EXEGESIS: PSALM 119:1-8

TRANSLATION

Vs.1 `hw"h
) y> tr:îAtB. ~ykiªl.hoh;÷( %r<d"_-ymeymi(t. yrEîv.a;
Word Parsing and root Meaning
yrEîv.a; particle interjection Happy, fortunate
ymeymi(t. ~ymiT' adjective masculine plural construct, %r,D, noun complete/sound way,
%r<d"-_ common both singular absolute road
~ykiªl.hho ;÷( h; particle article, Qal participle masculine plural absolute from the, to walk or go
the root $lh
tr:îAtB. B. particle preposition, hr'AT noun common feminine singular in Torah or Law
construct
hw")hy> proper noun no gender no number no state God (YHWH)

Translation

Fortunate (are those people whose) way (is blameless), who walk in the Law of YHWH
(LORD).

Vs.2 `WhWv)r>dy> I ble-î lk'B. wyt'ªdo[e yrEîc.nO yrEva

. ;â
Word Parsing and root Meaning
yrEv.a;â particle interjection Happy, fortunate
yrEîc.nO Qal participle masculine plural construct from the root rcn to watch or guard
wyt'ªdo[e noun common feminine plural construct suffix 3rd person testimony or witness
masculine singular homonym 1
bleî-lk'B. B. particle preposition, lKo noun common masculine singular with all of heart

construct, ble noun common masculine singular absolute

WhWv)r>dy> I Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural suffix 3rd person to resort to or seek
masculine singular from the root vrd

Translation

Fortunate (are those people who) observe your testimonies, who seek him with all (their )
heart.

Vs.3 `Wkl'(h' wyk'rî "d>Bi hl'w_ >[; Wlå[]p'-al{) @a;â

Word Parsing and root Meaning

@a;â particle conjunction homonym 1 Yea or also or even
al {) al{ particle negative, Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from not to do or make
Wlå[]p'- the root l[p
hl'_w>[; noun common feminine singular absolute injustice or
unrighteousness
wyk'rî "d>Bi B. particle preposition, %r,D, noun common both plural in his ways or roads
construct suffix 3rd person masculine singular
Wkl'(h' Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from the root $lh they walk or go

Translation

(They) also do no unrighteousness; they walk in his ways.

Vs.4 `dao)m. rmoðv.li ^yd<ªQupi ht'yWIïci hT'a;â

Word Parsing and root Meaning

hT'a;â pronoun independent 2nd person masculine singular You
ht'yWIïci Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular from the root hwc to command
^yd<ªQupi noun common masculine plural construct suffix 2nd person your precepts or
masculine singular instructions
rmovð .li l. particle preposition, Qal infinitive construct from the root to keep or watch
rmv
dao)m. particle adverb muchness or
abundance

Translation

You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.

Vs.5 `^yQ<)xu rmoðv.li yk'ªr"d> WnKoïyI yl;x]a;â

Word Parsing and root Meaning

yl;x]a;â particle interjection O that!
WnKoïyI Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural from the root !wk to be established
yk'ªr"d> noun common both plural construct suffix 1st person common my ways or roads
singular
rmovð .li l. particle preposition, Qal infinitive construct from the root to keep or watch
rmv
^yQ<)xu noun common masculine plural construct suffix 2nd person your statutes
masculine singular

Translation

O that my ways may be established to keep your statutes.

Vs.6 `^yt,w( Oc.m-i lK'-la, yjiªyBih;B.÷ vAb+ae-al{ za'î

Word Parsing and root Meaning

za'î particle adverb Then
al{ al{ particle negative, Qal imperfect 1st person common singular not to be ashamed
vAb+a-e homonym 1 from the root vwb
yjiªyBih;B.÷ B. particle preposition, Hiphil infinitive construct suffix 1st I look or regard
person common singular from the root jbn
lK'-la, la, particle preposition, lKo noun common masculine singular unto or to all your
^yt,w( Oc.m-i construct, hw"c.mi noun common feminine plural construct suffix commandments

2nd person masculine singular

Translation

So that, I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all your commandments;

Vs.7 `^q<)d>ci yjeîP.v.mi ydIªm.l'B.÷ bb'_le rv,yOæB. ^d>Aaâ

Word Parsing and root Meaning

^d>Aaâ Hiphil imperfect 1st person common singular suffix 2nd person To praise your
masculine singular cohortative in meaning, but no unique form
for cohortative homonym 2 from the root hdy
rv,yOæB. B. particle preposition, rv,yO noun common masculine singular in uprightness
 construct
bb'_le noun common masculine singular absolute heart
ydIªm.l'B.÷ B. particle preposition, Qal infinitive construct suffix 1st person when I learn
common singular from the root dml
yjeîP.v.mi noun common masculine plural construct judgements
^q<)dc> i noun common masculine singular construct suffix 2nd person your righteousness
masculine singular

Translation

(That I may) praise your name in uprightness of heart when I learn your righteous
judgements;

Vs.8 `dao)m-. d[; ynIbEïz>[;T-; la;( rmov

= .a, ^yQ<ïxu-ta,
Word Parsing and root Meaning
ta, tae particle direct object marker homonym 1, qx nouno With your statutes
^yQ<ïxu- common masculine plural construct suffix 2nd person masculine
singular
rmov= .a, Qal imperfect 1st person common singular from the root rmv to keep or watch
la;( la; particle adverb, Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular nothing to loose or
ynIbEïz>[;T;- suffix 1st person common singular jussive in meaning, but no leave of (forsake) me
unique form for jussive homonym 1 from the root bz[
dao)m.-d[; d[; .
particle preposition homonym 3, daom particle adverb until of abundance
(utterly)

Translation

I will keep your statutes, do not forsake me utterly.

Form/structure/setting

Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm like Psalms 111, 112 and others. It is the most developed
instance in the OT. The closest parallel is Lamentations 3, which contains twenty-three
strophes of three lines. In this literary tour de force eight lines in each strophe begin with the
same letter of the alphabet. This makes it by far the longest composition in the Psalter. The
number of lines seems to have been determined by the use of eight synonymous for the focus
of the psalmist’s interest in the “Torah.”Five of these occur too in Psalm 19b, upon which this
psalm may be dependent. Overall hrwt occurs twenty-five times, rbd “word” twenty-four,
myjpvm “rulings” and twd[ “covenant” twenty-three, hw[m or tw[m “commands” twenty-two,
myqx “statutes, laws” and mydwqp “charges” twenty-one and hdma or twdma “sayings”
nineteen times.

Exegesis

“a” (Aleph), the opening section combines a series of general statements (vs. 1-4) with a
series of personal ones in which the Psalmist professes identification with those general
statements (vs. 5-8),… the initial generalizations make explicit that it does not speak just for
one individual or for particularly holy individuals but lays before the community a vision that
applies to everyone but needs to be appropriated by each individual.1

Vs.1 `hw"h
) y> tr:îAtB. ~ykiªl.hoh;÷( %r<d"_-ymeymi(t. yrEîv.a;

yrEîv.a; - In the beginning of the parallels the Psalter’s own beginning (Ps. 119 could be seen as
a vast expansion on Ps. 1), speaking of the good fortune (yrEîv.a) of the people with integrity,
spelled out as walking in YHWH’s teaching. The parallelism immediately underlines how a
relationship with YHWH is not merely a matter of what goes on inside the person but of the
outward life. This is where integrity resides. Such integrity of outward life does not spoil a
person’s life but makes it. “The farther a man wanders from God, the happier does he
imagine himself to be,” yet following endless bypaths instead of the right path ends in ruin
and destruction.2 Therefore…life with God is not essentially a matter of ever-new beginnings
but, of keeping on the way.3

Vs.2 `WhWv)r>dy> I ble-î lk'B. wyt'ªdo[e yrEîc.nO yrEva

. ;â

yrEv.a;â – The second affirmation parallels the first, now speaking of the good fortune (yrEv.a;â) of
people who observe YHWH’s declarations, having recourse to him with their whole heart. In
the context, this inquiring of YHWH indicates seeking direction over behavioural questions.
Observing YHWH’s directions is again an outward matter; but the second colon does then
raise the question of the relationship of inward and outward. Therefore in such a case there
needs to be a unity about the person and their relationship with their life. Behaviour without
attitude would not be enough; attitude without behaviour would not be enough; so, the psalm
assumes that one cannot have behaviour characterized by integrity without the right attitude
of heart; and one cannot have the right attitude of heart without that being expressed
outwardly.

Vs.3 `Wkl'(h' wyk'rî "dB

> i hl'_w>[; Wlå[]p'-al{) @a;â

@a;â – The declaration of good fortune also applies to vs. 3, whose “yes” (@a;â) introduces
another description of those to whom the declaration applies. The qatal verbs are perhaps
gnomic, describing something that is regularly true; proverbs in Hebrew have qatal verbs. So
this time the parallelism contrasts a negative and positive; where wickedness is defined not as
failing to live by objective standards of right and wrong but as failing to walk in YHWH’s
ways as common expression in Deuteronomy and books that follow its mode of speaking
(Deut. 8:6; 10:12; 1 Kings 2:3)….Therefore, doing right involves imitating YHWH’s ways;
where God himself has gone through these ways and which we are now to go with him.
Further analyzing this, people’s way (singular in vs. 1) needs to be shaped by YHWH’s
ways.4

Vs.4 `dao)m. rmoðv.li ^yd<ªQupi ht'yWIïci hT'a;â

hT'a;â – Verse 4 moves in a different ethical direction in emphasizing that this way is one that
YHWH personally (hT'a;â ,“you”) has given orders about. Israel’s way of life does not involve
making mature independent choices,….But, the life characterized by good fortune involves

1
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150 edited by
Tremper Longman III (Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008), Vol. 3, 381.
2
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 381.
3
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 382.
4
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 382-383.
obedience to orders or commandments used by YHWH himself; in such a case Israel’s job is
simply to keep them.5

dao)m. – The term “well” literally means “much”, not by half measures, but according to the
psalmist as the last word;6 In other words Israel had to keep obedience completely rather than
obeying partially to YHWH’s commandments or orders.

Vs.5 `^yQ<)xu rmoðv.li yk'ªr"d> WnKoïyI yl;x]a;â

yl;x]a;â – The wish (yl;x]a;â) “O that,” recognizes that it is an open question whether one will
keep YHWH’s laws, even while recognizing its importance. Making a commitment is one
thing; maintaining it is another. One needs to stand firm (mwq , niphal), like the kingship in
Solomon’s hands (1 Kings 2:12, 46) or like the world itself (Ps. 93:2, 96:10). The human
person is a complex entity, where at one level a person can be committed to obedience, yet at
another level he or she may fail to do so.7

Vs.6 `^yt,w( Oc.m-i lK'-la, yjiªyBih;B.÷ vAb+ae-al{ za'î

za'î – NJPS (The Hebrew English Tanak), runs on vs. 6 from vs. 5 but, it would be unique for
one verse in this psalm to link syntactically with another….One might even ask whether
“then” (za'î) is simply an emphatic, or whether it anticipates the “as” in the second colon,
rather than following on from vs. 5. But the only other “O that” in the OT (2 Kings 5:3) is
also followed by a “then,” and logically vs. 6a does follow from vs. 5; in effect vs. 6b is then
restating vs. 5.8

vAb+a-e al – Shaming is part of the negative counterpart of good fortune (vs. 1-2), the two
helping to nuance their respective significance. On one hand, good fortune is not merely a
matter of blessings such as prosperity and good health, but of honour in the community,
which respects a person’s integrity. On the other hand, a devastating consequence of refusing
to walk in YHWH’s ways is losing one’s honour before the community. All these interlink:
where, obedience generates prosperity and thus honour; disobedience generates trouble and
thus shame.9

Vs.7 `^q<)d>ci yjeîP.v.mi ydIªm.l'B.÷ bb'_le rv,yOæB. ^d>Aaâ

^d>Aaâ – Confessing (^d>Aaâ) implies giving testimony to what YHWH has done for me; vs. 7
follows from vs. 6 like vs. 6 from vs. 5. The suppliant will prove that obeying YHWH means
prosperity and honour and will thus be able to testify to that. Verse 2 spoke of having
recourse to YHWH with the whole heart (cf. vs. 10); confessing YHWH with uprightness of
heart is an overlapping notion, suggesting the integrity of attitude lying behind integrity of
life.10 Another aspect of the dynamic obedience is that action and an attitude of heart, it
requires to learning. We cannot just assume we automatically know what is right,…therefore,
we have to listen and learn to discover the authoritative decisions YHWH has made about life
that expound the nature of faithful living in relation to God and one another.11

5
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 383.
6
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 383.
7
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 383.
8
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 383.
9
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 383-384.
10
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 384.
11
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 384.
Vs.8 `dao)m-. d[; ynIbEïz>[;T-; la;( rmov
= .a, ^yQ<ïxu-ta,

^yQ<ïxu-ta, - …Here the Psalmist accepts responsibility for what was formerly the object of a
wish: “I will keep your laws (rmov= .a, ^yQ<ïxu-ta,).”12 For the first time the expected consequence
of that commitment is expressed in terms of YHWH’s action; where, for the first time
YHWH is the subject of the verb….here it is explicit that YHWH can be the agent of
abandoning, which has devastating implications. It does not merely mean feeling abandoned
by God. It means actually being surrendered to forces that can mean death.13

dao)m.-d[; - Keeping YHWH’s laws gives a basic for a plea that this should never happen, or
should not happen “completely” (dao)m.-d[;), which literally means “to much” that YHWH
should not excessively or seriously abandon the psalmist…in other words the expression
more likely involves litotes: the psalmist meant…issuing the plea implies an awareness of the
danger or perhaps an awareness of being rather abandoned already.14

12
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 384.
13
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 384-385.
14
John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms: Psalms 90-150..., 385.