Psa 119:128 | KingComments | STEP | The letter ayin has the pictogram and meaning of ‘eye’ or ‘source’. ‘Eye’ has not only the meaning of ‘being able to see’, but especially the meaning of ‘having insight’, ‘understanding’. In Hebrew, the terms ‘good eye’ and ‘evil eye’ are associated with generosity and stinginess respectively ( ). God has a good eye, because He is generous. He gave His only begotten Son ( ). That the eye is the lamp of the body means that our understanding of spiritual things is partly dependent on our mind. Stinginess, for example, will cloud our spiritual understanding. This insight is also necessary to be a good servant of the LORD ( ). The word ayin also means ‘source’, which speaks of life. The first time we find a source in the Bible is Beer-lahai-roi [Beer=source], which means ‘the Living One Who sees me’. In that place the LORD finds Hagar ( ). The righteous can say to the LORD that he “has done justice and righteousness” ( ). Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne ( ). This means that the psalmist is holding fast to the covenant of the LORD. That covenant means that the LORD will never give him up. What he says does not mean that he is without sin, but that he has served the LORD according to his uprightness. The wrong he has done, he has confessed, so that there is nothing between him and the LORD. On this basis, he asks the LORD not to leave him to his oppressors – that is, the antichrist and his followers (cf. ). For his preservation from his oppressors he does not count on his own strength, but on the LORD. In he goes one step further. He asks the LORD to be surety of his welfare (cf. ) and not allow the arrogant to oppress him and thus destroy his welfare. Thereby he again presents himself to Him as “Your servant”. A surety is not only a protector, but also and especially a substitute, one who takes on the cause of another and makes it his own. The word ‘surety’ also occurs in Genesis 43 where Judah stands surety for Benjamin ( ; cf. ). The Lord Jesus is in a perfect sense a surety for His own because He took their sins upon Himself on the cross. And also now that He is in heaven, He is the surety for His own ( ; ). The eyes of the righteous have failed with longing for the salvation of the LORD ( ), that is, for His salvation and peace (cf. ). He has a ground for this and that is the righteous word of the LORD. That righteous word means that the LORD will act on the basis of the covenant. It means that He will judge evil and reward good. He will do both when He comes to earth in Christ for the second time. The psalmist, as a servant of the LORD, asks Him to do with him according to His lovingkindness or covenant faithfulness ( ). That lovingkindness includes protection from his persecutors, but also teaching the statutes or ways of the LORD. Things and events never stand alone. They are always connected in some way to God’s Word. Therein we can learn how God views things and events, whereby we gain His view of them. This is followed by his next question to the LORD, in which he asks for understanding ( ). Emphatically, he asks this question as His servant. A servant – mentioned for the third time in this verse, after – asks for and carries out the will of his lord. If the LORD gives him understanding, opens his mind, he will know His testimonies with spiritual understanding. Here we see that receiving understanding depends on our willingness to serve Him. When Samson lost his hair (=dedication), he lost his eyes (=understanding) ( ). Through the understanding received, it is clear to the righteous that “it is time for the LORD to act” ( ). It is important to know the times (cf. ) and not to act before the time ( ). The question to the LORD to act is not a question of impatience, but the question to act now because His law has been broken. The law has been broken countless times, but in the end time it will be broken in the most egregious way, leaving no longer any delay of judgment. Then the measure of iniquity will be full (cf. ) and the LORD will act in judgment. This will happen when the nadir of idolatry is reached, namely when a man comes in his own name ( ) who will take the place of God, namely the antichrist ( ). This is man’s response to the love of God. God in His love sent His Son to take man’s place in judgment. To this, man responds by taking the place of God in pride (cf. ). Because God’s Word gives understanding about the time of the LORD’s actions, the God-fearing loves the commandments of the LORD ( ; ). His love for those commandments far exceeds the love for gold, yes, fine gold. Gold may be worth much, but its possession is fragile and temporary, for it may be gone in a moment, and its enjoyment ceases with death. begins with “therefore”, meaning that this verse is the conclusion of the stanza. The psalmist’s conclusion is that all God’s precept are truth ( ). That his appreciation of God’s Word far exceeds his appreciation of gold is evident in his obedience to it. He esteems all God’s precepts right concerning everything. They are the truth. In contrast, he “hates every false way”. The absolute measure of the difference between right and wrong is the Word. Love of God’s Word automatically means hating lies and every false way, that is, every way on which the lie reigns supreme. The two cannot possibly go together (cf. ). The contrast of Psalm 1 between the righteous and the wicked is here the contrast between the psalmist who loves God’s Word and those who walk the path of falsehood and hate the Word of God.

‏ Psalms 119:128

/ayin/ View on the Source

The letter ayin has the pictogram and meaning of ‘eye’ or ‘source’. ‘Eye’ has not only the meaning of ‘being able to see’, but especially the meaning of ‘having insight’, ‘understanding’. In Hebrew, the terms ‘good eye’ and ‘evil eye’ are associated with generosity and stinginess respectively (Mt 6:22-24). God has a good eye, because He is generous. He gave His only begotten Son (Jn 3:16).

That the eye is the lamp of the body means that our understanding of spiritual things is partly dependent on our mind. Stinginess, for example, will cloud our spiritual understanding. This insight is also necessary to be a good servant of the LORD (Psa 119:122 ; 124 ; 125).

The word ayin also means ‘source’, which speaks of life. The first time we find a source in the Bible is Beer-lahai-roi [Beer=source], which means ‘the Living One Who sees me’. In that place the LORD finds Hagar (Gen 16:7-14).

The righteous can say to the LORD that he “has done justice and righteousness” (Psa 119:121). Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne (Psa 97:2). This means that the psalmist is holding fast to the covenant of the LORD. That covenant means that the LORD will never give him up.

What he says does not mean that he is without sin, but that he has served the LORD according to his uprightness. The wrong he has done, he has confessed, so that there is nothing between him and the LORD. On this basis, he asks the LORD not to leave him to his oppressors – that is, the antichrist and his followers (cf. Zec 11:15-17). For his preservation from his oppressors he does not count on his own strength, but on the LORD.

In Psa 119:122 he goes one step further. He asks the LORD to be surety of his welfare (cf. Isa 38:14) and not allow the arrogant to oppress him and thus destroy his welfare. Thereby he again presents himself to Him as “Your servant”. A surety is not only a protector, but also and especially a substitute, one who takes on the cause of another and makes it his own.

The word ‘surety’ also occurs in Genesis 43 where Judah stands surety for Benjamin (Gen 43:9; cf. Phlm 1:18). The Lord Jesus is in a perfect sense a surety for His own because He took their sins upon Himself on the cross. And also now that He is in heaven, He is the surety for His own (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:22 ; 25).

The eyes of the righteous have failed with longing for the salvation of the LORD (Psa 119:123), that is, for His salvation and peace (cf. Psa 69:3). He has a ground for this and that is the righteous word of the LORD. That righteous word means that the LORD will act on the basis of the covenant. It means that He will judge evil and reward good. He will do both when He comes to earth in Christ for the second time.

The psalmist, as a servant of the LORD, asks Him to do with him according to His lovingkindness or covenant faithfulness (Psa 119:124). That lovingkindness includes protection from his persecutors, but also teaching the statutes or ways of the LORD. Things and events never stand alone. They are always connected in some way to God’s Word. Therein we can learn how God views things and events, whereby we gain His view of them.

This is followed by his next question to the LORD, in which he asks for understanding (Psa 119:125). Emphatically, he asks this question as His servant. A servant – mentioned for the third time in this verse, after Psa 119:122 ; 124 – asks for and carries out the will of his lord. If the LORD gives him understanding, opens his mind, he will know His testimonies with spiritual understanding. Here we see that receiving understanding depends on our willingness to serve Him. When Samson lost his hair (=dedication), he lost his eyes (=understanding) (Jdg 16:19-21).

Through the understanding received, it is clear to the righteous that “it is time for the LORD to act” (Psa 119:126). It is important to know the times (cf. 1Chr 12:32) and not to act before the time (2Kgs 5:26). The question to the LORD to act is not a question of impatience, but the question to act now because His law has been broken. The law has been broken countless times, but in the end time it will be broken in the most egregious way, leaving no longer any delay of judgment. Then the measure of iniquity will be full (cf. Gen 15:16) and the LORD will act in judgment.

This will happen when the nadir of idolatry is reached, namely when a man comes in his own name (Jn 5:43) who will take the place of God, namely the antichrist (2Thes 2:4). This is man’s response to the love of God. God in His love sent His Son to take man’s place in judgment. To this, man responds by taking the place of God in pride (cf. Gen 3:5).

Because God’s Word gives understanding about the time of the LORD’s actions, the God-fearing loves the commandments of the LORD (Psa 119:127; Psa 119:72). His love for those commandments far exceeds the love for gold, yes, fine gold. Gold may be worth much, but its possession is fragile and temporary, for it may be gone in a moment, and its enjoyment ceases with death.

Psa 119:128 begins with “therefore”, meaning that this verse is the conclusion of the stanza. The psalmist’s conclusion is that all God’s precept are truth (Jn 17:17). That his appreciation of God’s Word far exceeds his appreciation of gold is evident in his obedience to it. He esteems all God’s precepts right concerning everything. They are the truth. In contrast, he “hates every false way”. The absolute measure of the difference between right and wrong is the Word.

Love of God’s Word automatically means hating lies and every false way, that is, every way on which the lie reigns supreme. The two cannot possibly go together (cf. Mt 6:24). The contrast of Psalm 1 between the righteous and the wicked is here the contrast between the psalmist who loves God’s Word and those who walk the path of falsehood and hate the Word of God.