Psalm 119:158 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.

NIV: I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word.

NASB: I see the treacherous and loathe them, Because they do not keep Your word.

CSB: I have seen the disloyal and feel disgust because they do not keep your word.

NLT: Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart, because they care nothing for your word.

KJV: I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

NKJV: I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, Because they do not keep Your word.

Psalm 119:153–160 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter resh. Enemies surround the psalmist in great numbers. He expects them to never find salvation because they ignore God's commands. Despite this, the psalmist is dedicated to the Word of God and the Lord's instructions. The appeal for rescue is based, in part, on a proclamation of obedience to those rules.

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 11/23/2024 5:18:09 AM