Psalms 119:172

Psa 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments [are] righteousness.

Ver. 172. My tongue shall speak] True goodness is diffusive; charity is no churl.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

TAU.

Psa 119:172-175. My tongue shall speak of — Shall freely and abundantly, like a fountain, pour forth, as תעןsignifies; thy word — The truths, precepts, and other contents of it. For all thy commandments are righteousness — Even those which, to men of corrupt minds, seem severe and unjust. Let thy hand help me — Let thy divine power, therefore, succour me in this weak and distressed condition wherein I am. For I have chosen, &c. — For I rely on it alone, having resolved to be guided wholly by thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation — That thou wouldest save me completely, not only from my troubles, but also from my sins, and from all inclination to decline from thy ways, and that at last thou wouldest crown me with eternal salvation in thy kingdom. Let my soul live — That is, let my natural life be prolonged, that I may live to thy glory. Or, let my soul possess spiritual life in union and communion with thee; and it shall praise thee — Shall have both inclination and power so to do, with fervency and delight. Let thy judgments help me — Thy providential dispensations, whereby thou rulest and judgest the world, punishing the wicked, and protecting and delivering the godly: or rather, thy ordinances and testimonies, (as the word judgments commonly signifies in this Psalm,) which are the only ground of my confiding in thee for help.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

172. (Psa 119:172) Let my tongue answer thy saying—that all thy commandments are right. The verb which usually means to answer prayer (see above, Psa 119:26; Psa 119:145) is here used in the sense of responding to a precept or a promise by the language of praise and acquiescence. Compare Psa 119:42. There is no need of treating the optative form of the verb as a poetic licence. The strict sense agrees well with the prayer in the next verse. What is here asked is occasion thus to praise God. As the last clause seems to assign no pertinent reason for the prayer in the first, it may be regarded as the response itself. Let my tongue say in answer to all thy requisitions, that all thy commandments are right, or righteousness itself, as in Psa 119:142; Psa 119:144.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, 1. The good knowledge David had of the word of God; he knew it so well that he was ready to own, with the utmost satisfaction, that all God's commandments are not only righteous, but righteousness itself, the rule and standard of righteousness. 2. The good use he resolved to make of that knowledge: My tongue shall speak of thy word, not only utter praise for it to the glory of God, but discourse of it for the instruction and edification of others, as that which he himself was full of (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak) and as that which he desired others also might be filled with. The more we see of the righteousness of God's commandments the more industrious we should be to bring others acquainted with them, that they may be ruled by them. We should always make the word of God the governor of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking or sinful silence; and we should often make it the subject-matter of our discourse, that it may feed many and minister grace to the hearers.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word] There is a curious distinction here. In the preceding verse he says, "My lips shall utter;" here no reference is made to articulate sounds, except as affixed to musical notes. In this verse he says, "My tongue shall speak; " here articulate and intelligible words are intended. He first utters sounds connected with words expressive of his grateful feelings; in the second he speaks words, principally those which God himself had spoken, containing promises of support, purposes relative to the redemption of his people, and denunciations against their enemies.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

172. My tongue shall speak of thy word. Here the Psalmist says, that when he shall have profited in God’s law he will also employ himself in teaching it to others. This order is undoubtedly to be observed, That divine truth take root in our hearts before we engage in the work of teaching it to others. Yet every man, according to the measure of his faith, ought to communicate to his brethren what he has received, that the doctrine, whose use and fruit God ‘would have to be displayed for the common edification of the Church, may not be buried. There is added the reason which ought to stir up all the godly to declare the law of God — namely, because by this means righteousness is spread abroad through the whole world. When the Prophet honors the commandments of God with the title of righteousness, he does not simply express his approbation of them, but he indirectly shows, that, until this rule bear sway in governing mankind, the whole world is one scene of sad and horrible confusion. Yet, let my readers judge whether the word answer or witness, which the Hebrew verb ענה, anah, properly signifies, is not more suitable in this place than speak; bringing out this sense — “My tongue shall bear witness or answer to thy word; because the true knowledge of righteousness is to be sought only in the word;” but in that case, it will be necessary to supply the letter ל, lamed, in the word אמרתך, imrathecha, that it may read — to thy word.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(172) My tongue shall speak of Thy word.—Rather, My tongue shall make response to Thy word, that all Thy commandments are true.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My tongue shall speak of thy word - It shall speak of it in the language of praise; it shall speak of it in making it known to others.

For all thy commandments are righteousness - I see this; I feel it; and, therefore, I will speak of it. My impression that thy commandments are all righteous is so deep, that I cannot but speak of them. I must vindicate them; I must praise thee for them.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Shall speak, Heb. shall pour forth, freely and abundantly, like a fountain. Of thy word; in praise of it, for its righteousness, as it here follows, its truth, and purity, and other excellencies.

Thy commandments; even those which to men of corrupted minds seem harsh and unjust.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word. When he had done singing he began preaching. God's tender mercies are such that they may be either said or sung. When the tongue speaks of God's word it has a most fruitful subject; such speaking will be as a tree of life, whose leaves shall be for the healing of the people. Men will gather together to listen to such talk, and they will treasure it up in their hearts. The worst of us is that for the most part we are full of our own words, and speak but little of God's word. Oh, that we could come to the same resolve as this godly man, and say henceforth, "My tongue shall speak of thy word." Then should we break through our sinful silence; we should no more be cowardly and half hearted, but should be true witnesses for Jesus. It is not only of God's works that we are to speak, but of his word. We may extol its truth, its wisdom, its preciousness, its grace, its power; and then we may tell of all it has revealed, all it has promised, all it has commanded, all it has effected. The subject gives us plenty of sea room; we may speak on for ever: the tale is for ever telling, yet untold.

For all thy commandments are righteousness. David appears to have been mainly enamoured of the preceptive part of the word of God, and concerning the precept his chief delight lay in its purity and excellence. When a man can speak this from his heart, his heart is indeed a temple of the Holy Ghost. He had said aforetime (Ps 119:138), "Thy testimonies are righteous, "but here he declares that they are righteousness itself. The law of God is not only the standard of right, but it is the essence of righteousness. This the Psalmist affirms of each and every one of the precepts without exception. He felt like Paul "The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." When a man has so high an opinion of God's commandments it is little wonder that his lips should be ready to extol the ever glorious One.

Ver. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word. One duty of thankfulness promised by David is, to speak of God's words for the edification of others. Every Christian man, as he is a priest to offer sacrifice unto God, so is he a prophet to teach his brethren; for unto us all stands that commandment, "Edify one another in their most holy faith." But, alas, ye shall see many Christians now, who at their tables, and in their companies, can speak freely upon any subject; only for spiritual matters, which concern the soul, there they are dumb, and cannot say with David, "My tongue shall speak of thy word." William Cowper.

Ver. 172.

1. The orator: "My tongue shall speak."

2. His chosen theme: "of thy word."

3. His inward impulse: "for all thy commandments are righteousness."

Ver. 172. Savoury Speech.

1. A resolution all believers should make.

2. The qualification all believers should seek (Ps 45:1; Mt 7:34, 35)

3. The edification believers would thus secure.

C.A.D.

Psalms 119:173*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

My tongue shall speak of thy Word; or, "let my tongue respond to thy promise return praise, i.e., for the fulfillment of thy promise. For all thy commandments are righteousness. And therefore are worthy objects of praise.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My tongue will proclaim Heb. תען. Every [expression of] עַנִיָה is an expression of a loud voice, and the “father” of them all is (Deut. 27:14): “And the Levites shall proclaim (וענו) and say [to all Israel with a loud voice].”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.