Psalm 119:109 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.

NIV: Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.

NASB: My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your Law.

CSB: My life is constantly in danger, yet I do not forget your instruction.

NLT: My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.

KJV: My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

NKJV: My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law.

Psalm 119:105–112 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter nun. The Hebrew worldview used "light" as the ultimate ideal: the symbol of truth and goodness. God's commandments and instructions provide light to guide a person's life. The psalmist celebrates this, and vows to remain loyal to Scripture. He prays for even deeper faith and that he would obey the Lord for all time. Proverbs 6:23 makes a similar comment about light and paths.

This song is composed of twenty-two stanzas, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line in the stanza is an individual verse and each begins with the corresponding letter. The psalmist emphasizes study of God's Word in a variety of circumstances, including persecution, sadness, and rescue. Benefits of taking in the Word include a moral life, joy, wisdom, hope, peace, strength, and freedom. Those who interact with the Word of the Lord should respond with delight, careful study, and obedience.

This is the largest psalm in the book of Psalms. At 176 verses, Psalm 119 is longer than many books of the Old Testament and most books of the New Testament. The psalmist focuses on a proper relationship with God's Word and how those who follow the Lord face persecution. Ideas parallel those found in Psalm 1, 2 Timothy 3:14–17, Proverbs 3:5–8, Hebrews 12:6–11, and more. The psalm is arranged in twenty-two stanzas of eight lines each. Every stanza is associated with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; each line in that stanza begins with that letter.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 11:10:38 AM