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Psalms 119:116 — Word Study

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WLCסָמְכֵ֣נִי כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣ וְאֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וְאַל־ תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי מִשִּׂבְרִֽי׃

BSASustain meçâmak [uphold, support] as You promisedʼimrâh [according to Your word] that I may livechâyâh [have life, be revived] let me notʼal [do not allow me to] be ashamedbûwsh [disappointed, put to shame] of my hopesêber [expectation, confidence]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 116 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (mi.siv.Ri) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:116quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist asks God to sustain him according to His promise, so that he may live without shame.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a personal plea to God.
Where we areIn a section of Psalm 119 focused on the psalmist's reliance on God's word.
The hard wordסָמְכֵ֣נִי
Take awayThe psalmist's hope is anchored in God's faithfulness.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 119:116

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 — Psalms 119: A Prayer for Sustenancegenerated

115Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.
116Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes.
118You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain.

Psalm 119:116 is a heartfelt request from the psalmist for God’s support based on His promises. This verse is part of a larger meditation on the importance of God’s word and the psalmist's desire to live according to it. The surrounding verses express a commitment to obey God's commandments and a longing for divine assistance in times of trouble, as seen in Psalm 119:115 and Psalm 119:117.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 37:17–24For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
2Psalm 41:12In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.
3Psalm 63:8My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
4Psalm 94:18If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your loving devotion, O LORD, supports me.
5Isaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word סָמְכֵ֣נִי, sa.me.Khe.nigenerated

The verb סָמַךְ (samakh) means to support or uphold. It conveys the idea of leaning on or relying upon someone or something for strength. In this verse, the psalmist implores God to support him, emphasizing a deep dependence on divine assistance.

The imperative form indicates a strong request, showing urgency in the psalmist's plea. This reflects a relationship of trust, where the psalmist seeks to be upheld by God's promises, illustrating the importance of faith in sustaining life.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb סָמְכֵ֣נִי governs the main clause, which is followed by a purpose clause introduced by כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣ and a negative clause אַל־ תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי. This structure emphasizes the psalmist's plea for support and the conditions surrounding it.

The order of the Hebrew words places the request for sustenance first, highlighting its importance, while the subsequent clauses clarify the purpose and the psalmist's desire to avoid shame.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew סָמְכֵ֣נִי is rendered as μου (mou), meaning 'my.' This choice emphasizes the personal nature of the request, aligning with the psalmist's intimate appeal to God.

The translation of תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי as με (me) also maintains this personal focus, reinforcing the psalmist's plea against disappointment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:116 is a request from the psalmist for God to sustain him as promised, so that he may live without shame regarding his hope. This verse reflects a deep reliance on God's word and a desire for support in times of need.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to ask God to sustain me?

It means to seek God's support and strength in life, relying on His promises to uphold and help you.

Why is the psalmist concerned about being ashamed?

The psalmist fears disappointment in his hope, which is tied to his faith in God's promises.

How does this verse relate to God's promises?

The verse emphasizes the importance of God's faithfulness; the psalmist asks for sustenance based on what God has promised.

What can we learn from the psalmist's request?

We learn the value of relying on God for support and the importance of bringing our needs and hopes before Him.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need to ask God for support and sustenance?
  2. How can I strengthen my hope in God's promises during difficult times?
  3. What does it mean to me personally to not be ashamed of my hope?
  4. How can I encourage others to rely on God's promises as the psalmist does?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early church father Augustine of Hippo references this verse to discuss the importance of God's promises and sustaining faith.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
"O establish me according to Your word and I shall live: and let me not be disappointed of my hope" [Psalms 119:116].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:116 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Uphold me according unto thy word,.... In thy ways, that my footsteps slip not; in thine arms, and with the right hand of thy righteousness, from fainting and sinking under difficulties and

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live - Do not let me either be destroyed or seduced by the "evil-doers" (Psalms 119:115).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 116. Or, because of my hope, or confidence in thy promises, of the certainty whereof I have oft made my boast before others.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.Ver. 116. Uphold me according unto thy word] The promise is the soul’ s support. Turn we the palm and not the backside of the hand to this staff, leaning upon it, praying hard for the accomplishment of it, and then be content, though we can say but as that holy man, Mr Paul Bain, did: I thank God in Christ, sustentation I have, but suavities spiritual I taste not any. And let me not be ashamed of my hope] Let me not be defeated, disappointed, frustrated. This David knew he should not be (for spes in terrenis incerti nomen boni; spes in divinis nomen est certissimi, Hebrews 11:1 Romans…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 116. Uphold me] סמכני sammecheni, prop me up; give me thyself to lean upon.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

116. But in order to keep God’s commandments, he needs sustaining grace. Cp. Psalms 51:12; Psalms 3:5; Psalms 37:17; Psalms 37:24. be ashamed of my hope] Be disappointed and put to shame by the failure of my hope of deliverance. Cp. Psalms 119:166.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Uphold me - Sustain me in the trials and the temptations of life.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

ñ, Samek.113-120. My hiding place and my shield—The psalmist’s experience of perils has increased his confidence and strength. He now declares how little he is influenced by the example of evil doers. His heart is fixed.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Sustain me as you promised, so that I will live. Do not disappoint me!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live; And let me not be ashamed of my hope.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Uphold me according to thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Stablish me according to thy promise, that I may liue, and disappoint me not of mine hope.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Uphold me according to thy *word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Sustain me according to Thy saying, And I live, and Thou puttest me not to shame Because of my hope.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Sustain me according to Your saying, || And I live, and You do not put me to shame because of my hope.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Uphold me according to thy promise, that I may live, and let me not be made ashamed of my hope.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Sustain me by your word so that I may live and not be ashamed of my hope.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Support me, Lord, as you promised, so I can live. Don't let my hope turn into discouragement.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Be my support as you have said, and give me life; let not my hope be turned to shame.

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.

clauseverbסָמְכֵ֣sustainobjectנִיmeprepositional phrase · prepositionalכְaccordingnoun phraseאִמְרָתְtoךָ֣your.wordוְsoclauseverbאֶֽחְיֶ֑הthat.I.may.liveוְandclauseadverbialאַלdo.notverbתְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗putobjectנִיme.to.shameprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseשִּׂבְרִֽhopeיmy

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with the Septuagint providing a direct correspondence for each Hebrew word. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration in one manuscript, but the core of the text aligns with the Masoretic tradition.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

סָמְכֵ֣נִי כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣ וְאֶֽחְיֶ֑ה וְאַל־ תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִי מִשִּׂבְרִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
סָמְכֵ֣נִיμουכְאִמְרָתְךָ֣σουוְאֶֽחְיֶ֑הζήσομαιוְאַל־μὴתְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִיμεמִשִּׂבְרִֽי׃μου

6 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[סמכ׳ני] [כאמרת׳ך] [ואחיה] [ואל] תביש׳ני משבר׳י

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

סמכ׳ני כאמרת׳כה ואחיה ואל תביש׳ני ממשבר׳י

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.

Psalms 119:116סָמַךְsustain mesustain meסָמַךְאִמְרָהaccording taccording to woאִמְרָהחָיָהso I may liso I may liveחָיָהאַלand may notand may notאַלבּוֹשׁyou put to you put to shamבּוֹשׁשֵׂ֫בֶרfrom hope mfrom hope myשֵׂ֫בֶרשָׂבַרto inspectto inspectשָׂבַראֹמֶרwordwordאֹמֶרחָוָהto explainto explainחָוָהלֹאnotnotלֹאזְרוֹעַarmarmזְרוֹעַעָזַרto helpto helpעָזַרצָרַףto refineto refineצָרַףאָזַןto listento listenאָזַןצְדָקָהrighteousnrighteousnessצְדָקָהחָתַתto to be dto to be dismayחָתַתיָרֵאto fearto fearיָרֵאחָפֵרbe ashamedbe ashamedחָפֵרכָּלַםbe humiliabe humiliatedכָּלַם
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:116

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.

sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
סָמְכֵ֣נִיsa.me.Khe.ni sustain me H5564 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To support or lean on something, like a person or object, as seen in the Bible where God upholds his people. It means to hold something up or stand firm. This concept appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
uphold, support
Tyndale gloss
to support
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָמַךְ (samakh) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lean, lay, rest, or support. It encompasses various actions such as propping up, sustaining, and bracing oneself. The word appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating different nuances of support and sustenance. Notably, it is used in contexts that can be both favorable and unfavorable.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סָמַךְ 48 vb. lean, lay, rest, support

Qal 41

lean or lay hand upon

intrans. thy wrath hath rested upon me

support, uphold, sustain

Niph. reflex. support, or brace oneself

Pi. sustain (refresh, revive) me with raisin-cakes.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5564 סָמַךְ lean, lay, rest, support

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5564 camak saw-mak'

a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively);

reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or

unfavorable sense):--bear up, establish, (up-)hold, lay,

lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay

(self), sustain.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָמַךְ (sa.makh) — to support.

1) to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lean or lay upon, rest upon, lean against

1a2) to support, uphold, sustain

1b) (Niphal) to support or brace oneself

1c) (Piel) to sustain, refresh, revive

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sp1bs
sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣khe.'im.ra.te.Kha according to word your H565 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a threat or warning, often from God. It appears in the context of judgement or punishment. The KJV translates it as commandment, speech, or word.
Amplified meaning
according to Your word
Tyndale gloss
word
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִמְרָה (imrah) refers to an utterance, speech, or word, and can denote a word of God, including commands and promises. It also has a connotation of a threat, particularly in the context of divine judgment. The term is feminine and is derived from a related root, אֶמְרָה (emrah), which shares similar meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אִמְרָה] n.f. utternace, speech, word

base

[אֶמְרָה] n.f. id. [a.ea.ac] La 2:17.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H565a אִמְרָה utternace, speech, word H565b אֶמְרָה id. [565a]

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

565 'imrah im-raw'

or memrah {em-raw'}; feminine of 561, and meaning the

same:--commandment, speech, word.

see HEBREW for 0561

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִמְרָה (im.rah) — word.

1) utterance, speech, word

1a) word of God (command and promise)

אֶמְרָה (im.rah) — threat.

threat (of judgement from God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
וְאֶֽחְיֶ֑הve.'ech.Yeh so I may live H2421 Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
282× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Amplified meaning
have life, be revived
Tyndale gloss
to live
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָיָה 283 vb. live

Qal 203

live

be quickened, revive

Pi.

preserve alive, let live

give life

quicken, revive, refresh

Hiph.

preserve alive, let live

quicken, revive

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2421 חָיָה live .. live

. be quickened, revive

. . preserve alive, let live

. give life

. quicken, revive, refresh

. . preserve alive, let live

. quicken, revive

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2421 chayah khaw-yaw'

a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether

literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep

(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,

suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,

recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save

(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.

see HEBREW for 02331

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.

1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to live

1a1a) to have life

1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive

1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon

1a1d) to live (prosperously)

1a2) to revive, be quickened

1a2a) from sickness

1a2b) from discouragement

1a2c) from faintness

1a2d) from death

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to preserve alive, let live

1b2) to give life

1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh

1b3a) to restore to life

1b3b) to cause to grow

1b3c) to restore

1b3d) to revive

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to preserve alive, let live

1c2) to quicken, revive

1c2a) to restore (to health)

1c2b) to revive

1c2c) to restore to life

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
HC/Vqu1cs
sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
וְאַל־ve.'al- and may not H408 Conjunction · particle
724× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Amplified meaning
do not allow me to
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

408 'al al

a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified

negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,

nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing

(worth), rather than.

see HEBREW for 03808

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַל (al) — not.

1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)

1a) do not, let not (with a verb)

1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)

1c) not, no (with substantive)

1d) nothing (as substantive)

Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
תְּ֝בִישֵׁ֗נִיte.vi.She.ni you put to shame me H954 Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be ashamed is what this Hebrew word means, implying a feeling of guilt or disappointment. It is used to describe someone who is disconcerted or delayed, like in the story of Adam and Eve. Shame is a strong emotion.
Amplified meaning
disappointed, put to shame
Tyndale gloss
be ashamed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹשׁ (buwsh) is a Hebrew root meaning 'to be ashamed.' It encompasses feelings of shame, disappointment, and disconcertion. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to feel shame), Piel (to delay in shame), and Hiphil (to put to shame). The entries indicate a range of uses, from personal feelings of shame to actions that cause shame to others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹשׁ 109 vb. be ashamed

Qal

abs. feel shame

sq. מִן, be ashamed of, i.e. disconcerted, disappointed by reason of

with obj. I am ashamed to ask

Polel delay (in shame)

Hiph.

put to shame

put to shame

act shamefully

to be put to shame

be ashamed

Hithp. ashamed before one another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H954 בּוֹשׁ be ashamed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

954 buwsh boosh

a primitive root; properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to

be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or

delayed:--(be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with,

a-)shamed(-d), be (put to) confounded(-fusion), become dry,

delay, be long.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹשׁ (bush) — be ashamed.

1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to feel shame

1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of)

1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to put to shame

1c2) to act shamefully

1c3) to be ashamed

1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Juss-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhi2ms/Sp1bs
sustain me according to word your so I may live and may not you put to shame me from hope my
מִשִּׂבְרִֽי׃mi.siv.Ri from hope my H7664 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means hope or expectation, describing a sense of looking forward to something. It's about having a positive outlook and trusting in a good outcome. In the Bible, it's translated as hope.
Amplified meaning
expectation, confidence
Tyndale gloss
hope
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׂ֫בֶר (seber) is a Hebrew noun meaning 'hope.' It is derived from the root word referenced as H7663. The entries consistently define it as expectation or hope, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שֵׂ֫בֶר] n.m. hope

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7664 שֵׂ֫בֶר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7664 seber say'-ber

from 7663; expectation:--hope.

see HEBREW for 07663

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׂ֫בֶר (se.ver) — hope.

hope

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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