Psalm 119:171 NKJV
My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes
Praise That Flows from Instruction
My Notes
Scripture: “My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes.” —Psalm 119:171 (NKJV)
David’s praise is not generic—it’s specific, intentional, and deeply rooted in revelation. “My lips shall utter praise…”—not just whisper, not just think, but utter. His praise is vocal, visible, and vibrant. And what prompts it? “For You teach me Your statutes.” The source of his worship is divine instruction.
This is praise that flows from being taught by God Himself. David doesn’t claim natural insight or inherited wisdom. He acknowledges that his understanding—and therefore his praise—is a gift. The more he learns of God’s ways, the more his heart overflows. Like a fountain fed by a hidden spring, his lips pour forth what his soul has received.
This is the music of heaven learned in the school of holy living. True praise is not just lip service—it’s life service. It’s the natural outflow of a heart shaped by truth. David’s gratitude is not silent or vague; it’s articulate and specific. He praises God because he’s been taught, and he gives all glory to the Teacher.
Such praise is the mark of a renewed heart. It’s the fruit of divine illumination. As we grow in knowledge of God’s Word, our praise deepens. Each new insight becomes a new song. And because God is infinite, our praise will never run dry. It will increase forever, hand in hand with our understanding.
Think of a stream flowing into a river; that’s the image here. The heart taught by God cannot contain itself—it breaks out in praise. It’s not forced or fabricated; it flows freely, fervently, and faithfully.
This verse invites us to see praise not as a performance, but as a privilege, not as a duty, but as a delight. When God teaches us, we respond—not just with obedience, but with overflowing worship.
Questions for Today
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How has God’s Word shaped your praise?
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Do you find it easy or difficult to express praise aloud? Why?
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What recent insight from Scripture has led you to praise God more deeply?
Prayer
Abba, You have taught me Your statutes, and my heart overflows. Let my lips utter praise—not out of routine, but out of revelation. Shape my understanding by Your Word, and let my worship rise from truth. May I never take Your instruction for granted, but receive it as the fountain of all spiritual blessing. Let my praise be constant, sincere, and joyful. Let it flow freely, and let it glorify You, the One who teaches, transforms, and fills my soul. I ask for this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Cross References for Further Study (NKJV)
Praise and Worship
Psalm 119:7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.
Psalm 145:1–3 I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Divine Instruction and Guidance
Psalm 25:4–5 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Overflowing Praise and Renewal
John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
Psalm 103:1–2 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Prayer, Transformation, and Revelation
Psalm 119:169–172 Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word. Let my supplication come before You; Deliver me according to Your word. My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes. My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Ephesians 1:17–18 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
Proverb for Today
He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 13:13-14 NKJV
NOTE: Psalm 119 has 22 sections to which each section is represented by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Today, we’re looking at verse 171, which is in the 22nd section, which is called “Tau (ת) ”. Tau (ת) is the 22nd and final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, symbolizing completion, truth, and divine protection.
Tau (ת) is pronounced “tav” in modern Hebrew. Its ancient pictographic form resembled a cross or mark, and in some traditions, it is associated with the shape of a cruciform or seal. As the last letter, Tau (ת) often represents the end, fulfillment, or wholeness of something—whether a word, a covenant, or a spiritual journey. Early Christian writers, such as Tertullian, saw Tau (ת) as a prophetic symbol of the cross of Christ. Its shape and use as a protective mark were interpreted as pointing to salvation through Jesus.
The psalmist is approaching the end of the Psalm, and his petitions gather force and fervency; he seems to break into the inner circle of divine fellowship, and to come even to the feet of the great God whose help he is imploring. This nearness creates the most lowly view of himself, and leads him to close the Psalm upon his face in deepest self-humiliation, begging to be sought out like a lost sheep.” (Spurgeon)
………..Bill
Summary of Commentaries:
Psalm 119:171 reveals praise as the natural overflow of a heart taught by God. Spurgeon emphasizes that true worship arises not from self-interest but from gratitude for spiritual instruction. David’s lips express what his life practices—praise informed by godliness. This praise is intelligent, sincere, and abundant, like water flowing from a fountain. As believers grow in understanding, their desire to glorify God increases. Divine teaching opens the heart and lips, producing worship that honors God both in word and deed. Such praise is the fruit of grace, the evidence of a renewed heart, and the sign of a life shaped by truth.
Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.” He will not always be pleading for himself; he will rise above all selfishness and render thanks for the benefit received. He promises to praise God when he has obtained practical instruction in the life of godliness: this is something to praise for, no blessing is more precious. The best possible praise is that which proceeds from men who honor God, not only with their lips, but in their lives. We learn the music of heaven in the school of holy living. He whose life honors the Lord is sure to be a man of praise. David would not only be grateful in silence, but he would express that gratitude in appropriate terms: his lips would utter what his life had practiced. Eminent disciples are wont to speak well of the master who instructed them, and this holy man, when taught the statutes of the Lord, promises to give all the glory to him to whom it is due.
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Enduring Word
My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes: His lips could praise God because they had been taught His word. The psalmist’s lips did not praise God by nature; he had to be taught God’s truth, and taught from God Himself. Also, the word of God informed his praise; it was intelligent. (Guzik)
i. “And yet who of us are fit to praise, except those whom God has taught? The ‘new song’ ill accords with the old heart.” (Bridges)
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Albert Barnes
My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes – The sentiment here is the same as in Psalms 119:7. The language is varied, but the meaning here, as in that verse, is, I will praise thee in proportion as I learn thy precepts or thy law. The more I learn of thy will, the more I will praise thee. I shall see more for which to offer praise and adoration, and I shall be more and more inclined to praise and adore time. Each new degree of knowledge will excite a corresponding desire to praise thee. This will be true of all who love God, while this life lasts, and forever. The ever-increasing knowledge of God will excite ever-increasing praise; and as God is infinite and eternal, it follows that the increase of knowledge and of happiness, in those who are saved, will be eternal. These things will go hand in hand forever and ever.
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John Gill
My lips shall utter praise,…. Like water flowing from a fountain, as the word signifies. The heart of a good man is like a fountain of water, abounding: with good things, and his mouth is a well of life; out of the abundance of grace and good things in his heart his mouth speaks, John 4:14; and particularly his heart is filled with praise and thankfulness for the many blessings of providence and grace enjoyed; his lips show it forth; it comes flowing from him freely and readily, without force and compulsion, largely and plentifully, constantly and continually, and with great vehemence and strength, as streams from a fountain;
when thou hast taught me thy statutes: which is what the psalmist often prays for in this psalm; and signifies he should be very thankful to God for, and should sincerely praise him, could he obtain this favor; see Psalm 119:7.
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Matthew Henry
A great favor which David expects from God, that he will teach him his statutes. This he had often prayed for in this psalm, and urged his petition for it with various arguments; and now that he is drawing towards the close of the psalm, he speaks of it as taken for granted. Those that are humbly earnest with God for his grace and resolve with Jacob that they will not let him go unless he bless them with spiritual blessings may be humbly confident that they shall at length obtain what they are so importunate for. The God of Israel will grant them those things which they request of him.
The grateful sense he promises to have of that favor: My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me.
(1.) Then he shall have cause to praise God. Those that are taught of God have a great deal of reason to be thankful, for this is the foundation of all these spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings, and the earnest of eternal blessings.
(2.) Then he shall know how to praise God, and have a heart to do it. All that are taught of God are taught this lesson; when God opens the understanding, opens the heart, and so opens the lips, it is that the mouth may show forth his praise. We have learned nothing to purpose if we have not learned to praise God.
(3.) Therefore, he is thus importunate for divine instructions, that he might praise God. Those that pray for God’s grace must aim at God’s glory, Eph. 1:12.
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Miscellaneous Comments
“My lips shall utter praise.” You have stood at the fountain head of a stream of water, and admired while it bubbled up, and ran down in a clear little rivulet, till at length it swelled the mighty river. Such is the allusion here. The heart taught of God cannot contain itself, but breaks out in praise and singing. This would be the effect of divine illumination, and this would be felt to be a privilege, yea, and a high duty. Have you not found so, believers, especially on common occasions? Be assured, such utterances are the sign of a renewed heart; yea, of a heart filled with all gratitude of right feeling.
—John Stephen.
O make me, Lord, thy statutes learn!
Keep in thy ways my feet,
Then shall my lips divinely burn;
Then shall my songs be sweet.
Each sin I cast away shall make
My soul more strong to soar;
Each deed of holiness shall wake
A strain divine the more.
My voice shall more delight thine ear
The more I wait on time;
The service bring my song more near
The angelic harmony.
—T. H. Gill, in “Breathings of the Better Life,” 1881.
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