John Calvin Commentary Psalms 119:148

"Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditate on thy word." — Psalms 119:148 (ASV)

My eyes have prevented the night watchers. The Psalmist here suggests that he was more diligently focused on meditating on the law of God than night watchmen were in keeping their watch.

Others believe that the verb שוח, suach, means to discourse. If this opinion is accepted, the meaning would be that the Prophet, not out of display but for the well-being of his brothers, was so eager to communicate instruction that he gave himself no rest.

The word meditate is, however, more appropriate in this context. Night is an unsuitable time for discussing the law of God; but at that time, when alone, he silently recalled what he had previously learned, so that he spent no part of the night without meditating on the law.