This stanza marks the end of the first half of Psalm 119, and the psalmist closes the first half with what the NIV Study Bible says is a prayer.  In this prayer, the psalmist spends the first half focused on his weaknesses, then the second half calling on God to help him. The psalmist mentions his weaknesses: v. 81 – spiritual – his soul is longing for salvation v. 82 – emotional – his eyes are weak, like in v. 7. Where he uses the analogy of weakness eyes for longing deferred v. 83 – physical – wineskins weakened by (more…)