NOTES for Psa 119:80-118

When enemies prevail, a person faithful to the Lord continues to hope in Him. He hopes not only for the justice of retribution, trusting that the Lord will protect him from the wicked and punish them, but also appeals to God’s mercy toward him. Although the person in distress points out that he remains faithful to the commandments and loves the Law, we can see that his hope in God and His mercy is stronger than his hope in his own pious merits.

The psalmist’s words that he has more understanding than his teachers and the elders may seem presumptuous and excessive. But everything falls into place if we remember that he is not speaking of human wisdom, which, however profound, cannot surpass the Creator’s wisdom. A person who has touched it even to a small degree sees the limitations of human theories, which constantly change and often obscure the truth.