Mazmur 119:81-96

כ (Kaf)

119:81 I desperately long for ¹  your deliverance.

I find hope in your word.

119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. ² 

I say, ³  “When will you comfort me?”

119:83 For ⁴  I am like a wineskin ⁵  dried up in smoke. ⁶ 

I do not forget your statutes.

119:84 How long must your servant endure this? ⁷ 

When will you judge those who pursue me?

119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, ⁸ 

which violates your law. ⁹ 

119:86 All your commands are reliable.

I am pursued without reason. ¹⁰  Help me!

119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,

but I do not reject your precepts.

119:88 Revive me with ¹¹  your loyal love,

that I might keep ¹²  the rules you have revealed. ¹³ 

ל (Lamed)

119:89 O Lord, your instructions endure;

they stand secure in heaven. ¹⁴ 

119:90 You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations. ¹⁵ 

You established the earth and it stood firm.

119:91 Today they stand firm by your decrees,

for all things are your servants.

119:92 If I had not found encouragement in your law, ¹⁶ 

I would have died in my sorrow. ¹⁷ 

119:93 I will never forget your precepts,

for by them you have revived me.

119:94 I belong to you. Deliver me!

For I seek your precepts.

119:95 The wicked prepare to kill me, ¹⁸ 

yet I concentrate on your rules.

119:96 I realize that everything has its limits,

but your commands are beyond full comprehension. ¹⁹ 

[119:81]  ¹ tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.

[119:82]  ² tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.

[119:82]  ³ tn Heb “saying.”

[119:83]  ⁴ tn Or “even though.”

[119:83]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (no’d, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).

[119:83]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the smoke.”

[119:84]  ⁷ tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”

[119:85]  ⁸ tn Heb “for me.”

[119:85]  ⁹ tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”

[119:86]  ¹⁰ sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.

[119:88]  ¹¹ tn Heb “according to.”

[119:88]  ¹² tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:88]  ¹³ tn Heb “of your mouth.”

[119:89]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”

[119:90]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”

[119:92]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”

[119:92]  ¹⁷ tn Or “my suffering.”

[119:95]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”

[119:96]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).