Psalm 119:125 kjv
I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Psalm 119:125 nkjv
I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.
Psalm 119:125 niv
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.
Psalm 119:125 esv
I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies!
Psalm 119:125 nlt
Give discernment to me, your servant;
then I will understand your laws.
Psalm 119 125 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 2:3-6 | "Yes, if you call out for insight... then you will understand the fear of..." | Seeking wisdom from God leads to understanding Him. |
| Prov 4:7 | "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom..." | Emphasizes wisdom as primary acquisition. |
| 1 Ki 3:9 | "Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people..." | Solomon's request for wisdom to serve effectively. |
| Ps 119:34 | "Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law..." | Similar plea for understanding for obedience. |
| Ps 119:73 | "Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding..." | Creator's work enables understanding His word. |
| Eph 1:17-18 | "spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him... enlighten..." | Paul's prayer for believers' spiritual understanding. |
| Col 1:9-10 | "...be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom..." | Knowledge of God's will enables worthy living. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God..." | Direct call to ask God for wisdom generously. |
| Dan 10:12 | "...your words were heard, and I have come because of your words." | Daniel's humility and desire for understanding. |
| Phil 2:7 | "...He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant..." | Christ's example of ultimate servanthood. |
| Rom 6:18, 22 | "...having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." | Believers as servants of righteousness and God. |
| 2 Pet 1:1 | "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ..." | Apostle identifying himself as a servant. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God..." | Spiritual truths require spiritual understanding. |
| John 6:45 | "...everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." | Divine teaching as source of coming to Christ. |
| Isa 54:13 | "All your children shall be taught by the LORD..." | God promises to teach His people. |
| Jer 9:24 | "...let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me..." | True boasting is in understanding God. |
| John 17:3 | "And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God..." | Eternal life is characterized by knowing God. |
| 1 John 2:3-5 | "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." | Knowing God leads to obedience to His commands. |
| Ps 119:104 | "Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." | Understanding God's word promotes discernment. |
| Ps 119:130 | "The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." | God's word itself imparts understanding. |
| Ps 119:169 | "Let my cry come before You, O LORD; give me understanding..." | A recurring plea for understanding God's word. |
| Deut 4:6 | "Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding..." | Obedience to God's law brings wisdom and understanding. |
| Matt 13:11 | "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom..." | Understanding spiritual mysteries is a divine gift. |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 125 Meaning
Psalm 119:125 expresses the humble plea of a believer who recognizes their absolute dependence on God. Professing their identity as God's loyal servant, the psalmist earnestly asks for divine understanding and spiritual discernment, specifically to grasp and intimately comprehend God's divine decrees and unchanging truths. This understanding is not for intellectual gain alone, but for deep, experiential knowledge that shapes life and obedience.
Psalm 119 125 Context
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, a comprehensive meditation on the excellence and sufficiency of God's law, precepts, statutes, commandments, testimonies, and decrees. Each stanza of eight verses begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 125 falls within the Samekh section (verses 121-128), which primarily focuses on the psalmist's unwavering commitment to God's ways despite opposition and oppression from the proud and wicked. The psalmist expresses deep anguish over those who forsake God's law and appeals to God's righteous judgment and redemptive power, while continuously seeking further instruction and enlightenment from the divine Word. This specific verse emphasizes the indispensable role of divine understanding in maintaining faithfulness in such a challenging environment.
Psalm 119 125 Word analysis
- I am: The Hebrew emphatic pronoun 'ʾānî (אָנִי) reinforces a personal and direct declaration, emphasizing the psalmist's individual identity and posture before God.
- Your servant: The Hebrew 'abdəḵā (עַבְדְּךָ) signifies more than a mere slave; it denotes a willing, devoted bondservant who belongs to and serves their master with loyalty and dependence. In this context, it speaks of a covenant relationship where the psalmist has wholly submitted to God's authority and purpose. This posture of committed servanthood is fundamental to receiving divine insight and favour.
- give me understanding: The imperative hăḇînenî (הֲבִינֵנִי) comes from the root bin (בין), meaning "to discern, perceive, comprehend, or gain insight." It is a plea for spiritual illumination and practical discernment to grasp the deeper meaning and implications of God's Word, enabling the psalmist to apply it rightly in life. This request is for more than intellectual comprehension; it is for a divinely granted capacity to wisely evaluate circumstances and act according to God's will.
- that I may know: The Hebrew wəʾēdʿâ (וְאֵדʿâ) is from the root yada' (ידע), which often denotes experiential, intimate, and relational knowledge, not merely intellectual knowledge of facts. It implies recognizing, acknowledging, obeying, and becoming intimately familiar with something. The purpose of understanding God's testimonies is not just theoretical but leads to deep, transformative, and active knowledge that impacts life and conduct.
- Your testimonies: The Hebrew ʿēḏōṯeḵā (עֵדֹתֶיךָ) refers to God's divinely appointed decrees, commands, or principles. They are His witnesses, revealing His character, will, and unchanging truths. They serve as reliable instruction and the basis for covenant life, demanding a response of trust and obedience from those who belong to Him.
Words-group analysis:
- "I am Your servant; give me understanding": This phrase establishes the foundational relationship and humble posture for the prayer. As God's devoted servant, the psalmist humbly acknowledges utter dependency on the Master, positioning himself to receive divine instruction and spiritual insight. It signifies that genuine spiritual understanding is rooted in allegiance and a submitted heart.
- "give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies": This links the means (divine understanding) with the specific, vital purpose (intimate, practical knowledge of God's word). The psalmist acknowledges that true, transformative comprehension of God's testimonies cannot be achieved by human intellect alone but requires a supernatural infusion of wisdom from God. The goal is not just information acquisition, but deep, relational acquaintance with divine truth leading to practical, obedient application.
Psalm 119 125 Bonus section
This verse highlights the deep personal relationship between the believer and God through His Word. The psalmist does not primarily ask for material possessions or worldly power, but for profound wisdom concerning the very essence of God's revelation. This emphasis on practical, spiritual discernment is a recurring theme in biblical wisdom literature, illustrating that true life and guidance are found in understanding and living according to divine instruction. The very structure of Psalm 119, with its sustained meditation on various facets of God's law, showcases a relentless pursuit of knowing God through what He has graciously revealed. The yearning for yada' knowledge of God's testimonies inherently suggests a desire for intimate fellowship with God Himself, as knowing His will leads to knowing Him.
Psalm 119 125 Commentary
Psalm 119:125 encapsulates the profound humility and dependence of a believer yearning for God's divine revelation. The declaration, "I am Your servant," is not merely a statement of status but a heartfelt posture of complete allegiance, willingness to obey, and reliance upon God. This humble submission forms the prerequisite for receiving spiritual discernment. The subsequent petition, "give me understanding," acknowledges that human wisdom alone is insufficient to grasp the profound, living truths of God's Word. This understanding (Hebrew: bin) goes beyond intellectual apprehension; it is a gift of spiritual insight, enabling one to discern God's will and apply His truth rightly to all of life's complexities. The ultimate aim is "that I may know Your testimonies" – an experiential, intimate, and transforming knowledge (Hebrew: yada') that translates into a life of faithful obedience to God's revealed will. In a world full of conflicting voices and deceptive pathways, the psalmist desires to be anchored in God's unchanging and authoritative testimonies, profoundly realizing the necessity of divine assistance to truly grasp and live them out.