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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 119:89 - 119:89
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The eightfold Lamed. Eternal and imperishable in the constant verifying of itself is the vigorous and consolatory word of God, to which the poet will ever cling. It has heaven as its standing-place, and therefore it also has the qualities of heaven, and before all others, heaven-like stability. Ps 89 (Psa 89:3) uses similar language in reference to God's faithfulness, of which here Psa 119:90 says that it endureth into all generations. The earth hath He creatively set up, and it standeth, viz., as a practical proof and as a scene of His infinite, unchangeable faithfulness. Heaven and earth are not the subjects of Psa 119:91 (Hupfeld), for only the earth is previously mentioned; the reference to the heavens in Psa 119:89 is of a very different character. Hitzig and others see the subject in לְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ: with respect to Thy judgments, they stand fast unto this day; but the עֲבָדֶיךָ which follows requires another meaning to be assigned to עָֽמְדוּ: either of taking up one's place ready for service, or, since עמד למשׁפט is a current phrase in Num 35:12; Jos 20:6; Eze 44:24, of placing one's self ready to obey (Böttcher). The subject of עָֽמְדוּ, as the following הַכֹּל shows, is meant to be thought of in the most general sense (cf. Job 38:14): all beings are God's servants (subjects), and have accordingly to be obedient and humble before His judicial decisions - הַיֹּום, “even to this day,” the poet adds, for these judicial decisions are those which are formulated beforehand in the Tôra. Joy in this ever sure, all-conditioning word has upheld the poet in his affliction, Psa 119:92. He who has been persecuted and cast down as it were to death, owes his reviving to it, Psa 119:93. From Him whose possession or property he is in faith and love he also further looks for his salvation, Psa 119:94. Let evil-doers lie in wait for him (קִוּוּ in a hostile sense, as in Psa 56:7, קִוָּה, cf. חִכָּה, going back to קָוָה, Arab. qawiya, with the broad primary signification, to be tight, firm, strong) to destroy him, he meditates on God's testimonies. He knows from experience that all (earthly) perfection (תִּכְלָה) has an end (inasmuch as, having reached its height, it changes into its opposite); God's commandment (singular as in Deu 11:22), on the contrary, is exceeding broad (cf. Job 11:9), unlimited in its duration and verification.