Psalms 119:61 (LSB)

Passage

The cords of the wicked have encircled me, But I have not forgotten Your law.

Nearby Context

Psalms 119:59 I thought upon my ways And I turned my feet to Your testimonies.

Psalms 119:60 I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

Psalms 119:61 The cords of the wicked have encircled me, But I have not forgotten Your law.

Psalms 119:62 At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your righteous judgments.

Psalms 119:63 I am a companion of all those who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "cords", "wicked", "encircled", and "forgotten". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "cords" and "wicked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 60's "I hastened and did not delay To..." into verse 62's "At midnight I shall rise to give...", so "cords" and "wicked" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "cords" and "wicked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.