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John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Psalms 119 This psalm is generally thought to be written by David, but when is uncertain; very probably towards the decline of life; and, as some think, for the sake or his son Solomon. It seems to be a collection of observations on the word of God and its precepts, the usefulness and excellency of it, he had made in the course of his life; interspersed with various petitions for...
John Gill
I opened my mouth, and panted,.... As a person out of breath does, through walking or running; he stops and pants, and opens his mouth, to draw in air to his relief: or as hungry and thirsty persons pant for food and drink, and open their mouths to receive it, before it can well be brought to them. So the psalmist panted after God, and communion with him; desired the sincere milk of the word;...
Matthew Henry
This is a psalm by itself, like none of the rest; it excels them all, and shines brightest in this constellation. It is much longer than any of them more than twice as long as any of them. It is not making long prayers that Christ censurers, but making them for a pretence, which intimates that they are in themselves good and commendable. It seems to me to be a collection of David's pious and...
Charles H. Spurgeon
I opened my mouth, and panted: That was an admirable way of praying; no words were used by the psalmist, but his soul expressed itself by panting: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” Psa_119:131. For I longed for thy commandments. The very best kind of prayer is that inarticulate panting, in which there is a longing, a sighing, that cannot be...
Charles H. Spurgeon
It giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. What a wonderful verse that is! The psalmist cannot describe his longing for God’s commandments except by going to the brute creation for a suitable metaphor. He had probably seen the hunted stag stand still, and pant to get its breath, all the while longing for the waterbrooks. So he says,...