Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Psalms 119:81 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 119:81	Strong Concordance	CAPH. My soul [05315] fainteth [03615] for thy salvation [08668]: but I hope [03176] in thy word [01697].
	King James	CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
CAPH. (Psa 119:81-88). In sorrow the pious heart yearns for the comforts of God's promises (Psa 73:26; Psa 84:2).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

CAPH. (Psa 119:81-88).

In sorrow the pious heart yearns for the comforts of God's promises (Psa 73:26; Psa 84:2).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
My soul fainteth for thy salvation - The new division of the psalm, which begins here, is indicated by the Hebrew letter Kaph (כ k), equivalent to "k" or "c" (hard). The word here rendered "fainteth" is the same that in Psa 73:26 is translated "faileth": "My flesh and my heart faileth." The idea is, that his strength gave way; he had such an intense desire for salvation that he became weak and powerless. Any strong emotion may thus prostrate us; and the love of God - the desire of his favor - the longing for heaven - may be so intense as to produce this result. I hope in thy word - I trust in thy promises, and am sustained. My powers, which would otherwise wholly fail, are upheld by thy word, and on that I rely. See Psa 119:74.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The eightfold Kaph. This strengthening according to God's promise is his earnest desire (כּלה) now, when within a very little his enemies have compassed his ruin (כּלּה). His soul and eyes languish (כּלה as in Psa 69:4; Psa 84:3, cf. Job 19:27) for God's salvation, that it may be unto him according to God's word or promise, that this word may be fulfilled. In Psa 119:83 כּי is hypothetical, as in Psa 21:12 and frequently; here, as perhaps also in Psa 27:10, in the sense of "although" (Ew. ֗362, b). He does not suffer anything to drive God's word out of his mind, although he is already become like a leathern bottle blackened and shrivelled up in the smoke. The custom of the ancients of placing jars with wine over the smoke in order to make the wine prematurely old, i.e., to mellow it (vid., Rosenm׬ller), does not yield anything towards the understanding of this passage: the skin-bottle that is not intended for present use is hung up on high; and the fact that it had to withstand the upward ascending smoke is intelligible, notwithstanding the absence of any mention of the chimney. The point of comparison, in which we agree for the most part with Hitzig, is the removal of him who in his dungeon is continually exposed to the drudgery of his persecutors. כּמּה in Psa 119:84 is equivalent to "how few." Our life here below is short, so also is the period within which the divine righteousness can reveal itself. שׁיחות (instead of which the lxx erroneously reads שׂיחות), pits, is an old word, Psa 57:7. The relative clause, Psa 119:85, describes the "proud" as being a contradiction to the revealed law; for there was no necessity for saying that to dig a pit for others is not in accordance with this law. All God's commandments are an emanation of His faithfulness, and therefore too demand faithfulness; but it is just this faithfulness that makes the poet an object of deadly hatred. They have already almost destroyed him"in the land." It is generally rendered "on earth;" but "in heaven" at the beginning of the following octonary is too far removed to be an antithesis to it, nor does it sound like one (cf. on the other hand ἐν τοῖς ouranoi's, Mat 5:12). It is therefore: in the land (cf. Psa 58:3; Psa 73:9), where they think they are the only ones who have any right there, they have almost destroyed him, without shaking the constancy of his faith. But he stands in need of fresh grace in order that he may not, however, at last succumb.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The eightfold Kaph. This strengthening according to God's promise is his earnest desire (כּלה) now, when within a very little his enemies have compassed his ruin (כּלּה). His soul and eyes languish (כּלה as in Psa 69:4; Psa 84:3, cf. Job 19:27) for God's salvation, that it may be unto him according to God's word or promise, that this word may be fulfilled. In Psa 119:83 כּי is hypothetical, as in Psa 21:12 and frequently; here, as perhaps also in Psa 27:10, in the sense of "although" (Ew. ֗362, b). He does not suffer anything to drive God's word out of his mind, although he is already become like a leathern bottle blackened and shrivelled up in the smoke. The custom of the ancients of placing jars with wine over the smoke in order to make the wine prematurely old, i.e., to mellow it (vid., Rosenm׬ller), does not yield anything towards the understanding of this passage: the skin-bottle that is not intended for present use is hung up on high; and the fact that it had to withstand the upward ascending smoke is intelligible, notwithstanding the absence of any mention of the chimney. The point of comparison, in which we agree for the most part with Hitzig, is the removal of him who in his dungeon is continually exposed to the drudgery of his persecutors. כּמּה in Psa 119:84 is equivalent to "how few." Our life here below is short, so also is the period within which the divine righteousness can reveal itself. שׁיחות (instead of which the lxx erroneously reads שׂיחות), pits, is an old word, Psa 57:7. The relative clause, Psa 119:85, describes the "proud" as being a contradiction to the revealed law; for there was no necessity for saying that to dig a pit for others is not in accordance with this law. All God's commandments are an emanation of His faithfulness, and therefore too demand faithfulness; but it is just this faithfulness that makes the poet an object of deadly hatred. They have already almost destroyed him"in the land." It is generally rendered "on earth;" but "in heaven" at the beginning of the following octonary is too far removed to be an antithesis to it, nor does it sound like one (cf. on the other hand ἐν τοῖς ouranoi's, Mat 5:12). It is therefore: in the land (cf. Psa 58:3; Psa 73:9), where they think they are the only ones who have any right there, they have almost destroyed him, without shaking the constancy of his faith. But he stands in need of fresh grace in order that he may not, however, at last succumb.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Fainteth - With long desire and earnest expectation.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
My soul fainteth for thy salvation - I have longed so incessantly after thy salvation - the complete purification and restoration of my soul, that my very spirits are exhausted. "My heartstrings groan with deep complaint;My soul lies panting, Lord, for thee; And every limb and every jointStretches for perfect purity."

Top

² My soul [05315] longeth [03700], yea, even fainteth [03615] for the courts [02691] of the LORD [03068]: my heart [03820] and my flesh [01320] crieth out [07442] for the living [02416] God [0410].

²⁶ My flesh [07607] and my heart [03824] faileth [03615]: but God [0430] is the strength [06697] of my heart [03824], and my portion [02506] for ever [05769].

⁸¹ CAPH. My soul [05315] fainteth [03615] for thy salvation [08668]: but I hope [03176] in thy word [01697].
⁸² Mine eyes [05869] fail [03615] for thy word [0565], saying [0559], When wilt thou comfort [05162] me?
⁸³ For I am become like a bottle [04997] in the smoke [07008]; yet do I not forget [07911] thy statutes [02706].
⁸⁴ How many are the days [03117] of thy servant [05650]? when wilt thou execute [06213] judgment [04941] on them that persecute [07291] me?
⁸⁵ The proud [02086] have digged [03738] pits [07882] for me, which are not after thy law [08451].
⁸⁶ All thy commandments [04687] are faithful [0530]: they persecute [07291] me wrongfully [08267]; help [05826] thou me.
⁸⁷ They had almost [04592] consumed [03615] me upon earth [0776]; but I forsook [05800] not thy precepts [06490].
⁸⁸ Quicken [02421] me after thy lovingkindness [02617]; so shall I keep [08104] the testimony [05715] of thy mouth [06310].

⁷⁴ They that fear [03373] thee will be glad [08055] when they see [07200] me; because I have hoped [03176] in thy word [01697].

²⁶ My flesh [07607] and my heart [03824] faileth [03615]: but God [0430] is the strength [06697] of my heart [03824], and my portion [02506] for ever [05769].

⁹ They set [08371] their mouth [06310] against the heavens [08064], and their tongue [03956] walketh [01980] through the earth [0776].

³ The wicked [07563] are estranged [02114] from the womb [07358]: they go astray [08582] as soon as they be born [0990], speaking [01696] lies [03577].

¹² Rejoice [5463], and [2532] be exceeding glad [21]: for [3754] great [4183] is your [5216] reward [3408] in [1722] heaven [3772]: for [1063] so [3779] persecuted they [1377] the prophets [4396] which [3588] were before [4253] you [5216].

⁸⁵ The proud [02086] have digged [03738] pits [07882] for me, which are not after thy law [08451].

⁷ My heart [03820] is fixed [03559], O God [0430], my heart [03820] is fixed [03559]: I will sing [07891] and give praise [02167].

⁸⁴ How many are the days [03117] of thy servant [05650]? when wilt thou execute [06213] judgment [04941] on them that persecute [07291] me?

¹⁰ When my father [01] and my mother [0517] forsake [05800] me, then the LORD [03068] will take me up [0622].

¹² Therefore shalt thou make [07896] them turn their back [07926], when thou shalt make ready [03559] thine arrows upon thy strings [04340] against the face [06440] of them.

⁸³ For I am become like a bottle [04997] in the smoke [07008]; yet do I not forget [07911] thy statutes [02706].

²⁷ Whom I shall see [02372] for myself, and mine eyes [05869] shall behold [07200], and not another [02114]; though my reins [03629] be consumed [03615] within [02436] me.

³ Yea, the sparrow [06833] hath found [04672] an house [01004], and the swallow [01866] a nest [07064] for herself, where she may lay [07896] her young [0667], even thine altars [04196], O LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], my King [04428], and my God [0430].

⁴ They that hate [08130] me without a cause [02600] are more [07231] than the hairs [08185] of mine head [07218]: they that would destroy [06789] me, being mine enemies [0341] wrongfully [08267], are mighty [06105]: then I restored [07725] that which I took not away [01497].