Psalms 119:109 — Word Study
WLCנַפְשִׁ֣י בְכַפִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
BSAI constantly [take]tâmîyd [continually, always] my lifenephesh [soul, the essence of a person] in my handskaph [palm, the palm of the hand] yet I do notlôʼ [never] forgetshâkach■ [to mislay or be oblivious to] Your lawtôwrâh [instruction, guiding principles]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נַפְשִׁ֣י | life my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| בְכַפִּ֣י | [is] in hand my | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| תָמִ֑יד | continually | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ | and law your | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃ | I forget | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law. |
| KJV | My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. |
| ASV | My soul is continually in my hand; Yet do I not forget thy law. |
| YLT | My soul [is] in my hand continually, And Thy law I have not forgotten. |
| WEB | My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget your law. |
| BBE | My soul is ever in danger; but I still keep the memory of your law. |
Where they part company is תָמִ֑יד — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by adverbial and prepositional phrases, creating a clear structure that highlights the psalmist's commitment amidst danger.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁכַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 119:109
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Meditation on God's Lawgenerated
Psalm 119:109 is part of a larger meditation on the significance of God's law, where the psalmist acknowledges the constant threat to his life while affirming his commitment to God's teachings. This passage emphasizes the tension between personal risk and spiritual fidelity, similar to themes found in other psalms that reflect on divine guidance and protection, such as Psalm 119:105.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 12:3 | When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?” |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 19:5 | He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 20:3 | But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.” |
| 4 | Job 13:14 | Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands? |
| 5 | Romans 8:36 | As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נַפְשִׁ֣י, naf.Shigenerated
The word נַפְשִׁ֣י (*nafshi*) is a construct form of נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*), which broadly means 'soul' or 'living being.' It encompasses the essence of a person, including life, breath, and vitality. In this context, it signifies the psalmist's very life, indicating the seriousness of his situation as he places his life in jeopardy.
This word is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in contexts that highlight the connection between life and obedience to God's commands. The parsing as a noun in the construct state with a suffix indicates a personal possession, emphasizing the intimate relationship between the psalmist and his life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the word life for נַפְשִׁ֣י.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is שָׁכָֽחְתִּי, I forget, which governs the entire structure. The verse contains a noun phrase as the subject (נַפְשִׁ֣י), a prepositional phrase indicating location (בְכַפִּ֣י), and an adverbial phrase describing the frequency of the action (תָמִ֑יד). This structure emphasizes the psalmist's active engagement with God's law despite the risks he faces.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the psalmist's life and the continual nature of his commitment, highlighting the tension between danger and devotion.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the psalmist's נַפְשִׁ֣י is rendered as μου, meaning 'my.' This choice indicates a personal connection to the concept of life or soul, consistent with the Hebrew.
The Greek translation captures the essence of the Hebrew text while adapting it for a Greek-speaking audience, maintaining the focus on personal devotion.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:109 expresses the psalmist's determination to remember God's law even when his life is at risk. He acknowledges that he constantly holds his life in his hands, yet he does not forget the guiding principles of God's instruction.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates that the psalmist is aware of the dangers he faces, suggesting a willingness to risk his life for his faith and commitment to God's law.
The psalmist declares that he does not forget God's law, indicating that it remains central to his thoughts and actions, despite the threats he encounters.
God's law represents His guidance and moral direction for living, and for the psalmist, it is vital to maintain this focus even in perilous circumstances.
The psalmist's attitude encourages us to prioritize our commitment to God's teachings, even when faced with challenges or risks in our own lives.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I actively remember and apply God's teachings in my life?
- How can I remain steadfast in my faith when I face difficulties or dangers?
- What does it mean to me to hold my life in my hands in the context of my faith?
- How can I encourage others to prioritize God's law in their lives?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:109 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMy soul [is] continually in my hand,.... In the utmost jeopardy, always exposed to danger, ever delivered unto death; killed all the day long, or liable to be so: this is the sense of the phrase; see
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMy soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 109. In my hand; exposed to perpetual and extreme danger, as any precious and frail thing is which a man carrieth openly in his hand, whence it may easily fall or be snatched away by a violent hand. See the same or like phrase, .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:109 My soul [is] continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. Ver. 109. My soul (or life) is continually in my hand] i.e. Continually hazarded and ready to be laid down for righteousness’ sake. I am neither fond of life nor afraid of death in this case; I make no more of life than a child doth of his bird, which he carrieth in the palm of his hand held open. See Judges 12:3 Job 13:14. Yet do I not forget thy law] Notwithstanding all these dangers; nay, I love it, and like it so much the better, as those, Psalms 44:17 Romans 8:2-4, and that holy martyr who caught up the Revelation cast into the same fire with himself, and cried, O beata Apocalypsis, &c. Oh blessed…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(109) My soul.—For this figure of peril see Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 19:5, &c.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 109. My soul is continually in my hand] נפשי naphshi, my life; that is, it is in constant danger, every hour I am on the confines of death. The expression signifies to be in continual danger. So Xenarchus in Athenaeus, lib. xiii., c. 4: Εντῃχειριτηνψυχηνεχοντα, "having the life in the hand;" which signifies continual danger and jeopardy. There is some thing like this in the speech of Achilles to Ulysses, HOM. Il. ix., ver. 322: - Αιειεμηνψυχηνπαραβαλλομενοςπολεμιζειν· "Always presenting my life to the dangers of the fight." My soul is in thy hand, is the reading of the Syriac, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic; but this is a conjectural and useless emendation.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges109. ‘To put one’s life in one’s hand’ is a metaphor for hazarding it (Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21; Job 13:14), apparently because a treasure carried in the hand instead of being concealed is liable to be lost or snatched away. The reading of some MSS of the LXX in thy hands is doubtless a correction of a phrase which was not understood.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMy soul is continually in my hand - The Septuagint renders this, “My soul is always in thy hands,” but the Hebrew will not admit of this construction. The idea in the original is that his soul - his life - was always in jeopardy.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law.
My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget your law.
I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law.
My life is in continual danger, but I do not forget your law.
Tyndale line
My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
My soul is continually in my hand; Yet do I not forget thy law.
My soul is continually in my hand; yet do I not forget thy law.
My soul is continually in my hand: yet I do not forget thy law.
My soule is continually in mine hande: yet doe I not forget thy Lawe.
Strictly literal
My life is continually in my hand; but I do not forget thy law.
My soul [is] in my hand continually, And Thy law I have not forgotten.
My soul [is] in my hand continually, || And I have not forgotten Your law.
My life is in my hand continually: yet thy law do I not forget.
My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget your law.
Simplified
My life is always at risk, but I will not forget your law.
My soul is ever in danger; but I still keep the memory of your law.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads נַפְשִׁ֣י בְכַפִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃. The Septuagint matches five of the six words closely, indicating a strong agreement between the two texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, confirming the integrity of the verse.
נַפְשִׁ֣י בְכַפִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
נפש׳י בכפ׳י תמיד תורת׳כה לוא שכחתי
6 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:109
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
כַּף (kaph) refers to the hollow or flat part of the hand, including the palm and the sole of the foot. It can also denote power and is used to describe various hollow objects, such as bowls or handles. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to the shape and function of hands and feet, as well as items that are hand-shaped.
כַּף 192 n.f. hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
base
H3709 כַּף hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
3709 kaph kaf
from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an
animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling,
the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree);
figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle,
(-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.
see HEBREW for 03721
כַּף (kaph) — palm.
: palm/hand
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: sole.
: sole/paw
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: dish.
: dish/socket
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
תָּמִיד (tamiyd) refers to continuity or perpetuity, often used adverbially to mean continually or constantly. It is derived from a root meaning to stretch, indicating indefinite extension. The term is also associated with the regular daily sacrifice in the Old Testament, emphasizing its constant nature.
תָּמִיד n.m. continuity
earliest and oftenest as adv., continually
as subst.
base
H8548 תָּמִיד continuity . earliest and oftenest as adv., continually
. as subst.
8548 tamiyd taw-meed'
from an unused root meaning to stretch; properly, continuance
(as indefinite extension); but used only (attributively as
adjective) constant (or adverbially, constantly); ellipt. the
regular (daily) sacrifice:--alway(-s), continual
(employment, -ly), daily, ((n-))ever(-more), perpetual.
תָּמִיד (ta.mid) — continually.
1) continuity, perpetuity, to stretch
1a) continually, continuously (as adverb)
1b) continuity (subst)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law
instruction
law (prop. direction)
custom, manner
base
H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction
. law (prop. direction)
. custom, manner
8451 towrah to-raw'
or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,
especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.
see HEBREW for 03384
תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.
1) law, direction, instruction
1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
1a1) body of prophetic teaching
1a2) instruction in Messianic age
1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction
1a4) body of legal directives
1b) law
1b1) law of the burnt offering
1b2) of special law, codes of law
1c) custom, manner
1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word שָׁכַח (shakach) means 'to forget' and encompasses various nuances such as ignoring or ceasing to care. It can appear in different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), and Hiphil (to cause to forget). The entries highlight its primitive root nature and its usage in contexts where memory or attention is lacking.
שָׁכַח 102 vb. forget
Qal 86 forget
Niph. be forgotten
Pi. י׳ hath caused to forget
Hiph. to make my people forget my name
Hithp. they were forgotten in the city.
base
H7911 שָׁכַח forget
7911 shakach shaw-kakh'
or shakeach {shaw-kay'-akh}; a primitive root; to mislay,
i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention:--X
at all, (cause to) forget.
שָׁכַח (sha.khach) — to forget.
1) to forget, ignore, wither
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to forget
1a2) to cease to care
1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
1c) (Piel) to cause to forget
1d) (Hiphil) to make or cause to forget
1e) (Hithpael) to be forgotten
Aramaic equivalent: she.khach (שְׁכַח "to find" H7912)
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs