What is the meaning of Psalm 119:117? Uphold me The psalmist begins with a humble plea: “Uphold me.” • He acknowledges total dependence on God’s strength, echoing Isaiah 41:10—“I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” • The request implies that without divine support, he would falter, much like Peter sinking until Christ’s hand grasped him (Matthew 14:30-31). • Psalm 63:8 declares, “Your right hand upholds me,” reminding us that God’s sustaining grip is constant, not occasional. • This reliance reflects Jude 24, where God is “able to keep you from stumbling.” The believer rests in God’s active, ongoing support every moment. and I will be saved Having asked to be upheld, the psalmist confidently affirms, “and I will be saved.” • Salvation here is both present rescue and ultimate deliverance, paralleling Psalm 18:2: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.” • In New Testament light, Ephesians 2:8-9 explains that salvation is “by grace… through faith,” entirely God’s work. • John 10:28-29 assures that no one can snatch the believer from the Father’s hand, tying salvation to the very upholding requested. • Thus the verse teaches that divine preservation and redemption are inseparable: God keeps us, therefore we are secure. that I may always regard Your statutes The purpose of being upheld and saved is clear: continual obedience—“that I may always regard Your statutes.” • Obedience is not a condition for salvation but its joyful outcome, aligning with John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • The phrase “always regard” speaks of constant focus, like Joshua 1:8’s charge to meditate on the Law “day and night.” • Psalm 119:11—“I have hidden Your word in my heart”—shows how treasuring Scripture guards the believer from sin. • James 1:25 calls the one who perseveres in the “perfect law of freedom” blessed, matching the psalmist’s desire for lifelong faithfulness. • By asking God to sustain him for ongoing obedience, the psalmist rejects self-reliance and upholds the truth that grace empowers holiness. summary Psalm 119:117 portrays a seamless chain: God upholds, therefore the believer is saved, and as a result, he lives in steadfast obedience. The verse assures us that divine support and salvation are secure, freeing us to fix our gaze continually on God’s statutes with grateful, persevering hearts. |
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