TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 119 verses 169–170
Here we have, I. A general petition for audience repeated: Let my cry come near before thee; and again, Let my supplication come before thee. He calls his prayer his cry, which denotes the fervency and vehemence of it, and his supplication, which denotes the humility of it. We must come to God as beggars come to our doors for an alms. He is concerned that his prayer might come before God, might come near before him, that is, that he might have grace and strength by faith and fervency to lift up his prayers, that no guilt might interpose to shut out his prayers and to separate between him and God, and that God would graciously receive his prayers and take notice of them. His prayer that his supplication might come before God implied a deep sense of his unworthiness, and a holy fear that his prayer should come short or miscarry, as not fit to come before God; nor would any of out prayers have had access to God if Jesus Christ had not approached to him as an advocate for us.
II. Two particular requests, which he is thus earnest to present: - 1. That God, by his grace, would give him wisdom to conduct himself well under his troubles: Give me understanding; he means that wisdom of the prudent which is to understand his way; "Give me to know thee and myself, and my duty to thee." 2. That God, by his providence, would rescue him out of his troubles: Deliver me, that is, with the temptation make a way to escape, Co1 10:13.
III. The same general plea to enforce these requests - according to thy word. This directs and limits his desires: "Lord, give me such an understanding as thou hast promised and such a deliverance as thou hast promised; I ask for no other." It also encourages his faith and expectation: "Lord, that which I pray for is what thou hast promised, and wilt not thou be as good as thy word?"
"Let my request come before Your presence, O Lord: deliver me, according to Your word" [Psalm 119:170]. He repeats what he has asked. For his former words, "Let my prayer come near in Your presence, O Lord:" are like what he says, "Let my request come before Your presence, O Lord:" and the words, "Give me understanding according to Your word," agree with these, "Deliver me according to Your word." For by receiving understanding he is delivered, who of himself through want of understanding is deceived.
Continue studying Psalms 119:170 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalms 119:170 articulates a profound and earnest prayer from the psalmist, pleading for divine attention to his supplication and for deliverance. This heartfelt petition is not predicated on human merit or presumption, but is resolutely anchored in the immutable foundation of God's revealed promises and His unwavering faithfulness, as expressed in His divine Word. The verse powerfully encapsulates a deep reliance on divine truth as the ultimate basis for all appeals to the Almighty, underscoring the accessibility, efficacy, and spiritual power of prayer when it is fully aligned with God's character and His written revelation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 119:170 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Petition, as the entire verse functions as a direct, earnest, and urgent appeal to God for His divine intervention. The psalmist's direct address to God using "thee" is a clear example of Apostrophe, where the speaker addresses an absent or abstract entity (in this case, God) as if present and capable of hearing and responding. The crucial phrase "according to thy word" functions as a powerful statement of Reliance and Trust, anchoring the psalmist's hope not in his own strength, righteousness, or circumstances, but squarely in the immutable character and unfailing promises of God. Furthermore, "thy word" serves as a potent Metonymy, where the "word" stands in for the entirety of God's revealed will, His covenant promises, and His divine faithfulness, which together form the unassailable foundation for the psalmist's confident plea.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 119:170 beautifully encapsulates the profound theological truth that prayer is most effective and confident when it is deeply grounded in God's revealed will and His unchanging character. It highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises and underscores the authoritative nature of His Word, not merely as a guide for life, but as the very guarantee of His action and the blueprint for His purposes. The psalmist's plea for deliverance "according to thy word" powerfully illustrates that true biblical prayer is never a human attempt to manipulate God, but rather a humble yet bold appeal to His character and His own divine declarations, trusting implicitly that He will act in accordance with who He has revealed Himself to be. This verse profoundly affirms that God hears and responds to the earnest supplications of His people, especially when those prayers echo His divine heart, align with His revealed purposes, and rest upon the certainty of His promises.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 119:170 offers profound encouragement and a vital model for believers navigating the complexities of life today. It calls us to approach God in prayer with both fervent earnestness and absolute confidence, knowing that He is not a distant deity but intimately attentive to our cries. The core insight, however, lies in the transformative phrase "according to thy word." This challenges us to anchor our petitions not in fleeting emotions, self-centered desires, or transient circumstances, but in the firm, unchanging promises and the revealed character of God as meticulously unfolded in Scripture. When we pray for deliverance—whether from the grip of sin, the anxieties of life, physical illness, or difficult circumstances—we are empowered to do so with profound assurance, knowing that God is eternally faithful to His Word. This verse compels us to immerse ourselves deeply in the Bible, allowing its divine truths to meticulously shape our desires, articulate our deepest longings, and form the very language of our prayers, thereby transforming our supplications from mere wishes into powerful appeals aligned with God's perfect will. It serves as a timeless reminder that our most effective and potent prayers are those that echo God's own declarations, trusting implicitly that He will act in His perfect time and way to rescue, sustain, and ultimately glorify His people.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean to pray "according to thy word"?
Answer: To pray "according to thy word" means to align our petitions, desires, and expectations in prayer with God's revealed will, His unchanging promises, and His divine character as found in the Holy Scriptures. It is not about simply quoting verses as a magical incantation or a formulaic approach, but rather about deeply understanding God's heart, His purposes for His people, and His redemptive plan for the world, and then bringing our requests in harmony with that profound understanding. For instance, if we pray for wisdom in a difficult decision, we can do so with unwavering confidence because God explicitly promises to give it generously to those who ask Him in faith, without reproach (James 1:5). If we seek forgiveness for our sins, we know with certainty that He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we confess them to Him (1 John 1:9). This approach grounds our prayers in divine truth, giving us profound assurance that we are asking for what God Himself desires to give, rather than merely our own fleeting desires. It transforms prayer from mere wishful thinking into a confident, powerful appeal based on God's unwavering faithfulness and His established covenant with His people.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 119:170 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's fervent plea for deliverance "according to thy word" is perfectly embodied in Jesus, who is Himself the living Word of God made flesh. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus consistently acted, spoke, and lived in perfect alignment with the Father's will and promises, declaring, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me" (John 5:30). His entire life was a testament to complete reliance on God's revealed truth, culminating in His obedient submission to the Father's word even unto death on the cross, where He prayed in Gethsemane, "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). Through Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial atonement, believers receive the ultimate deliverance—rescue from the dominion of sin, the power of darkness, and the sting of death, being transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13-14). Our prayers for deliverance are now heard and answered "according to His word" because we pray in the name of the One who perfectly fulfilled all of God's promises, embodies His very essence, and continually intercedes for us at the Father's right hand (John 14:13-14; Romans 8:34). He is the faithful and true witness, the Amen, through whom all of God's promises are "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).