Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:100

I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

100. I have more discernment than the aged] It is not official ‘elders’ who are meant, but those whose long life has given them opportunity to learn by experience.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I understand more than the ancients – Hebrew, The old men. It does not refer, as the word ancients does with us, to the people of former times, but to aged men. They have treasured up wisdom. They have had the advantage of experience, of study, and of observation. They, therefore, like teachers, become a standard by which we measure our own attainments, as the boy hardly hopes to gain that amount of knowledge which he observes in people who are venerable in years, and who are remarkable for their acquirements. Compare Job 12:12 : With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding. Job 32:7 : I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. Compare 1Ki 4:30-31. Yet the psalmist says that he had reached this point, and had even gone beyond what he had once thought he could never attain.

Because I keep thy precepts – It is all the result of an honest endeavor to do right; to observe law; to keep the commands of God. Obedience to the law of God will do more than any mere human teaching to make a man truly wise.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 100. I understand more than the ancients] God had revealed to him more of that hidden wisdom which was in his law than he had done to any of his predecessors. And this was most literally true of David, who spoke more fully about Christ than any who had gone before him; or, indeed, followed after him. His compositions are, I had almost said, a sublime Gospel.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

By which reason he intimates that the practice of religion is the best way to understand it, and that mens vicious hearts and lives are the greatest hinderances of all true and solid knowledge of it.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

100. more than theancientsAntiquity is no help against stupidity, where it doesnot accord with God’s word [LUTHER](Job 32:7-9). The Bibleis the key of all knowledge, the history of the world, past, present,and to come (Ps 111:10). Hewho does the will of God shall know of the doctrine (Joh7:17).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

I understand more than the ancients,…. Than those that had lived in ages before him; having clearer light given him, and larger discoveries made unto him, concerning the Messiah, his person and offices particularly, as it was usual for the Lord to do; or than aged men in his own time: for though wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, may be reasonably supposed to be with ancient men; who have had a long experience of things, and have had time and opportunity of making their observations, and of laying up a stock of knowledge; and this may be expected from them, and they may be applied to for it; yet this is not always the case; a younger man, as David was, may be endued with more knowledge and understanding than such; so Elihu; see Job 8:8

Job 32:6. Or, “I have got understanding by the ancients”; so Kimchi; though the other sense seems preferable;

because I keep thy precepts; keep close to the word; attend to the reading of it, and meditation on it; keep it in mind and memory, and observe to do the commands of it; and by that means obtained a good understanding, even a better one than the ancients; especially than they that were without it, or did not carefully attend unto it; see

Ps 111:10.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(100) Ancients.Or, more probably, as the LXX. and Vulg., and the old versions generally took it, old men.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Psa 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Ver. 100. I understand more than the ancients ] Whom yet age, use, and experience have taught much; but by the practical study of the word I outgo them all; with reference to those hoary heads, the seniors of the Synedrion, be it spoken, Non prolixa facit sapientem barba.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)