Psalm 119:99 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

NIV: I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.

NASB: I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.

CSB: I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.

NLT: Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws.

KJV: I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

NKJV: I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:97–104 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter mem. In this passage, the psalmist celebrates the wisdom which comes from obeying God and studying His commands. Loyal adherence to the Word of God has led to life and success. This parallels Joshua 1:1–9 and Psalm 1. The same ideas are often expressed in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:7; 3:5–8; 8:34–36).

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 11:15:59 AM