Psalm 119:38 - Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet

Audio Bible

Context

Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet
…37Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word. 38Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You. 39Turn away the disgrace I dread, for Your judgments are good.…

Cross References

Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.Romans 4:21
being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.1 Kings 8:56
“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.Jeremiah 1:12
“You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”1 Thessalonians 5:24
The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.2 Peter 1:4
Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.Joshua 21:45
Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.Titus 1:2
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.2 Samuel 7:25
And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house. Do as You have promised,Luke 1:45
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”Genesis 28:15
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Psalm 119:49
ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

2 Samuel 7:25-29
And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said…

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

who is devoted

Psalm 103:11,13,17
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him…

Psalm 145:19
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Psalm 147:11
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

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Psalm 119

Establish Your word to Your servant
This phrase reflects a plea for God to confirm His promises and teachings in the life of the believer. The term "establish" suggests a desire for God's word to be firmly rooted and unshakeable. In biblical context, this echoes the covenantal promises God made to His people, such as those to Abraham, Moses, and David, where God’s word was a binding assurance. The use of "Your servant" indicates humility and submission, recognizing the believer's role in relation to God. This is reminiscent of figures like Moses and David, who often referred to themselves as servants of God, highlighting their dedication and obedience. The request for God to establish His word can also be seen as a desire for spiritual stability and guidance, akin to the New Testament call to build one's life on the solid foundation of Christ's teachings (Matthew 7:24-27).

to produce reverence for You
The purpose of establishing God's word is to cultivate a deep respect and awe for God. Reverence is a central theme throughout Scripture, where the fear of the Lord is often equated with wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This reverence is not about fear in the sense of terror, but a profound respect and acknowledgment of God's holiness and authority. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, reverence for God was expressed through worship, obedience, and adherence to the Law. The psalmist's desire for reverence indicates a heart aligned with God's will, seeking to honor Him in all aspects of life. This aligns with the New Testament teaching that reverence for God should lead to a life of holiness and devotion, as seen in passages like Hebrews 12:28-29, which calls believers to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Psalmist
The author of Psalm 119, traditionally believed to be King David, who is expressing a deep desire for God's word to be firmly established in his life.

2. God
The divine being whom the Psalmist is addressing, seeking His intervention to solidify His word in the Psalmist's heart.

3. Servant
The Psalmist refers to himself as God's servant, indicating a relationship of humility and submission to God's authority.

Teaching Points

The Importance of God's Word
God's word is foundational for spiritual growth and reverence. As believers, we should seek to have His word firmly established in our hearts.

Reverence Through Obedience
True reverence for God is demonstrated through obedience to His word. The Psalmist's request is not just for knowledge but for a transformation that leads to reverence.

The Role of Servanthood
Identifying as God's servant implies a commitment to His will and commands. We should approach God's word with a servant's heart, ready to act upon it.

Prayer for Spiritual Growth
Like the Psalmist, we should pray for God to establish His word in us, recognizing that spiritual growth is a divine work that requires our cooperation.

The Transformative Power of Scripture
Scripture has the power to change our hearts and minds, leading us to a deeper reverence for God. We should engage with it regularly and intentionally.

(38) Who is devoted to thy fear.--This is an improbable explanation of this elliptical expression. There are two renderings, each in accordance with the general drift of the psalm: (1) Stablish to Thy servant Thy word, which leads to fear of Thee; or, more likely, (2) Stablish to Thy servant Thy promise which is to those who fear Thee, as apparently the LXX.

Verse 38. - Stablish thy Word unto thy servant; or, "make good thy promise unto thy servant" - thy promise of aid and support in all times of temptation and difficulty. Who is devoted to thy fear; rather, which belongeth unto thy fear. The antecedent to the relative is "word" or "promise," and not "servant;" and the prayer is that God will make good to his servant that promise, which lies at the root of all reverence and godly fear (comp. Psalm 130:4, "There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared"). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Establish
הָקֵ֣ם (hā·qêm)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

Your word
אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ (’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 565: Utterance, speech, word

to Your servant,
לְ֭עַבְדְּךָ (lə·‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

to produce
אֲ֝שֶׁ֗ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

reverence for You.
לְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃ (lə·yir·’ā·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3374: Fear, reverence

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Psalm 119:38 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 119:38 Fulfill your promise to your servant that (Psalm Ps Psa.)