Psalms 119:16 — Word Study
WLCבְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע לֹ֭א אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃
BSAI will delightshâʻaʻ▸ [take pleasure, find joy] in Your statuteschuqqâh [ordinances, divine decrees] I will notlôʼ [never, under no circumstances] forgetshâkach▸ [be oblivious to, mislay] Your worddâbâr [thing, matter, affair]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ | in statutes your | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע | I will delight myself | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect first person common singular |
| לֹ֭א | not | Particle |
| אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח | I will forget | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃ | word your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. |
| KJV | I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. |
| ASV | I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. ג GIMEL. |
| YLT | In Thy statutes I delight myself, I do not forget Thy word. |
| WEB | I will delight myself in your statutes. I will not forget your word. GIMEL |
| BBE | I will have delight in your rules; I will not let your word go out of my mind. GIMEL |
Where they part company is אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause expressing delight and a subordinate clause emphasizing the commitment to remember.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁעַע
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 119:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Meditation on God's Lawgenerated
Psalm 119:16 is part of a larger meditation on the importance of God's law and commandments. The psalmist emphasizes his commitment to delight in God's statutes and not forget His word, which is a theme throughout Psalm 119, reflecting a deep relationship with God and His teachings.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:14–24 | I rejoice in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches. |
| 2 | Psalm 40:8 | I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” |
| 3 | Romans 7:22 | For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. |
| 4 | Hebrews 10:16–17 | “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.” |
| 5 | Psalm 119:11–83 | I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ, be.chu.ko.Tei.chagenerated
The word חֻקָּה (chuqqah) refers to a statute or ordinance, often given by God to guide His people. This feminine noun indicates something that is prescribed, highlighting its legal and prescriptive nature. The parsing shows it as a construct form, linking it directly to the suffix meaning 'your', indicating possession.
In this verse, the psalmist's delight in God's statutes suggests a personal and joyful engagement with God's commands, which are seen as beneficial and life-giving.
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 of the verse is אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע, I will delight, which governs the overall sentiment of the statement. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the object of delight, and a negation that emphasizes the psalmist's commitment to remember God's word.
The structure shows a clear relationship between the joy in God's statutes and the resolve not to forget His word, highlighting the interconnectedness of delight and memory in the psalmist's spiritual life.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ is rendered as σου, indicating possession. This choice emphasizes the personal nature of the statutes as belonging to God, which enhances the intimacy of the relationship expressed in the verse.
The Greek word μελετήσω for אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע suggests a focus on careful consideration or meditation, which aligns with the psalmist's intent to engage deeply with God's law.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:16 expresses the psalmist's joy in God's statutes and his promise to remember God's word. This reflects a deep commitment to God's teachings and a desire to keep them in mind.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To delight in God's statutes means to take joy and pleasure in following His commands and understanding His laws.
Remembering God's word is crucial as it guides our actions and decisions, helping us live according to His will.
You can apply this verse by actively engaging with Scripture, finding joy in its teachings, and committing to remember and live by God's word.
Meditating on God's law can involve reading, reflecting, praying over the Scriptures, and seeking to understand how they apply to your life.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What brings you joy in your relationship with God?
- How can you make a habit of remembering God's word in your daily life?
- In what ways do you find delight in studying Scripture?
- How does understanding God's statutes impact your actions and decisions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers have commented on this verse, emphasizing the importance of meditation on God's law and the joy it brings.
Through this sweet exercise is gained also what he subjoins: "My meditation shall be in Your statutes, and I will not forget Your word" [Psalms 119:16].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will delight myself in thy statutes,.... In looking over them; in meditating on them; in obeying them, and walking according to them; as every good man does delight in the law of the Lord, after
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. I will delight myself in thy statutes - (Psalms 1:2.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.Ver. 16. I will delight myself] Deliciabor; the Arabic hath it, lectitabo leges tuas, I will oft read over thy laws. I will not forget] Men do therefore forget the word, because they delight not in it; they seldom forget where they lay their money.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. I will delight myself] The word is very emphatical: אשתעשע eshtaasha, I will skip about and jump for joy. 14. He must exult in God's word as his treasure, live in the spirit of obedience as his work, and ever glory in God, who has called him to such a state of salvation. 15. He must never forget what God has done for him, done in him, and promised farther to do; and he must not forget the promises he had made, and the vows of the Lord that are upon him. Any young man who attends to these fifteen particulars will get his impure way cleansed; victory over his sin; and, if he abide faithful to the Lord that bought him, an eternal heaven at last among them that are sanctified.…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will delight myself in thy statutes - I will find my happiness in thy laws. See Psalms 1:2, note; Psalms 112:1, note. I will not forget thy word - I will not allow the world to crowd it out of my mind.
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 delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
I will delight myself in your statutes. I will not forget your word. GIMEL
I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
I find delight in your statutes; I do not forget your instructions.
Tyndale line
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. ג GIMEL.
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
I will delite in thy statutes, and I will not forget thy worde.
Strictly literal
I delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.
In Thy statutes I delight myself, I do not forget Thy word.
I delight myself in Your statutes, || I do not forget Your word.
In thy statutes will I seek my delight: I will not forget thy word.
I delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Simplified
I will take pleasure in following your directions; I won't forget what you say. Gimel
I will have delight in your rules; I will not let your word go out of my mind. GIMEL
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 119:16 reads, "בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע לֹ֭א אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃" The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, as all five words match in their word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls present variations: 1Q10 and 4Q90 have words that are partly or fully restored by an editor, while 11Q5 closely aligns with the Masoretic Text, reading "בחוקי׳כה אשתעשע לוא אשכח דברי׳כה," which shows a slight difference in the second person suffix. Overall, the core message remains consistent across these witnesses, affirming the importance of delighting in God's statutes and not forgetting His word.
בְּחֻקֹּתֶ֥יךָ אֶֽשְׁתַּעֲשָׁ֑ע לֹ֭א אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח דְּבָרֶֽךָ׃
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.
[בחקת׳ך] [אשתעשע] [לוא] [אשכח] [דברי׳ך]
nothing on the leather here — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
בחוקותי׳ך אשתעשע לוא [אשכח] [דבר׳ך]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
בחוקי׳כה אשתעשע לוא אשכח דברי׳כה
5 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 119:16
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.
חֻקָּה (chuqqah) refers to a statute or ordinance, indicating something that is prescribed or enacted. It is a feminine noun derived from a related word, חֹק (choq), and encompasses meanings such as custom and limit. The entries consistently highlight its legal and prescriptive nature.
חֻקָּה 104 n.f. something prescribed, enactment, statute
base
H2708 חֻקָּה something prescribed, enactment, statute
2708 chuqqah khook-kaw'
feminine of 2706, and meaning substantially the
same:--appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.
see HEBREW for 02706
חֻקָּה (chuq.qah) — statute.
1) statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed
1a) statute
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms
שָׁעַע (sha`a`) has meanings related to both being smeared or blinded and taking delight or sport. It can describe the act of smearing eyes shut or delighting oneself in various activities. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical actions to emotional states, but do not present any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[שָׁעַע] vb. be smeared over, blinded
Qal Hithpalp. blind yourselves and be blind!
Hiph. and its eyes besmear!
base
[שָׁעַע] vb. Pilp., etc., sport, take delight in, delight
Pilp. the suckling shall sport on the cobra’s hole
Palp. upon the knees shall ye be fondled.
Hithpalp. in thy statutes will I delight myself
base
H8173a שָׁעַע be smeared over, blinded H8173b שָׁעַע sport, take delight in, delight
8173 sha`a` shaw-ah'
a primitive root; (in a good acceptation) to look upon (with
complacency), i.e. fondle, please or amuse (self); (in a bad
one) to look about (in dismay), i.e. stare:--cry (out) (by
confusion with 7768), dandle, delight (self), play, shut.
see HEBREW for 07768
שָׁעַע (sha.a) — to smear.
1) to be smeared over, be blinded
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be smeared over, be blinded
1a2) to smear eyes shut
1b) (Hiphil) to besmear (of eyes), smear over eyes
1c) (Hithpalpel) to blind oneself, be blinded
שָׁעַע (sha.a) — to delight.
1) to sport, take delight in
1a) (Pilpel) to sport, delight in, take delight in, delight oneself
1b) (Palpal) to be fondled
1c) (Hithpalpel) to delight oneself
V-f-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect first person common singularHVti1cs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word שָׁכַח (shakach) means 'to forget' and encompasses various nuances such as ignoring or ceasing to care. It can appear in different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), and Hiphil (to cause to forget). The entries highlight its primitive root nature and its usage in contexts where memory or attention is lacking.
שָׁכַח 102 vb. forget
Qal 86 forget
Niph. be forgotten
Pi. י׳ hath caused to forget
Hiph. to make my people forget my name
Hithp. they were forgotten in the city.
base
H7911 שָׁכַח forget
7911 shakach shaw-kakh'
or shakeach {shaw-kay'-akh}; a primitive root; to mislay,
i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention:--X
at all, (cause to) forget.
שָׁכַח (sha.khach) — to forget.
1) to forget, ignore, wither
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to forget
1a2) to cease to care
1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
1c) (Piel) to cause to forget
1d) (Hiphil) to make or cause to forget
1e) (Hithpael) to be forgotten
Aramaic equivalent: she.khach (שְׁכַח "to find" H7912)
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
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
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms