Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:124
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
124, 125. The remedy for the despondency of which Psa 119:123 speaks. Fuller knowledge of God’s law will sustain him under the trial. Cp. Psa 94:12 ff. In both verses he pleads his relation to Jehovah as His servant as the ground of his prayer.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy – Not according to justice – for, sinners as we are, we can never urge that as a plea before God. No man who knows himself could ask of God to deal with him according to the strict and stern principles of justice. But we may ask him to deal with us according to mercy – for mercy is our only plea, and the mercy of God – vast and boundless – constitutes such a ground of appeal as we need. No man can have any other; no man need desire any other.
And teach me thy statutes – See the notes at Psa 119:12. Show thy mercy to me in teaching me thy law.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:124-126
Deal with Thy servant according unto Thy mercy.
In these words we have a prayer
I. For merciful treatment.
1. Not according to Thy justice. This would involve our ruin.
2. Not according to the mercy of men. This would be worthless. But according to Thy mercy. That mercy is all-compassionate, all-sufficient, and all-powerful.
II. For moral instruction. Teach me Thy statutes. Give me understanding, that I may know Thy testimonies.
1. God has given us statutes, laws for the regulation of our conduct.
2. These statutes are to be obeyed. Obedience to them is essential to our well-being.
3. These statutes, to be obeyed, must be understood. Hence the force of the prayer, Give me understanding.
III. For divine intervention to terminate wickedness (verse 126). There is a sense in which men cannot make void Gods laws. They cannot annul them, they cannot modify them. They can neither remove or lessen their obligation. The only way in which they can make them void is by practically ignoring them; and this is an evil which God will put an end to. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Not according to strict justice, nor according to my sins.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy,…. Which is either general and providential, and reaches to all his creatures; and according to which David had been dealt with all his days, and which he desires a continuance of: or special; and which is in Christ, and communicated through him; and in whom he deals with his people, not according to their merits, but his own mercy; by receiving and accepting them, and admitting them into his presence, and to partake of his favours, and by pardoning their sins and saving their souls; which is not by works of righteousness they have done but according to his abundant mercy; and by giving them eternal life and happiness at the great day;
and teach me thy statutes; which is often requested; and which not only shows the need of divine teachings, and the psalmist’s earnest and importunate desire to have them; but also that the mercy, grace, and kindness of God, have an influence on the holy life and conversation of the saints, and do not at all encourage licentiousness.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. 125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Here is, 1. David’s petition for divine instruction: “Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty, direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted, oppressed, and my eyes are ready to fail for thy salvation, let me know what my duty is in this condition.” In difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If God, who gave us his statutes, do not teach us, we shall never learn them. How God teaches is implied in the next petition: Give me understanding (a renewed understanding, apt to receive divine light), that I may know thy testimonies. It is God’s prerogative to give an understanding, that understanding without which we cannot know God’s testimonies. Those who know most of God’s testimonies desire to know more, and are still earnest with God to teach them, never thinking they know enough. 2. His pleas to enforce this petition. (1.) He pleads God’s goodness to him: Deal with me according to thy mercy. The best saints count this their best plea for any blessing, “Let me have it according to thy mercy;” for we deserve no favour from God, nor can we claim any as a debt, but we are most likely to be easy when we cast ourselves upon God’s mercy and refer ourselves to it. Particularly, when we come to him for instruction, we must beg it as a mercy, and reckon that in being taught we are well dealt with. (2.) He pleads his relation to God: “I am thy servant, and have work to do for thee; therefore teach me to do it and to do it well.” The servant has reason to expect that, if he be at a loss about his work, his master should teach him, and, if it were in his power, give him an understanding. “Lord,” says David, “I desire to serve thee; show me how.” If any man resolve to do God’s will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies, Joh 7:17; Psa 25:14.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
124. Deal with thy servant according to thy goodness. The two clauses of this verse must be read correctly; for he does not first separately desire God to deal well with him, and next desire him to be his master and teacher. He rather beseeches him in the exercise of that goodness and mercy, which he is wont to display towards all his people, to instruct him in his law. The object of the Prophet’s request then is, that God would teach him in his statutes. But he begins with the divine mercy, employing it as an argument to prevail with God to grant him what he desires. This prayer then must be resolved thus: Lord, deal gently with me, and manifest thy goodness towards me by instructing me in thy commandments. Our whole happiness undoubtedly consists in our having that true wisdom which is to be derived from the word of God; and our only hope of obtaining this wisdom lies in God’s being pleased to display his mercy and goodness towards us. The Prophet, therefore, magnifies the greatness and excellence of the benefit of being instructed in the divine law, when he requests that it may be bestowed upon him as a free gift.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 119:124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
Ver. 124. Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy ] i.e. Show me so much mercy as to teach me thy statutes. Cathedram in ccelis habet qui cords docet. Divine learning is of God’s free favour. If common skill, then this much more cometh “forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working,” Isa 28:19 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Deal: Psa 119:41, Psa 119:76, Psa 119:77, Psa 119:132, Psa 51:1, Psa 69:13, Psa 69:16, Psa 79:8, Psa 103:10, Psa 130:3, Psa 130:4, Psa 130:7, Dan 9:18, Luk 18:13, 2Ti 1:16-18
teach: Psa 119:12, Psa 119:26, Psa 143:10-12, Neh 9:20
Reciprocal: Psa 25:7 – according Psa 86:2 – save Psa 119:17 – Deal
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
119:124 Deal with thy {b} servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
(b) He does not boast that he is God’s servant, but by this reminds God that as he made him his by his grace, so he would continue his favour toward him.