Scope and Design
Let’s read what Matthew Henry says about Psalm 119’s Scope and Design:
“The general scope and design of [Psalm 119] is to magnify the law, and make it honourable; to set forth the excellency and usefulness of divine revelation, and to recommend it to us, not only for the entertainment, but for the government, of ourselves, by the psalmist’s own example, who speaks by experience of the benefit of it, and of the good impressions made upon him by it, for which he praises God, and earnestly prays, from first to last, for the continuance of God’s grace with him, to direct and quicken him in the way of his duty” (Henry 560).
Divine Revelation
In reference to Divine Revelation, Henry notes:
“There are ten different words by which divine revelation is called in this psalm, and they are synonymous, each of them expressive of the whole compass of it (both that which tells us what God expects from us and that which tells us what we may expect from him) and of the system of religion which is founded upon it and guided by it. The things contained in the scripture, and drawn from it, are here called,
- God’s law, because they are enacted by Him as our Sovereign.
- His way, because they are the rule both of His providence and of our obedience.
- His testimonies, because they are solemnly declared to the world and attested beyond contradiction.
- His commandments, because given with authority, and (as the word signifies) lodged with us as a trust.
- His precepts, because prescribed to us and not left indifferent.
- His word, or saying, because it is the declaration of His mind, and Christ, the essential eternal Word, is all in all in it.
- His judgments, because framed in infinite wisdom, and because by them we must both judge and be judged.
- His righteousness, because it is all holy, just, and good, and the rule and standard of righteousness.
- His statutes, because they are fixed and determined, and of perpetual obligation.
- His truth, or faithfulness, because the principles upon which the divine law is built are eternal truths.
And I think there is but one verse (it is v. 122) in all this long psalm in which there is not one or other of these ten words; only in three or four are they used concerning God’s providence or David’s practice (as v. 75, 84, 121), and v. 132 they are called God’s name” (Henry 560).
Encouragement
Now, we will turn to Henry for wise words of encouragement as we begin our study of Psalm 119.
“And it is so far from being a tedious repetition of the same thing, as may seem to those who look over it cursorily, that, if we duly meditate upon it, we shall find almost every verse has a new thought and something in it very lively. And this, as many other of David’s psalms, teaches us to be sententious in our devotions, both alone and when others join with us; for, ordinarily, the affections, especially of weaker Christians, are more likely to be raised and kept by short expressions, the sense of which lies in a little compass, than by long and laboured periods” (Henry 560).
What’s interesting is Henry’s use of the word ‘sententious’ as an encouragement. If you check a modern dictionary, the meaning of ‘sentenious’ has a negative connotation, meaning “given to or abounding in excessive moralizing” (“Sententious”, Merriam-Webster). Yet, if we go back to Noah Webster’s 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language, which is closer to the time of Matthew Henry’s writing, which was 1710, we come closer to Henry’s intent, when using the word ‘sententious’, where we find the definition to be: “abounding with sentences, axioms and maxims; short and energetic; as a sententious style or discourse; sententious truth” (“Sententious”, Webster, Noah). Yet, it still seems to fall short of Henry’s intent of the word ‘sententious’, because he is comparing it to the “short expressions” used by “weaker Christians”. Therefore, let us look to the Latin root: “sententia”, which Cassell’s Latin Dictionary defines as: “a way of thinking, opinion, thought, meaning, purpose” (“Sententia”). If we insert the Latin definition of ‘sententia’ into Henry’s quote, we seem to hone in on his meaning.
“And this, as many other of David’s psalms, teaches us [“a way of thinking, opinion, thought, meaning, purpose”] in our devotions, both alone and when others join with us”.
So, it seems Henry is indicating that David’s psalms teach us to dig into meaning/purpose in our devotions and not simply tend toward “the short expressions” admired by “weaker Christians”.
May we be duly encouraged by Henry and seek the deeper purpose in this psalm, as well as all the other psalms.
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.
“Sententia.” Cassell’s Latin Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 1968.
“Sententious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sententious. Accessed 24 May. 2025. “Sententious.” Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language, edited by Noah Webster, Facsimile Edition, Foundation for American Christian Education, 1995.
© 2025 Angela Hormberg
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