Psalm 119:73 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

NIV: Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

NASB: Your hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, so that I may learn Your commandments.

CSB: Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I can learn your commands.

NLT: You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.

KJV: JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

NKJV: Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Psalm 119:73–80 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter yodh. Acknowledging God as Creator makes it easier to accept His discipline (Hebrews 12:6–11). The psalmist wants to more closely follow the Lord's Word. This demonstration of faith will encourage others who also believe in God. Psalm 139 also mentions themes such as being created by God.

This song is composed of twenty-two stanzas, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line in the stanza is an individual verse and each begins with the corresponding letter. The psalmist emphasizes study of God's Word in a variety of circumstances, including persecution, sadness, and rescue. Benefits of taking in the Word include a moral life, joy, wisdom, hope, peace, strength, and freedom. Those who interact with the Word of the Lord should respond with delight, careful study, and obedience.

This is the largest psalm in the book of Psalms. At 176 verses, Psalm 119 is longer than many books of the Old Testament and most books of the New Testament. The psalmist focuses on a proper relationship with God's Word and how those who follow the Lord face persecution. Ideas parallel those found in Psalm 1, 2 Timothy 3:14–17, Proverbs 3:5–8, Hebrews 12:6–11, and more. The psalm is arranged in twenty-two stanzas of eight lines each. Every stanza is associated with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; each line in that stanza begins with that letter.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 3:39:13 PM