Psalm 119:66 kjv
Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
Psalm 119:66 nkjv
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.
Psalm 119:66 niv
Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.
Psalm 119:66 esv
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
Psalm 119:66 nlt
I believe in your commands;
now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
Psalm 119 66 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 25:4-5 | Show me Your ways, Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth... | Prayer for divine guidance and teaching |
| Psa 143:10 | Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God... | Asking to be taught God's will |
| Prov 2:6 | For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. | God as the sole source of wisdom and knowledge |
| Jas 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God... | Direct instruction to ask God for wisdom |
| 1 Kin 3:9 | Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people... | Solomon's prayer for discerning judgment |
| Heb 5:14 | ...by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil. | Discerning good from evil; spiritual maturity |
| Rom 12:2 | ...by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the good... | Renewed mind discerns God's will |
| Phil 1:9-10 | ...knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent. | Love coupled with discerning excellence |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Importance and consequences of lacking knowledge |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge... | Foundation of true knowledge |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God... | Knowledge of God as eternal life |
| 2 Pet 1:5-6 | ...add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge... | Growth in faith includes gaining knowledge |
| Psa 119:34 | Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law... | Understanding enables obedience |
| Psa 119:73 | Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding... | God as Creator and ultimate Teacher |
| Psa 119:125 | I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies. | A servant seeking to understand God's word |
| Heb 11:6 | Without faith it is impossible to please Him... | Faith as essential for approaching God |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | How faith is initiated |
| Psa 119:10 | With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments! | Seeking God with commitment to His commands |
| John 14:21 | Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me... | Love for God demonstrated through obedience |
| Jas 2:18 | ...I will show you my faith by my works. | Faith manifested through action |
| Mat 7:24 | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them... will be wise. | Wisdom shown by hearing and obeying God's words |
| Deu 30:19-20 | Choose life... by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice... | Obedience linked to life and blessing |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 66 Meaning
Psalm 119:66 is a prayer expressing a deep desire for spiritual discernment and comprehensive understanding, based on the psalmist's established trust in God's divine instructions. It's a humble plea to the ultimate source of wisdom for practical judgment and experiential knowledge, affirming that faith in God's commandments is the necessary foundation for such a request.
Psalm 119 66 Context
Psalm 119 is an extended acrostic poem, each section of eight verses beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This particular verse (Psa 119:66) belongs to the 'Teth' (ט) section (Psa 119:65-72). The preceding verse (Psa 119:65) affirms God's goodness and how He has dealt well with His servant "according to Your word." Verse 66 then moves to a plea for practical wisdom and discernment. The overall context of Psalm 119 emphasizes the divine instruction—variously called statutes, commandments, precepts, decrees, laws, and testimonies—as the bedrock of the psalmist's life, his delight, his hope, and his source of wisdom. Historically, it reflects a deeply committed Israelite's prayer life, rooted in the covenant relationship with God and the central role of the Torah in guiding daily life and spiritual understanding within the community. It reflects a devout individual's continuous striving for spiritual growth and obedience in an often hostile world, where his commitment to God's law made him an outlier (e.g., v. 69).
Psalm 119 66 Word analysis
- Teach me (לַמְּדֵנִי - lamm'deni): This is an imperative verb, a direct command or urgent request to God. It highlights the psalmist's recognition that true instruction in spiritual matters can only come from divine revelation. It's not a self-taught wisdom, but a dependent plea.
- good (טוּב - tûb): This term implies moral goodness, appropriateness, pleasantness, or what is truly beneficial and right. It indicates a desire for not just any judgment, but a judgment that aligns with God's perfect moral standard and is ultimately wholesome.
- judgment (טַעַם - ṭa‛am): Literally "taste" or "perception." In this context, it signifies discretion, discernment, moral acumen, good sense, or practical wisdom. It suggests the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, good and evil in everyday life. This goes beyond mere intellectual understanding; it implies a practical "taste" for what is truly valuable and aligned with God.
- and knowledge (וְדָעַת - v'da'at): "Knowledge" (דַּעַת - da'at) refers to both intellectual apprehension and experiential, intimate acquaintance. Here, it denotes understanding of God's ways, His character, and His truth, acquired through His teaching. It implies more than mere facts, extending to a comprehensive grasp that impacts one's life.
- for (כִּי - kiy): This conjunction introduces the reason or justification for the preceding request. It functions as "because" or "indeed." It critically links the prayer for wisdom to the psalmist's prior commitment and faith.
- I believe (הֶאֱמָ֑נְתִּי - he'emanti): From the root 'aman (אָמַן), meaning "to be firm, steady, trustworthy." In the Hiphil stem, it means "to believe, trust, rely on, have faith." The perfect tense suggests a firm, settled, and established faith. It signifies a profound inner conviction and loyalty. This isn't a tentative belief but a foundational aspect of his life.
- in Your commandments (בְמִצְוֹתֶיךָ - v'mitzvotekha): Refers to God's divine instructions, precepts, or statutes. This term emphasizes the specific, authoritative decrees given by God. The psalmist's faith is not vague; it is specifically anchored in the revealed will of God contained in His word.
Psalm 119 66 Bonus section
The Hebrew word for "judgment" (טַעַם - ṭa‛am) often relates to taste or the sense of taste, implying an inner discernment, a sensitivity to what is truly good and appropriate, similar to how one discerns flavors. This is not merely intellectual knowledge but a practical, intuitive understanding of right living that aligns with God's standards. The sequence "good judgment and knowledge" suggests a desire for both the moral ability to choose rightly and the informed understanding of God's principles that guides those choices. The psalmist’s confidence that God has dealt "well" with him (v. 65) sets the stage for this prayer. His experience of God’s goodness gives him the confidence to ask for greater insight. This request highlights divine pedagogy, where God Himself is the ultimate teacher, shaping His servant's mind and heart. The very act of believing (הֶאֱמָ֑נְתִּי - he'emanti) signifies stability and faithfulness, showing that the psalmist's foundation for seeking wisdom is deeply established.
Psalm 119 66 Commentary
Psalm 119:66 beautifully captures the heart of a devout believer. It's a humble petition to God, the sole source of true wisdom. The psalmist isn't boasting of his understanding but recognizes his deep need for divine instruction in discernment ("good judgment") and practical wisdom ("knowledge"). This wisdom is not just for intellectual accumulation but for navigating life righteously and understanding God's ways profoundly. The critical justification for this prayer is his steadfast faith: "for I believe in Your commandments." This clause underscores that genuine desire for divine wisdom springs from a settled conviction and trust in the authority and goodness of God's Word. His faith isn't passive; it's active and seeks practical expression through understanding. It models that effective prayer for spiritual understanding is rooted in a receptive and trusting heart, ready to align with God's revealed will.
- Example 1: A church leader might pray, "Teach me good judgment and knowledge," based on their sincere belief in God's pastoral commands to shepherd the flock with integrity, seeking wisdom to make decisions that truly serve God's people according to His Word.
- Example 2: A student of the Bible, desiring to grasp its truths not just academically but existentially, prays this verse, grounded in their faith that the Scriptures are indeed God-breathed and profitable for teaching and correction.