Psalms 119:160 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Thy word is true (from) the beginning - literally, 'the beginning of thy Word is truth,' in antitheses to the "enduring forever," in the future, in the next clause. So the Chaldaic, Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Syriac versions. Thy word has always been true "from the beginning:" and so also every one of thy righteous judgments (endureth) forever. "From the beginning" implies positively from the time when first it came to the knowledge of man; and by implication, from everlasting, as it shall be unto everlasting ("forever"). As in Psalms 119:159 he sought quickening on the ground of God's "loving-kindness," so here on the ground of His "truth." Cocceius and Hengstenberg take it, 'The sum of thy Word is true,' as in Numbers 26:2; Numbers 31:26. But the antithesis noticed above in the English version is thus lost; and the old versions support the English version. Also, if it were 'the sum,' the plural ought to follow-namely, 'of thy words,' not "word."

Psalms 119:160

160 Thy wordq is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.