ֗ פָּחַ֥ד לִבִּֽי׃	but my heart fears your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

Leaders have persecuted me without cause, but my heart fears your word.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The fronting of the semi-active leaders (שָׂ֭רִים; not mentioned since v. 23) indicates the thetic construal of this utterance as discourse out-of-the-blue. For discussion of שָׂרִים in the psalm, see v. 23.
• For heart (לב) as the "locus where the reaction to a threatening situation is physically experienced," see van der Merwe (2023, 300). Though something like “be in awe” (DCH) could seem more appropriate with YHWH's word as the object, it is contrasted with the (potential) fear of those leaders who persecute him in the first clause. See, further, clear contexts of even stronger senses of fear with YHWH's word in view, such as Isa 66:2 (וְאֶת־כָּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָדִ֣י עָשָׂ֔תָה וַיִּהְי֥וּ כָל־אֵ֖לֶּה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶל־זֶ֣ה אַבִּ֔יט אֶל־עָנִי֙ וּנְכֵה־ר֔וּחַ וְחָרֵ֖ד עַל־דְּבָרִֽי׃), and for another פחד plus מִן construction, see Ps 27:1.

v. 162

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
162a	שָׂ֣שׂ אָ֭נֹכִֽי עַל־אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	I rejoice over your word
162b	כְּ֝מוֹצֵ֗א שָׁלָ֥ל רָֽב׃	like one who finds great spoils of war.

Expanded Paraphrase

I rejoice over your word like one who finds great spoils of war.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the imagery of spoils of war, see the following table:

v. 163

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
163a	שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂ֭נֵאתִי וַאֲתַעֵ֑בָה	I really hate falsehood;
163b	תּוֹרָתְךָ֥ אָהָֽבְתִּי׃	I love your teaching.

Expanded Paraphrase

That is why I really hate falsehood, but I love your teaching.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The MT contains no conjunction in this verse, so we have preferred not to include one, despite the ancient versions' attestation of such.
• Note that this final instance of "hate" (שׂנא) in the psalm is augmented by the verbal hendiadys with "abhor" (תעב): really hate, and the final "love" אהב uniquely accompanied by "completely" (מְאֹד; see v. 167).
• The preference of falsehood over “unfaithfulness” for שֶׁקֶר is supported by Jerome, Aquila and Symmachus.

v. 164

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
164a	שֶׁ֣בַע בַּ֭יּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּ֑יךָ	I have been praising you seven times throughout the day
164b	עַ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃	for your just judgments.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have been praising you non-stop, as much as seven times throughout the day for your just judgments.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The numeral seven (שֶׁבַע) has been analyzed as a 'selecting modifier' in similar fashion to how less-specific quantifiers would be. For the bare שֶׁבַע for “seven times” see also Lev. 26.18, 21, 24, 28, likewise rendered (with the exception of v. 21) as ἑπτάκις “seven times” in the LXX (cf. שֶׁ֤בַע פְּעָמִים֙ in Lev. 4.6 et passim). Furthermore, while the fronting of שֶׁ֣בַע בַּ֭יּוֹם fulfills the ש–acrostic, it can also be plausibly read as scalar focus.
• Articular בַּיּוֹם serves as the temporal frame of extent for שֶׁבַע, that is, throughout the day, as opposed to the distributive: “every day” >> “a day,” for which we would expect the accusative.. The temporal frame is perhaps resuming the nighttime discussion in vv. 147-148.
• This verse contains the first of the three instances of the root הלל in the psalm, all reserved for the final section, Praising.

v. 165

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
165a	שָׁל֣וֹם רָ֭ב לְאֹהֲבֵ֣י תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ	Those who love your teaching have great peace
165b	וְאֵֽין־לָ֥מוֹ מִכְשֽׁוֹל׃	and there is no stumbling block against them.

Expanded Paraphrase

Also, those who love your teaching have great peace when they see your work in the world, and there is no stumbling block against them since they keep their way pure.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• While Biblical Hebrew usually distinguishes between predicational or presentational possession constructions – sometimes referred to as ‘belong’ possession and ‘have’ possession, respectively – by placing the possessor first in the presentational construction, often for poetic reasons (such as an acrostic in the present instance) the object possessed is placed clause-initially (cf. Isa 43:8 and Ps 115:5-6), as we have here with “peace.”
• In the second clause, the preposition לְ could plausibly be malefactive (that is, “there is no stumbling block (to work) against them”), which would be a comment on their good position (enjoying great peace), or causal “they do not cause a stumbling block”), thus, constituting a comment on their character. The former has been preferred in light of the ancient versions and modern translations, and contrast with the “walking in a wide place” in v. 45. The causal function of לְ is also quite rare.

v. 166

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
166a	שִׂבַּ֣רְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה	I have hoped in your salvation, YHWH
166b	וּֽמִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ עָשִֽׂיתִי׃	and have carried out your commands.

Expanded Paraphrase

I, too, have hoped in your salvation, YHWH, and have carried out your commands.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 167

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
167a	שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ	I have observed your testimonies
167b	וָאֹהֲבֵ֥ם מְאֹֽד׃	and I completely love them!

Expanded Paraphrase

I have observed your testimonies and, what is more, I completely love them!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• As many instances throughout the psalm, נַפְשִׁי “my soul” is virtually interchangeable for the psalmist, I, such that the verse can begin with grammatical agreement (3fs) with “my soul” and immediately follow with a first-person verb, as the MT has it.
• Note that this final instance of love (אהב) is uniquely accompanied by completely (מְאֹד), just as the final שׂנא was augmented by the verbal hendiadys with תעב “really hate” (see v. 163).

v. 168

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
168a	שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי פִ֭קּוּדֶיךָ וְעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ	I have kept your precepts and your testimonies
168b	כִּ֖י כָל־דְּרָכַ֣י נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃	because all of my ways are before you.

Expanded Paraphrase

I have kept your precepts and your testimonies because all of my ways are before you and I fear you. You also see when I stray and you set me back on the path of obedience.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• Just as in v. 160, as a conclusion to this stanza, v. 168 contains two instances of the Big Eight words, as discussed in the poetic feature, The Big Eight.
• The prepositional phrase rendered before you, speaks of something that is "epistemologically known" by you.

Taw

• Verse 169 begins the final macro speech act of requesting wisdom and salvation, with the result of praise:
• It also begins the last stanza, which is poetically structured by means of body parts and acts of communication, a series of jussive verbs (similarly, see the yod-stanza) and the final two instances of the root "praise" הלל (of only three in the entire psalm), both in the fifth line of each sub-stanza.

v. 169

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
169a	תִּקְרַ֤ב רִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה	Let my cry come near to you, YHWH,
169b	כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ הֲבִינֵֽנִי׃	give me understanding according to your word.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let my cry come near to you, YHWH, so that you pay attention. Give me understanding according to your word, even when I have to wait, so I can trust in your faithfulness in dealing with me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The emended alternative prepositional phrase בדברך for the MT's כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ ("according to your word") is found in a number of Hebrew manuscripts.

v. 170

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
170a	תָּב֣וֹא תְּחִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ	Let my plea come to you;
170b	כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃	rescue me according to your promise.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let my plea come to you so that you will rescue me according to your promise.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 171

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
171a	תַּבַּ֣עְנָה שְׂפָתַ֣י תְּהִלָּ֑ה	My lips pour out praise
171b	כִּ֖י תְלַמְּדֵ֣נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃	because you teach me your purposes.

Expanded Paraphrase

Nevertheless, in the meantime, my lips already pour out praise because you do teach me your purposes.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present verse provides the second instance of the root praise (הלל) and also the final occurrence of the construction למד חק teach purposes. After requesting this six times (vv. 12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135) and declaring that it would be a good result of his affliction (v. 71), the psalmist now finally declares that YHWH is teaching him his purposes. Somewhat falling short of a “happy ending,” however, the rest of the stanza continues with a certain tension that is left unresolved in v. 176 (see the notes there). Further, in light of the numerous cases of fronting in the B-line to create poetic binding of the couplet (see the list of instances in the notes under v. 3), the verb-initial תְלַמְּדֵ֣נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ becomes somewhat marked and accommodates an interpretation of verbal polarity focus: "'You do teach me your decrees.”'

v. 172

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
172a	תַּ֣עַן לְ֭שׁוֹנִי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ	Let my tongue sing your word
172b	כִּ֖י כָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ צֶּֽדֶק׃	because all of your commands are absolutely righteous.

Expanded Paraphrase

Whether you answer quickly or slowly, let my tongue sing your word because all of your commands are absolutely righteous.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The present verse is the final instance of a verse containing two instances of the Big Eight words, as discussed in the poetic feature, The Big Eight.
• The common translation as the adjective righteous rather than the noun righteousness seems unfounded since the adjectival צָדִּיק is frequent in BH, so an intensitive equative is preferred here. The KJV, NASB and REB are, among English versions (cf. the ELB, EÜ, NBS, NVSR, RVA and TOB), apparently alone in the rendering that which most directly represents the Hebrew text, with the REB particularly insightful: “your commandments are justice itself.”
• On the root ענה, the ancient versions vary, as do modern translations, between "declare" and "sing." Both "declare" and "sing" have precedence earlier in the psalm (e.g., v. 46: וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה בְ֭עֵדֹתֶיךָ נֶ֥גֶד מְלָכִ֗ים and v. 54: זְ֭מִרוֹת הָֽיוּ־לִ֥י חֻקֶּ֗יךָ) and elsewhere (Ps 138:5: וְ֭יָשִׁירוּ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה). Nevertheless, sing has been preferred as a commonly attested use of the root ענה and the context of הלל in vv. 164, 171 and 175.

v. 173

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
173a	תְּהִֽי־יָדְךָ֥ לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי	May your hand help me
173b	כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ בָחָֽרְתִּי׃	because I have chosen your precepts.

Expanded Paraphrase

Even still, may your hand help me because I have chosen your precepts.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• For the modal היה with a לְ + infinitive, see the notes under v. 76, which also occurs in a sequence of jussive verbs, as in the present stanza.

v. 174

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
174a	תָּאַ֣בְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה	I long for your salvation, YHWH,
174b	וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃	and your teaching is my delight.

Expanded Paraphrase

I long for your salvation, YHWH, and your teaching is my delight.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 175

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
175a	תְּֽחִי־נַ֭פְשִׁי וּֽתְהַֽלְלֶ֑ךָּ	Let my soul live, so that it will praise you,
175b	וּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ יַעֲזְרֻֽנִי׃	and let your judgments help me.

Expanded Paraphrase

Let my soul live so that it will praise you, and let your judgments help me against those who persecute me.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• This verse very much concludes the structural core of the ת-stanza as the final instance of a jussive verb, the final instance of the root praise (הלל) and the continuation of the root help (עזר) from v. 173 (see the poetic structure visual under v. 169). On the other hand, the subordinating כִּי in v. 176 provides an inclusio for the half-stanza with that of v. 173.

v. 176

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-Clear
176a	תָּעִ֗יתִי כְּשֶׂ֣ה אֹ֭בֵד בַּקֵּ֣שׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	When I go astray like a lost sheep, search out your servant,
176b	כִּ֥י מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃	because I have not forgotten your commands!

Expanded Paraphrase

When I go astray like a lost sheep, which will happen, since there is no one who does not sin and I may very well need your correction again, search out your servant, because I have not forgotten your commands!

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The final verse of our psalm is somewhat detached from the poetic structure of the rest of the stanza, since v. 175 contains the final jussive verb forms and the final instance of the root "praise" (הלל). There have been various interpretations of the verse, since, on face value, it seems to contradict v. 110 (see the notes there) in that the psalmist confesses to having gone astray, where in v. 110 he explicitly claims to not have gone astray. One solution is to understand the qatal verb as past perfective, that is, “I went astray.” This is not altogether satisfying in light of the tight connection between "go astray" (תעה) and the following imperative, “seek me out,” which is obviously relevant for the “now” of speech time.
• Adopting the perfect “I have gone astray” reading (as the most common function of the qatal throughout the psalm), a number of commentators have claimed that the nature of going astray is not into disobedience, but rather in his position and circumstances of affliction, as also discussed throughout the psalm. This interpretation finds support in light of v. 153 (רְאֵֽה־עָנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי כִּי־תֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי), where the psalmist pleads “rescue me” (similar to “seek me out” in the present verse”) in light of his affliction (עָנְיִ֥י), and provides the grounds as “I have not forgotten your instruction,” similarly to the present case of “I have not forgotten your commands.” Further, we have already seen the actions of the “leaders” as antagonists throughout the psalm (vv. 23, 161), characterized as wolves in Ezek 22:27 (שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים טֹ֣רְפֵי טָ֑רֶף), and, indeed, who make YHWH’s people stray in Jer 50:6 (צֹ֤אן אֹֽבְדוֹת֙ הָיָה עַמִּ֔י רֹעֵיהֶ֣ם הִתְע֔וּם). This interpretation would create the following understanding of the “lost sheep” imagery, but is questionable due to the common use of תעה, as already attested in the psalm:
• In the end, we deviate from the common use of the qatal verb throughout the psalm (but not unattested elsewhere in the Bible) in order to not deviate from the common sense of תעה throughout the psalm (and the Bible in general), translating תָּעִ֗יתִי as "when I go astray" with the following imagery:
• A final alternative is to allow the contradiction of v. 110 stand, as per Reynolds: "The best explanation for such inconsistencies is that the author sought to portray a complex and compelling Torah student in a variety of situations" (2010, 92).

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Del Olmo Lete, G, Sanmartín, J, Watson, W. G. E. (trans.) 2015. A Dictionary of the Ugaritic Language in the Alphabetic Tradition. Leiden: Brill.

Parry, Donald W., & Andrew C. Skinner eds., Dead Sea Scrolls Electronic Library Biblical Texts. In Consultation with Emanuel Tov and Eugene Ulrich. Leiden: Brill, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2451-9383_dss.11q5.dsbo-eng2

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SDBH = de Blois, Reinier (ed.). Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew. United Bible Societies.

Schipper, Bernd. U. 2014. “Egyptian Backgrounds to the Psalms.” Pages 57-75 in William P. Brown (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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________. Forthcoming 2025. "Infinitive Construct." In Geoffrey Khan (ed.) The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Cambridge: University of Cambridge & Open Book Publishers.

Sokoloff, Michael. 2009. A Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion, and Update of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns & Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

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Soll, Will. 1987. "The Question of Psalm 119:9." JBL 106, no. 4: 687-688.

________. 1991. Psalm 119: Matrix, Form and Setting. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association of America.

Stec, David M. 2004. The Targum of Psalms: Translated, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus, and Notes. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Talmy, Leonard. 2000. Toward A Cognitive Semantics: Concept Structuring Systems. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Taylor, Richard A. in Bali, Joseph & George Kiraz (eds.). 2020. The Psalms According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

TDOT = Botterweck, G. Johannes & Ringgren, Helmer (eds.). 1978. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, Volume III. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Terrien, Samuel. 2003. The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Tigay, Jeffrey H. 2017. "On the Tolerative/Permissive Hiph῾il." Pages 397-414 in F. E. Greenspahn & G. A. Rendsburg (eds.) Le-ma‘an Ziony: Essays in Honor of Ziony Zevit. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

TLOT = Jenni, Ernst & Westermann, Claus (eds.). 1997. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament, Volumes I-III. Trans. Mark E. Biddle. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

van der Lugt, P. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90-150 and Psalm 1. Leiden: Brill.

van der Merwe, C. H. J. 2009. "Another Look at the Biblical Hebrew Focus Particle גַּם." JSS 54, no. 2: 313-332.

________. 2023. "The Conceptualization of Heart as an Active Zone Body Part in Biblical Hebrew." Pages 294-318 in Hanneke van Loon and Pierre van Hecke (eds.) Where Is the Way to the Dwelling of Light? Studies in Genesis, Job and Linguistics in Honor of Ellen van Wolde. Leiden: Brill.

VTH = Benjamin Kennicott (ed.). 1776. Vetus Testamentum Hebraicum: cum variis lectionibus. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Warren-Rothlin, Andy. "Idioms: Biblical Hebrew." Pages 227-229 in Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics, Volume 2. Edited by G. Khan. Leiden: Brill.

Weitzman, M. P. 1999. The Syriac Version of the Old Testament: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Whybray, Roger. N. 1997. "Psalm 119: Profile of a Psalmist." Pages 31-43 in Wisdom, You are my Sister: Studies in Honor of Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series. Washington, DC: Catholic Biblical Association. Edited by Michael L. Barré.

Zenger, Erich. 2011. A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Linda M. Maloney (trans.). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Zernecke, Anna E. 2014. “Mesopotamian Parallels to the Psalms.” Pages 26-42 in William P. Brown (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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