Psalms 119:169 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my cry come near before thee - This is really a fine image; it is of frequent occurrence, and is little heeded. Here the psalmists cry for deliverance is personified; made an intelligent being, and sent up to the throne of grace to negotiate in his behalf. He pursues this prosopopoeia in the next verse and sends his supplication in the same way. I have already had occasion to refer to a similar figure in Homer, where prayers are represented as the daughters of Jupiter. See on Psalms 88:2 (note).