NKJV
38
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
KJV
38
Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Establishing God’s Word
My Thoughts
Like the father who came to Jesus for healing for his child crying out “help my unbelief” or the disciples who walked daily with Jesus asking “Lord, increase our faith”, David comes to the Lord and asks that his word be established deep inside of him. It’s natural with all of the attacks of the enemy to have thoughts come at us that cause doubt, worry, and questions. David was no different. Albert Barnes said that with this in mind, another way to look at this verse is “and then the prayer is, that God would confirm his faith in that ‘word’ – in that revealed truth – which was designed to secure the worship of God.” Establishing the word can also be looked at as building trust that God will answer his prayers in due time, that He will fulfill His word, giving us a stronger faith as we see God in action.
The Hebrew word used for fear used here is “yir’â” (Strongs H3374), which can be translated as “fear of God, reverence or piety”. The more we seek the Lord, the more we come to look at him in reverence. When Jesus taught us to pray, He said to come to the Lord and hallow his name, to come to him fear and respect and reverence. Here, David comes to the Lord remembering that reverence.
Psalm 119:38 expresses a heartfelt plea for God to affirm His word to those devoted to His fear. Commentators emphasize that this prayer reflects a desire for inner stability amid doubt, highlighting the importance of faith and obedience in understanding God’s promises. The root of this is that a true servant of God lies in this devotion, where one’s worship and reverence are nurtured. Despite acknowledging God’s word’s inherent stability, believers seek personal confirmation through prayer, expressing a need for spiritual assurance. This gives birth to a trust in God’s promises and strengthens overall faith, building reverence as we seek God with all of our hearts.
Note: Psalm 119 is an acrostic pattern. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet; each of the 22 sections is given a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each line in that section begins with that letter. Today, we’re looking at verse 38, which is in the 5th section, which is called “He ה”. According to the hebrews4christians.com website, the letter Hey (“He” in several versions of the Bible) is the 5th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of five. The pictograph for Hey looks like a man with his arms raised. The meaning of the name “Hey” is “look” or “behold”. Hey is considered to be formed from the Hebrew letters Dalet and Yod, which can be a picture of returning to God by means of the transforming power of the Spirit. Another description is opening the door of the heart, and the picture is of the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“Stablish thy word unto thy servant.” Make me sure of thy sure word: make it sure to me and make me sure of it. If we possess the spirit of service, and yet are troubled with skeptical thoughts, we cannot do better than pray to be established in the truth. Times will arise when every doctrine and promise seems to be shaken, and our mind gets no rest: then we must appeal to God for establishment in the faith, for he would have all his servants to be well instructed and confirmed in his word. But we must mind that we are the Lord’s servants, for else we shall not long be sound in his truth. Practical holiness is a great help towards doctrinal certainty: if we are God’s servants, he will confirm his word in our experience. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine;” and so know it as to be fully assured of it. Atheism in the heart is a horrible plague to a God fearing man, it brings more torment with it than can well be described; and nothing but a visitation of grace can settle the soul after it has been violently assailed thereby. Vanity or falsehood is bad for the eyes, but it is even worse when it defiles the understanding and casts a doubt upon the word of the living God.
“Who is devoted to thy fear,” or simply—“to thy fear.” That is, make good thy word to godly fear: wherever it exists, strengthen the whole body of reverent men. Stablish thy word, not only to me, but to all the godly ones under the sun. Or, again, it may mean—”Stablish thy word to thy fear,” namely, that men may be led to fear thee; since a sure faith in the divine promise is the fountain and foundation of godly fear. Men will never worship a God in whom they do not believe. More faith will lead to more godly fear. We cannot look for the fulfillment of promises in our experience unless we live under the influence of the fear of the Lord: establishment in grace is the result of holy watchfulness and prayerful energy. We shall never be rooted and grounded in our belief unless we daily practice what we profess to believe. Full assurance is the reward of obedience. Answers to prayer are given to those whose hearts answer to the Lord’s command. If we are devoted to God’s fear, we shall be delivered from all other fear. He has no fear as to the truth of the word, who is filled with fear of the Author of the word. Skepticism is both the parent and the child of impiety; but strong faith both begets piety and is begotten of it. We commend this whole verse to any devout man whose tendency is to skepticism: it will be an admirable prayer for use in seasons of unusually strong misgivings.
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Enduring Word
Establish Your word to Your servant: This is not a prayer for God to change His word in some way; indeed, the word of the LORD is established forever (Isaiah 40:8). This is a prayer for a change in the heart and mind of the servant of God, so that the word of the LORD would be established in him.
i. Establish Your word to Your servant is much the same idea as what Mary said to Gabriel regarding the word of the Lord that he brought to her: Let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38).
(David Guzik)
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Albert Barnes
Stablish thy word unto thy servant – Confirm it; make it seem firm and true; let not my mind be vacillating or skeptical in regard to thy truth. This seems to be a prayer against the influence of doubt and skepticism; a prayer that doubts might not be suffered to spring up in his mind, and that the objections and difficulties of skepticism might have no place there. There is a class of people whose minds are naturally skeptical and unbelieving, and for such people, such a prayer is especially appropriate. For none can it be improper to pray that the word of God may always seem to them to be true; that their minds may never be left to the influence of doubt and unbelief.
Who is devoted to thy fear – literally, “Who,” or which, “to thy fear.” This may refer either to the author of the psalm or to the word of God. It may mean that he was among those who feared – that is, worshipped God; or, that the word of God had reference to the “fear,” that is, to the worship of God, or was designed to secure that. The construction seems to demand the latter interpretation; and then the prayer is, that God would confirm his faith in that “word” – in that revealed truth – which was designed to secure the worship of God.
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John Gill
Stablish thy word unto thy servant,…. Either God’s word of promise, which never fails, is firm and stable in Christ; and the sense is, that God would assure him of the fulfillment of it, and give him a strong faith and firm belief of it; for otherwise the word of the Lord cannot be surer or more stable than it is: or else the word of his grace; and then the sense is, that he might be established in it, and the truths of it, and be established by it; for the word is a means of establishment, and a good thing it is to have the heart established with grace, with the doctrine of grace, Hebrews 13:9;
who [is devoted] to thy fear; who served the Lord with reverence and godly fear; who feared the Lord and his goodness; that grace being a reigning one in his heart, and ever before his eyes. Or, “which is unto thy fear”; that is, which word is unto thy fear; which leads unto it, and has a tendency to promote and increase it; and so is a commendation of the word of God from this effect of it.
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Matthew Henry
Here is
1. The character of a good man, which is the work of God’s grace in him; he is God’s servant, subject to his law and employed in his work, that is, devoted to his fear, given up to his direction and disposal, and taken up with high thoughts of him and all those acts of devotion which have a tendency to his glory. Those are truly God’s servants who, though they have their infirmities and defects, are sincerely devoted to the fear of God and have all their affections and motions governed by that fear; they are engaged and addicted to religion.
2. The confidence that a good man has towards God, in dependence upon the word of his grace to him. Those that are God’s servants may, in faith and with humble boldness, pray that God would establish his word to them, that is, that he would fulfill his promises to them in due time, and in the meantime give them an assurance that they shall be fulfilled. What God has promised we must pray for; we need not be so aspiring as to ask more; we need not be so modest as to ask less.
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Miscellaneous Quotes
“Stablish thy word unto thy servant,” etc.—Well, but here is a strange thing—a man who is a true “servant of God,” “devoted to his fear,” praying for what he surely must already have, else how could he be a servant? Or be living in Jehovah’s fear? He seems to assume, clearly and without any doubt, his own personal consecration, and then he prays for that which must surely be, at least in considerable measure, assumed and comprehended in the very idea of a true personal consecration. Unless God’s word is made sure to a man, he will never become his servant. If he is his servant, why should he pray, “Stablish thy word?” Why, too, should he say in Psa 119:35, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight?” “Therein do I delight. It is the way of my choice, of my joy!” And yet, “Make me to go in it,” as if I were unwilling. This apparent contradiction or discrepancy is easily solved in a true experience, and can be, in fact, solved in no other way. Is not this the very condition of many and many a one? “Stablished,” yet moved; “devoted,” yet uncertain; “serving“ God truly, yet looking and longing for clearer warrant, and higher sanction, and more inward grace, to make the service better; “believing,” yet crying, sometimes, “with tears, Help thou mine unbelief!” —Alexander Raleigh.
“Stablish thy word unto thy servant.” Why doth David pray thus, “Stablish thy word to me;” since God’s word is most certain and so stable in itself that it cannot be more so? (2Pe 1:19). “We have a more sure,” or a more stable, “word of prophecy,” as the word signifies. How can the word be more stable than it is? I answer, it is sure in regard of God from whom it comes, and in itself. In regard of the things propounded, it cannot be more or less stable, it cannot be fast and loose, but in regard of us, it may be more or less established. And that two ways,—
1. By the inward assurance of the Spirit, increasing our faith.
2. By the outward performance of what is promised.
First, by the inward assurance of the Spirit, by which our faith is increased. Great is the weakness of our faith, as appears by our fears, doubts, distrusts, so that we need to be assured more and more. We need say with tears as he doth in the gospel: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief“ (Mar 9:24); and to cry out with the apostles, “Lord, increase our faith” (Luk 17:5). There is none believeth so, but he may yet believe more. And in this sense, the word is more established when we are confirmed in the belief of it, and look upon it as sure ground for faith to rest upon. Secondly, By actual performance, when the promise is made good to us. Every event which falls out according to the word is a notable testimony of the truth of it, and a seal to confirm and strengthen our faith. —Thomas Manton.
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Cross-References
2 Samuel 7:25 (KJV)
25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
Psalm 19:9 (KJV)
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Psalm 103:11 (KJV)
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth,
So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
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Closing Thoughts
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 NKJV
He ה: Divine Breath and Revelation
33
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.
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