Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 119:172

My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments [are] righteousness.

My tongue shall speak of thy word – It shall speak of it in the language of praise; it shall speak of it in making it known to others.

For all thy commandments are righteousness – I see this; I feel it; and, therefore, I will speak of it. My impression that thy commandments are all righteous is so deep, that I cannot but speak of them. I must vindicate them; I must praise thee for them.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word] There is a curious distinction here. In the preceding verse he says, “My lips shall utter;” here no reference is made to articulate sounds, except as affixed to musical notes. In this verse he says, “My tongue shall speak; ” here articulate and intelligible words are intended. He first utters sounds connected with words expressive of his grateful feelings; in the second he speaks words, principally those which God himself had spoken, containing promises of support, purposes relative to the redemption of his people, and denunciations against their enemies.

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

Shall speak, Heb. shall pour forth, freely and abundantly, like a fountain. Of thy word; in praise of it, for its righteousness, as it here follows, its truth, and purity, and other excellencies.

Thy commandments; even those which to men of corrupted minds seem harsh and unjust.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

172. My tongue shall speak of thywordliterally, “answer Thy Word,” that is, withpraise, respond to Thy word. Every expression in which wepraise God and His Word is a response, or acknowledgment,corresponding to the perfections of Him whom we praise.

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

My tongue shall speak of thy word,…. Of the word of God in general; of the truth of it, which he knew by certain experience; of the purity of it, tending to promote holiness of heart and life; of the power and efficacy of it, enlightening his mind, and working effectually in him; of the profit of it, to his learning, to his instruction, comfort, and refreshment; of the preciousness of it, being of more worth than thousands of gold and silver; and of the pleasantness of it, being sweeter than the honey or honeycomb, and more to be esteemed than one’s necessary food; and of the promises of it in particular, of the worth and value of them, of their suitableness and use, and of the faithful fulfilment of them; and of the doctrines of the word, especially those which relate to the grace of God, and salvation by the Messiah; and also of the precepts of the word, as follows:

for all thy commandments [are] righteousness; not only righteous, but righteousness itself, being strictly just and equitable in the highest sense; and not only some of them, but all of them; see Ps 119:128. Aben Ezra’s paraphrase of the words is,

“I will teach the children of men thy word, that they may know that thy commandments are righteousness;”

which is not amiss: and to the same sense is Kimchi’s note, who observes, that author of the Masorah interprets it of praise; as if he had said, My tongue shall praise thy word, because all of it is righteousness.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

      172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

      Observe here, 1. The good knowledge David had of the word of God; he knew it so well that he was ready to own, with the utmost satisfaction, that all God’s commandments are not only righteous, but righteousness itself, the rule and standard of righteousness. 2. The good use he resolved to make of that knowledge: My tongue shall speak of thy word, not only utter praise for it to the glory of God, but discourse of it for the instruction and edification of others, as that which he himself was full of (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak) and as that which he desired others also might be filled with. The more we see of the righteousness of God’s commandments the more industrious we should be to bring others acquainted with them, that they may be ruled by them. We should always make the word of God the governor of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking or sinful silence; and we should often make it the subject-matter of our discourse, that it may feed many and minister grace to the hearers.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary