Psalm 119 47

Psalm 119:47 kjv

And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

Psalm 119:47 nkjv

And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love.

Psalm 119:47 niv

for I delight in your commands because I love them.

Psalm 119:47 esv

for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.

Psalm 119:47 nlt

How I delight in your commands!
How I love them!

Psalm 119 verses

Psalm 119 47 Meaning

Psalm 119:47 expresses the psalmist's deep, personal joy and affection for God's commandments. It reveals that the divine directives are not merely obligations to be followed, but cherished sources of spiritual pleasure and contemplation, springing from genuine love for them.

Psalm 119 47 Context

Psalm 119 is an extended acrostic poem, each stanza dedicated to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, extolling the manifold virtues and necessity of God's "Torah" (Law, instruction, word, statutes, precepts, etc.). It serves as a profound meditation on the psalmist's deep and constant devotion to God's revealed will.

Verse 47 falls within the "Ayin" stanza (verses 41-48). This section follows requests for God's steadfast love and salvation (v. 41) and confidence in God's word (v. 42). The psalmist asserts his commitment to keeping the Law continually (v. 44) and speaks boldly of God's testimonies before kings (v. 46), implying a freedom that comes from adherence to God's commands (v. 45). In this context, verse 47 marks a high point of the psalmist's personal engagement and fervent affection. His public confession and freedom are rooted in a private, delighted love for God's Law. It portrays a life lived in harmony with divine precepts, not as a burdensome duty but as a joyful expression of love.

Psalm 119 47 Word analysis

• And I will delight myself (וְאֶשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע, wə’ešta‘a‘):

  • From the root שׁעשׁע (sha'ashaa'), meaning to sport, amuse, delight.
  • The Hithpael stem ("I will delight myself") conveys a strong sense of self-enjoyment, actively taking pleasure, finding inner recreation, and even amusing oneself with something.
  • It implies a profound, inward, and deeply personal engagement. It's not a passive reception of pleasure but an active seeking and finding of joy in the object.

• in Your commandments (בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ, bəmiṣwōtēyḵā):

  • מִצְוָה (mitsvah) refers to a command, precept, or mandate.
  • It denotes God's divine ordinances and instructions, specific directives for human conduct.
  • The delight is not in a vague spirituality, but in the concrete, actionable expressions of God's will. These commands are a manifestation of God's character and wisdom.

• which I love (אֲשֶׁר אָהָבְתִּי, ’ašer ’āhavtî):

  • אָהַב (ahav) means to love, cherish, or have deep affection for. It speaks of a strong emotional bond and personal devotion.
  • This phrase clarifies the source and nature of the "delight." The joy experienced is not simply from obeying for benefits, but from a genuine, heartfelt love for the commandments themselves and, by extension, for the God who gives them.
  • The past tense (as often translated, "I have loved") indicates an established, continuous, and personal affection, rather than a fleeting emotion. The "delight" is a manifestation of this already present and deep love.

• Word-Group Analysis:

  • "And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love": This complete phrase highlights the harmonious connection between inward affection (love) and the outward expression of joy and spiritual pleasure (delight) in God's commands. It demonstrates that true obedience is rooted in a loving heart, transforming potential duty into heartfelt desire and recreation. The divine commands are seen as partners in enjoyment rather than burdens. This posture is contrasted with superficial adherence or merely intellectual assent.

Psalm 119 47 Bonus section

• This verse counters any notion of God's law as purely external or burdensome; instead, it presents it as a source of internal joy and recreation.
• The personal pronoun "myself" emphasizes the psalmist's conscious and active choice to find joy, underscoring personal responsibility and will in devotion.
• It serves as an example of mature faith, where obedience is driven not by fear of punishment or hope of reward alone, but by a heart overflowing with love for God and His ways.
• The progression in spiritual maturity often moves from reluctant compliance to willing obedience, and finally to joyful delight in God's statutes, as depicted here.
• The phrase points to the transformative power of the Word of God; it changes the heart's disposition towards obedience from a burden to a joy.

Psalm 119 47 Commentary

Psalm 119:47 presents a profound picture of a soul captivated by God's truth. The psalmist expresses more than mere intellectual understanding or grudging obedience; he articulates a passionate, internal "delight" in God's commandments, stemming from a deep and abiding "love" for them. This active self-enjoyment in God's Word implies an absorbing spiritual engagement, where one finds genuine recreation and satisfaction in contemplating and applying divine truths. This posture transforms duty into delight, aligning the individual's desires with God's perfect will. It underscores that God's laws are not constricting but are paths to true freedom, joy, and the fulfillment of one's purpose, leading to an enriching and liberating spiritual experience.