Question 1

What does it mean that princes persecuted the psalmist without a cause?

Accepted Answer

The line about princes persecuting him without a cause shows that powerful leaders were treating him as an enemy even though he had not done them wrong. They used their position and authority to chase him, accuse him, and make his life hard. This was not because of any real guilt, but because of lies, jealousy, or fear. The psalmist’s comfort is that God knows he is innocent. His response is not revenge but clinging more tightly to God’s word, choosing to fear God rather than human rulers.

Question 2

Why does the psalmist say his heart stands in awe of God’s word?

Accepted Answer

When he says his heart stands in awe of God’s word, he means he has a deep respect and holy fear of what God has spoken. God’s commands, promises, and warnings matter to him more than the threats of powerful people. Their words try to move him away from God, but God’s word holds him fast. This awe is not cold terror. It is a mix of reverence, love, and seriousness. Because he treats God’s word this way, he is kept from sinning and from giving in to pressure around him.

Question 3

Why does he rejoice at God’s word like someone finding great spoil?

Accepted Answer

Comparing God’s word to finding great spoil pictures the joy of a soldier who wins a battle and then gathers rich treasure from the field. For the psalmist, God’s word is like that treasure. It brings light, comfort, guidance, and rich promises. It shows him God’s grace and salvation. Each time he understands it more or sees a promise come alive in his life, it feels like gaining something very valuable. This joy does not come easily; it often comes after struggle, but it is real and much better than earthly riches.

Question 4

What does it mean to hate and abhor lying but love God’s law?

Accepted Answer

Hating and abhorring lying means he has a strong dislike, even disgust, toward everything false. That includes everyday lying in speech, breaking promises, pretending to be something he is not, and teaching or believing things that go against God’s truth. At the same time, he loves God’s law because it is pure, right, and trustworthy. Loving truth and hating lies go together. The more he sees how good and beautiful God’s word is, the more ugly and harmful all falsehood seems to him, whether it comes from others or from his own heart.

Question 5

Why does the psalmist praise God seven times a day?

Accepted Answer

Saying he praises God seven times a day is a way of saying he praises God very often. His day is filled with thanksgiving and worship, not just in a set time. He is especially thankful for God’s righteous judgments, meaning God’s right decisions in his word and in his actions. Even when life is hard, he can see reasons to thank God. This shows a heart that is not only asking for help but is also busy noticing God’s goodness, his wise commands, his just dealings, and the help he has already given.

Question 6

What is the great peace promised to those who love God’s law?

Accepted Answer

Great peace here is an inner rest and calm that God gives to those who love his word and live by it. It does not mean they have no troubles. The psalmist himself is being persecuted. But inside, they have peace with God and a clear conscience. They know they are walking in the way he approves. God’s promises steady them. So even when problems come, they are not easily shaken or trapped by them. This peace is better than the comfort the world offers, because it is rooted in God and his unchanging word.

Question 7

How can nothing offend or make stumble those who love God’s law?

Accepted Answer

When he says nothing shall offend them, he means that those who love God’s law will not be tripped up and driven away from God by what happens to them. They still feel pain and sorrow, but they are not destroyed by it. Hard events, temptations, and even the sins of others do not become a final stumbling block that turns them from God. God’s word lights their path, so they see dangers and avoid them. Their love for truth also helps them not to be easily offended by others or stuck on small wrongs.

Question 8

How are hoping for God’s salvation and doing his commandments connected here?

Accepted Answer

The psalmist holds two things together: “I have hoped for thy salvation” and “done thy commandments.” He looks to God alone to save him, both in present troubles and in the final sense. That hope does not make him lazy; instead, it moves him to obey. He does not obey to earn salvation, but because he trusts that God will save him, he wants to walk in God’s ways. Real hope in God’s salvation and real obedience belong together. Hope strengthens obedience, and obedience shows that the hope is genuine.

Question 9

What does it mean that his soul has kept God’s testimonies and loves them exceedingly?

Accepted Answer

Saying his soul has kept God’s testimonies means his obedience is not just outward. It comes from deep inside. His thoughts, desires, and choices are shaped by what God has said. He does not just go through the motions; he truly wants to please God. Loving God’s testimonies exceedingly shows that his love is strong, not halfhearted. God’s words about himself, his promises, and his warnings are precious to him. This kind of inner, eager love is what leads to steady obedience, even when it costs him something.

Question 10

What does the phrase all my ways are before thee teach about living before God?

Accepted Answer

When he says all my ways are before thee, he is admitting that nothing in his life is hidden from God. Every step, every choice, every word, and every secret thought lies open to God’s sight. This both comforts and sobers him. It comforts him because God sees his faithfulness and his unjust suffering. It sobers him because he cannot fool God with outward religion. This awareness shapes how he lives. Knowing God watches him makes him careful to keep God’s precepts and testimonies, not just in public but in every part of life.

Psalm 119:161

Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

ש - SIN and SHIN

metadata.crossReferences

Psalm 119:161

Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

share.title

share.allVerses

share.verseWithContext

share.currentVerse

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

ש - SIN and SHIN

metadata.crossReferences