Psalms 119–144
Psalm 119:137-144
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Psa.119.137 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וישר: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- משפטיך: NOUN,m,pl,abs,2ms
Parallels
- Deut. 32:4 (verbal): Declares God's work as perfect and that all his ways are just—closely echoes Ps 119:137's affirmation that the LORD is righteous and his judgments upright.
- Ps. 145:17 (verbal): Explicitly states 'The LORD is righteous in all his ways,' a near-verbal restatement of God's righteousness and upright judgments in Ps 119:137.
- Ps. 19:9 (verbal): Describes the judgments/ordinances of the LORD as 'true and righteous altogether,' paralleling the emphasis on the truth and uprightness of God's judgments.
- Ps. 7:11 (thematic): Proclaims that God is a righteous judge—same theological claim about God's justice and moral rectitude found in Ps 119:137.
- Isa. 30:18 (thematic): Attributes justice to the LORD ('for the LORD is a God of justice'), connecting Isaiah's portrayal of divine justice with Ps 119:137's declaration of God's righteousness and upright judgments.
Alternative generated candidates
- Righteous are you, O LORD; your judgments are upright.
- Righteous are you, O LORD; upright are your judgments.
Psa.119.138 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צוית: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- צדק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עדתיך: NOUN,f,pl,suff_2ms
- ואמונה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מאד: ADV
Parallels
- Psalm 119:106 (thematic): Both verses reflect the psalmist's commitment to God's righteous laws—here an oath to keep God's judgments echoes the speaker's affirmation of commanded righteousness.
- Psalm 119:144 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language about the righteousness of God's testimonies (their enduring righteousness), directly paralleling the claim that God's testimonies are exceedingly faithful/righteous.
- Psalm 19:7-9 (thematic): Describes the law/commandments/judgments of Yahweh as perfect, right, and true—thematically matching the declaration that God has commanded righteousness and that his testimonies are faithful.
- Psalm 119:160 (verbal): Affirms that the sum of God's word is truth and that his righteous judgments endure forever, closely paralleling the assertion of the faithfulness and righteousness of God's testimonies.
Alternative generated candidates
- You have commanded righteousness; your testimonies are exceedingly faithful.
- You have commanded righteousness; your testimonies are exceedingly faithful.
Psa.119.139 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צמתתני: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- קנאתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- שכחו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- דבריך: NOUN,m,pl,abs+2ms
- צרי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ps.69:9 (verbal): Uses the same wording/image of consuming zeal—“Zeal for your house consumes me”—parallel expression of fervent, consuming devotion or indignation on behalf of God.
- Ps.119:53 (thematic): Same psalm and closely related theme: anger/zeal arises because the wicked/enemies have forsaken or forgotten God’s words and law.
- Jer.20:9 (thematic): Jeremiah describes an inward burning/compulsion to speak God’s word—‘a burning fire shut up in my bones’—a comparable motif of consuming zeal prompted by commitment to God’s message.
- John 2:17 (quotation): NT citation of Ps 69:9 (“Zeal for your house will consume me”) applied to Jesus’ action; echoes the idea of zeal that consumes the faithful in defense of God’s honor and word.
Alternative generated candidates
- I burn with zeal, for my foes have forgotten your words.
- You have rebuked me; I am consumed with zeal, for my adversaries have forgotten your words.
Psa.119.140 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צרופה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- אמרתך: NOUN,f,sg,abs+2f
- מאד: ADV
- ועבדך: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs-2ms
- אהבה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 12:6 (verbal): Uses the same language about the words of the LORD being pure/refined (same root idea of 'צרופה'), a close verbal parallel affirming the purity of God's speech.
- Proverbs 30:5 (verbal): Declares every word of God to be pure/true; parallels the assertion that God's word is entirely pure.
- Psalm 119:97 (thematic): "Oh how I love thy law"—expresses personal love for God's word/teaching, matching the psalmist's declaration 'and your servant loves it.'
- Psalm 119:127 (thematic): Affirms love and esteem for God's commandments above precious things, echoing devoted affection for the purity and value of God's word.
- John 17:17 (thematic): Jesus' prayer 'Sanctify them by the truth; thy word is truth' connects the idea of divine word as true/pure with its transforming effect, resonating with the psalmist's claim of purity and love.
Alternative generated candidates
- Your word is refined to the utmost; your servant loves it.
- Your word is purified beyond measure; your servant loves it.
Psa.119.141 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צעיר: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- ונבזה: VERB,niphal,cohort,1,pl
- פקדיך: NOUN,m,pl,abs,2,m,sg
- לא: PART_NEG
- שכחתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,com,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 119:153 (verbal): Closely parallels wording and theme: petition in affliction followed by the declaration 'for I do not forget your law/commands,' echoing steadfast remembrance of God's precepts despite distress.
- Psalm 119:61 (verbal): Similar juxtaposition of oppression and fidelity: 'The cords of the wicked have bound me, yet I have not forgotten your law,' matching the motif of being afflicted/despised but not abandoning God's statutes.
- Psalm 22:6 (thematic): Expresses extreme lowliness and scorn ('I am a worm, and not a man; scorned by men and despised by the people'), paralleling the psalmist's self-description as small and despised.
- Isaiah 66:2 (thematic): God’s special regard for the humble and contrite ('...to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite in spirit'), connecting the theme of lowliness with divine attention to the faithful observance of God's ways.
- Luke 18:13-14 (thematic): New Testament parallel of humble self‑assessment before God ('God, be merciful to me, a sinner')—reflects the motif of penitential humility coupled with reliance on God's mercy and ways.
Alternative generated candidates
- I am young and despised; yet I have not forgotten your precepts.
- I am young and despised, yet I have not forgotten your commands.
Psa.119.142 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדקתך: NOUN,f,sg,abs,2,ms
- צדק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לעולם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ותורתך: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs,2ms
- אמת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 119:160 (verbal): Echoes both elements — ‘the sum of your word is truth’ and the permanence of God’s righteous decrees (‘every one of your righteous judgments endureth for ever’), closely matching ‘your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness; your law is truth.’
- John 17:17 (quotation): Jesus’ prayer uses the exact formula ‘Your word is truth,’ paralleling the Psalm’s affirmation that God’s Torah/word is truth.
- Deuteronomy 32:4 (thematic): Attributes God’s character as just, upright and faithful (‘a God of faithfulness and without iniquity’), connecting divine righteousness with faithfulness/truth as in the Psalm.
- Psalm 89:14 (thematic): Pairs ‘righteousness and justice’ and ‘steadfast love and faithfulness,’ linking the permanence of God’s righteousness with fidelity/truthfulness similar to Ps 119:142.
- Psalm 111:7-8 (verbal): Speaks of God’s works and precepts as faithful, just and established ‘forever and ever,’ resonating with the Psalm’s claim of everlasting righteousness and the truth of God’s law.
Alternative generated candidates
- Your righteousness is righteousness forever; your law is truth.
- Your righteousness is everlasting righteousness; your law is truth.
Psa.119.143 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ומצוק: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מצאוני: VERB,qal,impf,3,?,pl,obj:1s
- מצותיך: NOUN,f,pl,cons,2,m,sg
- שעשעי: NOUN,m,sg,suff
Parallels
- Psalm 119:92 (verbal): If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction — almost identical idea: affliction besets the psalmist, yet delight in the law/commandments sustains him.
- Psalm 119:50 (thematic): This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life — links suffering with finding comfort and life in God's word, paralleling delight in the commandments amid distress.
- Psalm 119:28 (verbal): My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word — verbal and thematic echo: deep distress countered by reliance on God's word.
- Psalm 119:75 (thematic): I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me — presents affliction in relation to God's ordinances and trust in their righteousness, resonating with 119:143's contrast.
- Lamentations 3:21-24 (thematic): Yet this I call to mind, therefore I have hope... The LORD's steadfast love is new every morning — a wider biblical parallel: intense suffering paired with hope and trust in God's character/faithfulness rather than despair.
Alternative generated candidates
- Distress and oppression have found me; your commandments are my delight.
- Distress and anguish have found me; your commandments are my delight.
Psa.119.144 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עדותיך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+2ms
- לעולם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הבינני: VERB,hiphil,impv,2,m,sg
- ואחיה: CONJ+VERB,hiphil,impf,1,c,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 119:160 (verbal): Declares that the sum of God’s word is truth and that his righteous ordinances endure forever—close verbal and thematic echo of ‘righteous are your testimonies forever.’
- Psalm 119:34 (verbal): A parallel petition—‘Give me understanding, that I may keep your law’—matching the request ‘give me understanding’ in 119:144.
- Psalm 119:17 (thematic): Prayer for God’s kindness so the psalmist may live and keep God’s word—connects the plea for understanding in 119:144 with the purpose ‘that I may live.’
- Psalm 119:142 (verbal): Affirms ‘Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth,’ closely reflecting the idea that God’s testimonies/righteous judgments endure forever.
Alternative generated candidates
- Righteous are your testimonies forever; give me understanding, and I shall live.
- Righteous are your testimonies forever; give me understanding, and I shall live.
Righteous are you, O LORD; upright are your judgments.
You have commanded righteousness; your testimonies are exceedingly faithful.
You have rebuked me; I am zealous, for my foes have forgotten your words.
Your word is refined to the utmost; your servant loves it.
I am young and despised, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
Your righteousness is everlasting, and your law is truth.
Trouble and distress have found me; your commandments are my delight.
Righteous are your testimonies forever; give me understanding, and I shall live.