It will be a while before I am able to get up more of the ideas I have for interpreting the Psalms, but this one can't wait.<br /><br />At this moment, I believe it is likely that Psalm 119 contains the words of Jesus as a 12 year old child.<br /><br />I realize that there are no translations that have been guided by such an assumption, and that may make it harder for you to see what I think I see. For example, where the word "prince" appears, it may not mean an officially recognized royal heir,  but leaders among the descendants of David in Nazareth.<br /><br />I think the context is the period of time after Jesus' visit to Jerusalem at the age of 12, when His enthusiasm got a little carried away, and he "went astray" like a lost sheep.  Since the words of this Psalm are the words of someone who was "small and despised," I assume that He had not yet had that significant growth spurt that normally is well underway in boys by age 14 or 15.  I also assume that His friends and siblings had a hard time dealing with His indisputable righteousness, and despised Him for it, even at that age.<br /><br />It does not matter to me whether or not Psalm 119 is 100% the words of David. I believe it it 100% applicable to Jesus, and it is Jesus that I want to know.<br /><br />This has been an extraordinary day.<br /><br />Richard