Psalm 119:100 kjv
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
Psalm 119:100 nkjv
I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.
Psalm 119:100 niv
I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
Psalm 119:100 esv
I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.
Psalm 119:100 nlt
I am even wiser than my elders,
for I have kept your commandments.
Psalm 119 100 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:6 | "Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding..." | Obedience to commands brings wisdom. |
| Josh 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; but you shall meditate in it..." | Meditating and obeying the Law brings success. |
| 1 Ki 3:12 | "Behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart..." | God grants understanding and wisdom. |
| Job 12:12 | "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding." | Acknowledges conventional source of wisdom. |
| Job 32:7 | "I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." | The expected source of wisdom through age. |
| Ps 19:7 | "The law of the Lord is perfect...making wise the simple." | God's law imparts wisdom to the unlearned. |
| Ps 119:98 | "You through Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies..." | Direct preceding context; wisdom from commands. |
| Ps 119:99 | "I have more understanding than all my teachers: for Your testimonies are my meditation." | Direct preceding context; wisdom from meditation. |
| Prov 2:6 | "For the Lord gives wisdom: out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." | Wisdom originates solely from God. |
| Prov 9:10 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." | Reverence for God leads to true wisdom. |
| Prov 13:15 | "Good understanding gives favor..." | Understanding linked to positive outcomes. |
| Prov 16:31 | "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." | Valuing elders, emphasizing righteous walk. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways..." | God's wisdom far surpasses human wisdom. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom...but let him...glory in this, that he understands and knows Me..." | True boasting is in knowing God, not human wisdom. |
| Dan 1:17 | "As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom..." | God grants wisdom supernaturally. |
| Jn 7:17 | "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine..." | Obedience leads to understanding of truth. |
| Rom 12:2 | "...that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." | Transformed mind discerns God's will. |
| 1 Cor 1:20-25 | "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" | God's wisdom makes worldly wisdom seem foolish. |
| 1 Cor 2:6-7 | "Howbeit we speak wisdom...yet not the wisdom of this world..." | God's wisdom is distinct from earthly wisdom. |
| Eph 1:17-18 | "...the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation..." | God gives spiritual wisdom and revelation. |
| 2 Tim 3:15-17 | "And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation..." | Scripture makes one wise for salvation and life. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God..." | God gives wisdom generously to those who ask. |
| 1 Jn 2:3 | "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." | Obedience as proof of knowing God. |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 100 Meaning
The verse proclaims that the psalmist's understanding, wisdom, and discernment surpass even that of those traditionally revered for their accumulated knowledge—the aged or elders. This profound insight and superior understanding are not due to inherent intellect or mere longevity but are directly attributable to his diligent and faithful obedience to God’s commands and statutes. Keeping God's precepts grants a deeper, spiritual clarity that transcends wisdom acquired through conventional human experience or age alone.
Psalm 119 100 Context
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, a meticulous acrostic poem composed of 22 eight-verse stanzas, each beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is wholly devoted to exalting God's Law (Torah), utilizing various synonymous terms such as "precepts," "statutes," "commandments," and "testimonies." Verse 100 is nestled within the Yodh (י) section (verses 97-104), continuing the psalmist's passionate affirmation of the Word's supremacy. The immediate preceding verses establish a pattern: verse 98 asserts God's commandments make him wiser than his enemies, and verse 99 declares he has more understanding than his human teachers. Historically, in ancient Israelite society, wisdom was deeply correlated with the experience of the elderly, revered for their longevity and accumulated knowledge. This verse does not disrespect the aged but challenges the source of ultimate wisdom, firmly positioning diligent obedience to God's divine precepts as yielding a profound, superior understanding beyond what mere human experience or conventional instruction can provide.
Psalm 119 100 Word analysis
- I understand: Hebrew: אבּינה (Avina). From the root בּין (bin), signifying "to discern, perceive, gain insight." This denotes more than intellectual acquisition; it points to a deep spiritual comprehension, enabling distinction between truth and error and grasping divine principles through revelation.
- more than: Hebrew: מ (min). This preposition indicates a comparison, translating to "from" or "than," establishing that the psalmist's understanding surpasses a specific standard.
- the ancients: Hebrew: זהקים (zkeinim). Derived from זקן (zaqen), referring to "elders" or "aged ones." In ancient societies, these individuals were highly esteemed as repositories of wisdom due to their vast life experience and tradition. The psalmist here declares a wisdom that transcends even this venerated source.
- because: Hebrew: כי (ki). A vital causal conjunction, explicitly linking the stated superior understanding to the action that follows. It underscores the direct reason and foundation for the psalmist’s profound insight.
- I keep: Hebrew: שׁמרתּי (shamarti). From שׁמר (shamar), meaning "to guard, observe, preserve, obey." This word conveys active, diligent, and meticulous adherence to God's commands, implying a conscious effort to safeguard and live by them, rather than mere theoretical acknowledgment.
- thy precepts: Hebrew: פקּדיך (pikkudeykha). From פקד (paqad), indicating "instructions, ordinances, charges, appointments." These are God’s divine mandates, seen as charges or directives entrusted to humanity, which demand faithful obedience and profoundly shape one's life. "Thy" refers specifically to God’s ownership.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "I understand more than the ancients": This bold declaration highlights a superior grasp of truth. It contrasts spiritual wisdom gained through divine revelation with the experiential knowledge often attributed to those with long lives. The psalmist is not boasting of natural intellect, but of insight stemming from a divine source, providing discernment and spiritual perception that age alone cannot bestow. This implicitly positions divine wisdom above human conventional wisdom.
- "because I keep thy precepts": This crucial phrase reveals the foundational cause for the psalmist's exceptional understanding. It's a direct causal link: the act of "keeping" (obeying, guarding, preserving) God's commands is the indispensable means by which such profound understanding is obtained. This underscores that true understanding is not merely intellectual; it profoundly arises from practical, diligent, and obedient application of God's Word in one's daily life, demonstrating accessibility of divine wisdom through devoted living regardless of chronological age.
Psalm 119 100 Bonus section
- This verse stands as a profound declaration of the superiority of divine revelation over human tradition. It doesn't dismiss the wisdom that comes with age but elevates a Spirit-illuminated understanding of God's Word as the preeminent source, potentially even surpassing that which is accumulated purely through natural life experience.
- The emphasis on "keeping" (shamar) denotes a comprehensive and dedicated engagement with God's Word. It implies a conscious commitment to guarding its truths, diligently observing its requirements, and consistently adhering to its principles, which fosters true spiritual intelligence and discernment.
- The concept echoed here aligns with New Testament teachings that spiritual truths are discerned spiritually, often appearing as foolishness to worldly wisdom (1 Cor 2:14, Matt 11:25). It suggests that simplicity in obedience can yield profound wisdom that perplexes the intellectually arrogant.
- In Hebrew thought, "understanding" (binah) signifies the ability to discern, to distinguish between right and wrong, true and false. This practical, discerning wisdom is directly correlated with one's practical application and obedience to God's Law.
Psalm 119 100 Commentary
Psalm 119:100 articulates a pivotal truth: profound spiritual understanding flows directly from faithful obedience to God's Word. The psalmist's claim of superior wisdom over that of elders is not an act of arrogance, but a testimony to the transformative power of divine truth actively lived. While conventional human experience provides valuable insights, it cannot compare to the deep discernment and clarity found through diligently walking in God's ways. Keeping His precepts unlocks a spiritual intelligence, enabling navigation of life’s complexities with divine guidance. This illustrates that spiritual maturity and genuine insight are fruits of active faith and disciplined discipleship, not solely chronological age or human education. The verse encourages believers to prioritize God’s commands as the ultimate fount of spiritual understanding and discerning truth for life.