Psalms 119:41

KJV

¶ VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, [even] thy salvation, according to thy word.

KJV (with Strong's)

VAU. Let thy mercies {H2617} come {H935} also unto me, O LORD {H3068}, even thy salvation {H8668}, according to thy word {H565}.

Complete Jewish Bible

May your grace come to me, ADONAI, your salvation, as you promised;

Berean Standard Bible

May Your loving devotion come to me, O LORD, Your salvation, according to Your promise.

American Standard Version

Let thy lovingkindnesses also come unto me, O Jehovah, Even thy salvation, according to thy word.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 119:41 is a fervent and deeply personal prayer from the psalmist, situated within the "Vau" section of the longest acrostic psalm in the biblical canon. It articulates a profound longing for God's steadfast love and redemptive power, specifically appealing for these divine blessings to be tangibly manifested in the psalmist's individual experience. Crucially, this petition is not a demand but a humble yet confident appeal, grounded firmly in the unwavering promises and revealed will of God as contained in His sacred word. This verse encapsulates a core theological truth of Psalm 119: the intimate and essential connection between devoted obedience to God's law and a humble, yet confident, reliance on His sovereign grace for both mercy and salvation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 119 stands as a monumental literary achievement, distinguished by its elaborate acrostic structure. It is meticulously divided into 22 sections, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the original Hebrew, every verse within a given section commences with that specific letter, creating a highly organized, comprehensive, and meditative ode to God's divine law. The "Vau" section (verses 41-48) follows preceding stanzas where the psalmist has already articulated a deep commitment to God's statutes, expressed an earnest desire for divine understanding, and pleaded for God to instruct him in His ways. Verse 41 marks a significant pivot, transitioning from declarations of personal resolve and requests for enlightenment to a direct, earnest, and deeply personal petition for God's active intervention. It effectively sets the stage for subsequent pleas for deliverance from scorn and persecution (as seen in [Psalms 119:42-43](/psalms/119-42-43 "Psalms 119:42-43 - Confidence in God's Word Amidst Scorn")) and renewed commitment to God's commandments (found in [Psalms 119:44-48](/psalms/119-44-48 "Psalms 119:44-48 - Delight in God's Law")), thereby demonstrating that the psalmist's profound devotion is not self-sufficient but utterly dependent on God's grace and providential help.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the precise historical setting of Psalm 119 remains a subject of scholarly discussion, its overarching themes resonate profoundly with the spiritual and cultural landscape of post-exilic Judaism. During this period, the Torah—God's revealed law—became an indispensable cornerstone of national identity and spiritual life for the Jewish people. In a world frequently hostile to God's covenant people, the Law provided an unshakeable source of stability, divine guidance, and the framework for their unique covenant relationship with God. The psalmist's fervent attachment to God's "word," "statutes," "precepts," and "commandments" reflects a cultural milieu where divine revelation was cherished as the ultimate and infallible source of truth, wisdom, and life. The concept of "mercy" (חֶסֶד, _ḥesed_) was absolutely foundational to the covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel, signifying His steadfast, loyal, and unwavering love. "Salvation" (יְשׁוּעָה, _yeshu'ah_) encompassed comprehensive deliverance from enemies, distress, sickness, and sin—a perpetual need for a people who often faced both external threats and internal struggles. The prayer "according to thy word" underscores the ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine promises as inherently binding and utterly reliable, forming the very basis for human trust and confident petition to the divine.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes pervasive within Psalm 119 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the **absolute necessity of divine grace and intervention** for the believer, even for one deeply committed to God's law. The psalmist's obedience is not presented as a means to earn favor, but rather as a faithful response to, and an ongoing need for, God's boundless mercy and saving power. Secondly, it profoundly emphasizes the **reliability and foundational nature of God's word** as the bedrock for all prayer and expectation. The psalmist's confidence in his petition stems directly from God's explicit promises, echoing the certainty that God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind, as powerfully articulated in [Numbers 23:19](/numbers/23-19 "Numbers 23:19 - God is Not a Man, That He Should Lie"). This theme of divine trustworthiness is pervasive throughout Psalm 119, with the psalmist repeatedly expressing his hope and unwavering trust in God's utterances (e.g., [Psalms 119:49](/psalms/119-49 "Psalms 119:49 - Remember Your Word to Your Servant")). Finally, the verse underscores the **deeply personal and individual nature of faith and relationship with God**, as the psalmist pleads "unto me," demonstrating a universal human need for individual divine attention and grace in the midst of life's challenges.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Mercies (Hebrew, _chêçêd'_):** This term, though appearing as plural "mercies" in the KJV, derives from the singular Hebrew root _ḥesed_ (H2617), which is a profoundly rich theological concept. Often translated as "steadfast love," "covenant loyalty," "kindness," or "lovingkindness," _ḥesed_ refers to God's active, enduring, and relational love that is faithful to His covenant promises. It is far more than mere pity or compassion; it signifies a robust, unwavering commitment and benevolent action that God consistently demonstrates to His people. The use of the plural form here (mercies) can emphasize the manifold expressions of this loyal love or its boundless abundance, indicating that the psalmist is asking for the full, comprehensive scope of God's covenant faithfulness to be extended personally to him.
* **Salvation (Hebrew, _tᵉshûwʻâh'_):** This word (H8668) is derived from the root _yasha‘_, meaning "to save," "to deliver," or "to rescue." _Tᵉshûwʻâh_ encompasses comprehensive deliverance from all forms of distress—be it physical danger, oppression, sickness, or spiritual bondage. It signifies God's powerful, decisive act of bringing about safety, well-being, and liberation. The psalmist is not merely seeking abstract help but God's specific, powerful intervention to bring about a state of wholeness, rescue, and ultimate victory. This is the same linguistic root from which the name "Jesus" (Yeshua) is derived, pointing to the ultimate, divine Deliverer.
* **Word (Hebrew, _ʼimrâh'_):** In the phrase "according to thy word," the Hebrew term _ʼimrâh_ (H565) refers specifically to a divine utterance, a promise, or a decree. It signifies God's spoken revelation, His declared will, and His dependable commitments. The preposition "according to" (Hebrew _ke-_) means "in accordance with" or "consistent with." This crucial phrase signifies that the psalmist's prayer is not based on his own merit, whim, or presumption, but rather on God's revealed character and explicit, trustworthy promises. It implies a deep knowledge of God's word and a confident trust that God will act consistently with what He has declared, transforming the petition from a desperate cry into a covenantal claim rooted in divine faithfulness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD,"**: The initial "VAU" serves as the indicator for this specific acrostic section of Psalm 119. This clause constitutes a direct, earnest, and deeply personal petition to the Almighty. The psalmist expresses a profound desire for God's manifold _ḥesed_ (steadfast love, covenant loyalty) to actively "come" to him, signifying a tangible, personal experience of God's favor, goodness, and benevolent action. The inclusion of "also unto me" emphasizes the individual nature of this plea, highlighting a recognition of personal need for divine intervention in his specific circumstances. Addressing God as "O LORD" (Yahweh) invokes His sacred covenant name, underscoring His personal, relational, and utterly faithful character, which forms the basis of the psalmist's confidence.
* **"[even] thy salvation,"**: This phrase serves to clarify, intensify, and expand upon the preceding request for "mercies." It suggests that God's multifaceted mercies are profoundly manifested, in part, through His powerful acts of "salvation" or comprehensive deliverance. The word "even" (often implied in the Hebrew and added for clarity in English translations) indicates a close connection, almost an equivalence, between God's steadfast mercies and His specific, powerful saving acts. The psalmist seeks not merely general favor but specific, tangible rescue, well-being, and liberation from God's mighty hand, encompassing all aspects of life.
* **"according to thy word."**: This concluding phrase provides the indispensable theological foundation and the ultimate source of confidence for the entire petition. The psalmist is not asking for something arbitrary, presumptuous, or outside of God's character, but rather for God to act in a way that is entirely consistent with His revealed will, His nature, and His explicit promises. It profoundly implies that God has already declared His willingness and commitment to show mercy and bring salvation to those who seek Him and endeavor to walk in His ways. This crucial phrase grounds the entire prayer in divine faithfulness rather than human merit or worthiness, making it an enduring and powerful model for all believers in their approach to God.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 119:41 masterfully employs several significant literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. Foremost is the overarching **Acrostic Structure** of Psalm 119 itself, where each stanza, including "Vau," commences with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This intricate and highly ordered design underscores the psalmist's meticulous devotion to God's word, creating a comprehensive and systematic meditation on divine law. Within the verse, **Supplication** or **Petition** is the dominant device, as the psalmist directly addresses God with an earnest and humble request ("Let thy mercies come..."). There is also an implicit **Parallelism** between "thy mercies" and "thy salvation," where the second phrase either reiterates, clarifies, or intensifies the first, demonstrating that God's covenant love is intrinsically linked to His powerful acts of deliverance. Finally, the phrase "according to thy word" functions as a powerful form of **Argumentation** or **Grounding**, where the psalmist bases his plea not on his own inherent worthiness or the strength of his desire, but on the unchangeable character and the unfailing promises of God, appealing to divine faithfulness as the ultimate and unassailable warrant for his prayer.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 119:41 profoundly connects to the biblical understanding of God's immutable character, the very nature of prayer, and the indispensable role of divine revelation. It reveals a God who is not only omnipotent and powerful enough to save but also eternally bound by His own covenant faithfulness to extend boundless mercy. The psalmist's prayer serves as an exemplary model of faith-filled petition, demonstrating with clarity that true confidence in prayer stems not from the fervor or eloquence of the petitioner, but rather from the inherent reliability of the One being petitioned and the unwavering promises He has graciously made. This verse powerfully underscores the divine initiative in salvation—it is God's mercies and salvation that actively "come" to the individual, not something that can be earned or merited by human effort. It also highlights the transformative and foundational power of God's word, which serves not merely as a guide for living but as the very bedrock upon which believers can confidently stand and make their heartfelt appeals to the Creator of the universe.

* [Psalms 51:1](/psalms/51-1 "Psalms 51:1 - A Plea for Mercy")
* [Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22 "Lamentations 3:22-23 - The Lord's Mercies Never Fail")
* [Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace with Confidence")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 119:41 offers a timeless and profound blueprint for our own spiritual lives, urging us to cultivate a deep, active, and unwavering dependence on God's unfailing grace. In a world that often encourages radical self-reliance, humanistic solutions, or the pursuit of wisdom apart from the divine, this verse powerfully redirects our gaze to the ultimate and sole source of true help: the Lord, whose mercies are new every morning and whose salvation is utterly complete. It teaches us that prayer is far more than merely expressing our desires; it is fundamentally about aligning our hearts, minds, and wills with God's revealed will, confidently asking for precisely what He has already promised to provide. When we inevitably face trials, temptations, or simply the daily challenges and uncertainties of life, our most potent and reliable resource is to appeal directly to God's unchanging character and His infallible word. This verse invites us to personalize God's grand and sweeping promises, believing with conviction that His steadfast love and comprehensive deliverance are not just for a distant people or a theoretical concept, but are profoundly relevant, intimately available, and actively extended "unto me." It encourages a life lived in constant, humble, yet audacious dialogue with God, where our petitions are both deeply reverent and boldly confident, rooted in the absolute certainty of His unwavering faithfulness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does understanding God's "mercies" as _ḥesed_ (covenant loyalty) deepen your appreciation for His steadfast and relational character?**
* **In what specific areas of your life—be they spiritual, emotional, relational, or physical—do you most urgently need God's "salvation" or comprehensive deliverance right now?**
* **How consistently do you ground your prayers, expectations, and daily walk in God's "word," and what tangible difference does this make to your confidence and peace?**
* **What practical and intentional steps can you take to better know, internalize, and apply God's promises so they can become the unshakeable foundation of your petitions and your life?**

### FAQ

**What is the significance of the "VAU" section in Psalm 119?**

Answer: The "VAU" (or "Waw") section is the sixth of 22 acrostic sections in Psalm 119, each meticulously corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the original Hebrew, every single verse within this section (verses 41-48) begins with the letter Waw (ו). This intricate and highly structured design is a profound literary device that underscores the psalmist's comprehensive, systematic, and all-encompassing devotion to God's law. It reflects a deep desire to meditate on and embrace God's word from "Aleph to Tav," demonstrating a complete and holistic love for divine instruction. The "Vau" section, specifically, often focuses on the psalmist's personal experience of God's deliverance and his unwavering commitment to God's testimonies, even in the midst of affliction and opposition.

**How does "according to thy word" impact the nature of the psalmist's prayer?**

Answer: The phrase "according to thy word" is absolutely foundational to the psalmist's prayer, profoundly transforming it from a mere wish or a desperate plea into a confident, covenantal appeal. It signifies that the psalmist's earnest request for mercy and salvation is not arbitrary, presumptuous, or based on personal merit, but is instead deeply rooted in God's own revealed character and His explicit, infallible promises. It implies a deep and intimate knowledge of God's utterances (_’imrāh_) and a firm, unwavering belief that God is utterly faithful to fulfill precisely what He has spoken. This critical phrase aligns seamlessly with other biblical passages that emphasize God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises, such as [2 Timothy 2:13](/2_timothy/2-13 "2 Timothy 2:13 - God Remains Faithful"). For the psalmist, God's word is not merely a guide for ethical living but the very ground of his hope, the source of his confidence, and the unshakeable basis for all his petitions.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 119:41 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's "mercies" and "salvation" that the psalmist so earnestly sought. In Christ, God's steadfast love (_ḥesed_) is perfectly and fully manifested, as God "did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all" ([Romans 8:32](/romans/8-32 "Romans 8:32 - God Gave His Son")). Jesus is the "salvation" of God made visible and tangible, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), offering deliverance not merely from temporal distress but from the eternal consequences of sin and death itself ([Acts 4:12](/acts/4-12 "Acts 4:12 - Salvation in No Other Name")). Furthermore, Jesus is the living "Word" made flesh ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")), the perfect and complete expression of God's will, character, and promises. The psalmist prayed for mercies and salvation "according to thy word," and in Christ, every single promise of God finds its resounding "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - All God's Promises are Yes in Christ")). Through His impeccable life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus fully accomplished the divine plan of salvation, bringing God's boundless mercies and ultimate deliverance directly "unto me" and to all who believe, thereby fulfilling the deepest longings of the human heart expressed in this ancient and timeless prayer.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 69:16

Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness [is] good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Psalms 119:58

¶ I intreated thy favour with [my] whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

Psalms 119:76

¶ Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Psalms 119:77

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law [is] my delight.

Psalms 119:132

¶ Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

Luke 2:28

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Luke 2:32

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.