§ ס
113 The double-minded I hate, But Thy law I love. 114 My shelter and my shield art Thou, For Thy word have I waited. 115 Depart from me, ye evil-doers, That I may keep the commandments of my God. 116 Uphold me according to Thy promise that I may live, And let me not be ashamed of my hope. 117 Hold me up and I shall be saved, And have regard to Thy statutes continually. 118 Thou makest light of all those who stray from Thy statutes, For their deceit is a lie. 119 [Like] dross Thou hast cast aside all the wicked of the earth, Therefore I love Thy testimonies. 120 My flesh creeps for fear of Thee, And of Thy judgments I am afraid.
This section is mainly the expression of firm resolve to cleave to the Law. Continuity may be traced in it, since vv. 113-115 breathe love and determination, which pass in vv. 116, 117, into prayer, in view of the psalmist's weakness and the strength of temptation, while in vv. 118-120 the fate of the despisers of the Law intensifies the psalmist's clinging grasp of awe-struck love. Hatred of "double-minded" who waver between God and idols, and are weak accordingly, rests upon, and in its turn increases, whole-hearted adherence to the Law.
It is a tepid devotion to it which does not strongly recoil from lives that water down its precepts and try to walk on both sides of the way at once. Whoever has taken God for his defence can afford to bide God's time for fulfilment of His promises (ver. 114). And the natural results of such love to, and waiting for, His word are resolved separation from the society of those whose lives are moulded on opposite principles, and the ordering of external relations in accordance with the supreme purpose of keeping the commandments of Him whom love and waiting claim as "my God" (ver. 115). But resolves melt in the fire of temptation, and the psalmist knows life and himself too well to trust himself. So he betakes himself to prayer for God's upholding, without which he cannot live. A hope built on God's promise has a claim on Him, and its being put to shame in disappointment would be dishonour to God (ver. 116). The psalmist knows that his wavering will can only be fixed by God, and that experience of His sustaining hand will make a stronger bond between God and him than anything besides. The consciousness of salvation must precede steadfast regard to the precepts of the God who saves (ver. 117). To stray from the Law is ruin, as is described in vv. 118, 119. They who wander are despised or made light of, "for their deceit is a lie"--_i.e._, the hopes and plans with which they deceive themselves are false. It is a gnarled way of saying that all godless life is a blunder as well as a sin, and is fed with unrealisable promises. Dross is flung away when the metal is extracted. Slag from a furnace is hopelessly useless, and this psalmist thinks that the wicked of the earth are "thrown as rubbish to the void." He is not contemplating a future life, but God's judgments as manifested here in providence, and his faith is assured that, even here, that process is visible. Therefore, gazing upon the fate of evil-doers, his flesh creeps and every particular hair stands on end (as the word means). His dread is full of love, and love is full of dread. Profoundly are the two emotions yoked together in vv. 119_b_ and 120_b_, "I _love_ Thy testimonies ... of Thy judgments I am _afraid_."
§ ע
121 I have done judgment and righteousness, Thou wilt not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Be surety for Thy servant for good, Let not the proud oppress me. 123 My eyes pine for Thy salvation And for Thy righteous promise. 124 Deal with Thy servant according to Thy lovingkindness, And teach me Thy statutes. 125 Thy servant am I; give me understanding, That I may know Thy testimonies. 126 It is time for Jehovah to work, They have made void Thy law. 127 Therefore I love Thy commandments More than gold and more than fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts to be right, Every false way do I hate.