Commonplace –
“I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for thy commandments” (Psalm 119:131).
Here the psalmist compares his longing for God’s commandments to a deep thirst. His longing is so strong he pants for it. While we drink with our mouths, we also breath through our mouth, when we take deep breaths, when we need air. David’s desire is to breath in God’s word. As Matthew Henry notes, “The degree of that desire…as one overcome with heat, or almost stifled, pants for a mouthful of fresh air. Thus strong, thus earnest, should our desire be towards God and the remembrance of his name” (584).
Works Cited
Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 119.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.
Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.
© 2025 Angela Hormberg
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