Psalm 119 (118):150Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Now consider what follows: “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart” (Psalm 117:2). It seems evident that the only group of the blessed referenced here is the one we’ve just analyzed. To study the testimonies of the Lord and to seek Him wholeheartedly is indeed to be blameless on the path; it is to follow the law of the Lord. Then it is stated, “For those who do evil shall not walk in His ways” (Psalm 118:3). Yet we are aware that those who commit wrongdoing often examine the testimonies of the Lord, as they prefer understanding over righteousness; we know that others study these testimonies not because they are already living righteously, but to learn how they ought to live. Such individuals do not yet walk blamelessly in the law of the Lord, and consequently they are not yet blessed...

It is recorded in this psalm, and stands true: “those who do evil do not walk in His ways” (Psalm 118:3). We must strive, with God’s assistance, in whose hands we and our words reside (Wisdom 7:16), that which is rightly stated is not misunderstood by the reader or listener. We should take care lest all the saints, whose words reflect, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8-9), be thought unable to walk in the paths of the Lord, since sin is wrongful, and those who do evil do not stroll in His ways. Or, since it is clear that they walk in the paths of the Lord, may they be presumed to have no sin, which is certainly untrue. This is not expressed merely to prevent pride and arrogance; otherwise, it would have been stated, “Humility is not in us.” Furthermore, the subsequent words clarify the meaning and remove any grounds for doubt. After asserting this, the blessed John adds, “If we confess our sins, He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)...

What does it mean: “You have accused us of keeping Your commandments too strictly”? (Psalm 118:4). Did you demand too large a sum? Or did you leave us lacking? Whichever interpretation we adopt seems contrary to that wise and esteemed notion praised by the Greeks in their philosophers and hailed by the Latins: “Do nothing in excess.” The Latin tongue sometimes employs the term “nimis” in such a way that it is found in scripture and used in our conversations as very significant. When you declare, “You have accused us of keeping your commandments too much,” we glean great meaning if we interpret it correctly; when one tells a cherished friend, “I love you too much,” it does not imply excessive expression, but rather profound affection.

Oh, if only, he states, my ways would be made straight so that I might follow Your decrees (Psalm 118:5). You have indeed taken upon Yourself a weighty matter: oh, if I could perceive what You have taken upon Yourself. When you hear this, recognize the intentions behind the words; and as you grasp this expression of desire, cast aside the arrogance of presumption. For who proclaims that they long for what lies within their reach to accomplish by themselves? Therefore, if one yearns for what God commands, he should earnestly pray that God enables him to fulfill those commandments...

And I shall not be put to shame as long as I observe all Your commandments (Psalm 118:6). We ought to regard God’s commandments when they are read or recalled, as one might view a mirror, as the apostle James instructs (James 1:23-25). This individual wishes to see himself clearly, so that he can examine the commandments of God without confusion; he chooses to be not only a listener to them but a practitioner. Thus, he desires his paths to be straightened and to uphold the statutes of God. How can one achieve a straight path if not through God's grace? Otherwise, he will discover in the law of God not a source of joy but of disarray, if he attempts to reflect upon commandments he does not keep.

“I will confess to You, O Lord, with the guidance of my heart; in this, I shall understand the judgments of Your righteousness” (Psalm 117:7). This is not a confession of transgressions, but one of commendation; just as He stated, “I confess to You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11:25), and as it is articulated in Ecclesiasticus, “So declare all the works of God that they are exceedingly good” (Sirach 39:15-16). I confess to You, he asserts, in accordance with my heart's direction. Indeed, if my ways are aligned correctly, I will confess to You, for it is You who has accomplished it; this is Your praise and not my own...

He then states, “I will observe Your decrees” (Psalm 118:8)... But what follows? “O leave me not even too much!” Or, as some manuscripts assert, “Even too much, do not leave me!” Given that God forsook the world in its wilderness of sins, He could have abandoned it in greater measure had it not been upheld by a robust remedy—namely, by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ; nonetheless, in response to this prayer from the body of Christ, He has not forsaken it at all.

As Theodoret explains, David says this nearly: You possess countless ways to restore even those unworthy of life; thus, I implore You to respond to me in accordance with Your mercy. He who has been blessed with so many good gifts requests to be honored with mercy and seeks it not aimlessly but according to what is beneficial. Theodoret also notes that those who oppose a just person are far from God’s laws; for he who disregards you, disregards me (Luke 10:16), and I will stand as an adversary against your foes (Exodus 23:22). Origen teaches us through these words about the fate of those who persecute the righteous: the closer they draw to the just through their hostility, the further they distance themselves from the law of God; and as they move away from the law, they also remove themselves from life.

The entirety of these eight verses discusses the pursuit of the moral standard set forth by Your commandments. The prophet contrasts this bright aspect of life with the dark reality he observes. He declares that he strives to conform his heart to Your law, to align his life with it, whereas those who pursue him are eager to delve deeper into wickedness, drawing closer to it and embodying it. Yet, as they succeed in this endeavor, they drift further from Your law and from the moral standard You have established for humanity, moving away from mankind's true purpose, thereby diminishing their own humanity.

Why does the prophet highlight this? To kindle his passion. He states that he finds delight in Your law, O Lord, yet observes how they have departed. He recognizes the end to which their path leads. They will internalize iniquity and become walking embodiments of sin, reflecting the countenance of the father of all evil, the greatest adversary of good—Satan. I see this truth, and not only do I reject that path, but I am also repulsed by it. I regard the forsaking of Your law as the gravest error in life. This neglect equates to a threat to existence, for life does not reside in the flesh but in the spirit; a soul that strays from Your law—and consequently from You—faces death. Every act of separation delivers a fatal blow to the soul. Aware of this, I am zealous for Your law and implore You for assistance, irrespective of my external circumstances.