Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:13
With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
13. have I declared ] Or, recounted. The faithful Israelite was not merely to treasure in his mind God’s declarations of His Will, but to “talk of them” (Deu 6:7), to produce his treasure for the good of others (Mat 12:35).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
With my lips have I declared – That is, I have openly and publicly made thy words known to others; I have defended and vindicated them.
All the judgments – The word judgments here means the same as statutes or laws: and the idea is, that he had been on the side of those laws, and had endeavored by argument and persuasion to bring others under their influence. How he had done it we are not informed; but we have no reason to suppose that the author of the psalm was a minister of religion, and if not, then we have here an example of what a man who does not claim to be a public teacher may do, and should do, in making known and defending divine truth. Every man is as much bound to do this in his sphere as the minister of religion is in his; and private members of the church have often an opportunity of doing this to more advantage than the ministers of the gospel possess.
Of thy mouth – With my mouth I speak those things which have proceeded from thine. I speak in thy name; I declare thy truth. It is not my own; it is thine.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. With my lips have I declared]
10. He should declare to his own heart, and to all his companions in iniquity, God’s judgments against himself and them; that if his long-suffering mercy have not made a proper impression on their hearts, they may tremble at his approaching judgments.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If thou wilt teach me, I will teach others, as I have already done; and so thou shalt have glory, and others benefit by it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. Not the judgments of his hand, what he executes on an ungodly world; nor the intricate dispensations of his providence; those judgments of his now unsearchable, though before long will be manifest; these the psalmist could not declare: but the revelation of the will of God, what his mouth has uttered, doctrines and precepts of righteousness and truth; these, though David had them in his heart, he did not conceal them from men; but out of the abundant experience he had of them in his heart, his lips spake of them, of their nature and excellency, and usefulness unto others: and whereas he desired to be instructed more and more in them, it was in order to teach them, and declare them to others; even all of them, in the most sincere and impartial manner; see
Ac 20:27.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Here, I. David looks back with comfort upon the respect he had paid to the word of God. He had the testimony of his conscience for him, 1. That he had edified others with what he had been taught out of the word of God (v. 13): With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. This he did, not only as a king in making orders, and giving judgment, according to the word of God, nor only as a prophet by his psalms, but in his common discourse. Thus he showed how full he was of the word of God, and what a holy delight he took in his acquaintance with it; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. Thus he did good with his knowledge; he did not hide God’s word from others, but hid it for them; and, out of that good treasure in his heart, brought forth good things, as the householder out of his store things new and old. Those whose hearts are fed with the bread of life should with their lips feed many. He had prayed (v. 12) that God would teach him; and here he pleads, “Lord, I have endeavoured to make a good use of the knowledge thou hast given me, therefore increase it;” for to him that has shall be given. 2. That he had entertained himself with it: “Lord, teach me thy statutes; for I desire no greater pleasure than to know and do them (v. 14): I have rejoiced in the way of thy commandments, in a constant even course of obedience to thee; not only in the speculations and histories of thy word, but in the precepts of it, and in that path of serious godliness which they chalk out to me. I have rejoiced in this as much as in all riches, as much as ever any worldling rejoiced in the increase of his wealth. In the way of God’s commandments I can truly say, Soul, take thy ease;” in true religion there is all riches, the unsearchable riches of Christ.
II. He looks forward with a holy resolution never to cool in his affection to the word of God; what he does that he will do, 2 Cor. xi. 12. Those that have found pleasure in the ways of God are likely to proceed and persevere in them. 1. He will dwell much upon them in his thoughts (v. 15): I will meditate in thy precepts. He not only discoursed of them to others (many do that only to show their knowledge and authority), but he communed with his own heart about them, and took pains to digest in his own thoughts what he had declared, or had to declare, to others. Note, God’s words ought to be very much the subject of our thoughts. 2. He will have them always in his eye: I will have respect unto thy ways, as the traveller has to his road, which he is in care not to miss and always aims and endeavours to hit. We do not meditate on God’s precepts to good purpose unless we have respect to them as our rule and our good thoughts produce good works and good intentions in them. 3. He will take a constant pleasure in communion with God and obedience to him. It is not for a season that he rejoices in this light, but “I will still, I will for ever, delight myself in thy statutes, not only think of them, but do them with delight,” v. 16. David took more delight in God’s statutes than in the pleasures of his court or the honours of his camp, more than in his sword or in his harp. When the law is written in the heart duty becomes a delight. 4. He will never forget what he has learned of the things of God: “I will not forget thy word, not only I will not quite forget it, but I will be mindful of it when I have occasion to use it.” Those that meditate in God’s word, and delight in it, are in no great danger of forgetting it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
13. With my lips In this verse he declares that the law of God was not only deeply engraven on his own heart, but that it was his earnest and strenuous endeavor to gain over many of his fellow-disciples into subjection to God. It is indeed a heartless matter to speak of the law of God abstractly, as we see hypocrites do, who talk very fluently about the whole doctrine of godliness, to which they are entire strangers. What the prophet noticed above, respecting the affection of the heart for God’s law, he now likewise applies to the lips. And, immediately afterwards, he again establishes the truth of what he had asserted about his cordial and unfeigned endeavors to instruct others; by saying, that he derived no less pleasure from the doctrine of God than from all the riches of the world. He indirectly contrasts his holy love for the law, with which he was inflamed, with the unholy avarice which has taken possession of almost all the world. “As wealth attracts to itself the hearts of mankind, so I have taken more exquisite delight in the progress which I make in the doctrine of godliness, than if I abounded in all manner of riches.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) With my lips.He has not kept his hidden treasure to himself, but, like the good householder of the Gospels, has brought out things new and old.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 119:13. With my lips, &c. With my lips do I recount, &c. This means, that he repeats over and learns by heart all God’s laws. Mudge.
GIMEL.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Ver. 13. With my lips have I declared ] Heb. have I ciphered up; these have been the matter of my discourse; and out of the good treasure of my heart Psa 119:11 have I brought forth those good things, for the good of others, Mat 12:35 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lips . . . declared. Figure of speech Paronomasia. App-6: bispatay sipparti.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I declared: Psa 119:46, Psa 119:172, Psa 34:11, Psa 37:30, Psa 40:9, Psa 40:10, Psa 71:15-18, Psa 118:17, Mat 10:27, Mat 12:34, Act 4:20
Reciprocal: Gen 15:11 – Abram 2Sa 22:23 – judgments 1Ch 16:12 – the judgments Job 6:10 – have not concealed Psa 18:22 – For all Psa 51:15 – mouth Psa 105:5 – the judgments Psa 119:43 – take not Pro 5:2 – thy lips Pro 15:7 – lips Pro 22:18 – fitted Son 4:3 – lips Isa 48:6 – and will Col 4:6 – your
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 119:13-15. With my lips have I declared, &c. If thou wilt teach me, I will teach others, as I have already done. I have rejoiced in thy testimonies In the study and practice of them. I will meditate, &c. Will seriously consider the nature, and design, and extent of thy precepts, and especially so far as they concern my own duty; and have respect Hebrew, , I will look unto thy ways As workmen constantly and carefully look to their rule to guide themselves by it.