Psalms 119:46

119:41-48 Lord, I have by faith thy mercies in view; let me by prayer prevail to obtain them. And when the salvation of the saints is completed, it will plainly appear that it was not in vain to trust in God's word. We need to pray that we may never be afraid or ashamed to own God's truths and ways before men. And the psalmist resolves to keep God's law, in a constant course of obedience, without backsliding. The service of sin is slavery; the service of God is liberty. There is no full happiness, or perfect liberty, but in keeping God's law. We must never be ashamed or afraid to own our religion. The more delight we take in the service of God, the nearer we come to perfection. Not only consent to his law as good, but take pleasure in it as good for us. Let me put forth all the strength I have, to do it. Something of this mind of Christ is in every true disciple.

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings,.... As very likely he did before Saul and his courtiers, before the king of Achish and the princes of the Philistines, when as yet he was not a king himself; and when he was come to the throne, such kings as came to visit him, instead of talking with them about affairs of state, he spoke of the Scriptures, and of the excellent things they bear witness of; and such a practice he determined to pursue and continue in; and will not be ashamed; of the testimonies of God, and of the truths contained in them; and of speaking of them and for them; or of being reproached and vilified on that account. So the Apostle Paul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ before kings; nor was he ashamed to speak of him and of his Gospel before Nero the Roman emperor, Agrippa king of the Jews, and before Felix and Festus, Roman governors; nor ashamed of the reproaches and afflictions he endured on that account.

Verse 46. - I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings . If occasion offer, I will bear my witness to the excellence of thy Law, even before kings. And will not be ashamed ; i . e . will not allow shame to stop my mouth. The writer is evidently not a king himself, probably not among the great ones of the earth (see vers. 51, 69, 78, 85, etc.). Psalm 119:46

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings ... - In the presence of men of most elevated rank. I will not be ashamed to avow my belief in thy word before those in power - whether friendly or unfriendly to thee and to thy cause. I will not disguise my belief in thy truth with any desire to secure their favor; I will not be intimidated from expressing my faith by any dread of their frowns. Compare Matthew 10:18-19 ; Acts 4:19 ; Acts 5:29 ; Acts 26:2 .

The eightfold Vav. He prays for the grace of true and fearlessly joyous confession. The lxx renders Psalm 119:41 : καὶ ἔλθοι ἐπ ̓ ἐμε ̓ τὸ ἔλεός σου; but the Targum and Jerome rightly (cf. Psalm 119:77 , Isaiah 63:7 ) have the plural: God's proofs of loving-kindness in accordance with His promises will put him in the position that he will not be obliged to be dumb in the presence of him who reproaches him (חרף, prop. a plucker, cf. Arab. charûf, a lamb equals a plucker of leaves or grass), but will be able to answer him on the ground of his own experience. The verb ענה, which in itself has many meanings, acquires the signification "to give an answer" through the word, דּבר, that is added (synon. השׁיב דּבר). Psalm 119:43 also refers to the duty of confessing God. The meaning of the prayer is, that God may not suffer him to come to such a pass that he will be utterly unable to witness for the truth; for language dies away in the mouth of him who is unworthy of its before God. The writer has no fear of this for himself, for his hope is set towards God's judgments (למשׁפּטך, defective plural, as also in Psalm 119:149 ; in proof of which, compare Psalm 119:156 and Psalm 119:175 ), his confidence takes its stand upon them.

The futures which follow from Psalm 119:44 to Psalm 119:48 declare that what he would willingly do by the grace of God, and strives to do, is to walk בּרחבה, in a broad space (elsewhere בּמּרחב), therefore unstraitened, which in this instance is not equivalent to happily, but courageously and unconstrainedly, without allowing myself to be intimidated, and said of inward freedom which makes itself known outwardly. In Psalm 119:46 the Vulgate renders: Et loquebar de (in) testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum et non confundebar - the motto of the Augsburg Confession, to which it was adapted especially in connection with this historical interpretation of the two verbs, which does not correspond to the original text. The lifting up of the hands in Psalm 119:48 is an expression of fervent longing desire, as in connection with prayer, Psalm 28:2 ; Psalm 63:5 ; Psalm 134:2 ; Psalm 141:2 , and frequently. The second אשׁר אהבתי is open to the suspicion of being an inadvertent repetition. שׂיח בּ (synon. בּ הגה) signifies a still or audible meditating that is absorbed in the object.

## [ ← 34 ] Psalms 73:22; Proverbs 30:2 ## [ ← 35 ] Romans 6:16; 1 Corinthians 3:16 ## [ ← 36 ] 1Thes 4.4; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ## [ ← 37 ] “Where is the word of the Lord?” Jeremiah 17:15 Vulgate ## [ ← 38 ] Psalms 1:2; 119.97 ## [ ← 39 ] Psalms 108:1; 119.20; 139.17-18 ## [ ← 40 ] Psalms 119:30; Hebrews 12:2 ## [ ← 41 ] Rom, 7.22; Psalms 109:4; Isaiah 58:10 ## [ ← 42 ] To open like a cask so that it spills its contents. ## [ ← 43 ] 2 Samuel 12:3 ## [ ← 44 ] Romans 1:25; Matthew 10:37; Proverbs 18:11; Jeremiah 17:5 ## [ ← 45 ] Ephesians 3:17; Revelation 12:1 ## [ ← 46 ] Psalms 34:2; Lamentations 3:24 ## [ ← 47 ] 1 Chronicles 22:19; 2 Chronicles 15:15 ## [ ← 48 ] Matthew 6:33; Psalms 27:4 ## [ ← 49 ] “So much for Plato’s pride!” ## [ ← 50 ] Song of Solomon 1:3; Psalms 54:8 ## [ ← 51 ] Galatians 6:14; Song of Solomon 2:16 ## [ ← 52 ] Alleine is referring the kingdom of Britain, and to India, its prize possession at the time. ## [ ← 53 ] John Lambert died with these words on his lips. He was a Protestant martyr burnt at the stake in 1538 in London. ## [ ← 54 ] Acts 2:37; 16.30 ## [ ← 55 ] Psalms 119:112, 128, 137-138 ## [ ← 56 ] For here and now. ## [ ← 57 ] Psalms 119:86, 160, 162-163 ## [ ← 58 ] Psalms 119:124-125, 169; 25.4-5 ## [ ← 59 ] Psalms 119:18-19, 27, 33, 64, 66, 68, 78, 108, 124 ## [ ← 60 ] Psalms 17:3; 119.50 ## [ ← 61 ] 1 John 5:3; Psalms 119:60, 72 ## [ ← 62 ] Psalms 40:8; Jeremiah 31:33 ## [ ← 63 ] Psalms 119:32, 45; James 1:25 ## [ ← 64 ] 1 Samuel 10:26. ## [ ← 65 ] Psalms 119:159, 163, 167 ## [ ← 66 ]