Psalm 119:84 - Printer Friendly

ESV: How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?

NIV: How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?

NASB: How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

CSB: How many days must your servant wait? When will you execute judgment on my persecutors?

NLT: How long must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me?

KJV: How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

NKJV: How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

Psalm 119:81–88 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter kaph. The psalmist is suffering at the hands of his enemies, but has not lost faith in the Lord. Prayers for rescue are combined with declarations of loyalty and obedience. The psalmist has not allowed these struggles to lead him into sin. Even when threatened with death, he wants to obey God and all that the Lord has commanded. Suffering for the sake of faith is also noted in 2 Corinthians 11:23–33 and 2 Timothy 3:12.

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 11:40:05 AM