Psalm 119:172 NKJV
My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Speaking of Righteousness
My Notes
Scripture: “My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.” —Psalm 119:172 (NKJV)
David’s declaration is both a vow and a testimony. “My tongue shall speak of Your word…”—not just occasionally, but as a way of life. His speech is shaped by Scripture, not by impulse. He speaks not only of God’s works, but of His Word—its truth, purity, power, and beauty.
This is not shallow talk. David’s knowledge of God’s Word is deep and experiential. He doesn’t merely say that God’s commandments are righteous—he says they are righteousness itself. They are the very essence and standard of what is good, just, and holy. Like Paul in Romans 7:12, David sees the law as “holy and just and good.”
Such conviction leads to proclamation. When the heart is full of truth, the tongue overflows with praise, testimony, and instruction. This kind of speech is fruitful—like a tree of life whose leaves bring healing (Proverbs 15:4). It ministers grace to the hearers (Ephesians 4:29). It breaks sinful silence and bears witness to the glory of God.
We are called to speak of God’s Word—not just in sermons or studies, but in everyday conversation. To speak of its promises, its doctrines, its precepts. To share how it comforts, convicts, and transforms. To let our words reflect the righteousness of the One who speaks through Scripture.
We should make note of the commentary of William Cowper, who said: One duty of thankfulness promised by David is, to speak of God’s words for the edification of others. Every Christian man, as he is a priest to offer sacrifice unto God, so is he a prophet to teach his brethren; for unto us all stands that commandment, “Edify one another in their most holy faith.” But, alas, ye shall see many Christians now, who at their tables, and in their companies, can speak freely upon any subject; only for spiritual matters, which concern the soul, there they are dumb, and cannot say with David, “My tongue shall speak of thy word.”
Questions for Today
-
How often does God’s Word shape your everyday speech?
-
What truths from God’s Word do you feel most compelled to speak about?
-
Are there areas where sinful silence has kept you from speaking of God’s Word?
-
How can your speech become more fruitful—like a tree of life to others?
Prayer
Abba, Your Word is righteousness itself—pure, holy, and true. Let my tongue speak of it with reverence and joy. Teach me to treasure Your commandments, and to talk about them with clarity and conviction. Let my speech be governed by Your truth, and let my silence be broken by praise. Make my words fruitful, like leaves for healing. Let them minister grace, reflect Your glory, and bear witness to Your righteousness. Fill my heart with Your Word, and let my tongue overflow with worship. I ask for these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Cross References for Further Study (NKJV)
Speaking God’s Word
Psalm 119:13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
Psalm 40:9–10 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.
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.
Righteousness of God’s Law
Psalm 119:138 Your testimonies, which You have commanded, Are righteous and very faithful.
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Psalm 19:7–9 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Fruitful and Gracious Speech
Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Matthew 12:34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Bold Witness and Courage
Acts 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
2 Timothy 1:7–8 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.
Psalm 71:15–16 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Proverb for Today
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:26-27 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 172, 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 119:172 expresses David’s vow to speak of God’s Word because he sees all His commandments as pure righteousness. His praise flows from deep, experiential knowledge—truth that has shaped his heart and life. David’s speech is not casual but intentional, proclaiming the power, purity, and preciousness of Scripture. He recognizes God’s Word as the very essence of righteousness, not just a reflection of it. This verse calls believers to let their tongues be governed by truth, breaking sinful silence and bearing witness to God’s glory. When the heart is full of God’s Word, the mouth overflows with praise and grace.
Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“My tongue shall speak of thy word.” When he had done singing, he began preaching. God’s tender mercies are such that they may be either said or sung. When the tongue speaks of God’s word, it has a most fruitful subject; such speaking will be as a tree of life, whose leaves shall be for the healing of the people. Men will gather together to listen to such talk, and they will treasure it up in their hearts. The worst of us is that, for the most part, we are full of our own words, and speak but little of God’s word. Oh, that we could come to the same resolve as this godly man, and say henceforth, “My tongue shall speak of thy word.” Then, should we break through our sinful silence, we should no more be cowardly and half-hearted, but should be true witnesses for Jesus. It is not only of God’s works that we are to speak, but of his word. We may extol its truth, its wisdom, its preciousness, its grace, its power; and then we may tell of all it has revealed, all it has promised, all it has commanded, all it has effected. The subject gives us plenty of sea room; we may speak on forever: the tale is forever telling, yet untold.
“For all thy commandments are righteousness.” David appears to have been mainly enamored of the preceptive part of the word of God, and concerning the precept, his chief delight lay in its purity and excellence. When a man can speak this from his heart, his heart is indeed a temple of the Holy Ghost. He had said aforetime (Psa 119:138), “Thy testimonies are righteous,” but here he declares that they are righteousness itself. The law of God is not only the standard of right, but it is the essence of righteousness. This the Psalmist affirms of each and every one of the precepts without exception. He felt like Paul—”The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Rom 7:12). When a man has so high an opinion of God’s commandments, it is little wonder that his lips should be ready to extol the ever glorious One.
______________________________________________________
Enduring Word
For all Your commandments are righteous: Knowing the purity and inerrancy of God’s word made the psalmist want to speak of it to others. He was confident in his convictions. (Guzik)
i. “Then should we break through our sinful silence…. It is not only of God’s works that we are to speak, but of his word.” (Spurgeon)
______________________________________________________
Albert Barnes
My tongue shall speak of thy word – It shall speak of it in the language of praise; it shall speak of it in making it known to others.
For all thy commandments are righteousness – I see this; I feel it; and, therefore, I will speak of it. My impression that thy commandments are all righteous is so deep that I cannot but speak of them. I must vindicate them; I must praise thee for them.
______________________________________________________
John Gill
My tongue shall speak of thy word,…. Of the word of God in general; of the truth of it, which he knew by certain experience; of the purity of it, tending to promote holiness of heart and life; of the power and efficacy of it, enlightening his mind, and working effectually in him; of the profit of it, to his learning, to his instruction, comfort, and refreshment; of the preciousness of it, being of more worth than thousands of gold and silver; and of the pleasantness of it, being sweeter than the honey or honeycomb, and more to be esteemed than one’s necessary food; and of the promises of it in particular, of the worth and value of them, of their suitableness and use, and of the faithful fulfillment of them; and of the doctrines of the word, especially those which relate to the grace of God, and salvation by the Messiah; and also of the precepts of the word.
for all thy commandments [are] righteousness; not only righteous, but righteousness itself, being strictly just and equitable in the highest sense; and not only some of them, but all of them; see Psalm 119:128. Aben Ezra’s paraphrase of the words is, “I will teach the children of men thy word, that they may know that thy commandments are righteousness;” which is not amiss: and to the same sense is Kimchi’s note, who observes, that author of the Masorah interprets it of praise; as if he had said, My tongue shall praise thy word, because all of it is righteousness.
______________________________________________________
Matthew Henry
The good knowledge David had of the word of God, he knew it so well that he was ready to own, with the utmost satisfaction, that all God’s commandments are not only righteous, but righteousness itself, the rule and standard of righteousness.
The good use he resolved to make of that knowledge: My tongue shall speak of thy word, not only utter praise for it to the glory of God, but discourse of it for the instruction and edification of others, as that which he himself was full of (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak) and as that which he desired others also might be filled with. The more we see of the righteousness of God’s commandments, the more industrious we should be to bring others acquainted with them, that they may be ruled by them. We should always make the word of God the governor of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking or sinful silence; and we should often make it the subject-matter of our discourse, that it may feed many and minister grace to the hearers.
______________________________________________________
Miscellaneous Comments
“My tongue shall speak of thy word.” One duty of thankfulness promised by David is, to speak of God’s words for the edification of others. Every Christian man, as he is a priest to offer sacrifice unto God, so is he a prophet to teach his brethren; for unto us all stands that commandment, “Edify one another in their most holy faith.” But, alas, ye shall see many Christians now, who at their tables, and in their companies, can speak freely upon any subject; only for spiritual matters, which concern the soul, there they are dumb, and cannot say with David, “My tongue shall speak of thy word.”
—William Cowper.
- Exploring the Beauty of Psalms: Insights and Commentaries
- Monthly Breakdown of Our Blog Content
- Psalms Commentary: Faith and Inspiration
Leave a Reply