Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 119:137 - 119:137

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 119:137 - 119:137


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The eightfold Tsade. God rules righteously and faithfully according to His word, for which the poet is accordingly zealous, although young and despised. The predicate יָשָׂר in Psa 119:137 precedes its subject מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (God's decisions in word and in deed) in the primary form (after the model of the verbal clause Psa 124:5), just as in German {and English} the predicative adjective remains undeclined. The accusatives צֶדֶק and אֱמוּנָה in Psa 119:138 are not predicative (Hitzig), to which the former (“as righteousness”) - not the latter however - is not suited, but adverbial accusatives (in righteousness, in faithfulness), and מְאֹד according to its position is subordinate to ואמונה as a virtual adjective (cf. Isa 47:9): the requirements of the revealed law proceed from a disposition towards and mode of dealing with men which is strictly determined by His holiness (צדק), and beyond measure faithfully and honestly designs the well-being of men (אמונה מאד). To see this good law of God despised by his persecutors stirs the poet up with a zeal, which brings him, from their side, to the brink of extreme destruction (Psa 69:10, cf. צִמְתֵּת, Psa 88:17). God's own utterance is indeed without spot, and therefore not to be carped at; it is pure, fire-proved, noblest metal (Psa 18:31; Psa 12:7), therefore he loves it, and does not, though young (lxx νεώτερος, Vulgate adolescentulus) and lightly esteemed, care for the remonstrances of his proud opponents who are old and more learned than himself (the organization of Psa 119:141 is like Psa 119:95, and frequently). The righteousness (צְדָקָה) of the God of revelation becomes eternal righteousness (צֶדֶק), and His law remains eternal truth (אֱמֶת). צדקה is here the name of the attribute and of the action that is conditioned in accordance with it; צדק the name of the state that thoroughly accords with the idea of that which is right. So too in Psa 119:144 : צדק are Jahve's testimonies for ever, so that all creatures must give glory to their harmony with that which is absolutely right. To look ever deeper and deeper into this their perfection is the growing life of the spirit. The poet prays for this vivifying insight.