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Selected Verse: Psalms 119:113 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 119:113	Strong Concordance	SAMECH. I hate [08130] vain thoughts [05588]: but thy law [08451] do I love [0157].
	King James	SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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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]
SAMECH. (Psa 119:113-120). vain thoughts--better, "unstable persons," literally, "divided men," those of a divided, doubting mind (Jam 1:8); "a double-minded man" [HENGSTENBERG], skeptics, or, skeptical notions as opposed to the certainty of God's word.

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

SAMECH. (Psa 119:113-120).

vain thoughts--better, "unstable persons," literally, "divided men," those of a divided, doubting mind (Jam 1:8); "a double-minded man" [HENGSTENBERG], skeptics, or, skeptical notions as opposed to the certainty of God's word.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
I hate vain thoughts - This commences a new portion of the psalm, distinguished by the Hebrew letter Samech (ס s), answering to our "s." The word rendered "vain thoughts" occurs only in this place. It is rendered by the Septuagint, παρανόμους paranomous - transgressors. So the Latin Vulgate. Luther renders it "die Flattergeister," the frivolous-minded. The word means divided; a man of a divided mind; a man who has no sure faith in regard to divine things, but is driven here and there; a sceptic; a doubter. Compare Jam 1:8. Thus it refers not to his own thoughts primarily, as being "vain" or worthless, but to a state of mind or heart in general, where there is no firmness, no stability, no settled view: a state of mind wavering, doubtful, skeptical, in regard to religion. What is implied here in reference to what he loved - by stating (in the way of contrast) what he "hated," - would be a mind which was settled in its convictions of truth, and firm in its adherence to truth; a mind which was steadfast in religion, and not vacillating, skeptical, or uncertain on the subject. This denotes that the psalmist sought such a state of mind for himself, and that he valued it in others. But thy law do I love - I have no "divided" or unsettled feelings in regard to that. I am conscious of a firm attachment to it. This thought he has repeatedly expressed in the psalm.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The eightfold Samech. His hope rests on God's word, without allowing itself to be led astray by doubters and apostates. סעפים (the form of nouns which indicate defects or failings) are those inwardly divided, halting between two opinions (סעפּים), Kg1 18:21, who do homage partly to the worship of Jahve, partly to heathenism, and therefore are trying to combine faith and naturalism. In contrast to such, the poet's love, faith, and hope are devoted entirely to the God of revelation; and to all those who are desirous of drawing him away he addresses in Psa 119:115 (cf. Psa 6:9) an indignant "depart." He, however, stands in need of grace in order to persevere and to conquer. For this he prays in Psa 119:116-117. The מן in משּׁברי is the same as in בּושׁ מן. The ah of ואשׁעה is the intentional ah (Ew. 228, c), as in Isa 41:23. The statement of the ground of the סלית, vilipendis, does not mean: unsuccessful is their deceit (Hengstenberg, Olshausen), but falsehood without the consistency of truth is their self-deceptive and seductive tendency. The lxx and Syriac read תּרעיתם, "their sentiment;" but this is an Aramaic word that is unintelligible in Hebrew, which the old translators have conjured into the text only on account of an apparent tautology. The reading השּׁבתּ or חשׁבתּ (Aquila, Symmachus, and Jerome; lxx ἐλογισάμην, therefore חשׁבתי) instead of חשׁבתּ might more readily be justified in Psa 119:119; but the former gives too narrow a meaning, and the reading rests on a mistaking of the construction of השׁבית with an accusative of the object and of the effect: all the wicked, as many of them as are on the earth, dost Thou put away as dross (סגים( ssor). Accordingly משׁפטיך in Psa 119:120 are God's punitive judgments, or rather (cf. Psa 119:91) God's laws (judgments) according to which He judges. What is meant are sentences of punishment, as in Lev. 26, Deut. 28. Of these the poet is afraid, for omnipotence can change words into deeds forthwith. In fear of the God who has attested Himself in Exo 34:7 and elsewhere, his skin shudders and his hair stands on end.

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

The eightfold Samech. His hope rests on God's word, without allowing itself to be led astray by doubters and apostates. סעפים (the form of nouns which indicate defects or failings) are those inwardly divided, halting between two opinions (סעפּים), Kg1 18:21, who do homage partly to the worship of Jahve, partly to heathenism, and therefore are trying to combine faith and naturalism. In contrast to such, the poet's love, faith, and hope are devoted entirely to the God of revelation; and to all those who are desirous of drawing him away he addresses in Psa 119:115 (cf. Psa 6:9) an indignant "depart." He, however, stands in need of grace in order to persevere and to conquer. For this he prays in Psa 119:116-117. The מן in משּׁברי is the same as in בּושׁ מן. The ah of ואשׁעה is the intentional ah (Ew. 228, c), as in Isa 41:23. The statement of the ground of the סלית, vilipendis, does not mean: unsuccessful is their deceit (Hengstenberg, Olshausen), but falsehood without the consistency of truth is their self-deceptive and seductive tendency. The lxx and Syriac read תּרעיתם, "their sentiment;" but this is an Aramaic word that is unintelligible in Hebrew, which the old translators have conjured into the text only on account of an apparent tautology. The reading השּׁבתּ or חשׁבתּ (Aquila, Symmachus, and Jerome; lxx ἐλογισάμην, therefore חשׁבתי) instead of חשׁבתּ might more readily be justified in Psa 119:119; but the former gives too narrow a meaning, and the reading rests on a mistaking of the construction of השׁבית with an accusative of the object and of the effect: all the wicked, as many of them as are on the earth, dost Thou put away as dross (סגים( ssor). Accordingly משׁפטיך in Psa 119:120 are God's punitive judgments, or rather (cf. Psa 119:91) God's laws (judgments) according to which He judges. What is meant are sentences of punishment, as in Lev. 26, Deut. 28. Of these the poet is afraid, for omnipotence can change words into deeds forthwith. In fear of the God who has attested Himself in Exo 34:7 and elsewhere, his skin shudders and his hair stands on end.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I hate vain thoughts - I have hated סעפים seaphim, "tumultuous, violent men." I abominate all mobs and insurrections, and troublers of the public peace.

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⁸ A double minded [1374] man [435] is unstable [182] in [1722] all [3956] his [846] ways [3598].

¹¹³ SAMECH. I hate [08130] vain thoughts [05588]: but thy law [08451] do I love [0157].
¹¹⁴ Thou art my hiding place [05643] and my shield [04043]: I hope [03176] in thy word [01697].
¹¹⁵ Depart [05493] from me, ye evildoers [07489]: for I will keep [05341] the commandments [04687] of my God [0430].
¹¹⁶ Uphold [05564] me according unto thy word [0565], that I may live [02421]: and let me not be ashamed [0954] of my hope [07664].
¹¹⁷ Hold thou me up [05582], and I shall be safe [03467]: and I will have respect [08159] unto thy statutes [02706] continually [08548].
¹¹⁸ Thou hast trodden down [05541] all them that err [07686] from thy statutes [02706]: for their deceit [08649] is falsehood [08267].
¹¹⁹ Thou puttest away [07673] all the wicked [07563] of the earth [0776] like dross [05509]: therefore I love [0157] thy testimonies [05713].
¹²⁰ My flesh [01320] trembleth [05568] for fear [06343] of thee; and I am afraid [03372] of thy judgments [04941].

⁸ A double minded [1374] man [435] is unstable [182] in [1722] all [3956] his [846] ways [3598].

⁷ Keeping [05341] mercy [02617] for thousands [0505], forgiving [05375] iniquity [05771] and transgression [06588] and sin [02403], and that will by no means [05352] clear [05352] the guilty; visiting [06485] the iniquity [05771] of the fathers [01] upon the children [01121], and upon the children's [01121] children, unto the third [08029] and to the fourth [07256] generation.

⁹¹ They continue [05975] this day [03117] according to thine ordinances [04941]: for all are thy servants [05650].

¹²⁰ My flesh [01320] trembleth [05568] for fear [06343] of thee; and I am afraid [03372] of thy judgments [04941].

¹¹⁹ Thou puttest away [07673] all the wicked [07563] of the earth [0776] like dross [05509]: therefore I love [0157] thy testimonies [05713].

²³ Shew [05046] the things that are to come [0857] hereafter [0268], that we may know [03045] that ye are gods [0430]: yea, do good [03190], or do evil [07489], that we may be dismayed [08159], and behold [07200] it together [03162].

¹¹⁶ Uphold [05564] me according unto thy word [0565], that I may live [02421]: and let me not be ashamed [0954] of my hope [07664].
¹¹⁷ Hold thou me up [05582], and I shall be safe [03467]: and I will have respect [08159] unto thy statutes [02706] continually [08548].

⁹ The LORD [03068] hath heard [08085] my supplication [08467]; the LORD [03068] will receive [03947] my prayer [08605].

¹¹⁵ Depart [05493] from me, ye evildoers [07489]: for I will keep [05341] the commandments [04687] of my God [0430].

²¹ And Elijah [0452] came [05066] unto all the people [05971], and said [0559], How long [05921] halt [06452] ye between two [08147] opinions [05587]? if the LORD [03068] be God [0430], follow him: but if Baal [01168], then follow [03212] [0310] him. And the people [05971] answered [06030] him not a word [01697].