Псалми 119:148

българска библия

148 Очите ми предварят нощните стражи, За да размишлявам за Твоето слово.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

eyes: Psalms 119:62, Psalms 63:1, Psalms 63:6, Psalms 139:17, Psalms 139:18, Lamentations 2:19, Luke 6:12

the night watches: The ancient Jews divided the night into three watches of four hours each, beginning at six o'clock in the evening; before the last of which, "the day break," or "morning watch," as the LXX and Vulgate read, the Psalmist was awake.

Reciprocal: Psalms 16:7 - in the Psalms 55:17 - Evening Psalms 88:13 - and in Psalms 119:15 - meditate Psalms 119:45 - for I seek Proverbs 6:22 - General Proverbs 31:15 - riseth Acts 17:11 - and searched 1 Thessalonians 4:15 - prevent 1 Timothy 4:15 - Meditate

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches,.... The Targum is,

"the morning and evening watches.''

There were three of them; Kimchi interprets it of the second and third; the meaning is, that the psalmist was awake and employed in one religious exercise or another, praying, reading, or meditating; either before the watches were set, or however before the time that some of them took place, or at least before they were all over;

that I might meditate in thy word; he rose so early, in order to give himself up to meditation on the word of God; that he might be better instructed in the knowledge of divine things; that he might have solace and comfort from thence under his afflictions; and that he might be better furnished for the work of prayer; for the more familiar the word of God is to us, the better able we are to speak to God in his own language.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mine eyes prevent the night watches - Luther renders this, “I wake up early.” The Hebrew word means a “watch” - a part of the night, so called from military watches, or a dividing of the night to “keep guard.” See the notes at Psalms 90:4. The idea of the psalmist here is, that he anticipated these regular divisions of the night in order that he might engage in devotion. Instead of waiting for their return, he arose for prayer before they recurred - so much did his heart delight in the service of God. The language would seem to be that of one who was accustomed to pray in these successive “watches” of the night - the early, the middle, and the dawn. This may illustrate what occurs in the life of all who love God. They will have regular seasons of devotion, but they will often anticipate those seasons. They will be in a state of mind which prompts them to pray; when nothing will meet their state of mind but prayer; and when they cannot wait for the regular and ordinary season of devotion - like a hungry man who cannot wait for the usual and regular hour of his meals. The meaning of the phrase, “mine eyes prevent,” is that he awoke before the usual time for devotion.

That I might meditate in thy word - See the notes at Psalms 1:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 119:148. Mine eyes prevent — קדמו kiddemu, "go before the watches." Before the watchman proclaims the hour, I am awake, meditating on thy words. The Jews divided the night into three watches, which began at what we call six o'clock in the evening, and consisted each of four hours. The Romans taught them afterwards to divide it into four watches of three hours each; and to divide the day and night into twelve hours each; wherein different guards of soldiers were appointed to watch. At the proclaiming of each watch the psalmist appears to have risen and performed some act of devotion. For a remarkable custom of our Saxon ancestors, Psalms 119:164.