Psalm 119:67 kjv
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Psalm 119:67 nkjv
Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.
Psalm 119:67 niv
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
Psalm 119:67 esv
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
Psalm 119:67 nlt
I used to wander off until you disciplined me;
but now I closely follow your word.
Psalm 119 67 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 8:2-5 | ...remember how the Lᴏʀᴅ your God led you... to humble you, testing you... that He might make you know... that man does not live by bread alone... disciplines you as a man disciplines his son. | God humbles through testing to teach reliance on His Word. |
| Heb 12:5-11 | ...do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord... for He disciplines those He loves... For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness... | Discipline (affliction) from God is for our benefit, yielding righteousness. |
| Rom 5:3-5 | ...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope... | Suffering refines character and strengthens hope. |
| Jas 1:2-4 | Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness... | Trials are opportunities for growth and steadfastness. |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith... may be found to result in praise and glory and honor... | Trials test and refine faith, leading to spiritual purity. |
| Ps 94:12 | Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O Lᴏʀᴅ, and whom You teach out of Your law... | God's discipline is linked with instruction from His law. |
| Isa 48:10 | Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. | God uses affliction as a purifying furnace. |
| Ps 119:71 | It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. | Directly affirms the positive outcome of affliction for learning God's law. |
| Jer 10:23 | I know, O Lᴏʀᴅ, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. | Highlights human tendency to go astray without divine guidance. |
| Prov 14:12 | There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. | Warns about human propensity to err when not following God's truth. |
| Prov 3:11-12 | My son, do not despise the Lᴏʀᴅ’s discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the Lᴏʀᴅ reproves him whom He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. | Emphasizes God's love in His disciplinary actions. |
| Lam 3:31-33 | For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though He cause grief, He will have compassion... For He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men. | Affliction from God is purposeful and not out of malice. |
| Job 36:15 | He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears by adversity. | God uses adversity to reveal Himself and His truth to the afflicted. |
| Ps 23:3 | He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. | God's restorative power often follows a period of spiritual wandering. |
| Ps 19:7-11 | The law of the Lᴏʀᴅ is perfect, reviving the soul... The commands of the Lᴏʀᴅ are pure... enduring forever... More to be desired are they than gold... sweeter also than honey... | God's Word is perfect and brings revival, highlighting its value to "keep." |
| Josh 1:8 | This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. | Command to diligently "keep" God's word for success and wisdom. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. | The purpose of Scripture is for instruction and correction, leading to equipped living. |
| Ps 39:9-11 | I was mute... because You did it. Remove Your stroke from me... You rebuke and discipline a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what is dear to him. | Recognizes God's hand in affliction and its purpose in dealing with iniquity. |
| 2 Cor 7:8-10 | For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it... For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation... but worldly grief produces death. | Godly grief (a form of affliction) leads to beneficial repentance. |
| Luke 15:17-18 | But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father...' | The Prodigal Son's suffering (affliction) brings him to repentance and return. |
| John 15:2 | Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. | Affliction as pruning for greater spiritual fruitfulness. |
| Ps 119:35 | Lead me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. | The desire to walk in God's ways is paramount, which affliction can deepen. |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 67 Meaning
Psalm 119:67 encapsulates a profound spiritual truth: affliction serves as a divinely ordained catalyst for redirecting an individual from straying to diligent obedience to God's commands. It expresses a personal testimony that suffering, though challenging, ultimately leads to a deeper, more committed adherence to the Word of God, moving from an undirected life to one disciplined by divine truth.
Psalm 119 67 Context
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, an acrostic psalm devoted entirely to extolling the virtues and benefits of God's law, word, statutes, precepts, commands, judgments, decrees, testimonies, and ways—all synonymous terms for divine revelation. Each of its 22 sections, corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, consists of eight verses beginning with that letter. Verse 67 falls within the 'Ayin (ע) section, which focuses on the Psalmist's personal relationship with God's word amidst various life experiences, including affliction.
Historically, the Psalmist, likely an individual deeply committed to Yahwistic faith, understands affliction not as random misfortune but as an intentional instrument in God's sovereign hand. This perspective aligns with ancient Israelite belief that suffering often served as divine discipline or correction (e.g., in Deuteronomy's covenant curses for disobedience), urging repentance and a return to the covenant. This verse implies a previous period of spiritual negligence or error that was remedied through a humbling experience. It contrasts a past state of unintentional wandering (spiritual 'going astray') with a present state of conscious, dedicated adherence, acknowledging that the painful 'affliction' was the crucial turning point. This view implicitly stands in contrast to common pagan beliefs of arbitrary fate or a multitude of gods to be appeased; instead, it posits a singular, sovereign God whose actions are purposeful, even when they involve hardship.
Psalm 119 67 Word analysis
- בְּטֶרֶם (Beṭerem) - "Before" / "Prior to": This adverb of time signifies a distinct change, a demarcation between two phases of life. It points to a previous state that contrasts sharply with the present.
- אֶעֱנֶה (E‘eneh) - "I was afflicted": From the root עָנָה ('anah), meaning "to be humbled," "to be afflicted," "to be poor," or "to respond." In this context, it is typically understood as being humbled or brought low through hardship, suffering, or distress. It can imply either external tribulation or internal brokenness. The Niphal stem of the verb here emphasizes that the affliction happened to the Psalmist, indicating God's agency in allowing or causing the suffering, often for corrective purposes.
- אֲנִי (Ani) - "I": The explicit use of the first-person singular pronoun emphasizes the personal nature of the testimony and experience.
- שׁוֹגֵג (Shogeg) - "went astray": From the root שָׁגַג (shagag), meaning "to err," "to go astray," or "to blunder." This word often implies an unintentional error, a slip, or a lapse, rather than a deliberate, rebellious act. It suggests a subtle drift away from God's path, perhaps due to negligence, ignorance, or distraction, rather than outright defiance.
- וְעַתָּה (Wə‘attāh) - "but now": This conjunctive phrase powerfully introduces the contrast to the previous state. It highlights the present reality as a direct consequence and improvement spurred by the affliction.
- אִמְרָתְךָ (Imratəkā) - "Your word": From אִמְרָה (imrah), meaning "spoken word," "utterance," "promise," or "decree." It is God's divine revelation, His truth as spoken or communicated. It is deeply synonymous with Torah (Law) and Dabar (Word) in this Psalm, signifying the complete body of divine instruction. The suffix "-ka" indicates "Your," attributing the word directly to God.
- שָׁמָרְתִּי (Shāmārtī) - "I keep": From the root שָׁמַר (shamar), meaning "to guard," "to observe," "to preserve," or "to diligently attend to." This signifies a careful, intentional, and continuous act of obedience. It is more than just hearing or knowing; it implies protecting, holding fast to, and acting in accordance with God's word. The past tense often used in Hebrew (perfect tense) here indicates a completed action with continuing results—the act of beginning to keep is complete, and the state of keeping continues.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Before I was afflicted, I went astray": This phrase highlights a cause-and-effect relationship, though not necessarily that affliction is a punishment for going astray, but rather a corrective measure to stop or prevent continued straying. The Psalmist candidly admits to a previous state of wandering, often a natural human tendency, which lacked full adherence to God's path. The Hebrew word for "went astray" suggests a drift, a slip, or an error, implying a state of unmindfulness or distraction from the path, rather than outright rebellion. This deviation, though perhaps unintentional, still led to a state displeasing to God and harmful to the individual.
- "but now I keep Your word": This segment denotes the transformative impact of affliction. The "but now" signifies a definitive turning point. The suffering experienced by the Psalmist was not futile but served a crucial purpose, shifting his behavior from errant wandering to committed observance of God's revealed will. The act of "keeping" God's word implies deliberate obedience, careful guardianship of divine truth, and aligning one's life choices with it. It illustrates that spiritual growth often comes through humbling experiences that clarify priorities and deepen resolve.
Psalm 119 67 Bonus section
- The concept expressed in Psalm 119:67 is often summarized by the saying, "God's discipline brings spiritual clarity."
- This verse can be seen as the Psalmist embodying the experience described later in verse 71, where he explicitly states, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes." This indicates a deep-seated acceptance and even gratitude for the discipline.
- The progression described from "going astray" (often unintentionally) to "keeping" (diligently guarding and obeying) the Word highlights the dynamic and sometimes painful process of sanctification.
- Many spiritual journeys include periods of drifting, which God uses challenges and discomfort to bring people back into alignment with His perfect will. It underscores that spiritual learning is not always comfortable.
Psalm 119 67 Commentary
Psalm 119:67 presents a personal, humble confession that connects suffering with spiritual maturity and obedience. It articulates the classic biblical principle that God uses adversity as a schoolmaster. The Psalmist acknowledges a period of "going astray"—not necessarily rebellion, but perhaps a laxness, neglect, or subtle deviation from God's truth, possibly due to comfort or pride. In His perfect wisdom and love, God permits or brings affliction (discipline) into the Psalmist's life. This "affliction" serves not as an act of cruelty, but as a severe mercy, a divine course-correction. The painful experience forces the Psalmist to reflect, recognize his wandering, and re-prioritize God's Word. The outcome is a profound transformation: from a state of wandering to a renewed and resolute commitment to "keep"—to diligently guard, obey, and internalize—God's word. This verse thus stands as a testament to the refining power of adversity and God's unwavering intent to guide His children into closer conformity with His divine instructions.