Psalms 119:174 (KJV)

What does Psalms 119:174 mean?

Psalms 119:174 describes a person who is still waiting for the LORD to bring help and rescue. At the same time, the speaker finds pleasure in the LORD’s instruction. The verse holds together a sense of need and a present source of joy.

The speaker addresses the LORD directly, making the verse part of a personal appeal. After asking for help in verse 173, the speaker describes both the depth of that desire and an affection for God’s law.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 119:174

• “salvation” — יְשׁוּעָה (yeshuʿah): The word can mean rescue or deliverance. Here it expresses the help the speaker hopes to receive from the LORD.
• “law” — תּוֹרָה (torah): The word can mean instruction or teaching as well as law. It gives a broader sense of what the speaker finds delightful than the English word “law” might suggest.
• “delight” — שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים (shaʿashuʿim): The word expresses pleasure or enjoyment. It shows that the speaker’s response to the LORD’s instruction is more than a sense of duty.

Why Psalms 119:174 matters

• The verse presents rescue as something the speaker is still looking for. “I have longed” gives the request an ongoing quality, rather than describing a rescue already completed.
• The delight is directed toward the LORD’s instruction itself. The speaker says “thy law is my delight,” placing that pleasure alongside the desire for help.