Psalms 20:4 — Word Study
WLCיִֽתֶּן־ לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־ עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃
BSAall yourkôl [every single one, everything]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִֽתֶּן־ | may he give | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לְךָ֥ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ | according to heart your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְֽכָל־ | and every | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| עֲצָתְךָ֥ | plan your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יְמַלֵּֽא׃ | may he fulfill | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. |
| KJV | Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. |
| ASV | Grant thee thy heart’s desire, And fulfil all thy counsel. |
| YLT | He doth give to thee according to thy heart, And all thy counsel doth fulfil. |
| WEB | May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel. |
| BBE | May he give you your heart's desire, and put all your purposes into effect. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing God's role in granting desires and fulfilling plans.
The sentence has two main clauses linked by 'and', indicating a dual request for both desires and plans.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָכַר
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 20:4
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 Victorygenerated
Psalm 20:4 is part of a prayer that seeks God's blessing on the one who is being addressed. The psalmist expresses a desire for God to remember the offerings made and to grant the desires of the heart, indicating a deep trust in God's provision. The surrounding verses also reflect themes of victory and divine assistance, as seen in Psalm 20:3 and Psalm 20:5.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 21:2 | You have granted his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah |
| 2 | Psalm 37:4 | Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. |
| 3 | Psalm 145:19 | He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. |
| 4 | Proverbs 11:23 | The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath. |
| 5 | Matthew 21:22 | If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִֽתֶּן־, yi.ten-generated
The verb יִֽתֶּן־ (yi.ten-) is an imperfect form of the root נָתַן (natan), meaning 'to give'. It conveys the action of granting or bestowing, with a wide application in both divine and human contexts. The verb is in the third person masculine singular, indicating a request directed towards God.
This verb is commonly used in prayers and blessings throughout the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing God's role as a giver and provider. In this context, it reflects the psalmist's hope that God will fulfill the desires of the heart.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that God is asked to give the desires of the heart and to fulfill plans.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two finite verbs: יִֽתֶּן־ (may he give) and יְמַלֵּֽא׃ (may he fulfill), which govern the requests made in the prayer. The structure is straightforward, with the two requests linked by the conjunction וְ (and).
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the desires of the heart before the fulfillment of plans, highlighting the importance of inner longings in the psalmist's prayer.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb יִֽתֶּן־ is rendered as μνησθείη (may he remember), which introduces a slight interpretative shift, focusing on God's remembrance of the desires rather than a direct granting.
This choice reflects an understanding of divine favor as contingent upon God's remembrance of the individual's offerings and desires.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 20:4 expresses a prayer asking God to give the desires of the heart and to make all plans succeed. This reflects a deep trust in God's ability to fulfill personal longings and aspirations.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to seek God's help in fulfilling what is deeply longed for within a person's innermost being.
This verse illustrates the act of bringing personal desires before God, trusting Him to respond positively.
Success in plans signifies divine approval and guidance, indicating that one's goals align with God's will.
The verse shows that true fulfillment comes from God, who knows our hearts and can grant our deepest longings.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some desires of my heart that I can bring before God in prayer?
- How can I align my plans with God's will to ensure their success?
- In what ways have I experienced God's fulfillment of my desires in the past?
- How does trusting God with my plans change the way I approach my goals?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight its significance in prayer and divine favor, as seen in the writings of Augustine of Hippo.
" Diapsalma." The Lord render to You according to Your Heart [Psalms 20:4].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 20 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 20:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGrant thee according to thine own heart,.... Which is to see his seed, the travail of his soul, and to have the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand; to have all his people called, preserved, and
Read John Gill on Psalms 20 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGrant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. Grant thee. The gracious answer to this is joyfully acknowledged, Psalms 21:2.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 20 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAccording to thine own heart, i.e. that good success which thy heart desires. All thy counsels; thy present design for God, and for his and thy people.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 20:4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.Ver. 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart] David’ s heart was according to God’ s heart (otherwise this had not been a warrantable petition), and therefore might say (and the people on his behalf), as once Luther did, Fiat voluntas mea; mea, Domine, quia tua, Let my will be done; mine I say, Lord, because the same with thine. And fulfil all thy counsel] Answer thee, ad cardinem desiderii, as a Father expresseth it (Aug. Confess. l. 5, c. 8). Let it be unto thee even as thou wilt. Sometimes God doth not only grant a man’ s prayer, but fulfilleth his counsel; that is, in that very way, by that very means…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 20 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart] May God give thee whatsoever thou art setting thy heart upon, and accomplish all thy desires! This was probably the prayer of the high priest.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. according to thine own heart] The literal rendering of the Heb. The R.V. restores the more graceful rendering of P.B.V., thy heart’s desire; but the expression is a different one from that in Psalms 21:2. counsel] In the war. Cp. 2 Samuel 16:20; 2 Kings 18:20.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 20 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleGrant thee according to thine own heart - According to thy wishes; according to the desires of thy heart.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 20 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4. Grant thee according—The answer is acknowledged, Psalms 21:2. Fulfil all thy counsel— “All thy plans and measures in the war.”— Perowne.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 20 →The verse in English, compared — 17 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
May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel.
May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
May he grant your heart’s desire; may he bring all your plans to pass!
Tyndale line
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
Grant thee thy heart’s desire, And fulfil all thy counsel.
Grant thee thy heart’s desire, and fulfill all thy counsel.
Grant thee according to thy own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel.
And graunt thee according to thine heart, and fulfill all thy purpose:
Strictly literal
Grant thee according to thy heart, and fulfil all thy counsels.
He doth give to thee according to thy heart, And all thy counsel doth fulfil.
He gives to you according to your heart, || And fulfills all your counsel.
(20:5) May he grant thee according to thy own heart, and fulfill all thy resolves.
May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.
From the Latin
For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.
Simplified
May the Lord give you whatever you really want; may he make all your plans successful.
May he give you your heart's desire, and put all your purposes into effect.
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 largely agree, with five out of six words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but the essential meaning remains consistent with the Hebrew text.
יִֽתֶּן־ לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־ עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃
5 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.
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 20:4
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.
The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…
ךָּ (ka) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
לֵבָב (lebab) refers to the inner man, encompassing the mind, will, and heart. It highlights aspects like emotions, moral character, and conscience, often contrasting the inner self with the outer. The term is used primarily for humans and can also denote courage and appetites.
לֵבָב 251 n.m. inner man, mind, will, heart
seldom of things in the midst of the seas
usu. of men
the inner man in contrast with the outer
the inner man, indef. the soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
specific ref. to mind
spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions, determinations of the will
spec. ref. to conscience
spec. ref. to moral character
= the man himself
spec. as seat of appetites
spec. of seat of the emotions and passions
seat of courage
base
H3824 לֵבָב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the seas
. usu. of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer
. the inner man, indef. the soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
. specific ref. to mind
. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions, determinations of the will
. spec. ref. to conscience
. spec. ref. to moral character
. = the man himself
. spec. as seat of appetites
. spec. of seat of the emotions and passions
. seat of courage
3824 lebab lay-bawb'
from 3823; the heart (as the most interior organ); used also
like 3820:--+ bethink themselves, breast, comfortably,
courage, ((faint), (tender-)heart((-ed)), midst, mind, X
unawares, understanding.
see HEBREW for 03823
see HEBREW for 03820
לֵבָב (le.vav) — heart.
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, 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
Aramaic equivalent: le.vav (לְבַב "heart" H3825)
HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
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.
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
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)
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
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)
N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
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
HNcfsc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
מָלֵא (male') means 'to fill' or 'be full,' with applications ranging from literal filling to figurative uses like accomplishing or completing something. It appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances such as being satisfied or confirming. Notably, it can also refer to massing against someone.
מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill
Qal 99
be full, usu. c. acc. material
trans. fill
Niph.
be filled
be accomplished, ended
Pi.
fill
special uses are:
fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day
Pu. filled
Hithp. mass themselves against me
base
H4390 מָלֵא be full, fill .. be full, usu. c. acc. material
. trans. fill
. . be filled
. be accomplished, ended
. . fill
. special uses are:
. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day
. filled
. mass themselves against me
4390 male' maw-lay'
or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or
(intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally
and figuratively):--accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at
an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X
draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow,
fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume,
replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have
wholly.
מָלֵא (ma.le) — to fill.
1) to fill, be full
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be full
1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)
1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended
1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied
1b2) to be accomplished, be ended
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to fill
1c2) to satisfy
1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete
1c4) to confirm
1d) (Pual) to be filled
1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against
Aramaic equivalent: me.la (מְלָא "to fill" H4391)
HVpi3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singularHVpi3ms