Psalm 119:122 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.

NIV: Ensure your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me.

NASB: Be a guarantor for Your servant for good; Do not let the arrogant oppress me.

CSB: Guarantee your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me.

NLT: Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don’t let the arrogant oppress me!

KJV: Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

NKJV: Be surety for Your servant for good; Do not let the proud oppress me.

Psalm 119:121–128 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter ayin. This is a plea for justice in the face of some moral offense. The psalmist asks God to follow through on His promises of righteous judgment. Even so, the writer asks for better understanding and expresses love for the Lord's commands.

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 10:20:20 AM