Keil & Delitzsch

On Psalms 119:97-104

The eightfold Mem. The poet praises the practical wisdom which the word of God, on this very account so sweet to him, teaches. God's precious law, with which he unceasingly occupies himself, makes him superior in wisdom (Deu 4:6), intelligence, and judgment to his enemies, his teachers, and the aged (Job 12:20). There were therefore at that time teachers and elders (πρεσβύτεροι), who (like the Hellenizing Sadducees) were not far from apostasy in their laxness, and hostilely persecuted the young and strenuous zealot for God's law. The construction of Psa 119:98 is like Joe 1:20; Isa 59:12, and frequently. היא refers to the commandments in their unity: he has taken possession of them for ever (cf. Psa 119:111). The Mishna (Aboth iv. 1) erroneously interprets: from all my teachers do I acquire understanding. All three מן in Psa 119:98-100 signify prae (lxx ὑπὲρ). In כּלאתי, Psa 119:101, from the mode of writing we see the verb Lamed Aleph passing over into the verb Lamed He. הורתני is, as in Pro 4:11 (cf. Exo 4:15), a defective mode of writing for הוריתני. נמלצוּ, Psa 119:103, is not equivalent to נמרצוּ, Job 6:25 (vid., Job, at Job 6:25; Job 16:2-5), but signifies, in consequence of the dative of the object לחכּי, that which easily enters, or that which tastes good (lxx ὡς gluke'a); therefore surely from מלץ = מלט, to be smooth: how smooth, entering easily (Pro 23:31), are Thy words (promises) to my palate or taste! The collective singular אמרתך is construed with a plural of the predicate (cf. Exo 1:10). He has no taste for the God-estranged present, but all the stronger taste for God's promised future. From God's laws he acquires the capacity for proving the spirits, therefore he hates every path of falsehood (= Psa 119:128), i.e., all the heterodox tendencies which agree with the spirit of the age.

Matthew Henry

On Psalms 119:102

Here is, 1. David's constancy in his religion. He had not departed from God's judgments; he had not chosen any other rule than the word of God, nor had he wilfully deviated from that rule. A constant adherence to the ways of God in trying times will be a good evidence of our integrity. 2. The cause of his constancy: "For thou hast taught me; that is, they were divine instructions that I learned; I was satisfied that the doctrine was of God, and therefore I stuck to it." Or rather, "It was divine grace in my heart that enabled me to receive those instructions." All the saints are taught of God, for he it is that gives the understanding; and those, and those only, that are taught of God, will continue to the end in the things that they have learned.

Spurgeon's Treasury of David

“I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.” They are well taught whom God teaches. What we learn from the Lord we never forget. God’s instruction has a practical effect,-we follow his way when he teaches us; and it has an abiding effect,-we do not depart from holiness. Read this verse in connection with the preceding and you get the believer’s “I have,” and his “I have not”: he is good both positively and negatively. What he did, namely, “refrained his feet,” preserved him from doing that which otherwise he might have done, namely, “departed from thy judgments.” He who is careful not to go an inch aside will not leave the road. He who never touches the intoxicating cup will never be drunk. He who never utters an idle word will never be profane. If we begin to depart a little we can never tell where we shall end. The Lord brings us to persevere in holiness by abstinence from the beginning of sin; but whatever be the method he is the worker of our perseverance, and to him be all the glory.

Tyndale Study Notes

On Psalms 119:97-102

119:97-104 Mem (מ): The instruction and wisdom of God through his word are far superior to the best that human teachers can offer.

119:97-102 make me wiser: God’s word provides wisdom and perspective. God is the true source of wisdom.

Tyndale Open Study Notes · CC BY-SA 4.0