Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:148
Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
148. Mine eyes prevent [or are beforehand with, the same word as in Psa 119:147 ] the night watches ] The night was divided into three watches by the Israelites (Lam 2:19; Jdg 7:19; 1Sa 11:11). He compares himself to a sentinel who wakes before it is time for him to go on duty. Possibly, as Baethgen suggests, there is a reference to the author’s duties as a Levite. Before the hour when he must rise for his watch in the Temple he is awake, and meditating on God’s words. Cp. Psa 119:62; Psa 63:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mine eyes prevent the night watches – Luther renders this, I wake up early. The Hebrew word means a watch – a part of the night, so called from military watches, or a dividing of the night to keep guard. See the notes at Psa 90:4. The idea of the psalmist here is, that he anticipated these regular divisions of the night in order that he might engage in devotion. Instead of waiting for their return, he arose for prayer before they recurred – so much did his heart delight in the service of God. The language would seem to be that of one who was accustomed to pray in these successive watches of the night – the early, the middle, and the dawn. This may illustrate what occurs in the life of all who love God. They will have regular seasons of devotion, but they will often anticipate those seasons. They will be in a state of mind which prompts them to pray; when nothing will meet their state of mind but prayer; and when they cannot wait for the regular and ordinary season of devotion – like a hungry man who cannot wait for the usual and regular hour of his meals. The meaning of the phrase, mine eyes prevent, is that he awoke before the usual time for devotion.
That I might meditate in thy word – See the notes at Psa 1:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 119:148
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in Thy Word.
The inexhaustibleness of the Bible
There is something very surprising in the fact–but that it is a fact admits of no debate–that the Bible is not of a size to alarm any one, be his time ever so occupied, and yet that it is of a size to engage all his time, be that time ever so completely at his disposal. You cannot find the individual, however many the years, and however great the diligence, which he has given to the study of the sacred volume, who feels that there is no more to be learnt from that volume; and that it is useless for him to re-peruse that volume. Yet, on the other hand, if you wish to guide a man into an acquaintance with the things which belong to his peace, and accordingly press upon him the duty of reading the Bible, you can be met with no plausible excuse from the greatness of the prescribed task. It is not a huge library; it is only a single, and not very large book, which we entreat him to investigate; and with what fairness can a man of the most engrossing occupation plead want of time as his apology for refusing? We say again, this is one of the most extraordinary things to be observed in regard of the Bible. If the inspired writings together had filled a vast array of volumes, the great mass of men would have argued that the quantity sanctioned neglect. In our every endeavour at enforcing on them the duty of studying the Scriptures, we should have been met with the apparently reasonable statement that the necessary engagements of life forbade the embarking on so gigantic an undertaking. Then, on the other hand, had the Bible not been of so condensed and comprehensive a character that its chapters are libraries and its sentences volumes, the righteous of the earth, having nothing but this single book to study, would presently have been left with nothing to study–nothing to ponder. A few short weeks would have finished a common book of the same size. What, then, is it but the Deity in the Bible which makes it like a fire for ever consuming and yet for ever unconsumed? These are two features which, in their combination, strongly mark off the Bible from all other books: these are two features, I say–that it is so small, that in regard of its study no one can be afraid of making a beginning; and that it is so large, that no one is ever able to make an end: and he who prevents the night watches may always find fresh matter for meditation. Who amongst us that is accustomed to read the Bible with diligence and prayer can be ignorant that the contents of this Book seem to grow with the being examined; so that in place of exhausting, we multiply materials of thought? and that passages in which we observed no particular beauty or force, though they had been a hundred times read, will suddenly strike us as being full of the most valuable meaning, and words which we had overlooked as unimportant, dilate into sermons, preaching to us of duties and unfolding mysteries? There are texts in the Bible which we have often given up as hopelessly obscure; but with greater experience has come greater light; and dark sayings have burst forth as amongst the most brilliant and precious in Scripture. He is, indeed, a rare character amongst Christians who should feel the want of a larger Bible! There may undoubtedly be many points on which men long for fuller information, and many subjects which they may wish elucidated with greater clearness than is derivable from the pages of Holy Writ–but can any say that there remains nothing for him to examine in Scripture; that he has gone the whole length that revelation would carry him, and that he is at a standstill for want of a larger Bible? A larger Bible! Who is there of us who will dare to say that he has so exhausted a single chapter of the Bible that he may be confident that there is nothing more of instruction, nothing more of warning, nothing more of consolation to draw from its statements? And if it he thus true that the Bible is still unexhauted, though the world has for many centuries been diving into its treasures–that there are yet unexplored stores and riches to stimulate the industry and recompense the toil of every lover of its glorious truths, then must it on all hands be admitted that the Bible is adapted in its size, as well as in every other respect, to the capacities of human kind, since now in the old age of this creation, the sacred volume still presents fresh veins of precious ore, like a mine which, the more it is worked, the more it seems to contain and to yield. And since the world, if we may so express it, will not have finished the Bible when the concerns of humanity are wound up, and time itself shall die in eternity, then, indeed, we may well assent to the saying of St. John, that had all which Christ did been written–had, that is, great additions been made to the inspired volume of God Himself–the world could not have held the books. But we also learn that the student of Holy Writ will never come to a stand in the study, as though the book were mastered, and had nothing further to yield to patient inquiry: nay, not even if from youth upwards to extreme old age, he could give as descriptive of himself the words of David in our text–Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I may meditate in Thy Word. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 148. Mine eyes prevent] kiddemu, “go before the watches.” Before the watchman proclaims the hour, I am awake, meditating on thy words. The Jews divided the night into three watches, which began at what we call six o’clock in the evening, and consisted each of four hours. The Romans taught them afterwards to divide it into four watches of three hours each; and to divide the day and night into twelve hours each; wherein different guards of soldiers were appointed to watch. At the proclaiming of each watch the psalmist appears to have risen and performed some act of devotion. For a remarkable custom of our Saxon ancestors, See Clarke on Ps 119:164.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The night watches, Heb. the watches; which were kept only by night. And these watches were then three, as hath been more than once observed. And this is not to be understood of the first watch, which was at the beginning of the night, for the prevention thereof was very easy, and frequent, and inconsiderable; but of the middle watch, as it is called, Jdg 7:19, which was set in the middle of the night; and especially of the morning watch, as it is called, Exo 14:24, which was set some hours before the dawning of the day; and so this is an aggravation and addition to what he said Psa 119:147.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
145-149. An intelligent devotionis led by divine promises and is directed to an increase of graciousaffections, arising from a contemplation of revealed truth.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches,…. The Targum is,
“the morning and evening watches.”
There were three of them; Kimchi interprets it of the second and third; the meaning is, that the psalmist was awake and employed in one religious exercise or another, praying, reading, or meditating; either before the watches were set, or however before the time that some of them took place, or at least before they were all over;
that I might meditate in thy word; he rose so early, in order to give himself up to meditation on the word of God; that he might be better instructed in the knowledge of divine things; that he might have solace and comfort from thence under his afflictions; and that he might be better furnished for the work of prayer; for the more familiar the word of God is to us, the better able we are to speak to God in his own language.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
148. My eyes have prevented the night watchers. (21) The Psalmist here intimates, that he was more sedulously intent on meditating upon the law of God than watchmen of the night were to keep watch. Others are of opinion, that the verb שוח, suach, is put for to discourse. If this opinion is admitted, the sense will be, that the Prophet, not from ostentation, but for the welfare of his brethren, was so desirous of communicating instruction, that he gave himself no rest. The word meditate is, however, more appropriate in this place; for the night is an unseasonable time for discoursing upon the law of God; but at that season, when alone, he silently recalled to his memory what he had previously learned, so that he passed no part of the night without meditating upon the law.
(21) The Hebrews divided the natural day into three portions–morning, noon, and evening — which are mentioned by David as seasons in which he engaged in prayer. (Psa 55:17.) They also divided the night into three parts, called “watches,” consisting of four hours each, and commencing at our six o’clock in the evening. In Lam 2:19, we read of the first watch; or, as it is there designated, “the beginning of the watches;” in Jud 7:19, of “the middle watch;” and in Exo 14:24, of “the morning watch.” A similar division of the night seems to have been made by other ancient nations, as appears from the references made to it by Homer and the early Greek writers. The Greeks and Romans, however, in improving their military discipline, afterwards divided the night into four watches, each consisting of three hours; and when the Jews fell under the dominion of the latter people, they adopted from them this division of the night. Hence we read of “the fourth watch of the night” in Mat 14:25. And the four watches are mentioned together in Mar 13:35 :
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Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning.”
The time at which each of these four watches began and ended is thus determined by Dr. Hales, who has written elaborately on the subject: “1. Οψε, the late, began at sunset, and ended with the third hour of the night, including the evening-dawn, or twilight. It was also called οψια ὡρα, eventide, Mar 11:11; or simply οψια, evening, Joh 20:19, etc. 2. Μεσονυκτιον, the midnight, lasted from the third hour till midnight. 3. Αλεκτοροφωνια, the cock-crowing, midnight till the third hour after, or the ninth hour of the night. It included the two cock-crowings, with the second or principal of which it ended. 4. Πρωι, the early, lasted from the ninth to the twelfth hor of the night, or sunrise, including the morning-dawn or twilight. It is also called πρωια, morning, or morningtide, ( ὡρα being understood,) Joh 18:28, etc.
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When the Psalmist here declares, that his eyes prevented the nightwatches, we are to understand him as chiefly referring to the middle and morning watches, which falling at that period of the night when men in general are devoted to rest, envinced the strength, fervour, and self-sacrificing character of his devotions.” — Dr. Morison.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 119:148. Mine eyes prevent the night-watches The Jews anciently divided the night into three watches, which began at what we now call six of the clock in the evening, and consisted each of four hours: the Romans afterwards introduced among them the custom of dividing it into four watches; consisting of three hours each, as well as of dividing the day and the night into twelve hours a-piece. David intimates, that he meditated on God not only in the day-time, but also in the several divisions of the night, wherein different soldiers, or different parties of soldiers, were appointed to watch or keep guard. In all these, or at least during a considerable part of each of these, he was thus wakeful and contemplative. See Psa 63:6. It may be proper just to observe, that there is nothing for night in the Hebrew. The word signifies watches in general. See Exo 16:24.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 119:148 Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Ver. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches ] By this verse and the former it appeareth that he spent whole nights in prayer and meditation of God’s word. Jerome counselled some godly women thus, Tenenti codicem somnus obrepat, et cadentem faciem pagina sacra suspiciat (Hier. ad Eusta.).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
prevent = anticipate, or forestall.
watches. See App-51.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
eyes: Psa 119:62, Psa 63:1, Psa 63:6, Psa 139:17, Psa 139:18, Lam 2:19, Luk 6:12
the night watches: The ancient Jews divided the night into three watches of four hours each, beginning at six o’clock in the evening; before the last of which, “the day break,” or “morning watch,” as the LXX and Vulgate read, the Psalmist was awake.
Reciprocal: Psa 16:7 – in the Psa 55:17 – Evening Psa 88:13 – and in Psa 119:15 – meditate Psa 119:45 – for I seek Pro 6:22 – General Pro 31:15 – riseth Act 17:11 – and searched 1Th 4:15 – prevent 1Ti 4:15 – Meditate
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
119:148 Mine eyes {b} prevent the [night] watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
(b) He was more earnest in the study of God’s word, than they who kept the watch were in their charge.