Psalm 119:113–128 (May 8, 2025)

Psalm 119:113–128 (ESV)

Samekh (ס)

113 I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.

114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope!

117 Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!

118 You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain.

119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies.

120 My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

Ayin (ע)

121 I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.

122 Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.

123 My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.

125 I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies!

126 It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.

127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold.

128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

“Holding On to the Word When the World Lets Go”

1. GOD — The Righteous Judge and Refuge

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” (v. 114)

“My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.” (v. 120)

God is revealed here as both a refuge and a righteous judge. The psalmist is surrounded by evildoers and oppression, but the Lord is his shield and hiding place. Yet this same God is not to be taken lightly—His judgments cause the psalmist to tremble. This dual reality—shelter and severity—reveals the holiness of God in His justice and mercy.

2. GUILT — The World’s Rebellion and My Own Vulnerability

“I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.” (v. 113)

“Let me not be put to shame in my hope!” (v. 116)

“It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.” (v. 126)

The psalmist sees moral duplicity and spiritual compromise all around him. He distances himself from evildoers and false ways, but he also recognizes his need for upholding grace. Though he has sought righteousness, he knows that without God’s support, he would fall. He grieves over the breaking of God's law and longs for God to intervene in a rebellious world.

3. GOSPEL — The Covenant God Who Acts and Upholds

“Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live…” (v. 116)

“Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.” (v. 124)

The psalmist appeals not to his own righteousness but to God’s promise and steadfast love (חֶסֶד, chesed). This is covenantal language—language that foreshadows the Gospel. In Christ, we are upheld by grace, taught by the Spirit, and protected from ultimate harm. Jesus is the true Servant, the righteous sufferer, and the one who intercedes when the law has been broken (v. 126).

4. GRACE — God Teaches, Holds, and Acts in Love

“Give your servant a pledge of good…” (v. 122)

“Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies!” (v. 125)

“Hold me up, that I may be safe…” (v. 117)

The grace of God is experienced in very personal ways here: protection, instruction, and promise. The psalmist asks not merely for deliverance, but for understanding. Grace is not just about escaping trials; it is about knowing God more deeply through His Word, even in the trial. The psalmist's plea, “Give me understanding,” reflects a humble learner’s heart, seeking grace to know and do God's will.

5. GRATITUDE — Loving the Word More Than Gold

“Therefore, I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold.” (v. 127)

“Therefore, I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.” (v. 128)

The psalmist’s response is one of devotion and delight. Loving God must also mean abhorring sin. A saint treasures God's Word not for earthly gain but for its eternal truth and everlasting beauty. Even amidst injustice and waiting, he refuses to turn to false ways. His gratitude isn’t circumstantial—it’s anchored in the Word, which he values above wealth and worldly solutions. This is the fruit of grace: a heart that loves what God loves.