Psalm 119:172 kjv
My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Psalm 119:172 nkjv
My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Psalm 119:172 niv
May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous.
Psalm 119:172 esv
My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.
Psalm 119:172 nlt
Let my tongue sing about your word,
for all your commands are right.
Psalm 119 172 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Proclaiming God's Word from the Heart | ||
| Deut 6:7 | "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them..." | Speak God's words continually |
| Josh 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth..." | Meditation and speaking of the law |
| Ps 34:1 | "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." | Continuous praise/declaration |
| Ps 40:9-10 | "I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation..." | Proclaiming God's righteousness publicly |
| Ps 145:5 | "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works." | Meditation leading to speaking |
| Prov 18:21 | "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." | Power and responsibility of speech |
| Mt 12:34 | "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." | Heart-mouth connection |
| Lk 6:45 | "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good..." | Speech reflects inner condition |
| Rom 10:8-10 | "...the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart... with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." | Speaking forth belief for salvation |
| Heb 13:15 | "...let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips..." | Lips declaring praise to God |
| Righteousness and Perfection of God's Commandments/Law | ||
| Deut 4:8 | "...what great nation is there that has statutes and rules so righteous..." | God's laws are uniquely righteous |
| Neh 9:13 | "...and gave them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments." | God's law as good, true, righteous |
| Ps 19:7-9 | "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure..." | The perfection and righteousness of God's law |
| Ps 119:128 | "Therefore I consider all Your precepts concerning all things to be right..." | Acknowledging all precepts as right |
| Ps 119:137 | "Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments." | God's nature reflected in His judgments |
| Ps 119:142 | "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth." | Law's eternal truth from God's righteousness |
| Isa 45:19 | "...I speak righteousness, I declare things that are right." | God Himself speaks righteousness |
| Rom 7:12 | "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." | The divine moral quality of the law |
| Jas 2:8 | "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well..." | The Law embodies righteous love |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof..." | God's word is entirely reliable and perfect |
| Love for God's Word | ||
| Ps 1:2 | "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." | Delight in God's law |
| Ps 119:16 | "I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." | Delighting in God's statutes |
| Ps 119:97 | "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." | Deep affection for the law |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 172 Meaning
Psalm 119:172 expresses the psalmist's fervent resolve to declare and articulate God's word. This declaration flows from an internal conviction and profound understanding that every single one of God's commandments, His revealed instructions, are inherently righteous and perfectly aligned with divine justice and truth. It signifies an overflow of love and trust in the moral perfection of God's entire law, leading to joyful proclamation.
Psalm 119 172 Context
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and chapter in the entire Bible, consisting of 176 verses. It is an acrostic poem, meticulously structured such that each of its 22 eight-verse stanzas begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 172 belongs to the Tsade (צ) section. The entire Psalm is a sustained meditation and passionate prayer on the multifaceted nature and supremacy of God's word, expressed through various synonyms like law, statutes, precepts, commandments, rules, testimonies, and judgments. It is not merely a collection of rules, but the very revelation of God's character and will. The historical context reflects Israel's covenant relationship with God, where the Torah was the foundational guide for life, morality, and worship. For the psalmist, God's word is a source of light, wisdom, joy, strength, and comfort amidst trials, and ultimately the standard for all righteousness. This verse emphasizes the natural outflow of internal conviction regarding the perfection of God's law into outward testimony.
Psalm 119 172 Word analysis
- My tongue (לְשֹׁונִ֔י, lĕshoniy): The organ of speech. In Hebrew thought, the tongue/mouth is deeply connected to the heart, signifying not just vocalization but the outward expression of inner convictions. It suggests a personal and active commitment to declaring the truth learned.
- shall speak (תְּעָנֶֽה, tĕ‘āneh): From the verb ‘ānâ (עָנָה), meaning "to answer, respond, testify, declare, sing." This implies more than mere recitation; it's an active, deliberate declaration, a response to what the psalmist knows and believes about God's word. It can convey testimony or joyful proclamation.
- of thy word (אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ, ’imrātheḵā): Refers to God's spoken word, His divine utterance, often carrying the connotation of a promise or an explicit divine decree. It represents His communicated will and truth.
- for (כִּי, kiy): A causal conjunction, indicating the reason or ground for the preceding statement. It establishes a direct link between the righteousness of God's commandments and the psalmist's commitment to speak of His word.
- all (כָּל־, kol-): Emphasizes totality and universality. Not just some, but every single part or aspect of God's commands.
- thy commandments (מִצְוֹתֶ֥יךָ, miṣwōteykā): Refers to God's specific commands, injunctions, or divine precepts given to His people. This term highlights the binding and authoritative nature of God's will.
- are righteousness (צֶֽדֶק, ṣeḏeq): From the Hebrew word ṣedeq (צֶדֶק), meaning "righteousness, justice, rectitude, correctness." This is a foundational concept. It means God's commands are intrinsically just, morally perfect, and perfectly align with His holy character. They are not arbitrary rules but expressions of divine order and truth.
Words-group analysis
- My tongue shall speak of thy word: This phrase highlights the intentionality and overflow of the psalmist's heart. It's a declaration, a testimony, and a communication of divine truth. It implies a public and consistent advocacy for God's revealed will, moving beyond personal reflection to vocal affirmation.
- for all thy commandments are righteousness: This establishes the basis for the psalmist's unwavering commitment to declare God's word. The perfect and unassailable righteousness of God's entire body of commands gives absolute confidence to the one who proclaims them. It means His law is flawless, equitable, and good in every respect, stemming directly from God's righteous character.
Psalm 119 172 Bonus section
The placement of this verse towards the very end of Psalm 119, in the second-to-last section, signifies a climax of the psalmist's lifelong engagement with God's law. Having explored its various aspects – its guidance, comfort, truth, light, and power – he arrives at the unshakable conclusion that every facet of it is unequivocally righteous. This firm conviction then propels him to speak. It's an active rather than passive relationship with God's word. The phrase "are righteousness" is a predicate nominative in Hebrew, meaning the commandments are righteousness itself, not just possessing it. This emphasizes the intrinsic, fundamental nature of righteousness within God's entire body of laws.
Psalm 119 172 Commentary
Psalm 119:172 distills the core essence of the psalmist's relationship with God's word: a conviction that is so deep it demands vocal expression. The psalmist’s tongue will speak of God's word, not as a duty, but as an inevitable outcome of discerning its absolute perfection. The confidence to declare God's word stems from the understanding that "all Thy commandments are righteousness." This is a profound theological statement. It signifies that God's laws are not arbitrary dictates but perfectly righteous expressions of His divine nature. They embody truth, justice, and moral rectitude in every detail. This verse beautifully marries internal spiritual assurance with external verbal testimony, demonstrating that when the heart is thoroughly convinced of the purity and goodness of God’s instructions, the mouth will naturally bear witness. This speaks to the Christian's calling to boldly declare the gospel, rooted in the belief that God's plan of salvation, found in Christ, is the ultimate expression of His righteousness (Rom 1:16-17). Practically, it means our conversations should be shaped by our love for God's word and our confidence in its inherent truth and goodness.