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Tehillim 119:33
הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה, דֶּרֶךְ חֻקֶּיךָ וְאֶצְּרֶנָּה עֵקֶב
horeni HASHEM derech chukeicha ve'etzrena ekev
Teach me, O HASHEM, the way of Your statutes; and I will observe [guard] it step by step.

"Teach me, O HASHEM, the way" that leads to knowledge "of Your statutes; and I will observe it step by step." A man will adhere to something he understands, more so than to something he does not understand.

The term עקב (literally a heel) denotes an end point. A corresponding interpretation thus says: "I will observe it" because of what follows in "the end (עקב)." I will observe the mitzvot for the reward this brings.

A similar interpretation says, "I will observe it to the end" of my life.

Alternatively, "I will observe it to the utmost."

"I will observe it for itself." The reward for keeping the mitzvot will be in the very keeping of the mitzvot. As Chazal have taught, the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself  (Avot 4:2).

The Midrash says, "Teach me, O Hashem, the way of Your statutes." What is "teach me"? David Hamelech said to the Almighty, "Do not tell me, here are the statutes before you, study them by yourself. Rather, You teach me! What is the "way"? You make a way for me! What is "I will observe it עקב"? Head the Torah "step (עקב) by step." Devote yourself to Torah study to the utmost! For if a man devoted himself to Torah study all his days, but then abandoned what was already in his possession, it is as if he had never devoted himself to Torah study. The same is true of all things. Compare it to an artisan who spent a long time making a lamp for his king, brought it to the palace, but then it broke in his hands. It is as if he had never labored at all!

- Me'am Lo'ez; Midrash

Tehillim 119:16
בְּחֻקֹּתֶיךָ אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח דְּבָרֶךָ
bechukoteicha eshtaasha lo eshkach devarecha
I will delight in Your statutes, I will not forget Your word.

I do not know the reasons for "Your statutes."  Yet is their observance a "delight" to me.  "I will not forget Your word" of admonition that "you shall keep My statutes" (VaYikra 19:19).

Another reading says: "I will occupy myself (eshtaasha) with Your statutes."  Similarly, it says, "At that day shall a man look to (yishe) his Maker" (Yeshayahu 17:7).

Some see this verse as expressing a plea.  David says:  Let me "delight in Your statutes" - let me know the reasons for them; so "I will not forget to keep Your word."

"I will delight in Your statutes."  Similarly, when a king hands over an item for safekeeping, the trustee of that item will be delighted.  His joy will keep him from misplacing it.

"I will delight in your statutes."  The mitzvot are meant to bring a person joy, provided he follows the median path in his observance of the Torah.  For "her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Mishlei 3:17).  Therefore, "I will not forget Your word" in all its wisdom.

Usually, when a person is involved in doing something that he does not understand, he derives no pleasure from his task.  But "I will" also "delight in Your statutes" whose reasons are unknown.  "I will not forget Your word," when You said: A statute have I established and a decree have I decreed.  You are not permitted to transgress My decrees!

Tehillim 119:1 - Tehillim 119:2 - Tehillim 119:3 - Tehillim 119:4 - Tehillim 119:5 - Tehillim 119:6 - Tehillim 119:7 - Tehillim 119:8 - Tehillim 119:9 - Tehillim 119:10 - Tehillim 119:11 - Tehillim 119:12 - Tehillim 119:13 -  Tehillim 119:14 - Tehillim 119:15


-MeAm Lo'ez

Tehillim 119:8  אֶת-חֻקֶּיךָ אֶשְׁמֹר אַל-תַּעַזְבֵנִי עַד-מְאֹד
et-chukeicha eshmor al-taazveni ad meod
I will observe Your statutes; do not forsake me utterly.

"I will observe Your statutes," therefore "do not forsake me utterly."

Although everything is in the hand of Heaven except fear of Heaven, I plead, "Do not forsake me utterly."  Rather give me some help to dispose my heart towards You.  You will help me, for when one comes to be purified, he is helped.

"There is no doubt how hard a person must strive and toil to be able to observe all of G-d’s commandments, for the Evil Urge prevention, the external influences preventing, suffering prevents them and all sorts of stumbling blocks will do all they can to prevent this person from guarding all the Commandments. Therefore, King David sings, that no matter what rises up against them he will do all he can to observe all of G-d’s Statutes.

However, he is not simply stating that he will observe G-d’s commandments, he is saying that he will strive to observe all the Commandments even with his Small Mind so that he will be blessed by G-d to be able to fulfill them with his Great Mind. He understands that the Commandments themselves will transform him from one who approaches G-d with his Small Mind into one who can attach to G-d with his Great Mind, however, the only way he will succeed is if, “do not forsake me.” (Ramchal)

Tehillim 119:7
Tehillim 119:6
Tehillim 119:5
Tehillim 119:4
Tehillim 119:3
Tehillim 119:2
Tehillim 119:1


MeAm Lo'ez
Ramchal