Psalms 118:138
Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies: and thy truth exceedingly.
Open Psalms 118:138 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Mandasti justitiam testimonia tua, et veritatem tuam nimis.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐνετείλω δικαιοσύνην τὰ μαρτύριά σου καὶ ἀλήθειαν σφόδρα.
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 119:138
- צִ֭וִּיתָ צֶ֣דֶק עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ וֶֽאֱמוּנָ֥ה מְאֹֽד
Haydock's commentary
Truth. Thy laws are just and true in all respects, though we may not be able to discern it always, Romans ix. 20., and xi. 33. (Berthier)
God punishes the wicked in his justice, and rewards the just in his truth, or according to his promises. (Theodoret)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Tadze
136. Thus, then, as if giving a reason why he had cause to weep much, and to mourn deeply for his sin, he saith, “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and true is Thy judgment” ( ver. 137 ). “Thou hast commanded Thy testimonies, righteousness, and Thy truth exceedingly” ( ver. 138 ). This righteousness of God and righteous judgment and truth, is to be feared by every sinner: for thereby all who are condemned are condemned of God; nor is there one who can righteously complain against the righteous God of his own damnation. Therefore the tears of the penitent are needful; since if his impenitent heart were condemned, he would be most justly condemned. He indeed calleth the testimonies of God righteousness: for He proveth himself righteous by giving righteous commandments. And this is truth also, that God may become known by such testimonies.