Psalms 119:117
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Original Language Analysis
וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה
and I shall be safe
H3467
וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה
and I shall be safe
Strong's:
H3467
Word #:
2 of 5
properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e., (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor
וְאֶשְׁעָ֖ה
and I will have respect
H8159
וְאֶשְׁעָ֖ה
and I will have respect
Strong's:
H8159
Word #:
3 of 5
to gaze at or about (properly, for help); by implication, to inspect, consider, compassionate, be nonplussed (as looking around in amazement) or bewil
Cross References
Psalms 119:6Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.Psalms 71:6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.Psalms 139:10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.Psalms 17:5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.Jude 1:24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Historical Context
The language of being 'held up' evokes military imagery—a soldier supported by comrades in battle. For Israel, safety came not from military might but from God's sustaining power. Those upheld by God could face any enemy while maintaining focus on His law.
Questions for Reflection
- In what specific situations do you need God to 'hold you up' for safety and victory?
- How does experiencing God's deliverance increase your respect for and attention to His statutes?
- What does it mean to 'have respect unto God's statutes continually' in daily practice?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe (סְעָדֵנִי וְאִוָּשֵׁעָה, se'adeni ve'ivvashe'ah)—the verb sa'ad means support, sustain, strengthen. The result clause uses yasha (be saved, delivered, victorious)—the root of Yeshua/Jesus. Divine support produces salvation. This parallels verse 116's upholding, intensifying the plea. The psalmist knows he cannot stand alone; safety requires God's active intervention.
And I will have respect unto thy statutes continually (וְאֶשְׁעָה בְחֻקֶּיךָ תָמִיד, ve'esh'ah vechuqqekha tamid)—the verb sha'ah means to gaze upon, regard, look attentively. Continual (tamid) gazing at God's statutes is both motivation for asking God's help and the result of receiving it. This circular relationship appears throughout Scripture: God's grace enables obedience, which increases hunger for more grace. The psalmist will not take God's deliverance for granted but respond with intensified devotion to His statutes.