Psalms 119:15 — Word Study
WLCבְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ אָשִׂ֑יחָה וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃
BSAI will meditatesîyach [think deeply, ponder] on Your preceptspiqqûwd [commands, divine laws] and regardnâbaṭ [look carefully, show respect to] Your waysʼôrach [paths, journey of life]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ | on precepts your | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אָשִׂ֑יחָה | I will meditate | Verb, Qal, infinitive construct first person common singular |
| וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה | and I will pay attention to | Conjunction, verb hiphil infinitive construct first person common singular |
| אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃ | paths your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. |
| KJV | I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. |
| ASV | I will meditate on thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways. |
| YLT | In Thy precepts I meditate, And I behold attentively Thy paths. |
| WEB | I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways. |
| BBE | I will give thought to your orders, and have respect for your ways. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has one main clause and a conjunction leading to a second action, highlighting both meditation and attentiveness.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשִׂיחַ
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 119:15
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 Commandsgenerated
Psalm 119:15 emphasizes the psalmist's intention to meditate on God's precepts and to pay attention to His ways. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the significance of God's laws, where the psalmist finds joy and guidance. The surrounding verses also highlight the value of God's testimonies and statutes, reinforcing the theme of devotion to His word.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:23–48 | Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. |
| 2 | Psalm 1:2 | But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. |
| 3 | James 1:25 | But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. |
| 4 | Psalm 119:6–117 | Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ, be.fi.ku.Dei.chagenerated
The word פִּקּוּד (piqqud) refers to God's precepts or commandments, emphasizing their role as divine instructions. It is derived from a root meaning to appoint, indicating that these are mandates given by God. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the plural form, showing a collective understanding of multiple commandments.
This term captures the essence of God's guidance, as the psalmist commits to meditate on these precepts. The focus is not merely on knowledge but on a deep, reflective engagement with God's commands, which shapes the believer's life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses meditate and regard to convey the psalmist's intent.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main verbs: אָשִׂ֑יחָה (I will meditate) and אַבִּ֗יטָה (I will pay attention to). The structure indicates a parallelism that emphasizes both actions as integral to the psalmist's relationship with God.
The prepositional phrase בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ (on Your precepts) and the noun phrase אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ (Your ways) serve as objects of the verbs, highlighting the focus of meditation and attention.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ as σου, which means 'your.' This choice maintains the personal connection to God's commands but does not carry the specific connotation of 'precepts' found in the Hebrew.
The translation of אָשִׂ֑יחָה as ἀδολεσξήσω suggests a focus on speaking or discussing, which aligns with the act of meditation but expands the idea to include verbal reflection.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:15 expresses the psalmist's intention to think deeply about God's commands and to carefully observe His ways. This reflects a commitment to understanding and following God's guidance in life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To meditate on God's precepts means to think deeply about His commands and reflect on how they apply to one's life.
Regarding God's ways is important because it involves paying attention to how He guides us in our journey and living according to His principles.
Practical meditation on God's word can involve reading scripture slowly, reflecting on its meaning, and applying it to daily life.
Examples of God's precepts include the Ten Commandments and other laws found in the Bible that guide moral and ethical behavior.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some specific precepts of God that I can meditate on this week?
- How can paying attention to God's ways change my perspective on my daily life?
- In what ways can I incorporate meditation on scripture into my routine?
- How does understanding God's commands help me navigate challenges I face?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, reflecting on the importance of discussing God's commandments and respecting His ways.
"I will talk of Your commandments, and have respect unto Your ways" [Psalms 119:15].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will meditate in thy precepts,.... In his own mind; revolve them in his thoughts; consider well the nature, excellency, usefulness, and importance of them, and the obligations he lay under to observe them.
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways - those pleasing to thee (Hengstenberg).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI will diligently and seriously consider the nature, and design, and extent of thy precepts, and especially so far as they concern my own duty. Have respect unto thy ways; or, look unto them, as workmen constantly and carefully look to their rule to guide themselves by it.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.Ver. 15. I will meditate] Or, confabulate, talk freely of them, as worldlings do of their wealth, and ways to get it, αδολεσχησω (Sept.). And have respect unto thy ways] As an archer hath to his mark.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. I will meditate] 12. He should encourage self-examination and reflection; and meditate frequently on God's words, works, and ways-and especially on his gracious dealings towards him. 13. He should keep his eye upon God's steps; setting the example of his Saviour before his eyes, going where he would go, and nowhere else; doing what he would do, and nothing else; keeping the company that he would keep, and none else; and doing every thing in reference to the final judgment.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. thy ways] Or, paths (Jer. semitas), a different word from that in Psalms 119:1; Psalms 119:3; Psalms 119:5. It is for the most part a poetical word, and is used in Psalms 119:9; Psalms 119:101; Psalms 119:104; Psalms 119:128.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will meditate in thy precepts - I will think of them; I will find my happiness in them. See the notes at Psalms 1:2. And have respect unto thy ways - And look to thy ways - thy commands.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleá, Beth.9-16. After the general preliminary given in “Aleph,” the value of the divine word, as the guide of early life, is considered.
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 will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.
I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways.
I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.
I will meditate on your precepts and focus on your behavior.
Tyndale line
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
I will meditate on thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways.
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect to thy ways.
I will meditate in thy precepts, and consider thy waies.
Strictly literal
I will meditate upon thy precepts, and have respect unto thy paths.
In Thy precepts I meditate, And I behold attentively Thy paths.
I meditate on Your precepts, || And I attentively behold Your paths.
On thy precepts will I meditate, and direct my look unto thy paths.
I will meditate on your instructions and pay attention to your ways.
Simplified
I will think deeply about your teachings, and reflect on your ways.
I will give thought to your orders, and have respect for your ways.
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 words of the verse, with the Septuagint providing a direct correspondence in translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations, with one scroll supplying an entire word, but the essential meaning remains consistent across the witnesses.
בְּפִקֻּדֶ֥יךָ אָשִׂ֑יחָה וְ֝אַבִּ֗יטָה אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃
4 of the 4 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.
בפקודי׳ך אשיח ואביט [אורחותי׳ך]
3 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.
בפקודי׳כה אשיחה ואביטה אורחותי׳כה
4 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 119:15
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.
פִּקּוּד (piqqud) refers to a precept or mandate, specifically one that is appointed by God. It is derived from a root meaning to appoint and is used in a plural form to collectively denote commandments or statutes within the Law.
[פִּקּוּד] 24 n.m. precept
base
H6490 [פִּקּוּד] precept
6490 piqquwd pik-kood'
or piqqud {pik-kood'}; from 6485; properly, appointed, i.e. a
mandate (of God; plural only, collectively, for the
Law):--commandment, precept, statute.
see HEBREW for 06485
פִּקּוּד (piq.qud) — precept.
precept, statute
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
שִׂיחַ (siyach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to muse or complain, encompassing a range of actions such as talking, singing, and meditating. It can imply conversing with oneself or aloud, and includes nuances of pondering and declaring thoughts. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts of communication and reflection.
שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk (of)
Qal
complain
muse
talk (about), sing (of)
talk (with)
Pôl‛el meditate, consider
base
H7878 שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk of
7878 siyach see'-akh
a primitive root; to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse
(with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter:--
commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk
(with).
שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — to muse.
1) to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to complain
1a2) to muse, meditate upon, study, ponder
1a3) to talk, sing, speak
1b) (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts
V-Qal-1cs — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common singularHVqc1cs
נָבַט (nabat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to look or regard. It encompasses various nuances, such as looking intently, considering, and showing favor or care. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, specifically the Piel and Hiphil stems, which emphasize the act of looking or regarding. No significant disagreements among lexicons are noted.
[נָבַט] vb. Pi., Hiph. look
Pi. look
Hiph. look
base
H5027 נָבַט look
5027 nabat naw-bat'
a primitive root; to scan, i.e. look intently at; by
implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care:--(cause
to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.
נָבַט (na.vat) — to look.
1) to look, regard
1a) (Piel) to look
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) tolook
1b2) to regard, show regard to, pay attention to, consider
1b3) to look upon, regard, show regard to
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs — Conjunction · verb hiphil infinitive construct first person common singularHC/Vhc1cs
אֹ֫רַח (orach) means 'way' or 'path,' and can refer to both literal and figurative routes in life, including one's manner of living or character. It also denotes a traveler or wayfarer. The word is derived from a root meaning a well-trodden road, and it encompasses various aspects of life’s journey.
אֹ֫רַח n.m. way, path
lit.
fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life
fig. way, of mode of living, or character
by meton. traveller, wayfarer
base
H734 אֹ֫רַח way, path . lit.
. fig. path, way, of course & fortunes of life
. fig. way, of mode of living, or character
. by meton. traveller, wayfarer
734 'orach o'-rakh
from 732; a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively);
also a caravan:--manner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop,
(by-, high-)way.
see HEBREW for 0732
אֹ֫רַח (o.rach) — way.
1) way, path
1a) path, road
1b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.)
1c) way of living (fig.)
1d) traveller, wayfarer (meton)
Aramaic equivalent: o.rach (אֹ֫רַח "way" H0735)
N-cp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2ms