John Calvin Commentary Psalms 119:134

"Redeem me from the oppression of man: So will I observe thy precepts." — Psalms 119:134 (ASV)

Deliver me from the oppression of men. When recounting what had befallen him, the Prophet shows, by his own example, that all the godly are exposed to plunder and oppression, and that, like sheep in the mouths of wolves, they will be inevitably destroyed unless God defend them. As very few are governed by the Spirit of God, it is no wonder if all love of equity is banished from the world, and if all people are found everywhere rushing into all kinds of wickedness, some impelled by cruelty, and others devoted to fraud and deceit.

When, therefore, the Prophet saw that he was overwhelmed on all sides with injuries, he turned to God as his deliverer. By the word deliver he intimates that, unless he is preserved in a wonderful manner, it is all over with him. In the second clause, he pledges that he will not prove ungrateful for his deliverance: And I will keep thy precepts. Nothing more effectually strengthens us in an earnest desire and endeavor to pursue integrity and righteousness than when we find by experience that God’s defense is of more value to us than all the unlawful helps to which worldly people resort.

We are taught from this passage that when engaged in conflict with the wicked, we ought not to allow our minds to be driven by malice, but that, however violently and unjustly they may assault us, we should rest, contented with the deliverance which God bestows, and with that alone; and again, that every instance in which we experience the grace of God in delivering us should be a spur to incite us to pursue uprightness.

He delivers us for no other purpose than that the fruits of our deliverance may be manifested in our lives; and we are too perverse if that experience is not sufficient to convince us that all who persevere in the unfeigned fear of God will always remain safe through His aid, although the whole world may be against them.