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Psalms 119:34 — Word Study

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WLCהֲ֭בִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תֽוֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכָל־ לֵֽב׃

BSAGive me understandingbîyn [cause me to have, help me to understand, insight, discernment] that I may obeynâtsar [keep, watch over] Your lawtôwrâh [instruction, Torah] and follow itshâmar [observe, keep with diligence] with allkôl [everything, my whole being] my heartlêb [inner self, feelings, will, and intellect]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 34 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Lev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:34quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist asks God for understanding to obey His law wholeheartedly.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a personal plea to God.
Where we areIn the context of a prayer for guidance and obedience.
The hard wordהֲ֭בִינֵנִי
Take awayUnderstanding is essential for true obedience.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 119:34

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 Understanding and Obediencegenerated

33Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end.
34Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.
35Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight.
36Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain.

Psalm 119:34 is part of a larger meditation on the importance of God's law and the psalmist's desire to understand it fully. The verses surrounding this request emphasize the need for divine guidance in following God's commandments, highlighting the relationship between understanding and obedience. This prayer reflects a deep yearning for insight that leads to a life aligned with God's will.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 119:73Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding to learn Your commandments.
2Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
3Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
4Proverbs 2:5–6then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
5John 7:17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word הֲ֭בִינֵנִי, Ha.vi.ne.nigenerated

The word הֲ֭בִינֵנִי (Ha.vi.ne.ni) is a hiphil imperative form of the verb בִּין (biyn), meaning to understand or discern. It conveys a request for help in gaining insight, indicating that true understanding is a gift from God.

This verb emphasizes the necessity of divine assistance in comprehending God's laws. The psalmist recognizes that understanding is not merely intellectual but requires spiritual insight, which is essential for obedience.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations generally agree on the request for understanding.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of a main clause and two subordinate clauses. The finite verb הֲ֭בִינֵנִי (give me understanding) governs the entire request, with the subsequent clauses detailing the purpose of the understanding sought.

The structure emphasizes the psalmist's plea for understanding as a prerequisite for obedience, illustrating the connection between knowledge and action.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הֲ֭בִינֵנִי as με (me), indicating a direct appeal for personal understanding. This choice highlights the individual nature of the psalmist's request.

The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the need for divine insight to follow God's law.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:34 is a prayer where the psalmist asks God to give him understanding so that he can obey God's law with his whole heart. This reflects a desire for deeper insight into God's instructions and a commitment to follow them diligently.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the psalmist mean by asking for understanding?

He is seeking divine insight to comprehend and apply God's law in his life.

Why is understanding important for obedience?

Understanding enables the psalmist to follow God's instructions thoughtfully and wholeheartedly.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of Psalm 119?

It emphasizes the importance of God's law and the need for divine help in understanding and obeying it.

What can we learn from the psalmist's request?

We can learn the value of seeking God's guidance in our pursuit of understanding and obedience.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I need God's understanding to obey His commands?
  2. How can I cultivate a heart that seeks to understand God's law more deeply?
  3. What steps can I take to ensure that I follow God's guidance with my whole heart?
  4. How does understanding God's law impact my daily decisions and actions?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, emphasizing the connection between understanding and keeping God's law with one's whole heart.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
"Give me understanding, and I shall search Your law, yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart" [Psalms 119:34].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law,.... A spiritual understanding; an understanding of the law, the perfection, purity, holiness, and spirituality of it; an understanding of the Gospel,

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Give me understanding - a frequent prayer of the godly (Psalms 119:73). The Lord alone giveth it (Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5.).

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with [my] whole heart.Ver. 34. Give me understanding] We can neither know nor do God’ s will without divine light and aid, as appears clearly by this fifth octonary, which, therefore, Austin made so great use of against the Pelagians.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 34. With my whole heart.] I will not trifle with my God, I will not divide my affections with the world; God shall have all.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33–40. Hç. A series of prayers for instruction guidance and strength.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law - Give me right views of it, of its nature and obligation.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

ä, He.33-40. Teach me… thy statutes—The trouble has passed, and entrance upon active and responsible life is contemplated. The writer sees the form of knowledge and of truth in the law.

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Give me understanding so that I might observe your law, and keep it with all my heart.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yes, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Giue mee vnderstanding, and I will keepe thy Law: yea, I wil keepe it with my whole heart.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Give me understanding, and I will observe thy law; and I will keep it with [my] whole heart.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Cause me to understand, and I keep Thy law, And observe it with the whole heart.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Cause me to understand, and I keep Your law, || And observe it with the whole heart.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law, and I will observe it with all [my] heart.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law; I will observe it with all my heart.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Help me to understand so I can be totally committed to doing what you want.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Give me wisdom, so that I may keep your law; going after it with all my heart.

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.

clauseverbהֲ֭בִינֵgiveobjectנִיme.understandingוְsoclauseverbאֶצְּרָ֥הthat.I.may.observenoun phrase · objectתֽוֹרָתֶ֗lawךָyourוְandclauseverbאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥soobjectנָּהthat.I.may.keep.itprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְwithnoun phraseכָלallלֵֽב[the].heart

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 align closely, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, indicating some textual preservation, but the core message remains consistent across witnesses.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

הֲ֭בִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תֽוֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכָל־ לֵֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֲ֭בִינֵנִיμεוְאֶצְּרָ֥הἐχερευνήσωתֽוֹרָתֶ֗ךָσουוְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּהαὐτὸνבְכָל־ὅλῃלֵֽב׃καρδίᾳ

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q10a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[הבינ׳ני] [ואצרה] תורת׳ך ואשמר׳נה [בכל] [לב]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Psalms 119:34בִּיןgive undersgive understandבִּיןנָצַרso let me oso let me obserנָצַרתּוֹרָהlaw yourlaw yourתּוֹרָהשָׁמַרso I may keso I may keep iשָׁמַרכֹּלwith allwith allכֹּללֵב[the] heart[the] heartלֵביָרָאto shootto shootיָרָאכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַללֵבָבheartheartלֵבָבחָכָםwisewiseחָכָםדַּ֫עַתknowledgeknowledgeדַּ֫עַתאֱמֶתtruth: faitruth: faithfulאֱמֶתבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןסֵ֫פֶרscroll: doscroll: documenסֵ֫פֶרכָּתַבto writeto writeכָּתַבמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתchargechargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהחָסֵרlackinglackingחָסֵר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:34

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.

give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
הֲ֭בִינֵנִיHa.vi.ne.ni give understanding me H995 Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To understand or discern, this verb means to separate mentally and know something with your mind, as seen in Proverbs where it talks about gaining insight.
Amplified meaning
cause me to have, help me to understand, insight, discernment
Tyndale gloss
to understand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בִּין (biyn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to discern or understand. It encompasses a range of meanings including perceiving, considering, and teaching, with various forms indicating different nuances, such as being intelligent or discreet. The entries highlight its use in contexts requiring mental separation or insight, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּין vb. discern

Qal

perceive

understand, know (with mind)

observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

have discernment, insight, understanding

Niph. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

Po. he attentively considereth him

Hiph.

understand

give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

give understanding, make understand, teach

Hithp.

shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

get understanding, understand

shew oneself to have understanding

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H995 בִּין discern .. perceive

. understand, know (with mind)

. observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

. have discernment, insight, understanding

. be intelligent, discreet, discerning, distinguish, have understanding

. he attentively considereth him

. . understand

. give heed to, attend to, observe, discern

. give understanding, make understand, teach

. . shew oneself attentive, consider diligently

. get understanding, understand

. shew oneself to have understanding

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

995 biyn bene

a primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish),

i.e.(generally) understand:--attend, consider, be cunning,

diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct,

have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be

prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause,

make to, get, give, have) understand(-ing), view, (deal)

wise(-ly, man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּין (bin) — to understand.

1) to discern, understand, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to perceive, discern

1a2) to understand, know (with the mind)

1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider

1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding

1b) (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to understand

1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach

1d) (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently

1e) (Polel) to teach, instruct

2) (TWOT) prudent, regard

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhv2ms/Sp1bs
give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
וְאֶצְּרָ֥הve.'e.tze.Rah so let me observe H5341 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to watch or guard something, like the Israelites watching over the Passover in Exodus 12:42 or God watching over his people in Psalm 121:4.
Amplified meaning
keep, watch over
Tyndale gloss
to watch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָצַר (natsar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to watch, guard, or keep. It encompasses a range of actions including protecting, preserving, and observing, as well as concealing or keeping secret. The entries suggest both positive and negative connotations, such as guarding from danger or hiding something. The term can also refer to a watchman.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָצַר] vb. watch, guard, keep;—Qal

Watch, guard, keep

Guard from dangers, preserve

Guard with fidelity, keep, observe

Guard, keep secret

Keep close, blockaded

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5341 נָצַר watch, guard, keep . Watch, guard, keep

. Guard from dangers, preserve

. Guard with fidelity, keep, observe

. Guard, keep secret

. Keep close, blockaded

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5341 natsar naw-tsar'

a primitive root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect,

maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.):--

besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe,

preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָצַר (na.tsar) — to watch.

1) to guard, watch, watch over, keep

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to watch, guard, keep

1a2) to preserve, guard from dangers

1a3) to keep, observe, guard with fidelity

1a4) to guard, keep secret

1a5) to be kept close, be blockaded

1a6) watchman (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
HC/Vqc1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ob-zurv' (representing various words, but chiefly shamar, "to keep," "to watch" etc.): Properly means "to take heed to," as in Isa 42:20, "Thou seest many things, but thou observest not" and from this sense all the usages of the word in English Versions of the Bible can be understood. Most of them, indeed are quite good modern usage (as "observe a feast," Ex 12:17, etc.; "observe a law" Le 19:37, etc.), but a few are archaic. So Ge 37:11, the King James Version "His father observed the saying" (the Revised Version (British and American) "kept the saying in mind"); Ho 13:7, "As a leopard .... will I observe them" (the…

give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
תֽוֹרָתֶ֗ךָto.ra.Te.kha law your H8451 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
219× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for instruction or law, referring to the Ten Commandments or the first five books of the Bible, guiding human behavior and moral code.
Amplified meaning
instruction, Torah
Tyndale gloss
instruction
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תּוֹרָה (towrah) encompasses concepts of direction, instruction, and law, particularly relating to divine or human guidance. It refers to legal directives, customs, and teachings, including the Decalogue and the Pentateuch. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, such as prophetic and priestly instruction, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תּוֹרָה n.f. direction, instruction, law

instruction

law (prop. direction)

custom, manner

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8451 תּוֹרָה direction, instruction, law . instruction

. law (prop. direction)

. custom, manner

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8451 towrah to-raw'

or torah {to-raw'}; from 3384; a precept or statute,

especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.

see HEBREW for 03384

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תּוֹרָה (to.rah) — instruction.

1) law, direction, instruction

1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)

1a1) body of prophetic teaching

1a2) instruction in Messianic age

1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction

1a4) body of legal directives

1b) law

1b1) law of the burnt offering

1b2) of special law, codes of law

1c) custom, manner

1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp2ms
give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּהve.'esh.me.Re.nah so I may keep it H8104 Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular · suffix
469× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To keep or obey means to protect, attend to, or guard something, like keeping a promise or watching over someone, as seen in the commands to observe the Sabbath.
Amplified meaning
observe, keep with diligence
Tyndale gloss
to keep: obey
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve

Qal 425

keep, have charge of

keep, guard, captives

hence, watch for, wait for

watch, observe

keep, retain, of storing up (food)

keep within bounds, restrain

observe, celebrate

keep sabbath

of other obligations

observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

sts. י׳ subj.

keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

Niph.

36be on one's guard

keep oneself, refrain, abstain

be kept, guarded

Pi. those paying regard to false vanities

Hithp. I kept myself from

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of

. keep, guard, captives

. hence, watch for, wait for

. watch, observe

. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)

. keep within bounds, restrain

. . observe, celebrate

. keep sabbath

. of other obligations

. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

. sts. י׳ subj.

. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest

. . be on one's guard

. keep oneself, refrain, abstain

. be kept, guarded

. those paying regard to false vanities

. I kept myself from

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8104 shamar shaw-mar'

a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),

i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,

be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,

look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save

(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.

: obey/observe

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

1a3) to watch for, wait for

1a4) to watch, observe

1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)

1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain

1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)

1a8) to keep, preserve, protect

1a9) to keep, reserve

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

1b3) to be kept, be guarded

1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed

1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.

: guard

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to keep, have charge of

1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life

1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular · suffix
HC/Vqu1cs/Sp3fs
give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
בְכָל־ve.khol- with all H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
everything, my whole being
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
give understanding me so let me observe law your so I may keep it with all [the] heart
לֵֽב׃Lev [the] heart H3820 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
595× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Leb refers to the heart, but also represents feelings, will, and intellect in the Bible. It is used figuratively to describe the center of something, and is often translated as heart or mind. Leb is a complex concept that encompasses emotions and thoughts.
Amplified meaning
inner self, feelings, will, and intellect
Tyndale gloss
heart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart

seldom of things in the midst of the sea

elsewhere of men

the inner man in contrast with the outer

the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

specific reference to mind

spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

spec. ref. to conscience

[various]

for the man himself

as seat of appetites

as seat of emotions and passions

seat of courage

base

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea

. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer

. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will

. specific reference to mind

. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will

. spec. ref. to conscience

. [various]

. for the man himself

. as seat of appetites

. as seat of emotions and passions

. seat of courage

H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3820 leb labe

a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very

widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;

likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,

consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),

(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X

heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X

themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,

wisdom.

see HEBREW for 03824

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵב (lev) — heart.

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

לֵב (lev) — Leb.

§ Leb- = "heart of"

(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hart (lebh, lebhabh; kardia): The different senses in which the word occurs in the Old Testament and the New Testament may be grouped under the following heads:

1. Various Meanings:

It represents in the first place the bodily organ, and by easy transition those experiences which affect or are affected by the body. Fear, love, courage, anger, Joy, sorrow, hatred are always ascribed to the heart--especially in the Old Testament; thus courage for which usually ruach is used (Ps 27:14); joy (Ps 4:7); anger (De 19:6, "while his heart is hot," lebhabh); fear (1Sa 25:37); sorrow (Ps 13:2), etc.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heart

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. “Heart” and “soul” are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case.

The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6;

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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