Psalms Chapter 119 · Verse 174
I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
Original Language Analysis
לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣
for thy salvation
H3444
לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣
for thy salvation
Strong's:
H3444
Word #:
2 of 5
something saved, i.e., (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity
יְהוָ֑ה
O LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֑ה
O LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
3 of 5
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
Historical Context
The penultimate verse of Psalm 119 returns to the salvation theme (v. 123, 155, 166, 174) while maintaining the Torah-delight theme (v. 16, 24, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174). The already/not-yet tension: we delight in present Torah-obedience while longing for ultimate salvation. Christians experience this as enjoying Christ now while awaiting glorification.
Questions for Reflection
- How does delighting in God's Law intensify (rather than diminish) your longing for final salvation?
- What would it look like practically to cultivate both deep longing for Christ's return AND present delight in His Word?
- How does Jesus fulfill both aspects—salvation longed for AND Torah delighted in—as the Word made flesh?
Analysis & Commentary
I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD (תָּאַבְתִּי לִישׁוּעָתְךָ יְהוָה, ta'avti lishu'atekha YHWH)—Ta'av means 'long for, desire deeply, crave.' Yeshu'ah (salvation, deliverance, the root of Yeshua/Jesus) is the object of intense longing. The conjunction: and thy law is my delight (וְתוֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי, vetoratekha sha'ashu'ai). Sha'ashua means 'delight, pleasure, enjoyment'—the same word in Isaiah 5:7 describing Israel as God's 'pleasant plant.'
This echoes Simeon's cry: 'Mine eyes have seen thy salvation [to soterion, from yeshu'ah]' (Luke 2:30). Longing for salvation and delighting in Torah unite in Christ—He IS both the yeshu'ah and the Torah incarnate.