Psalms 119:131 — Word Study
WLCפִּֽי־ פָ֭עַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֹתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃
BSAI openpâʻar■ [wide, as in a big yawn] my mouthpeh and pantshâʼaph▸ [with eagerness, like a dog waiting to be fed] longingyâʼab△■ [to long for, with strong emotional response] for Your commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, divine instructions, teachings]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| פִּֽי־ | mouth my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| פָ֭עַרְתִּי | I opened wide | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה | and I panted ! | Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| כִּ֖י | for | Particle |
| לְמִצְוֹתֶ֣יךָ | for commandments your | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| יָאָֽבְתִּי׃ | I longed | 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 open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments. |
| KJV | I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. |
| ASV | I opened wide my mouth, and panted; For I longed for thy commandments. |
| YLT | My mouth I have opened, yea, I pant, For, for Thy commands I have longed. |
| WEB | I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for your commandments. |
| BBE | My mouth was open wide, waiting with great desire for your teachings. |
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, emphasizing the psalmist's eagerness and longing for God's commandments.
The sentence is structured around the main action of opening the mouth, with two actions that follow, creating a flow of eagerness and desire.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbפָּעַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 119:131
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 — Longing for God's Commandmentsgenerated
Psalm 119:131 expresses a heartfelt yearning for God's commandments, emphasizing the psalmist’s desire for divine guidance. This verse is nestled within a larger meditation on the significance of God's word, where the psalmist reflects on how God's teachings illuminate and guide life. The verses surrounding it, such as Psalm 119:130 and Psalm 119:132, further illustrate this theme of seeking understanding and mercy from God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:20 | My soul is consumed with longing for Your judgments at all times. |
| 2 | Psalm 42:1 | As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. |
| 3 | Isaiah 26:8–9 | Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls. |
| 4 | 1 Peter 2:2 | Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, |
| 5 | Psalm 119:40–162 | How I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — פָּעַר, Fa.'ar.tigenerated
The verb פָּעַר (*pa'ar*) means to open wide, particularly in reference to the mouth. It suggests a physical act of gaping or yawning, reflecting an eager anticipation. The parsing indicates it is a perfect tense verb, showing a completed action — the psalmist has already opened his mouth wide.
This word captures a sense of urgency and desire, as the psalmist is not merely opening his mouth but doing so with an intense longing for God's commandments. The imagery evokes a vivid picture of eagerness, akin to a dog waiting for food.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is פָּעַרְתִּי, I opened wide, which governs the actions that follow. The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject and two verb phrases that express the psalmist's actions: panting and longing.
The order emphasizes the psalmist's eagerness, with the opening of the mouth leading directly into the expression of longing for God's commandments.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates פָּעַר as ἤνοιχα, which means 'I opened'. This choice aligns with the literal meaning but does not carry the same imagery of eagerness found in the Hebrew.
The Greek word for 'pant' is πνεῦμα, which can imply breath or spirit, suggesting a deeper emotional connection to the longing expressed in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:131 shows the psalmist opening his mouth wide and panting, expressing a strong desire for God's commandments. This verse emphasizes how much the psalmist yearns for divine guidance and instruction.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is using the imagery of opening his mouth wide to express eagerness and anticipation for God's commandments.
Panting symbolizes a deep longing and desire, similar to how one might eagerly await something essential, like food.
God's commandments refer to the laws and teachings provided in Scripture that guide moral and ethical behavior.
This verse fits within a broader context of seeking understanding and guidance from God's word, as seen in the verses before and after it.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I express my longing for God's guidance in my life?
- How can I cultivate a deeper desire for God's commandments like the psalmist?
- What practices can help me open my heart and mind to God's teachings?
- How do I respond when I feel a strong desire for spiritual nourishment?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church commentary reflects on the psalmist's expression of longing for God's commandments, illustrating the spiritual significance of this verse.
This is confessed by this little one; "I opened my mouth," he says, "and drew in the spirit: for I longed for Your commandments" [Psalms 119:131].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:131 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI opened my mouth, and panted,.... As a person out of breath does, through walking or running; he stops and pants, and opens his mouth, to draw in air to his relief: or as hungry and thirsty persons
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments - (Psalms 119:20.) Compare Job 29:23; Psalms 42:1.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 131. I thirst after thy precepts, and pursue them eagerly, as it were with open mouth, ready and greedy to receive them. It is a metaphor from one that makes great haste after another, whereby he is forced to pant and to open his mouth for air to refresh himself.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.Ver. 131. I opened my mouth and panted] Heb. and sooped in the air, as one that laboureth for life. Oh the sighs and the groans that I incessantly breathed forth out of zeal to thy law! Oh the strong affections kindled on the hearth of my heart! for, I longed for thy commandments] The Septuagint renders it by επιποθεω, which signifieth a most vehement desire, impatient of delays. As one that runneth himself out of breath. Sitio propter legem sicut dracones propter pluviam, Job 29:1-25
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 131. I opened my mouth, and panted] A metaphor taken from an animal exhausted in the chase. He runs, open-mouthed, to take in the cooling air; the heart beating high, and the muscular force nearly expended through fatigue. The psalmist sought for salvation, as he would run from a ferocious beast for his life. Nothing can show his earnestness in a stronger point of view.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges131. I opened wide my mouth for the food of this illuminating informing instruction (Job 29:23; Psalms 81:10), and panted in my eagerness to receive it.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI opened my mouth and panted - All this is the language of deep emotion.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleô, Pe.129-136. Let not any iniquity have dominion over me—A sense of his own peril leads the writer to a still deeper, intenser longing for perfected holiness within himself.
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
I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments.
I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for your commandments.
I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments.
I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commands.
Tyndale line
I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
I opened wide my mouth, and panted; For I longed for thy commandments.
I opened wide my mouth, and panted; for I longed for thy commandments.
I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
I opened my mouth and panted, because I loued thy commandements.
Strictly literal
I opened my mouth wide and panted; for I longed for thy commandments.
My mouth I have opened, yea, I pant, For, for Thy commands I have longed.
I have opened my mouth, indeed, I pant, || For I have longed for Your commands.
I opened my mouth, and panted for breath; because for thy commandments did I long.
I open my mouth and pant, for I long for your commandments.
Simplified
With keen desire I long for what you have to say.
My mouth was open wide, waiting with great desire for your teachings.
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 and the Septuagint agree on the core wording of the verse, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment contains five words from the verse, indicating consistency in the text.
פִּֽי־ פָ֭עַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֹתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃
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.
פ׳י פערתי ואשאפה למצוותי׳כה תאבתי
5 words of the verse are on this fragment. The rest of the verse is not on it.
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 119:131
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 פֶּה (*peh*) means 'mouth' and encompasses various meanings, including the mouth of a person or animal, as well as openings or orifices. It can also refer to speech, edges, and portions. Additionally, it denotes a weight equal to one third of a shekel, found in 1 Samuel 13:21.
פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth
mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
external organ
much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
as laughing; panting
of God
of idols
of musical instr. = sound
of animals; hence of edge of sword
mouth = opening, orifice
extremity, end
= portion
with preps.
base
H6310 פֶּה mouth . . mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking
. external organ
. . much oftener, as organ of speech, of man
. as laughing; panting
. of God
. of idols
. of musical instr. = sound
. of animals
. mouth = opening, orifice
. . extremity, end
. = portion
. with preps.
6310 peh peh
from 6284; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether
literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically
edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition)
according to:--accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment,
assent, collar, command(-ment), X eat, edge, end, entry, +
file, hole, X in, mind, mouth, part, portion, X (should)
say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, X spoken, talk,
tenor, X to, + two-edged, wish, word.
see HEBREW for 06284
פֶּה (peh) — lip.
: lip/mouth
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: edge.
: edge
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
פֶּה (peh) — lip: word.
: word/command
peh
1) mouth
1a) mouth (of man)
1b) mouth (as organ of speech)
1c) mouth (of animals)
1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc)
1e) extremity, end pim
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
פָּעַר (pa`ar) is a primitive root meaning to open wide, particularly in reference to the mouth. It conveys the idea of gaping or yawning, both literally and figuratively. The entries consistently emphasize this notion of opening wide without any noted disagreements.
[פָּעַר] vb. open wide (the mouth)
base
H6473 [פָּעַר] open wide (the mouth)
6473 pa`ar paw-ar'
a primitive root; to yawn, i.e. open wide (literally or
figuratively):--gape, open (wide).
פָּעַר (pa.ar) — to open.
1) to open wide, gape
1a) (Qal) to gape
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
שָׁאַף (sha'aph) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to gasp or pant, often in a context of longing or desire, and to crush or trample. The word conveys both a sense of eager inhalation and a physical act of crushing. It appears in various forms, indicating both emotional and physical intensity.
שָׁאַף vb. gasp, pant, pant after, long for
base
[שָׁאַף] vb. crush, trample on
base
H7602a שָׁאַף gasp, pant, pant after, long for H7602b שָׁאַף crush, trample on
7602 sha'aph shaw-af'
a primitive root; to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover;
by implication, to be angry; also to hasten:--desire
(earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to long for.
1) to gasp, pant, pant after, long for, breathe heavily
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to gasp, pant after, snuff up
1a2) to gasp or pant (with desire), pant after, be eager for
1a3) to thirst for one's blood (from actions of animals) (fig)
שָׁאַף (sha.aph) — to crush.
1) to crush, trample, trample upon
1a) (Qal) to trample upon, crush
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffixHc/Vqw1cs/Sh
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
HTc — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.
מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment
base
H4687 מִצְוָה commandment
4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'
from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,
the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,
precept.
see HEBREW for 06680
מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.
1) commandment
1a) commandment (of man)
1b) the commandment (of God)
1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms
יָאַב (ya'ab) is a primitive root meaning to long or desire. It covers the action of yearning or having a strong wish for something. The term is noted in Psalm 119:131 and is identified as a late Aramaism.
[יָאַב] vb. long, desire—Qal ψ 119:131, late Aramaism.
ref
H2968 יָאַב
2968 ya'ab yaw-ab'
a primitive root; to desire:--long.
יָאַב (ya.av) — to long.
(Qal) to long, long for, desire
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
