Psalm 119:128

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(128) Therefore I esteem.—As the text stands, this verse literally runs, Therefore all precepts of all I make straight. Every path of falsehood I hate. The LXX. and Vulg. have, “Therefore to all Thy commandments I was being directed. Every unjust path I hated,” which only necessitates a slight change in the reading of one word. It is true that the expression, all precepts of all, may be explained as a strengthened form of all precepts—as we say, “all and every”—though the passages (Ezekiel 44:30; Numbers 8:16) generally adduced are not strictly analogous. But the Lexicons supply no authority for taking the verb yāshar in the sense of “esteem right,” and the figure of the path in the next clause seems here plainly to fix its meaning. Translate, therefore, Therefore after all Thy precepts I direct (my way). Every false way I detest.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

119:121-128 Happy is the man, who, acting upon gospel principles, does justice to all around. Christ our Surety, having paid our debt and ransom, secures all the blessings of salvation to every true believer. The psalmist expects the word of God's righteousness, and no other salvation than what is secured by that word, which cannot fall to the ground. We deserve no favour form God; we are most easy when we cast ourselves upon God's mercy, and refer ourselves to it. If any man resolve to do God's will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies. We must do what we can for the support of religion, and, after all, must beg of God to take the work into his own hands. It is hypocrisy to say we love God's commandments more than our worldly interests. The way of sin is a false way, being directly contrary to God's precepts, which are right: those that love and esteem God's law, hate sin, and will not be reconciled to it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right - literally, "Therefore all the commandments of all I regard as right." The idea seems to be, that he regarded as right and just all the commandments of God pertaining to "every" thing and "every" person; all, considered in every way; all, wherever the law extended, and whomsoever it embraced; all the law pertaining to duty toward God and toward man. He saw in the "violation" of the laws of God Psalm 119:126 a reason for approving "all" law; all that would restrain people from sin, and that would bind them to duty and to virtue. The effect had been to lead him to reflect on the worth of law as law, and he had come to the conclusion that all the laws of God were to be approved and loved, inasmuch as they would, in their observance, prevent the wrongs and sorrows which he saw to be consequent on their violation.

And I hate every false way - Every course of life not based on truth, or on a right view of things. All just law is based on a perception of what is true; on the reality of things; on what is required in the nature of the case; on what will tend to promote the best interests of society. Compare the notes at Psalm 119:104.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

127, 128. Therefore—that is, In view of these benefits, or, Because of the glory of Thy law, so much praised in the previous parts of the Psalm.

I love … [and] Therefore (repeated)—All its precepts, on all subjects, are estimable for their purity, and lead one imbued with their spirit to hate all evil (Ps 19:10). The Word of God admits of no eclecticism; its least title is perfect (Ps 12:6; Mt 5:17-19).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 128. Therefore, for the reasons now mentioned, I do not make void all thy precepts, as they did, Psalm 119:126, nor yet am I partial in my approbation of them, as others are, who reject all such as are opposite to their lusts and interests; but I approve all of them without any exception, and that not only in my judgment, but in my heart and life, as appears by that hatred of sin which is opposed to it in the next clause.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right,.... He had an impartial regard to all the commandments of God; and valued one as well as another, and walked according to all of them; making no difference either in his affection or practice between one and another, as being more or less necessary, just, and right: he had an equal respect to the lighter and weightier matters of the law; and, like Zacharias and Elisabeth, walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; looking upon them all, with respect to everything commanded or forbidden by them, to be just and equitable;

and I hate every false way; every command, institution, and ordinance of men, which are opposed to the will of God; every false way of worship, all superstition and idolatry; every false doctrine whatsoever is contrary to the testimonies and word of God: and indeed where there is a true love of the word, worship, and ordinances of God, there must be an hatred of these.

Geneva Study Bible

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false {d} way.

(d) That is, whatever dissents from the purity of your word.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

128. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right] The Heb. of the Mass. text is most awkward and is almost certainly corrupt. We must read either I esteem all thy precepts to be right (Syr., R.V. marg.; cp. P.B.V.), or with LXX (Vulg.), Jer. according to all thy precepts I direct my goings (cp. Proverbs 11:5; Proverbs 15:21), which gives a good contrast to the following line, with which cp. Psalm 119:29; Psalm 119:104.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 128. - Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. I do not pick and choose among thy commandments which I will neglect and which I will obey, but esteem them all as perfect, and obey them all. "Eclecticism of every kind in reference to the Word of God is rejected" (Hengstenberg). And I hate every false way (comp. vers. 104, 163). All ways are "false" except the way of God's commandments Psalm 119:128

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The eightfold Ajin. In the present time of apostasy and persecution he keeps all the more strictly to the direction of the divine word, and commends himself to the protection and teaching of God. In the consciousness of his godly behaviour (elsewhere always צדק וּמשׁפּט, here in one instance משׁפט וצדק) the poet hopes that God will surely not (בּל) leave him to the arbitrary disposal of his oppressors. This hope does not, however, raise him above the necessity and duty of constant prayer that Jahve would place Himself between him and his enemies. ערב seq. acc. signifies to stand in any one's place as furnishing a guarantee, and in general as a mediator, Job 17:3; Isaiah 38:14; לטוב similar to לטובה, Psalm 86:17, Nehemiah 5:19 : in my behalf, for my real advantage. The expression of longing after redemption in Psalm 119:123 sounds like Psalm 119:81. "The word of Thy righteousness" is the promise which proceeds from God's "righteousness," and as surely as He is "righteous" cannot remain unfulfilled. The one chief petition of the poet, however, to which he comes back in Psalm 119:124., has reference to the ever deeper knowledge of the word of God; for this knowledge is in itself at once life and blessedness, and the present calls most urgently for it. For the great multitude (which is the subject to הפרוּ) practically and fundamentally break God's law; it is therefore time to act for Jahve (עשׂה ל as in Genesis 30:30, Isaiah 64:4, Ezekiel 29:20), and just in order to this there is need of well-grounded, reliable knowledge. Therefore the poet attaches himself with all his love to God's commandments; to him they are above gold and fine gold (Psalm 19:11), which he might perhaps gain by a disavowal of them. Therefore he is as strict as he possibly can be with God's word, inasmuch as he acknowledges and observes all precepts of all things (כּל־פּקּוּדי כל), i.e., all divine precepts, let them have reference to whatsoever they will, as ישׁרים, right (ישּׁר, to declare both in avowal and deed to be right); and every false (lying) tendency, all pseudo-Judaism, he hates. It is true Psalm 119:126 may be also explained: it is time that Jahve should act, i.e., interpose judicially; but this thought is foreign to the context, and affords no equally close union for על־כן; moreover it ought then to have been accented עת לעשׂות ליהוה. On כּל־פּקּוּדי כל, "all commands of every purport," cf. Isaiah 29:11, and more as to form, Numbers 8:16; Ezekiel 44:30.

The expression is purposely thus heightened; and the correction כל־פקודיך (Ewald, Olshausen, and Hupfeld) is also superfluous, because the reference of what is said to the God of revelation is self-evident in this connection.