Psalm 119:64 NKJV
64
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.
A Call to Seek Divine Teaching
My Notes
Here we have driven out before us into our minds that the earth, even in its fallen state, is full of the Lord’s mercies. Where would we be without the Lord’s “hesed”, His unfailing Love that nothing can separate us from?
David saw that mercy, that love, and it inspired him to want to know the Lord more. He sought the Lord with all of his heart, and it brought him satisfaction and blessings. When he had received those blessings, it drove him to seek the Lord through His word even more, which brought about more blessings and satisfaction.
He realized that the Lord took care of all of His creations and that if He would supply food for the birds and clothing for the flowers that He would supply the spiritual food that our bodies need and can’t live without if we seek Him.
For the Lord to teach us His statutes, as an earthly father teaches his son, is more than we can hope for. Yet the Lord, through his mercy, wants to do just that; we just need to ask Him.
Psalm 119:64 emphasizes God’s mercy that fills the earth, highlighting its universal presence in nature and humanity. David expresses a deep desire for divine teaching, recognizing that experiencing God’s goodness inspires a greater pursuit of understanding His ways. The commentaries below reflect on mercy as essential to God’s character, evident in creation and personal experiences. The connection between recognizing mercy and seeking spiritual knowledge illustrates a cycle of fulfillment and blessing. Ultimately, David’s plea for instruction in God’s statutes underscores the importance of learning and adhering to divine law as part of experiencing God’s abundant mercy.
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 64, which is in the 8th section, which is called “Heth ח”. According to the hebrews4christians.com website has this letter is listed as “CHET where the NKJV lists it as “HETH”, the letter Heth ח is the 8th letter of the Aleph-Bet, having the numeric value of eight. The pictograph for Heth ח looks like a wall or fence, whereas the classical Hebrew script is constructed of the preceding two letters, Vav and Zayin, joined at the top with a thin connecting line.
Hebrewtoday.com lists this as the letter “HET” and has this to say:
The Hebrew letter Het is associated with a number of positive character traits. For example, the Hebrew word “hohma” (חוכמה), meaning “wisdom,” begins with the letter Het, as does the word “hasidut” (חסידות), which means “righteousness,” and “hen” (חן), meaning “grace.” The numerical value of the letter Het is eight, which is often associated with super-spirituality or holiness, as it is one more than seven, which represents the holy realm of the Sabbath. When Jewish boys are circumcised and enter into their faith’s holy ancient covenant, it is commanded to be performed on the eighth day.
……..Bill
Commentaries:
G. S. Bowes’s “Illustrative Gatherings,”
“The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy.” The molten sea, the shewbread, the sweet incense, the smoke of the sacrifices, Aaron’s breastplate, the preaching of the cross, the keys of the kingdom of heaven: do not all these proclaim mercy? Who could enter a sanctuary, search conscience, look up to heaven, pray or sacrifice, call upon God, or think of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, if there were no mercy? Do not all visions, covenants, promises, messages, mysteries, legal purifications, and evangelical pacification confirm this? Yes, mercy is in the air which we breathe, the daily light which shines upon us, the gracious rain of God’s inheritance; it is the public spring for all the thirsty, the common hospital for all the needy; all the streets of the church are paved with these stones. What would become of the children if there were not these breasts of consolation? How should the bride, the Lamb’s wife, be trimmed, if her bridegroom did not deck her with these habiliments? How should Eden appear like the Garden of God, if it were not watered by these rivers? It is mercy that takes us out of the womb, feeds us in the days of our pilgrimage, furnishes us with spiritual provisions, closes our eyes in peace, and translates us to a secure resting place. It is the first petitioner’s suit, and the first believer’s article, the contemplation of Enoch, the confidence of Abraham, the burden of the Prophetic Songs, the glory of all the apostles, the plea of the penitent, the ecstasies of the reconciled, the believer’s hosannah, the angel’s hallelujah Ordinances, oracles, altars, pulpits, the gates of the grave, and the gates of heaven, do all depend upon mercy. It is the load star of the wandering, the ransom of the captive, the antidote of the tempted, the prophet of the living, and the effectual comfort of the dying:—there would not be one regenerate saint upon earth, nor one glorified saint in heaven, if it were not for mercy.
—From G. S. Bowes’s “Illustrative Gatherings,” 1869.
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Enduring Word
The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy: Having experienced this broad companionship, the psalmist felt the goodness of God filling the earth. This experience of God’s mercy increased his desire for knowledge and obedience (teach me Your statutes).
We see again the course of a never-ending cycle. The pursuit of God in and through His word leads to satisfaction and blessing. That satisfaction and blessing leads to a deeper pursuit, leading to even more satisfaction and blessing.
When one lives in this glorious cycle, it feels as if the whole earth is full of the mercy of God. It is a glorious, blessed life with the experience of mercy all around.
(David Guzik)
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Matthew Henry
1. David pleads that God is good to all the creatures according to their necessities and capacities; as the heaven is full of God’s glory, so the earth is full of his mercy, full of the instances of his pity and bounty. Not only the land of Canaan, where God is known and worshipped, but the whole earth, in many parts of which he has no homage paid him, is full of his mercy. Not only the children of men upon the earth, but even the inferior creatures, taste of God’s goodness. His tender mercies are over all his works.
2. He therefore prays that God would be good to him according to his necessity and capacity: “Teach me thy statutes. Thou feedest the young ravens that cry, with food proper for them; and wilt thou not feed me with spiritual food, the bread of life, which my soul needs and craves, and cannot subsist without? The earth is full of thy mercy, and is not heaven too? Wilt thou not then give me spiritual blessings in heavenly places?” A gracious heart will fetch an argument from anything to enforce a petition for divine teaching. Surely he that will not let his birds be unfed will not let his children be untaught.
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Charles Spurgeon
“The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy.” David had been exiled, but he had never been driven beyond the range of mercy, for he found the world to be everywhere filled with it. He had wandered in deserts and hidden in caves, and there he had seen and felt the loving kindness of the Lord. He had learned that far beyond the bounds of the land of promise and the race of Israel, the love of Jehovah extended, and in this verse he expressed that large-hearted idea of God which is so seldom seen in the modern Jew. How sweet it is to us to know that not only is there mercy all over the world, but there is such an abundance of it that the earth is “full” of it. It is little wonder that the Psalmist, since he knew the Lord to be his portion, hoped to obtain a measure of this mercy for himself, and so was encouraged to pray,
“Teach me thy statutes.” It was to him the beau ideal of mercy to be taught of God, and taught in God’s own law. He could not think of a greater mercy than this. Surely he who fills the universe with his grace will grant such a request as this to his own child. Let us breathe the desire to the All Merciful Jehovah, and we may be assured of its fulfillment.
The first verse of this eight is fragrant with full assurance and strong resolve, and this last verse overflows with a sense of the divine fullness, and of the Psalmist’s personal dependence. This is an illustration of the fact that full assurance neither damps prayer nor hinders humility. It would be no error if we said that it creates lowliness and suggests supplication. “Thou art my portion, O Lord,” is well followed by “teach me;” for the heir of a great estate should be thoroughly educated, that his behavior may comport with his fortune. What manner of disciples ought we to be whose inheritance is the Lord of hosts? Those who have God for their Portion long to have him for their Teacher. Moreover, those who have resolved to obey are the most eager to be taught. “I have said that I would keep thy words” is beautifully succeeded by “teach me thy statutes.” Those who wish to keep a law are anxious to know all its clauses and provisions lest they should offend through inadvertence. He who does not care to be instructed of the Lord has never honestly resolved to be holy.
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Albert Barnes
The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy – Full of the proofs of thy goodness and compassion. See the notes at Psalms 33:5. This is the expression of a heart full of love to God and to his word. In such a state of mind as the psalmist was in, the goodness of God is seen everywhere. The best preparation for seeing evidence that God is good is a heart full of love. Then the proofs of that love spring up on every side, as when we truly love a friend, we find constant proofs of his excellency of character.
Teach me thy statutes – I desire to see more and more of thy law. Thou art so gracious and merciful, the evidence of thy goodness is so widespread round about me, that it leads me to desire to see more and more of thyself and thy law.
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John Gill
The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy,…. “Goodness” or “grace”; both of the providential mercy and goodness of God, which extends to all his creatures; and of his special grace and goodness to his own people, held forth in his word and ordinances; see Psalm 33:5;
teach me thy statutes: as an instance of mercy, grace, and goodness; see Psalm 119:12.
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Miscellaneous Comments
The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy.
Why bursts such melody from tree and bush,
The overflowing of each songster’s heart,
So filling mine that it can scarcely hush
Awhile to listen, but would take its part?
It is but one song I hear where ever I rove,
Though countless be the notes, that God is Love.
Why leaps the streamlet down the mountainside?
Hasting so swiftly to the vale beneath,
To cheer the shepherd’s thirsty flock, or glide
Where the hot sun has left a faded wreath,
Or, rippling, aid the music of a grove?
Its own glad voice replies, that God is Love!
Is it a fallen world on which I gaze?
Am I as deeply fallen as the rest,
Yet joys partaking, past my utmost praise,
Instead of wandering forlorn, unblessed?
It is as if an unseen spirit strove
To grave upon my heart, that God is Love!
—Thomas Davis, 1864.
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Cross-References
Psalm 33:5 (KJV)
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment:
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Matthew 11:29 (KJV)
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Isaiah 2:3 (KJV)
3 And many people shall go and say,
Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
And he will teach us of his ways,
And we will walk in his paths:
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
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Closing Thoughts
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. Deuteronomy 8:3-5 NKJV
ח HETH – Hurrying to God with all my heart.
57
You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
58
I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
59
I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60
I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
61
The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
62
At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
63
I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
64
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.
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