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Selected Verse: Psalms 119:81 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 119:81	King James	CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
CAPH. (Psa 119:81-88). In sorrow the pious heart yearns for the comforts of God's promises (Psa 73:26; Psa 84:2).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

CAPH. (Psa 119:81-88).

In sorrow the pious heart yearns for the comforts of God's promises (Psa 73:26; Psa 84:2).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
My soul fainteth for thy salvation - The new division of the psalm, which begins here, is indicated by the Hebrew letter Kaph (כ k), equivalent to "k" or "c" (hard). The word here rendered "fainteth" is the same that in Psa 73:26 is translated "faileth": "My flesh and my heart faileth." The idea is, that his strength gave way; he had such an intense desire for salvation that he became weak and powerless. Any strong emotion may thus prostrate us; and the love of God - the desire of his favor - the longing for heaven - may be so intense as to produce this result. I hope in thy word - I trust in thy promises, and am sustained. My powers, which would otherwise wholly fail, are upheld by thy word, and on that I rely. See Psa 119:74.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The eightfold Kaph. This strengthening according to God's promise is his earnest desire (כּלה) now, when within a very little his enemies have compassed his ruin (כּלּה). His soul and eyes languish (כּלה as in Psa 69:4; Psa 84:3, cf. Job 19:27) for God's salvation, that it may be unto him according to God's word or promise, that this word may be fulfilled. In Psa 119:83 כּי is hypothetical, as in Psa 21:12 and frequently; here, as perhaps also in Psa 27:10, in the sense of "although" (Ew. ֗362, b). He does not suffer anything to drive God's word out of his mind, although he is already become like a leathern bottle blackened and shrivelled up in the smoke. The custom of the ancients of placing jars with wine over the smoke in order to make the wine prematurely old, i.e., to mellow it (vid., Rosenm׬ller), does not yield anything towards the understanding of this passage: the skin-bottle that is not intended for present use is hung up on high; and the fact that it had to withstand the upward ascending smoke is intelligible, notwithstanding the absence of any mention of the chimney. The point of comparison, in which we agree for the most part with Hitzig, is the removal of him who in his dungeon is continually exposed to the drudgery of his persecutors. כּמּה in Psa 119:84 is equivalent to "how few." Our life here below is short, so also is the period within which the divine righteousness can reveal itself. שׁיחות (instead of which the lxx erroneously reads שׂיחות), pits, is an old word, Psa 57:7. The relative clause, Psa 119:85, describes the "proud" as being a contradiction to the revealed law; for there was no necessity for saying that to dig a pit for others is not in accordance with this law. All God's commandments are an emanation of His faithfulness, and therefore too demand faithfulness; but it is just this faithfulness that makes the poet an object of deadly hatred. They have already almost destroyed him"in the land." It is generally rendered "on earth;" but "in heaven" at the beginning of the following octonary is too far removed to be an antithesis to it, nor does it sound like one (cf. on the other hand ἐν τοῖς ouranoi's, Mat 5:12). It is therefore: in the land (cf. Psa 58:3; Psa 73:9), where they think they are the only ones who have any right there, they have almost destroyed him, without shaking the constancy of his faith. But he stands in need of fresh grace in order that he may not, however, at last succumb.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The eightfold Kaph. This strengthening according to God's promise is his earnest desire (כּלה) now, when within a very little his enemies have compassed his ruin (כּלּה). His soul and eyes languish (כּלה as in Psa 69:4; Psa 84:3, cf. Job 19:27) for God's salvation, that it may be unto him according to God's word or promise, that this word may be fulfilled. In Psa 119:83 כּי is hypothetical, as in Psa 21:12 and frequently; here, as perhaps also in Psa 27:10, in the sense of "although" (Ew. ֗362, b). He does not suffer anything to drive God's word out of his mind, although he is already become like a leathern bottle blackened and shrivelled up in the smoke. The custom of the ancients of placing jars with wine over the smoke in order to make the wine prematurely old, i.e., to mellow it (vid., Rosenm׬ller), does not yield anything towards the understanding of this passage: the skin-bottle that is not intended for present use is hung up on high; and the fact that it had to withstand the upward ascending smoke is intelligible, notwithstanding the absence of any mention of the chimney. The point of comparison, in which we agree for the most part with Hitzig, is the removal of him who in his dungeon is continually exposed to the drudgery of his persecutors. כּמּה in Psa 119:84 is equivalent to "how few." Our life here below is short, so also is the period within which the divine righteousness can reveal itself. שׁיחות (instead of which the lxx erroneously reads שׂיחות), pits, is an old word, Psa 57:7. The relative clause, Psa 119:85, describes the "proud" as being a contradiction to the revealed law; for there was no necessity for saying that to dig a pit for others is not in accordance with this law. All God's commandments are an emanation of His faithfulness, and therefore too demand faithfulness; but it is just this faithfulness that makes the poet an object of deadly hatred. They have already almost destroyed him"in the land." It is generally rendered "on earth;" but "in heaven" at the beginning of the following octonary is too far removed to be an antithesis to it, nor does it sound like one (cf. on the other hand ἐν τοῖς ouranoi's, Mat 5:12). It is therefore: in the land (cf. Psa 58:3; Psa 73:9), where they think they are the only ones who have any right there, they have almost destroyed him, without shaking the constancy of his faith. But he stands in need of fresh grace in order that he may not, however, at last succumb.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Fainteth - With long desire and earnest expectation.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
My soul fainteth for thy salvation - I have longed so incessantly after thy salvation - the complete purification and restoration of my soul, that my very spirits are exhausted. "My heartstrings groan with deep complaint;My soul lies panting, Lord, for thee; And every limb and every jointStretches for perfect purity."

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² My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

⁸¹ CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
⁸² Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
⁸³ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
⁸⁴ How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
⁸⁵ The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.
⁸⁶ All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
⁸⁷ They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
⁸⁸ Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

⁷⁴ They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

⁹ They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

³ The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

⁸⁵ The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.

⁷ My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

⁸⁴ How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

¹² Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

⁸³ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.

²⁷ Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

³ Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

⁴ They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.