Spurgeon's Treasury of David
On Psalms 119:153-160
In this section the Psalmist seems to draw still nearer to God in prayer, and to state his case and to invoke the divine help with more of boldness and expectation. It is a pleading passage, and the key-word of it is, “Consider.” With much boldness he pleads his intimate union with the Lord’s cause as a reason why he should be aided. The special aid that he seeks is personal quickening, for which he cries to the Lord again and again.
Spurgeon's Treasury of David
“Consider,” or see, “how I love thy precepts.” A second time he asks for consideration. As he said before, “Consider mine affliction,” so now he says, “Consider mine affection.” He loved the precepts of God-loved them unspeakably-loved them so as to be grieved with those who did not love them. This is a sure test: many there are who have a warm side towards the promises, but as for the precepts, they cannot endure them. The Psalmist so loved everything that was good and excellent that he loved all God had commanded. The precepts are all of them wise and holy, therefore the man of God loved them extremely, loved to know them, to think of them, to proclaim them, and principally to practise them. He asked the Lord to remember and consider this, not upon the ground of merit, but that it should serve as an answer to the slanderous accusations which at this time were the great sting of his sorrow. “Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.” Here he comes back to his former prayer, “Quicken me” (v. 154), “quicken me” (v. 156). “Quicken me.” He prays again the third time, using the same words. We may understand that David felt like one who was half stunned with the assaults of his foes, ready to faint under their incessant malice. What he wanted was revival, restoration, renewal; therefore he pleaded for more life. O thou who didst quicken me when I was dead, quicken me again that I may not return to the dead! Quicken me that I may outlive the blows of my enemies, the faintness of my faith, and the swooning of my sorrow. This time he does not say, “Quicken me according to thy judgments,” but “Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.” This is the great gun which he brings up last to the conflict: it is his ultimate argument, if this succeed not he must fail. He has long been knocking at mercy’s gate, and with this plea he strikes his heaviest blow. When he had fallen into great sin this was his plea, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness,” and now that he is in great trouble he flies to the same effectual reasoning. Because God is love he will give us life; because he is kind he will again kindle the heavenly flame within us.
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John Gill
On Psalms 119:159
Consider how I love thy precepts,.... How ardently and affectionately, how cordially and sincerely, Psalm 119:127; and that was the reason why he was so grieved and distressed when wicked men transgressed and despised them;
quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindness; See Gill on Psalm 119:88.
Keil & Delitzsch
On Psalms 119:153-160
The eightfold Resh. Because God cannot suffer those who are faithful to His word to succumb, he supplicates His help against his persecutors. ריבה is Milra before the initial (half-guttural) Resh, as in Psa 43:1; Psa 74:22. The Lamed of לאמרתך is the Lamed of reference (with respect to Thine utterance), whether the reference be normative (= כאמרתך, Psa 119:58), as in Isa 11:3, or causal, Isa 25:2, Isa 55:5; Job 42:5. The predicate רחוק, like ישׂר in Psa 119:137, stands first in the primary, as yet indefinite form. Concerning Psa 119:156 vid., on Psa 119:149. At the sight of the faithless he felt a profound disgust; ואתקוטטה, pausal aorist, supply בּהם, Psa 139:21. It is all the same in the end whether we render אשׁר quippe qui or siquidem. ראשׁ in Psa 119:160 signifies the head-number of sum. If he reckons up the word of God in its separate parts and as a whole, truth is the denominator of the whole, truth is the sum-total. This supplicatory חיּני is repeated three times in this group. The nearer it draws towards its end the more importunate does the Psalm become.
Matthew Henry
On Psalms 119:159
Here is, 1. David's appeal to God concerning his love to his precepts: "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love them; consider it then, and deal with me as thou usest to deal with those that love thy word, which thou hast magnified above all thy name." He does not say, "Consider how I fulfil thy precepts;" he was conscious to himself that in many things he came short; but, "Consider how I love them." Our obedience is pleasing to God, and pleasant to ourselves, only when it comes from a principle of love. 2. His petition thereupon: "Quicken me, to do my duty with vigour; revive me, keep me alive, not according to any merit of mine, though I love thy word, but according to thy lovingkindness;" to that we owe our lives, nay, that is better than live itself. We need not desire to be quickened any further than God's lovingkindness will quicken us.
Spurgeon's Treasury of David
On Psalms 119:153-160
In this section the Psalmist seems to draw still nearer to God in prayer, and to state his case and to invoke the divine help with more of boldness and expectation. It is a pleading passage, and the key-word of it is, “Consider.” With much boldness he pleads his intimate union with the Lord’s cause as a reason why he should be aided. The special aid that he seeks is personal quickening, for which he cries to the Lord again and again.
Spurgeon's Treasury of David
“Consider,” or see, “how I love thy precepts.” A second time he asks for consideration. As he said before, “Consider mine affliction,” so now he says, “Consider mine affection.” He loved the precepts of God-loved them unspeakably-loved them so as to be grieved with those who did not love them. This is a sure test: many there are who have a warm side towards the promises, but as for the precepts, they cannot endure them. The Psalmist so loved everything that was good and excellent that he loved all God had commanded. The precepts are all of them wise and holy, therefore the man of God loved them extremely, loved to know them, to think of them, to proclaim them, and principally to practise them. He asked the Lord to remember and consider this, not upon the ground of merit, but that it should serve as an answer to the slanderous accusations which at this time were the great sting of his sorrow. “Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.” Here he comes back to his former prayer, “Quicken me” (v. 154), “quicken me” (v. 156). “Quicken me.” He prays again the third time, using the same words. We may understand that David felt like one who was half stunned with the assaults of his foes, ready to faint under their incessant malice. What he wanted was revival, restoration, renewal; therefore he pleaded for more life. O thou who didst quicken me when I was dead, quicken me again that I may not return to the dead! Quicken me that I may outlive the blows of my enemies, the faintness of my faith, and the swooning of my sorrow. This time he does not say, “Quicken me according to thy judgments,” but “Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.” This is the great gun which he brings up last to the conflict: it is his ultimate argument, if this succeed not he must fail. He has long been knocking at mercy’s gate, and with this plea he strikes his heaviest blow. When he had fallen into great sin this was his plea, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness,” and now that he is in great trouble he flies to the same effectual reasoning. Because God is love he will give us life; because he is kind he will again kindle the heavenly flame within us.
Tyndale Study Notes
On Psalms 119:153-160
119:153-160 Resh (ר): This petition for life can be found throughout Ps 119, but it is concentrated in this stanza.
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