169 May my cry come before you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. 170 May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.
172 May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, Lord, and your law gives me delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.
169 TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. 170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! 170 Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
169 Let my cry come right into your presence, God; provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word. 170 Give my request your personal attention, rescue me on the terms of your promise.
171 Let praise cascade off my lips; after all, you've taught me the truth about life!
172 And let your promises ring from my tongue; every order you've given is right.
173 Put your hand out and steady me since I've chosen to live by your counsel. 174 I'm homesick, God, for your salvation; I love it when you show yourself!
175 Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well, use your decrees to put iron in my soul.
176 And should I wander off like a lost sheep - seek me! I'll recognize the sound of your voice.
169 Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word. 170 Let my supplication come before You; Deliver me according to Your word.
171 My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand become my help, For I have chosen Your precepts. 174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord, And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.
169 O Lord, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. 170 Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised.
171 Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees.
172 Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.
173 Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments. 174 O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.
175 Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 119:169-176
Commentary on Psalm 119:169-176
(Read Psalm 119:169-176)
The psalmist desired grace and strength to lift up his prayers, and that the Lord would receive and notice them. He desired to know more of God in Christ; to know more of the doctrines of the word, and the duties of religion. He had a deep sense of unworthiness, and holy fear that his prayer should not come before God; Lord, what I pray for is, what thou hast promised. We have learned nothing to purpose, if we have not learned to praise God. We should always make the word of God the rule of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking, or sinful silence. His own hands are not sufficient, nor can any creature lend him help; therefore he looks up to God, that the hand that had made him may help him. He had made religion his deliberate choice. There is an eternal salvation all the saints long for, and therefore they pray that God would help their way to it. Let thy judgments help me; let all ordinances and all providences, (both are God's judgments,) further me in glorifying God; let them help me for that work. He often looks back with shame and gratitude to his lost estate. He still prays for the tender care of Him who purchased his flock with his own blood, that he may receive from him the gift of eternal life. Seek me, that is, Find me; for God never seeks in vain. Turn me, and I shall be turned. Let this psalm be a touchstone by which to try our hearts, and our lives. Do our hearts, cleansed in Christ's blood, make these prayers, resolutions and confessions our own? Is God's word the standard of our faith, and the law of our practice? Do we use it as pleas with Christ for what we need? Happy those who live in such delightful exercises.