Psalm 119:148 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

NIV: My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

NASB: My eyes anticipate the night watches, So that I may meditate on Your word.

CSB: I am awake through each watch of the night to meditate on your promise.

NLT: I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.

KJV: Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.

NKJV: My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.

Psalm 119:145–152 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter qoph. Here, the psalmist cries out for rescue. This might have been a physical danger, or a form of social or legal persecution. The psalmist declares his loyalty to the Lord and the Lord's Word. Even though danger threatens, the psalmist feels the presence of God. The writer is reassured by Scripture.

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 11:27:36 AM