Psalms 119:24 — Word Study
WLCגַּֽם־ עֵ֭דֹתֶיךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֗י אַנְשֵׁ֥י עֲצָתִֽי׃
BSAYour testimoniesʻêdâh [divine laws, witness to Your character] are indeedgam my delightshaʻshuaʻ [joy, pleasure, enjoyment] [they are] myʻêtsâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| גַּֽם־ | also | Adverb |
| עֵ֭דֹתֶיךָ | testimonies your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֗י | [are] delight my | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | [the] people of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| עֲצָתִֽי׃ | counsel my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors. |
| KJV | Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. |
| ASV | Thy testimonies also are my delight And my counsellors. ד DALETH. |
| YLT | Thy testimonies also [are] my delight, The men of my counsel! |
| WEB | Indeed your statutes are my delight, and my counselors. DALETH |
| BBE | Your unchanging word is my delight, and the guide of my footsteps. DALETH |
Translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing the joy and guidance found in God's testimonies.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a predicate that elaborates on the subject.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 119:24
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 — The Value of God's Testimoniesgenerated
Psalm 119:24 is part of a meditation on the psalmist's reliance on God's laws, especially during times of slander and distress. The surrounding verses highlight the contrast between the psalmist's struggles and the comfort he finds in God's instructions, emphasizing the importance of divine guidance in daily life.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:16–77 | I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. |
| 2 | Job 27:10 | Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? |
| 3 | Jeremiah 6:10 | To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. |
| 4 | Psalm 119:97–100 | Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. |
| 5 | Psalm 19:11 | By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֵדֹתֶיךָ, 'E.do.tei.khagenerated
The word עֵדֹת (edot) refers to divine testimonies or witnesses, specifically God's laws and instructions. It is always used in the plural form, emphasizing the collective nature of God's guidance as a source of wisdom and direction.
In this verse, the psalmist declares that these testimonies are not just rules but are a source of delight and joy, indicating a deep personal connection to God's teachings.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses testimonies and counselors to convey the meaning of the Hebrew terms.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is implied in the structure, with the subject being עֵדֹתֶיךָ (your testimonies) and the predicates describing their qualities: שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי (my delight) and עֲצָתִי (my counselors).
The structure emphasizes the relationship between the psalmist and God's testimonies, showing how they bring both joy and guidance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֵדֹתֶיךָ as σου (your), indicating a direct connection to the divine source of the testimonies. This choice reflects the understanding of God's guidance as personal and intimate.
The Greek term used for שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי is not specified, but the translation captures the essence of delight, aligning with the Hebrew's emphasis on joy and pleasure.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:24 expresses the psalmist's joy in God's testimonies, which he sees as delightful and wise counselors. This reflects a deep appreciation for God's guidance in his life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist refers to God's laws and instructions, which serve as a witness to His character and guidance.
He finds joy in them because they provide wisdom and direction in his life, especially during difficult times.
They offer wise advice and guidance, helping the psalmist navigate challenges and make decisions.
It shows a personal relationship with God's laws, indicating that they are not burdensome but a source of joy.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I find joy in God's guidance in my own life?
- How can I better understand and appreciate the testimonies of God?
- What are some practical ways I can seek counsel from God's word?
- How does God's wisdom help me in times of trouble or confusion?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThy testimonies also [are] my delight,.... Or "delights" (x); exceeding delightful to me.
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. Thy testimonies also (are) my delight, (and) my counselors (Psalms 119:77; Psalms 119:92) - in opposition to the 'princes sitting' in council against me (Psalms 119:23).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMy delight; my chief comfort under all their censures and persecutions. My counsellors, to teach me how to carry myself under them.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:24 Thy testimonies also [are] my delight [and] my counsellors.Ver. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight] In mediis crucibus; to them I run as to my cordial; they are my pleasure and pastime. And my counsellors] My learned counsel, by whose advice I do all; here I am sure to find consolationem, et consultissimam directionem, counsel and comfort in all my necessities.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(24) Counsellors.—See margin. Instead of taking the princes of Psa 119:23 into counsel. he takes God’s testimonies.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 24. Thy testimonies also are - my counsellors.] אנשי עצתי anshey atsathi, "the men of my counsel." I sit with them; and I consider every testimony thou hast given as a particular counsellor; one whose advice I especially need. The Analysis will farther explain the particular uses of this part. ANALYSIS OF LETTER GIMEL. - Third Division In this division the psalmist - I. Reckons up the impediments he may meet with in endeavouring to keep God's law. II. Prays God to remove them. First impediment. A dead soul and a dull heart; and therefore he prays for grace that he may live and keep God's word. Second impediment. Blindness of understanding: "Open my eyes, that I may see wonders in thy…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. When he is scorned by men, he can still find delight in God’s law; though his enemies take counsel against him, he has counsellors to direct him in God’s statutes. The LXX seems to have read, and thy judgements are my counsellors, a reading which improves the structure of the verse.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThy testimonies also are my delight - See the notes at Psalms 119:16. He found his main happiness in the word of God.
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
Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.
Indeed your statutes are my delight, and my counselors. DALETH
Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.
Yes, I find delight in your rules; they give me guidance.
Tyndale line
Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Thy testimonies also are my delight And my counsellors. ד DALETH.
Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my counselors.
Also thy testimonies are my delite, and my counsellers.
Strictly literal
Thy testimonies also are my delight [and] my counsellors.
Thy testimonies also [are] my delight, The men of my counsel!
Your testimonies [are] also my delight, || The men of my counsel!
Also thy testimonies are my delight, my counsellors.
Your covenant decrees are my delight, and they are my counselors.
Simplified
Your laws make me happy—they are my wise advisors. Daleth
Your unchanging word is my delight, and the guide of my footsteps. DALETH
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 reads, "גַּֽם־ עֵ֭דֹתֶיךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֗י אַנְשֵׁ֥י עֲצָתִֽי׃" which translates to "Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, matches 4 of the 5 words in a different word order, indicating a general agreement in meaning but differing in structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls (11Q5) also align closely with the Masoretic Text, reading "גם עדוותי׳כה שעשוע׳י אנשי עצת׳י," which confirms the same sentiment and wording as the Masoretic Text, suggesting strong textual consistency across these ancient witnesses.
גַּֽם־ עֵ֭דֹתֶיךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֗י אַנְשֵׁ֥י עֲצָתִֽי׃
4 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.
גם עדוותי׳כה שעשוע׳י אנשי עצת׳י
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 119:24
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.
גַּם (gam) is an adverb meaning 'also' or 'moreover,' indicating addition or emphasis. It can express various nuances, such as 'even,' 'indeed,' or 'but.' The term is often used in a correlational manner, as in 'both...and.' It appears in contexts that require clarification or reinforcement of a statement.
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
base
H1571 גַּם denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
1571 gam gam
by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea,
though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--again, alike,
also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and , but, either...or,
even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover,
nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
גַּם (gam) — also.
1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea
1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis)
1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative)
1c) even (for stress)
1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax)
1e) also (of correspondence or retribution)
1f) but, yet, though (adversative)
1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case)
2) (TWOT) again, alike
DirObjM — AdverbHD
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
עֵדָה (edah) refers to 'testimony' or 'witness' and is noted for being used only in the plural form in the context of divine testimonies. It is derived from the feminine form of another Hebrew word, עֵד (ed), which also relates to witness. The entries consistently emphasize its technical sense in legal and religious contexts.
עֵדָה n.f. testimony, witness
base
[עֵדָה] n.f. only pl. MT testimonies
base
H5713a עֵדָה testimony, witness H5713b עֵדָה only pl. MT testimonies
5713 `edah ay-daw'
feminine of 5707 in its techn. sense; testimony:--
testimony, witness. Compare 5712.
see HEBREW for 05707
see HEBREW for 05712
עֵדָה (e.dah) — witness.
testimony, witness
עֵדָה (e.dah) — testimony.
always plural and always of laws as divine testimonies
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2ms
שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים (sha`shua`) refers to delight or enjoyment, derived from the root word for pleasure. It encompasses both the concept of delight itself and the objects that bring delight. The term appears in contexts that emphasize joy and satisfaction.
[שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים], שׁוּעִים– n.[m.]pl.intens. delight
base
H8191 [שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים], שׁוּעִים– delight
8191 sha`shua` shah-shoo'-ah
from 8173; enjoyment:--delight, pleasure.
see HEBREW for 08173
שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים (sha.shu.a) — delight.
1) delight, enjoyment
1a) delight
1b) object of delight
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bs
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עֵצָה (`etsah) refers to counsel or advice, and can also imply a plan or purpose. It is derived from a root meaning to advise or provide guidance. The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts related to providing counsel or making decisions.
עֵצָה n.f. counsel, advice
base
H6098 עֵצָה counsel, advice
6098 `etsah ay-tsaw'
from 3289; advice; by implication, plan; also
prudence:--advice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.
see HEBREW for 03289
עֵצָה (e.tsah) — counsel.
counsel, advice, purpose
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs