Psalms 119

¹ sn Psalm 119. The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.

² tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”

³ tn Heb “walk in.”

⁴ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

⁵ tn Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”

⁶ tn Heb “if only my ways were established.”

⁷ tn Or “when.”

⁸ tn Heb “I gaze at.”

⁹ tn Heb “I will give you thanks with an upright heart.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “do not abandon me to excess.” For other uses of the phrase עַד מְאֹד (’ad mÿ’od, “to excess”), see Ps 38:6, 8.

¹¹ tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”

¹² tn Heb “purify his path.”

¹³ tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

¹⁴ tn Or “hide.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “[are] blessed.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “of your mouth.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “in the way of your rules.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19).

²⁰ tn Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4; Ezek 27:12, 18.

²¹ tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.

²² tn Heb “gaze [at].”

²³ tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).

²⁴ tn The imperfects in this verse emphasize the attitude the psalmist maintains toward God’s law. Another option is to translate with the future tense, “I will find delight…I will not forget.”

²⁵ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural here.

²⁶ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²⁷ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.

²⁸ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.

²⁹ tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).

³⁰ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

³¹ tn Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.

³² tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”

³³ tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.

³⁴ tn Heb “roll away from upon me.” Some derive the imperatival form גַּל (gal) from גָּלָה (galah, “uncover,” as in v. 18), but here the form is from גָּלַל (galal, “roll”; see Josh 5:9, where חֶרְפָּה [kherpah, “shame; reproach”] also appears as object of the verb). Some, following the lead of a Dead Sea scroll (11QPs^a), emend the form to גֹּל (gol).

³⁵ tn Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר (davar) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב, see Ezek 33:30.)

³⁶ tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.

³⁷ tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

³⁸ tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”

³⁹ tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”

⁴⁰ tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”

⁴¹ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

⁴² tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).

⁴³ tn Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף (dalaf) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp, “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 44, 144.

⁴⁴ tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”

⁴⁵ tn The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30.

⁴⁶ tn Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5, where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)

⁴⁷ tn BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8).

⁴⁸ tn Or “cling to.”

⁴⁹ tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.

⁵⁰ tn Heb “the way of your statutes.”

⁵¹ tn Heb “and I will keep it to the end.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative. The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (’eqev) is understood to mean “end” here. Another option is to take עֵקֶב (’eqev) as meaning “reward” here (see Ps 19:11) and to translate, “so that I might observe it and be rewarded.”

⁵² tn The two prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.

⁵³ tn Or “make me walk.”

⁵⁴ tn Heb “for in it I delight.”

⁵⁵ tn Heb “turn my heart to your rules.”

⁵⁶ tn Heb “and not unjust gain.”

⁵⁷ tn Heb “Make my eyes pass by from looking at what is worthless.”

⁵⁸ tn Heb “by your word.”

⁵⁹ tn Heb “word.”

⁶⁰ tn Heb “which [is] for your fear,” that is, the promise made to those who exhibit fear of God.

⁶¹ tn Heb “my reproach that I fear.”

⁶² tn Or “for.”

⁶³ tn Or “righteousness.”

⁶⁴ tn Heb “and may your loyal love come to me.”

⁶⁵ tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions).

⁶⁶ tn Heb “according to your word.”

⁶⁷ tn Heb “and I will answer [the] one who insults me a word.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive (see v. 41).

⁶⁸ tn Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the Lord’s loyal love (vv. 41-42), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.

⁶⁹ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43).

⁷⁰ tn Or “forever and ever.”

⁷¹ tn Heb “and I will walk about in a wide place.” The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive gives a further consequence of the anticipated positive divine response (see vv. 43-44). Another option is to take the cohortative as expressing the psalmist’s request. In this case one could translate, “and please give me security.”

⁷² tn The series of four cohortatives with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive in vv. 46-48 list further consequences of the anticipated positive divine response to the request made in v. 43.

⁷³ tn Lifting the hands is often associated with prayer (Pss 28:2; 63:4; Lam 2:19). (1) Because praying to God’s law borders on the extreme, some prefer to emend the text to “I lift up my hands to you,” eliminating “your commands, which I love” as dittographic. In this view these words were accidentally repeated from the previous verse. (2) However, it is possible that the psalmist closely associates the law with God himself because he views the law as the expression of the divine will. (3) Another option is that “lifting the hands” does not refer to prayer here, but to the psalmist’s desire to receive and appropriate the law. (4) Still others understand this to be an action praising God’s commands (so NCV; cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

⁷⁴ tn The demonstrative “this” refers back to the hope just mentioned or forward to the statement in the second line concerning the promise’s power to revive. See the note on the word “me” at the end of the verse for further discussion.

⁷⁵ tn The hope generated by the promise (see v. 49b) brings comfort because (note “for” at the beginning of the line) the promise revives the psalmist’s spirits. Another option is to take כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the second line in the sense of “that,” in which case “this” refers to the promise’s power to revive.

⁷⁶ tn Heb “scoff at me to excess.”

⁷⁷ tn Heb “I remember your regulations from of old.” The prepositional phrase “from of old” apparently modifies “your regulations,” alluding to the fact that God revealed them to Israel in the distant past. Another option is to understand the prepositional phrase as modifying the verb, in which case one might translate, “I have long remembered your regulations.”

⁷⁸ tn Or “find comfort.”

⁷⁹ tn Heb “songs were your statutes to me.”

⁸⁰ tn Heb “in the house of my dwelling place.” Some take the Hebrew noun מָגוֹר (magor) in the sense of “temporary abode,” and see this as a reference to the psalmist’s status as a resident alien (see v. 19). But the noun can refer to a dwelling place in general (see Ps 55:15).

⁸¹ tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve to obey the law.

⁸² tn Heb “this has been to me.” The demonstrative “this” (1) refers back to the practices mentioned in vv. 54-55, or (2) looks forward to the statement in the second line, in which case the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the second line should be translated “that.”

⁸³ tn Heb “my portion [is] the Lord.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel (see Ps 16:5).

⁸⁴ tn Heb “I said.”

⁸⁵ tn Heb “to keep your words” (see v. 9).

⁸⁶ tn Heb “I appease your face.”

⁸⁷ tn Heb “according to your word.”

⁸⁸ tn Heb “my ways.”

⁸⁹ tn Heb “and I turn my feet toward.”

⁹⁰ tn Heb “I hurry and I do not delay to keep your commands.”

⁹¹ tn Heb “surround.”

⁹² tn The psalmist uses an imperfect verbal form to emphasize that this is his continuing practice.

⁹³ tn Heb “to all who fear you.”

⁹⁴ tn Heb “do good.”

⁹⁵ tn Heb “according to your word.”

⁹⁶ tn Heb “goodness of taste.” Here “taste” refers to moral and ethical discernment.

⁹⁷ tn Heb “for I believe in your commands.”

⁹⁸ tn Heb “before I suffered, I was straying off.”

⁹⁹ tn Heb “your word.”

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”

¹⁰¹ tn Heb “their heart is insensitive like fat.”

¹⁰² tn Heb “better to me [is] the law of your mouth than thousands of gold and silver.”

¹⁰³ tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.

¹⁰⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”

¹⁰⁶ tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.

¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”

¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”

¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”

¹¹⁰ tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”

¹¹¹ tn Heb “those who fear you.”

¹¹² tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”

¹¹³ tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.

¹¹⁴ tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.

¹¹⁵ tn Heb “saying.”

¹¹⁶ tn Or “even though.”

¹¹⁷ tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (no’d, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).

¹¹⁸ tn Heb “in the smoke.”

¹¹⁹ tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”

¹²⁰ tn Heb “for me.”

¹²¹ tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”

¹²² sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.

¹²³ tn Heb “according to.”

¹²⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹²⁵ tn Heb “of your mouth.”

¹²⁶ tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”

¹²⁷ tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”

¹²⁸ tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”

¹²⁹ tn Or “my suffering.”

¹³⁰ tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”

¹³¹ tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).

¹³² tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8).

¹³³ tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”

¹³⁴ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural.

¹³⁵ tn Heb “How smooth they are to my palate, your word, more than honey to my mouth.” A few medieval Hebrew mss, as well as several other ancient witnesses, read the plural “your words,” which can then be understood as the subject of the plural verb “they are smooth.”

¹³⁶ tn Heb “every false path.”

¹³⁷ tn Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural (“words”).

¹³⁸ tn Heb “[is] a lamp for my foot and a light for my path.”

¹³⁹ tn Heb “according to your word.”

¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “of my mouth.”

¹⁴¹ tn Heb “my life [is] in my hands continually.”

¹⁴² tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”

¹⁴³ tn Heb “I turn my heart to do.”

¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.

¹⁴⁵ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁴⁶ tn The psalmist has already declared that he observes God’s commands despite persecution, so here the idea must be “so that I might observe the commands of my God unhindered by threats.”

¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “according to your word.”

¹⁴⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.

¹⁵⁰ tn Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.

¹⁵¹ tn The Hebrew verb סָלָה (salah, “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15. Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15, suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”

¹⁵² tn Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”

¹⁵³ sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.

¹⁵⁴ sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.

¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “my flesh.”

¹⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew verb סָמַר (samar, “to tremble”) occurs only here and in Job 4:15.

¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “from fear of you.” The pronominal suffix on the noun is an objective genitive.

¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”

¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”

¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “my eyes fail for your deliverance.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See the similar phrase in v. 82.

¹⁶¹ tn Heb “and for the word of your faithfulness.”

¹⁶² tn Heb “do with your servant according to your loyal love.”

¹⁶³ tn or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁶⁴ tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.

¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the kaf (כ) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the lamed (ל) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.

¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “every false path.”

¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “the doorway of your words gives light.” God’s “words” refer here to the instructions in his law (see vv. 9, 57).

¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “it [i.e., the doorway] gives.”

¹⁶⁹ tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Pss 19:7; 116:6.

¹⁷⁰ tn The verb occurs only here in the OT.

¹⁷¹ tn Heb “according to custom toward the lovers of your name.” The “lovers of” God’s “name” are the Lord’s loyal followers. See Pss 5:11; 69:36; Isa 56:6.

¹⁷² tn God’s “word” refers here to his law (see v. 11).

¹⁷³ tn Or “redeem me.”

¹⁷⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”

¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “[with] flowing streams my eyes go down.”

¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “they”; even though somewhat generic, the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “you commanded [in] justice your rules.”

¹⁷⁹ tn or “zeal.”

¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “destroys,” in a hyperbolic sense.

¹⁸¹ tn Heb “your words.”

¹⁸² tn Heb “your justice [is] justice forever.”

¹⁸³ tn Or “truth.”

¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “find.”

¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”

¹⁸⁶ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁸⁷ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “my voice.”

¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “according to.”

¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “according to your custom.”

¹⁹¹ tn Heb “those who pursue.”

¹⁹² tn Or “truth.”

¹⁹³ tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

¹⁹⁴ tn Or “argue my case.”

¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “and redeem me.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).

¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “far from the wicked [is] deliverance.”

¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “according to your customs.”

¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”

¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “your word.”

²⁰⁰ tn Heb “the head of your word is truth, and forever [is] all your just regulation.” The term “head” is used here of the “sum total” of God’s instructions.

²⁰¹ tn Heb “and because of your instructions my heart trembles.” The psalmist’s healthy “fear” of the consequences of violating God’s instructions motivates him to obey them. See v. 120.

²⁰² tn Heb “like one who finds great plunder.” See Judg 5:30. The image is that of a victorious warrior who finds a large amount of plunder on the field of battle.

²⁰³ tn The number “seven” is use rhetorically to suggest thoroughness.

²⁰⁴ tn Heb “great peace [is] to the lovers of your law.”

²⁰⁵ tn Heb “and there is no stumbling to them.”

²⁰⁶ tn Heb “do.”

²⁰⁷ tn Heb “for all my ways [are] before you.”

²⁰⁸ tn Heb “may my cry approach before you.”

²⁰⁹ tn Heb “may my appeal for mercy come before you.”

²¹⁰ tn Heb “according to your speech.”

²¹¹ tn Heb “your word.”

²¹² tn The words “to obey” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.

²¹³ tn Heb “my life.”

²¹⁴ tn God’s regulations will “help” the psalmist by giving him moral and ethical guidance.

²¹⁵ tn Heb “I stray like a lost sheep.” It is possible that the point of the metaphor is vulnerability: The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path (see the second half of the verse, as well as v. 110).