What does Psalm 119:164 mean?
What is the meaning of Psalm 119:164?

Seven times a day

• “Seven” in Scripture often marks fullness or completeness. Here, the psalmist is not setting an upper limit but describing a life so saturated with gratitude that praise naturally rises “seven times a day.”

• Whether David literally paused seven specific times or used a literary marker of completeness, the point is clear: every part of the day is an occasion for worship. Compare Psalm 55:17—“Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress and He hears my voice”—and Daniel 6:10, where Daniel knelt “three times a day.”

• The New Testament pushes the same rhythm: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Continuous fellowship with God is not only possible; it is commanded.


I praise You

• Praise is personal. The psalmist says “I,” not “we,” signaling that no one can outsource worship. Each believer must speak his or her own gratitude.

• Praise is vocal. “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1). Lips that talk all day for earthly reasons can certainly talk repeatedly for heavenly ones.

• Praise is volitional. We choose it. Hebrews 13:15 calls it “the fruit of lips that confess His name,” and fruit must be cultivated.

• Praise is joyful. Ephesians 5:19-20 points to singing and giving thanks “always and for everything to God the Father,” a far cry from mere duty.


for Your righteous judgments

• Praise rests on content, not just emotion. The psalmist’s reason: “Your righteous judgments.” God’s decisions and decrees are always right, always just, always best.

• The Word is righteous. Psalm 19:9 says, “The judgments of the LORD are true and altogether righteous.” When we delight in Scripture, we delight in the One who spoke it.

• God’s acts are righteous. Psalm 36:6 declares, “Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,” and Revelation 15:3-4 shows heaven itself singing over “Your righteous acts.”

• A heart convinced of God’s flawless justice will never run out of reasons to adore Him.


summary

Psalm 119:164 pictures a life punctuated by intentional, personal, vocal praise, rooted in confidence that every verdict, command, and action of God is flawlessly right. Seven times—or better, all the time—we join the psalmist in saying, “I praise You for Your righteous judgments,” and we discover that frequent adoration fuels steady faithfulness.

What historical context influenced the writing of Psalm 119:163?
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