Psalms 119:87
in Psalms 119They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken Your precepts.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They had almost consumed me upon earth; But I forsook not thy precepts.
KJV
They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
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This verse in Psalms 119
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
My soul faints for Your salvation
on Psalms 119:81-88
The body gives out here: the soul faints, the eyes fail, the man is like a wineskin dried up by smoke. He asks how many days the servant must wait while the arrogant dig pits for him. What holds is the precepts he has kept.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
When the Church acted thus, She suffered what he hath added, "They had almost made an end of me upon earth" (ver. 87): a great slaughter of martyrs having been made, while they confess and preach the truth. But since it is not in vain said, "O help Thou me;" he addeth, "But I forsook not Thy commandments."
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They had almost consumed me upon earth,.... Almost destroyed his good name, wasted his substance, took away his crown and kingdom, and even his life; it was within a little of it, his soul had almost dwelt in silence; they had almost cast him down to the ground, and left him there.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
consumed me upon earth--HENGSTENBERG translates, "in the land"; understanding "me" of the nation Israel, of which but a small remnant was left. But English Version is simpler; either, "They have consumed me so as to leave almost nothing of me on earth"; or, "They have almost destroyed and prostrated me on the earth" [MAURER].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
"They had almost consumed me upon earth." His foes had almost destroyed him so as to make him altogether fail. If they could they would have eaten him, or burned him alive; anything so that they could have made a full end of the good man. Evidently he had fallen under their power to a large extent, and they had so used that power that he was well nigh consumed. He was almost gone from off the earth; but almost is not altogether, and so he escaped by the skin of his teeth.
"They had almost consumed me upon earth." His foes had almost destroyed him so as to make him altogether fail. If they could they would have eaten him, or burned him alive; anything so that they could have made a full end of the good man. Evidently he had fallen under their power to a large extent, and they had so used that power that he was well nigh consumed. He was almost gone from off the earth; but almost is not altogether, and so he escaped by the skin of his teeth. The lions are chained: they can rage no further than our God permits. The Psalmist perceives the limit of their power: they could only touch his earthly life and earthly goods. Upon earth they almost ate him up, but he had an eternal portion which they could not even nibble at. "But I forsook not thy precepts." Nothing could drive him from obeying the Lord. If we stick to the precepts we shall be rescued by the promises. If ill usage could have driven the oppressed saint from the way of right the purpose of the wicked would have been answered, and we should have heard no more of David. If we are resolved to die sooner than forsake the Lord, we may depend upon it that we shall not die, but shall live to see the overthrow of them that hate us.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They had almost consumed me - Had it not been for thy mercy, we had all been destroyed under this oppressive captivity.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They had almost consumed me upon earth - The word which is here translated “consumed” is the same which is used in Psa 119:81, and there rendered “fainteth.” See the notes at that verse. The idea is, that their persecutions had been so severe, and so long continued, that his strength was almost exhausted; he was ready to faint and to die. But I forsook not thy precepts - I still adhered to thee, even in the extremity of my suffering. The effect of persecution was not to drive me from thee, or to lead me to abandon thee. See Psa 119:61, note; Psa 119:69, note.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֭מְעַט | kimat | like a little | H4592 → | 101 times |
| כִּלּ֣וּנִי | kiluni | they have made an end of me | H3615 → | 208 times |
| בָאָ֑רֶץ | vaaretz | on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַ֝אֲנִ֗י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָזַ֥בְתִּי | ʾazavti | I have forsaken | H5800 → | 215 times |
| פִקֻּודֶֽיךָ׃ | fikuvdeicha | precepts your | H6490 → | 24 times |
כִּ֭מְעַטlike a little
kimatH4592 →101 times
כִּלּ֣וּנִיthey have made an end of me
kiluniH3615 →208 times
בָאָ֑רֶץon the earth
vaaretzH776 →2504 times
וַ֝אֲנִ֗יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
עָזַ֥בְתִּיI have forsaken
ʾazavtiH5800 →215 times
פִקֻּודֶֽיךָ׃precepts your
fikuvdeichaH6490 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
it leads to
- Luke 12:4–5
I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
- Isaiah 8:12–13
“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- James 4:12
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
- Romans 8:35–39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
- Luke 12:4–5
Through
Isaiah 58:2For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for…
it leads to
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Matthew 15:7–9
You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:
- Titus 1:16
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 119; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 6; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).