Psalms 119:87They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn't forsake your precepts.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~500 BC. Looking back on near-fatal persecution, the psalmist testifies to survival through faithfulness to God's word, possibly after exile or serious illness.
The emotion here: amazed at survival and grateful for God's word
The original word
azab (עָזַב) — to forsake, abandon completely; the psalmist refused total abandonment of God's ways
Why it matters
The phrase 'wiped from the earth' was common ancient language for complete annihilation of family lines
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 119:87
This is a survivor's testimony — looking back at how close death came while crediting God's word for keeping him anchored
Common misconceptionPeople think this promises escape from all hardship, but it's actually about staying faithful to God's word even when nearly destroyed.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 119:87
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 119:87 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 119:87 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include perseverance, faithfulness, survival. Notable phrases: almost wiped me from the earth; I didn't forsake your precepts. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Psalms 119:87 mean to you, today?
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