in violation of Your law
This highlights the moral and spiritual transgression of the wicked. God's law, given through Moses, was intended to guide Israel in righteousness and justice. The actions of the arrogant are not just personal offenses but are seen as direct violations of divine commandments. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the conflict between human sinfulness and divine holiness. The law serves as a standard by which actions are judged, and the psalmist's lament underscores the injustice faced by the righteous. This connects to the New Testament where Jesus fulfills the law (Matthew 5:17) and exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim to uphold it while acting unjustly.

• The phrase highlights people who proudly set themselves above God’s ways, refusing humble submission. Scripture consistently contrasts the humble with “the arrogant” whom the Lord opposes (James 4:6; Proverbs 16:18).

• In Psalm 119 the psalmist already lamented, “You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, who stray from Your commandments” (v. 21). Their pride shows in deliberate disobedience.

• These are not merely mistaken neighbors; they are willful rebels, echoing Psalm 10:4 where “in his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

• “Pits” picture devious, pre-planned traps. In ancient times hunters dug holes, covered them, and waited for prey to fall in (Psalm 7:15; 57:6).

• The psalmist feels hunted, targeted because he clings to God’s word (Psalm 119:69: “Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart”).

• The intent is harm, not correction. Their schemes resemble those of Joseph’s brothers who threw him into a pit (Genesis 37:24), or the officials who plotted Daniel’s downfall (Daniel 6:4-5).

• Yet even pits become platforms for God’s deliverance (Psalm 40:2), reminding believers that hidden snares cannot thwart His purposes.

• The attackers break God’s Torah, proving their hostility is ultimately against the Lord (Exodus 20:16—false witness; Leviticus 19:18—hate instead of love).

• Their plots reveal lawlessness, which 1 John 3:4 calls sin. By contrast, “All Your commandments are faithful” (Psalm 119:86); the psalmist’s suffering exposes the chasm between human schemes and divine statutes.

• This indictment assures the righteous that God sees every injustice (Psalm 94:20-23) and will judge those who trample His law to persecute His servants.

Psalm 119:85 paints a vivid scene: proud rebels craft hidden traps, flagrantly disrespecting God’s commands. For the believer, the verse offers both realism and reassurance—realism about opposition that loyalty to Scripture may draw, and reassurance that such hostility stands condemned by the very Law it violates. Trusting the Lord, we can face every pit with confidence that His faithful word will keep us standing firm.