PSA 119

Psalm 119:111

WEB

I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.

BSB

Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.

KJV

Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

Matthew Henry

Verses 111–112

Psalms 119:111–112

The psalmist here in a most affectionate manner, like an Israelite indeed, resolves to stick to the word of God and to live and die by it.

I. He resolves to portion himself in it, and there to seek his happiness, nay, there to enjoy it; "Thy testimonies (the truths, the promises, of thy word) have I taken as a heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." The present delight he took in them was an evidence that the good things contained in them were in his account the best things, and the treasure which he set his heart upon. 1. He expected an eternal happiness in God's testimonies. The covenant God had made with him was an everlasting covenant, and therefore he took it as a heritage for ever. If he could not yet say, "They are my heritage," yet he could say, "I have made choice of them for my heritage; and will never take up with a portion in this life," Psa 17:14, Psa 17:15. God's testimonies are a heritage to all that have received the Spirit of adoption; for, if children, then heirs. They are a heritage for ever, and that no earthly heritage is (Pe1 1:4); all the saints accept them as such, take up with them, live upon them, and can therefore be content with but little of this world. 2. He enjoyed a present satisfaction in them: They are the rejoicing of my heart, because they will be my heritage for ever. It requires the heart of a good man to see his portion in the promise of God and not in the possessions of this world.

II. He resolves to govern himself by it and thence to take his measures: I have inclined my heart to do thy statutes. Those that would have the blessings of God's testimonies must come under the bonds of his statutes. We must look for comfort only in the way of duty, and that duty must be done, 1. With full consent and complacency: "I have, by the grace of God, inclined my heart to it, and conquered the aversion I had to it." A good man brings his heart to his work and then it is done well. A gracious disposition to do the will of God is the acceptable principle of all obedience. 2. With constancy and perseverance. He would perform God's statutes always, in all instances, in the duty of every day, in a constant course of holy walking, and this to the end, without weariness. This is following the Lord fully.

Cross-references: Ps 17:14 · Ps 17:15 · 1Pet 1:4

Hebrew interlinear

H5157

נָחַלnâchal/naw-khal'/

v — inherit, occupy, bequeath, distribute, instate

Derivation: a primitive root;

to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of descent), or (generally) to occupy; causatively, to bequeath, or (generally) distribute, instate

KJV: divide, have (inheritance), take as a heritage, (cause to, give to, make to) inherit, (distribute for, divide (for, for an, by), give for, have, leave for, take (for)) inheritance, (have in, cause to, be made to) possess(-ion).

נָחַל

vb. denom — get as a possession

נָחַל vb. denom. get or take as a possession

Qal

1. take possession, inherit

2. fig. have or get as a possession, property

3. divide the land for a possession

Pi. divide for a possession

Hithp. possess oneself of land

Hiph.

1. give as a possession

2. cause to inherit, give as an inheritance

Hoph. made to possess

H5715

עֵדוּתʻêdûwth/ay-dooth'/

n-f — testimony

Derivation: feminine of 5707;

testimony

KJV: testimony, witness.

עֵדוּת

n.f — testimony

עֵדוּת 19 and עֵדֻת 27 n.f. testimony

H5769

עוֹלָםʻôwlâm/o-lawm'/

n-m — concealed, vanishing, out of mind, eternity, always

Derivation: or עֹלָם; from 5956;

properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always

KJV: alway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ( without end). Compare 5331, 5703.

עוֹלָם

n.m — long duration

עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H8342

שָׂשׂוֹןsâsôwn/saw-sone'/

n-m — cheerfulness, welcome

Derivation: or שָׂשֹׂן; from 7797;

cheerfulness; specifically, welcome

KJV: gladness, joy, mirth, rejoicing.

שָׂשׂוֹן

n.m — exultation

שָׂשׂוֹן n.m. exultation, rejoicing

H3820

לֵבlêb/labe/

n-m — heart, feelings, will, intellect, centre

Derivation: a form of 3824;

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything

KJV: care for, comfortably, consent, × considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), × heed, × I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), × regard(-ed), × themselves, × unawares, understanding, × well, willingly, wisdom.

לֵב

n.m — inner man

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

I. seldom of things in the midst of the sea

II. elsewhere of men

1. the inner man in contrast with the outer

2. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

3. specific reference to mind

4. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

5. spec. ref. to conscience

6. [various]

7. for the man himself

8. as seat of appetites

9. as seat of emotions and passions

10. seat of courage

לֵב קָמָי

Leb Qamay

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

H1992

הֵםhêm/haym/

p — they

Derivation: or (prolonged) הֵמָּה; masculine plural from 1931;

they (only used when emphatic)

KJV: it, like, × (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, × so, × such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

הֵ֫מָּה

pron — they

הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they

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