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Selected Verse: Psalms 119:161 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 119:161 |
King James |
SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
SCHIN. (Psa 119:161-168).
(Compare Psa 119:46, Psa 119:86).
awe--reverential, not slavish fear, which could not coexist with love (Psa 119:163; Jo1 4:8). Instead of fearing his persecutors, he fears God's Word alone (Luk 12:4-5). The Jews inscribe in the first page of the great Bible (Gen 28:17), "How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Princes have persecuted me without a cause - This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Schin (שׂ ś, and שׁ sh) - corresponding to our "s," or "sh." On the meaning of the expression here, see Psa 119:23, note; Psa 119:76, note.
But my heart standeth in awe of thy word - I still reverence thy word. I am not deterred from keeping thy law by any threats or intimidations. This is in accordance with the uniform statements in the psalm, that nothing deterred him from manifesting his adherence to the law of God. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
The eightfold ש (both Shin and Sin)
(Note: Whilst even in the oldest alphabetical Pijutim the Sin perhaps represents the Samech as well, but never the Shin, it is the reverse in the Biblical alphabetical pieces. Here Sin and Shin coincide, and Samech is specially represented.)).
In the midst of persecution God's word was still his fear, his joy, and his love, the object of his thanksgiving, and the ground of his hope. Princes persecute him without adequate cause, but his heart does not fear before them, but before God's words (the Ker likes the singular, as in Psa 119:147), to deny which would be to him the greatest possible evil. It is, however, a fear that is associated with heartfelt joy (Psa 119:111). It is the joy of a conflict that is rewarded by rich spoil (Jdg 5:30, Isa 9:3). Not merely morning and evening, not merely three times a day (Psa 55:18), but seven times (שׁבע as in Lev 26:18; Pro 24:16), i.e., ever again and again, availing himself of every prayerful impulse, he gives thanks to God for His word, which so righteously decides and so correctly guides, is a source of transcendent peace to all who love it, and beside which one is not exposed to any danger of stumbling (מכשׁול, lxx σκάνδαλον, cf. Jo1 2:10) without some effectual counter-working. In Psa 119:166 he speaks like Jacob in Gen 49:18, and can speak thus, inasmuch as he has followed earnestly and untiringly after sanctification. He endeavours to keep God's law most conscientiously, in proof of which he is able to appeal to God the Omniscient One. שׁמרה is here the 3rd praet., whereas in Psa 86:2 it is imperat. The future of אהב is both אהב and אהב, just as of אחז both אחז and אאחז. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| But - But I feared thine offence and displeasure more than their wrath. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Princes have persecuted me - This may refer to what was done by prime ministers, and the rulers of provinces, to sour the king against the unfortunate Jews, in order still to detain them in bondage. In reference to David, the plotting against him in Saul's court, and the dangers he ran in consequence of the jealousies of the Philistine lords while he sojourned among them, are well known.
My heart standeth in awe - They had probably offers made them of enlargement or melioration of condition, providing they submitted to some idolatrous conditions; but they knew they had to do with a jealous God; their hearts stood in awe, and they were thereby kept from sin. |
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
161 SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.