Psalms 119:147 — Word Study
WLCקִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃
BSAI riseqâdam■ [before the dawning of the morning, anticipated the dawn] before dawnnesheph and cry for helpshâvaʻ▸ [shout for help, call out] in Your worddâbâr [Chronicles, things or matters, divine expression] I have put my hopeyâchal■ [waited, trusted, confident expectation, trust]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קִדַּ֣מְתִּי | I am early | Verb, Piel, perfect first person common singular |
| בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף | in the twilight | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה | and I cried for help ! | Verb piel sequential imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| לִדְבָרְךָ֥ | for word your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| יִחָֽלְתִּי׃ | I hope | Verb, Piel, perfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope. |
| KJV | I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. |
| ASV | I anticipated the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy words. |
| YLT | I have gone forward in the dawn, and I cry, For Thy word I have hoped. |
| WEB | I rise before dawn and cry for help. I put my hope in your words. |
| BBE | Before the sun is up, my cry for help comes to your ear; my hope is in your words. |
Where they part company is קִדַּ֣מְתִּי — see How Translations Differ.
The structure centers around the main actions of rising and crying out, with a concluding statement of hope in God's word.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָדַם
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 119:147
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 — A Prayer for Helpgenerated
Psalms 119:147 shows the psalmist rising early to seek God's help through prayer. This verse is part of a larger meditation on God's laws and faithfulness, emphasizing the importance of relying on divine guidance. The psalmist's routine of prayer highlights the connection between hope and the word of God, as seen in the surrounding verses that express a longing for salvation and understanding.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 5:3 | In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation. |
| 2 | Psalm 21:3 | For You welcomed him with rich blessings; You placed on his head a crown of pure gold. |
| 3 | Psalm 42:8 | The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life. |
| 4 | Psalm 88:13 | But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You. |
| 5 | Psalm 130:6 | My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning— more than watchmen wait for the morning. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָחַל, yi.Chal.tigenerated
The verb יָחַל (yachal) means to wait or hope, conveying a sense of expectation and trust. It is derived from a root that emphasizes patience in awaiting something desired. In this verse, it indicates the psalmist's confident reliance on God's word as a source of hope.
The parsing as a perfect first person common singular verb indicates that this hope is a completed action in the psalmist's life, reflecting a personal and ongoing trust in God's promises.
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 main verb קִדַּ֣מְתִּי (ki.Dam.ti), I rise, governs the sentence, with two phrases hanging off it: a prepositional phrase indicating the time of day and a verb phrase expressing the psalmist's action of crying out for help. The structure emphasizes the urgency of the psalmist's plea in the early hours.
The additional clause יִחָֽלְתִּי (yi.Chal.ti), I hope, concludes the thought, reinforcing the connection between the psalmist's actions and his trust in God's word.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, קִדַּ֣מְתִּי is rendered as προέφθασα (proephthasa), which suggests a similar meaning of going ahead or anticipating. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the psalmist's proactive approach to seeking God's aid.
The Greek term for יָחַל is not specified, indicating a potential difference in nuance between the Hebrew and Greek texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 119:147 shows the psalmist rising early to seek God's help through prayer. He expresses his hope in God's word, emphasizing the importance of trusting in divine guidance. This verse is part of a larger meditation on God's laws and faithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist indicates a commitment to seek God early in the day, prioritizing prayer and reliance on God's help.
The psalmist places his hope in God's word, showing trust in its promises and guidance.
Crying out for help reflects the psalmist's recognition of his need for divine assistance and his faith in God's ability to respond.
God's word represents truth, guidance, and assurance, serving as a foundation for the psalmist's hope and trust.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I prioritize seeking God in my daily routine?
- How can I cultivate a deeper trust in God's word as a source of hope?
- What are some specific prayers I can offer when I feel in need of help?
- How does understanding God's promises impact my perspective on challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers referenced this verse to illustrate themes of hope and reliance on God's word, as shown in the quotation from Augustine of Hippo.
"I have prevented in midnight," he says, "and have cried: In Your words have I trusted" [Psalms 119:147].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:147 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried,.... That is, he awoke and got up, and prayed, before the day broke, the morning looked forth, or the sun arose: he was early as well as earnest in
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 147. The dawning of the morning, Heb. the twilight, to wit, of the morning, by comparing . And so this word is used .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.Ver. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning] I was up and at it before daybreak. This is check to our sluggishness. I hoped in thy word] The word furnished his hope, and his hope his prayer.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersKOPH. (147) Prevented.—See Psalms 18:5; Psalms 79:8. The Authorised Version gives the sense, I was up before the morning.Dawning of the morning.—The Hebrew word means literally “breath,” and is used of the fresh breeze that blows both at sunset (Job 24:15; Proverbs 7:9) and sunrise (Job 7:4). Generally in our version rendered “twilight.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 147. I prevented the dawning] קדמתי kiddamti, "I went before the dawn or twilight."
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges147. In the earliest twilight did I cry for help, (While) I waited with hope for thy words. Lit. In the twilight I was beforehand and cried for help. With Psalms 50:2 cp. Psalms 119:74; Psalms 119:81; Psalms 119:114.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried - I anticipated it; I rose up to pray before the morning dawned.
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 rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.
I rise before dawn and cry for help. I put my hope in your words.
I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.
I am up before dawn crying for help. I find hope in your word.
Tyndale line
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
I anticipated the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy words.
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy words.
I came before the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
I preuented the morning light, and cried: for I waited on thy word.
Strictly literal
I anticipate the morning-dawn and I cry: I hope in thy word.
I have gone forward in the dawn, and I cry, For Thy word I have hoped.
I have gone forward in the dawn, and I cry, || I have hoped for Your word.
I come before thee in the dawn of morning, and cry: for thy word do I wait.
I rise before the dawn of the morning and cry for help. I hope in your words.
Simplified
I get up before dawn, and call out to you for help and put my hope in your word.
Before the sun is up, my cry for help comes to your ear; my hope is in your words.
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 of Psalms 119:147 reads, 'קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃', which translates to 'I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, maintaining the same concepts, although the Greek translation may reflect different word order and articles. There are no significant differences in the core message between these witnesses, indicating a strong consistency in this verse across these texts.
קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃
5 of the 5 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.
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 119:147
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.
קָדַם (qadam) is a verb meaning to meet or come in front of someone or something. It covers actions such as anticipating, leading, and confronting, with nuances in its Piel and Hiphil forms. The entries emphasize its use in contexts of meeting or preceding, but do not provide specific verse references.
[קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
base
H6923 [קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
6923 qadam kaw-dam'
a primitive root; to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence,
to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help):--come (go,
(flee)) before, + disappoint, meet, prevent.
קָדַם (qa.dam) — to meet.
1) to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to meet, confront, come to meet, receive
1a2) to go before, go in front, be in front
1a3) to lead, be beforehand, anticipate, forestall
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to come in front
1b2) to confront, anticipate
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singularHVpp1cs
ur'-li (orthros, and related words; proi):
The word generally refers to the day, and means the hour of dawn or soon after (Ge 19:2; 2Ch 36:15; Ho 6:4; Lu 24:22). Sometimes it refers to the beginning of the season, eg. the early rain (Ps 84:6; Jas 5:7; see RAIN). It may also have the sense of "speedily" (Ps 46:5). The early morning is frequently commended as the hour for prayer. See examples of Jesus (Mr 1:35; Lu…
נֶ֫שֶׁף (nesheph) refers to twilight, specifically the time of day when the evening breeze is felt. It encompasses both evening and morning twilight, indicating a transition period between day and night. The word is derived from a root that means 'breeze,' highlighting its connection to the atmospheric changes during these times.
נֶ֫שֶׁף n.m. twilight (prop. twilight-breeze)
evening twilight
morning twilight
base
H5399 נֶ֫שֶׁף twilight (prop. twilight-breeze) . evening twilight
. morning twilight
5399 nesheph neh'-shef
from 5398; properly, a breeze, i.e. (by implication) dusk
(when the evening breeze prevails):--dark, dawning of the day
(morning), night, twilight.
see HEBREW for 05398
נֶ֫שֶׁף (ne.sheph) — twilight.
1) twilight
1a) evening twilight
1b) morning twilight
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
twi'-lit (nesheph): The twilight of Palestine is of short duration, owing to the low latitude, there being scarcely more than an hour between sunset and complete darkness. It is a distinct boundary between daytime and the darkness. The people of Palestine still give the time of an event as so many hours before or after sunrise or sunset: "David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day" (1Sa 30:17), and "They rose up in the twilight to go" (2Ki 7:5). The word is evidenly used in the sense of darkness in "the stars of twilight" (Job 3:9) and "The adulterer waiteth for the twilight" (Job 24:15). the King James Version has "twilight" in
שָׁוַע (shava`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cry out, particularly for help. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of calling for freedom from trouble, used in a causative and reflexive sense. The entries consistently indicate its use in the Piel form to express a loud cry or shout.
[שָׁוַע] vb. Pi. cry out for help
base
H7768 שָׁוַע pi. cry out for help
7768 shava` shaw-vah'
a primitive root; properly, to be free; but used only
causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom
from some trouble):--cry (aloud, out), shout.
שָׁוַע (sha.va) — to cry.
(Piel) to cry out (for help), shout
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffixHc/Vpw1cs/Sh
With the sense of that which brings aid, support, or deliverance, "help" (noun and vb.) represents a large variety of words in Hebrew and Greek (noun 7, verb 16). A principal Hebrew word is `azar, "to help," with the corresponding nouns `ezer, `ezrah; a chief Greek word is boetheo (Mt 15:25; Mr 9:22,24, etc.). True help is to be sought for in Yahweh, in whom, in the Old Testament, the believer is constantly exhorted to trust, with the renouncing of all other confidences (Ps 20:2; 33:20; 42:5; 46:1; 115:9,10,11; 121:2; Isa 41:10,13,14, etc.). In Ro 8:26 it is said, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity," the verb here…
דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
sg. a word, words
sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
base
H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
. sg. a word, words
. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
1697 dabar daw-baw'
from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or
thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X
any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,
cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X
commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +
dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +
eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,
+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,
message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +
please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,
question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,
sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),
somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,
X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,
what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.
see HEBREW for 01696
דָּבָר (da.var) — word.
: word/speech/command
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.
: speaking
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.
: thing/matter
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.
: promised/duty
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.
: deed
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
יָחַל (yachal) is a Hebrew verb that means to wait, with implications of hope and patience. It has various forms: in the Niphal it means to wait, while in the Piel and Hiphil it conveys waiting for or hoping for something. The entries indicate a range of meanings related to expectation and trust.
[יָחַל] vb. Niph. wait; Pi. await
Niph. wait
Pi.
wait, tarry for
wait for = hope for
Hiph. wait, tarry
base
H3176 יָחַל Niph. wait; Pi. await
3176 yachal yaw-chal'
a primitive root; to wait; by implication, to be patient,
hope:--(cause to, have, make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry,
trust, wait.
יָחַל (ya.chal) — to wait: wait.
: wait[for_time]
1) to wait, hope, expect
1a) (Niphal) to wait
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait, await, tarry
1b2) to wait for, hope for
1c) (Hiphil) to wait, tarry, wait for, hope for
Also means: ya.chal (יָחַל ": hope" H3176H)
יָחַל (ya.chal) — to wait: hope.
: hope/trust
1) to wait, hope, expect
1a) (Niphal) to wait
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait, await, tarry
1b2) to wait for, hope for
1c) (Hiphil) to wait, tarry, wait for, hope for
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singularHVpp1cs
hop:
1. In the Old Testament:
In the Revised Version (British and American) the New Testament "hope" represents the noun elpis (52 t), and the verb elpizo (31 t). King James Version, however, renders the noun in Heb 10:23 by "faith," and for the verb gives "trust" in 18 cases (apparently without much system, e.g. in Php 2 compare 2:19 and 23; see TRUST), while in Lu 6:35 it translates apelpizo, by "hoping for nothing again" (the Revised Version (British and American) "never despairing"). But in the Old Testament there is no Hebrew word that has the exact force of "expectation of some good thing," so that in the King James Version "hope" (noun and vb.) stands for some 15 Hebrew words, nearly all of which in other places are given other translation (e.g. mibhTach, is rendered "hope"…
Hope
One of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Cor. 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Rom. 8:24; 1 John 3:2). “Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate the essence of Christianity (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Eph. 1:18; 4:4).” Unbelievers are without this hope (Eph. 2:12;
→ General scriptures concerning Ps 9:18; 16:9; 31:24; 33:18,22; 38:15; 39:7; 43:5; 71:5,14; 78:5-7; 119:74,81,116,166; 130:7; 146:5; Pr 10:28; 13:12; 14:32; 23:18; 24:14; Isa 38:18; Jer 17:7; La 3:21,24,26; Ho 2:15; Joe 3:16; Zec 9:12; Ac 23:6; 24:14,15; 26:7,8; 28:20; Ro 4:18; 5:2-5; 8:24,25; 12:12; 15:4,13;