“I have done justice and righteousness. Do not leave me to my oppressors. Be surety for Your servant for good. Do not let the proud oppress me.” Psalm 119:121-122
David appealed to God as his witness that he had done what was right. God’s own Word in
2 Samuel 8:15 speaks well of David: “David reigned over all Israel. David administered judgment and justice to all his people.” In 1 Samuel 24:11, he could say with a clear conscience to King Saul his father-in-law, “My father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.” [2]
David appealed to God as his Judge, “Do not leave me to my oppressors.” While seeking justice for others who were oppressed, David also needed God to advocate for Him. [3]
Jesus Christ is our Surety before God. We know God loves us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross and in His resurrection. Since God is for us, who can keep us down? No one! In the end, those who are persecuted for doing what is right are in a far better position than those who persecute them. [4]
“My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous Word.” Psalm 119:123
David’s eyes grew weak watching for God’s visible response. Why was God taking so long? Even faithful believers can become discouraged when God’s answer seems delayed. We often struggle to wait for God’s perfect timing after our own expectations have passed. The good news is that God never fails. David needed to keep his eyes on God’s faithful promises. [5]
“Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy and teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:124-125
David asked God to disciple him in His statutes. He wanted to understand all that God expected of him. While passing through “the valley of death,” he needed God’s Spirit to lead him. [6]
In times of trouble, we should stay focused on obeying God’s commands and not be overly concerned with what will happen next. In Psalm 138:8, David wrote, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
David appealed to God for mercy. When we ask God to teach us, we should recognize that His instruction is a gift of His grace and one of His greatest blessings. [7]
David confessed to God, “I am Your servant.” He wanted to serve God faithfully, so he asked God for guidance. A servant can rightly expect his master to explain what he wants him to do. In the same way, we can ask our heavenly Father to clarify what He expects from us. [8]
“It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your Law as void.” Psalm 119:126
David asked God for action. His adversaries were treating God’s Law as foolishness. They openly defied God and His authority.
Some break God’s Law due to being weak-willed and others break it deliberately to defy Him. Their attitude is, “Who is the Lord? Who is the Almighty, that we should fear him?” They live as though God and His Law have no bearing on them. They are self-professed atheists.
David cried, “It is time for You to act.” He asked God to step in and silence those who boldly opposed Him and denied His truth. God often acts when sin has become bold and widespread, and when evil has reached its full measure. Then the Lord declares, “Now will I arise.” [9]
We should do everything we can to support truth. Yet we must also pray for God to take the work into His own hands, because only He can ultimately defend His honor and bring lasting victory over evildoers.
“Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right. I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:127-128
David had great love for the Word of God. He loved his Bible better than fine gold. He knew that faith in God’s Word solves more problems than money does. He hated false ways because they lead people from God to hell. The fear of an eternity in hell is a good reason to love God’s commandments more than worldly fame and fortune.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 121–128 start with the ע AYIN, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
עָ֭שִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּ֣ט וָצֶ֑דֶק בַּל־תַּ֝נִּיחֵ֗נִי לְעֹֽשְׁקָֽי׃
עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ וְחֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃
עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֵדְעָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
עַל֭־כֵּן אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז׃
עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ע AYIN was originally the symbol for eye.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ וְחֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃
עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֵדְעָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
עַל֭־כֵּן אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז׃
עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ע AYIN was originally the symbol for eye.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
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