Psalm 119:74

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(74) They . . . will be glad.—The great truth of spiritual communion, and the mutual help and consolation derived from it, is latent here. In its primary sense, that the preservation and deliverance of the righteous, who are victims of persecution, afford comfort and joy to all truly good, the verse has been amply confirmed by history. Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine,” &c

Benson Commentary

Psalm 119:74. They that fear thee will be glad, &c. — This verse is thus paraphrased by Bishop Patrick: “It will be a very great comfort and encouragement to all good men, when they see me delivered out of all these troubles; for thereby they will be confirmed in their belief of thy faithfulness to thy promises, on which it will appear I have not vainly depended.” Certainly, as they who fear God, that is, who are truly pious, are naturally glad when they see one like themselves, so they are more especially so “when it is one whose faith and patience have carried him through troubles, and rendered him victorious over temptations; one who hath hoped in God’s word, and hath not been disappointed. Every such instance affords fresh encouragement to all those who, in the course of their warfare, are to undergo like troubles, and to encounter like temptations.” — Horne.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

119:73-80 God made us to serve him, and enjoy him; but by sin we have made ourselves unfit to serve him, and to enjoy him. We ought, therefore, continually to beseech him, by his Holy Spirit, to give us understanding. The comforts some have in God, should be matter of joy to others. But it is easy to own, that God's judgments are right, until it comes to be our own case. All supports under affliction must come from mercy and compassion. The mercies of God are tender mercies; the mercies of a father, the compassion of a mother to her son. They come to us when we are not able to go to them. Causeless reproach does not hurt, and should not move us. The psalmist could go on in the way of his duty, and find comfort in it. He valued the good will of saints, and was desirous to keep up his communion with them. Soundness of heart signifies sincerity in dependence on God, and devotedness to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They that fear thee - Those who worship thee; thy friends; the pious and the good.

Will be glad when they see me - They will welcome me to their society; they will regard and treat me as a friend and brother. It is implied here that he considered this to be an honor - a thing to be desired. He valued the friendship and affection of those who feared and served God, and he made it an object so to live as to be worthy of their affection. Wicked men - men of the world - do not value that. They are satisfied with the friendship of those who, like themselves, have no fear of God. To a truly pious mind, the friendship of those who love God is of more value than that of any others; though in the one case they are poor and despised, and though in the other they are rich and of exalted rank. See the notes at Psalm 119:63. "Because I have hoped in thy word." See the notes at Psalm 119:49.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

74. So when He has led us to rely on His truth, He will "make us to the praise of His grace" by others. "Those who fear Thee will be glad at my prosperity, as they consider my cause their cause" (Ps 34:2; 142:7).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Will be glad; partly for my sake, of whose innocency and piety they are convinced, and therefore sympathize with me; and partly for their own sakes, both for the encouragement they have by my example to trust in God, and for the manifold benefits, both spiritual and temporal, which they expect from my government.

See me, to wit, alive and in safety, notwithstanding all the force and malice of mine enemies, and advanced to the kingdom.

I have hoped in thy word; in thy promise, and have not been disappointed of my hope, which is a great confirmation of their faith and hope in God, that, they shall obtain all the good things which God hath promised them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me,.... In outward prosperity, delivered from all troubles, set on the throne of Israel, and at rest from all enemies round about: and in spiritual prosperity, being illuminated by the Spirit of God, having a spiritual understanding of divine things, an obedience of faith to the commands of God, in the lively exercise of grace upon him, in comfortable frames of soul, and flourishing circumstances. Now they that fear the Lord, that have the grace of fear in their hearts, and are true worshippers of God, as they delight to meet together, and are glad to see one another; so they rejoice in each other's prosperity, especially spiritual; see Psalm 34:1;

because I have hoped in thy Word; in Christ the essential Word, the hope of Israel; in the written word, which gives encouragement to hope; in the word of promise, on which he was caused to hope; and in which hope he was confirmed, and not disappointed, and so it made him not ashamed: and others rejoiced at it, because it was an encouragement to their faith and hope likewise.

Geneva Study Bible

They that {b} fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

(b) When God shows his grace toward any, he testifies to others that he does not fail them who trust in him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

74. Let them that fear thee see me and he glad: let them rejoice when they see in me an example of the reward of trustful patience. Cp. Psalm 69:32.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 74. - They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; literally, will see me and be glad. I shall be a fresh proof to them that God does not forsake his servants. Because I have hoped in thy Word. I have not fallen from grace - I have continued to trust in thy promises. Psalm 119:74

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The eightfold Jod. God humbles, but He also exalts again according to His word; for this the poet prays in order that he may be a consolatory example to the God-fearing, to the confusion of his enemies. It is impossible that God should forsake man, who is His creature, and deny to him that which makes him truly happy, viz., the understanding and knowledge of His word. For this spiritual gift the poet prays in Psalm 119:73 (cf. on 73a, Deuteronomy 32:6; Job 10:8; Job 31:15); and he wishes in Psalm 119:74 that all who fear God may see in him with joy an example of the way in which trust in the word of God is rewarded (cf. Psalm 34:3; Psalm 35:27; Psalm 69:33; Psalm 107:42, and other passages). He knows that God's acts of judgment are pure righteousness, i.e., regulated by God's holiness, out of which they spring, and by the salvation of men, at which they aim; and he knows that God has humbled him אמוּנה (accus. adverb. for בּאמוּנה), being faithful in His intentions towards him; for it is just in the school of affliction that one first learns rightly to estimate the worth of His word, and comes to feel its power. But trouble, though sweetened by an insight into God's salutary design, is nevertheless always bitter; hence the well-justified prayer of Psalm 119:76, that God's mercy may notwithstanding be bestowed upon him for his consolation, in accordance with the promise which is become his (ל as in Psalm 119:49), His servant's. עוּת, Psalm 119:78, instead of being construed with the accusative of the right, or of the cause, that is perverted, is construed with the accusative of the person upon whom such perversion of right, such oppression by means of misrepresentation, is inflicted, as in Job 19:6; Lamentations 3:36. Chajug' reads עוּדוּני as in Psalm 119:61. The wish expressed in Psalm 119:79 is to be understood according to Psalm 73:10; Jeremiah 15:19, cf. Proverbs 9:4, Proverbs 9:16. If instead of וידעי (which is favoured by Psalm 119:63), we read according to the Chethb וידעוּ (cf. Psalm 119:125), then what is meant by ישׁוּבוּ לּי is a turning towards him for the purpose of learning: may their knowledge be enriched from his experience. For himself, however, in Psalm 119:80 he desires unreserved, faultless, unwavering adherence to God's word, for only thus is he secure against being ignominiously undeceived.