Psalm 119:77 kjv
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Psalm 119:77 nkjv
Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.
Psalm 119:77 niv
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
Psalm 119:77 esv
Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.
Psalm 119:77 nlt
Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
for your instructions are my delight.
Psalm 119 77 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 51:1 | Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love... | Ps 51:1 (Plea for mercy) |
| Ps 103:4 | Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, | Ps 103:4 (Life and mercy) |
| Lam 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning... | Lam 3:22-23 (Fresh mercies) |
| Isa 49:15 | "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?" | Isa 49:15 (God's deep compassion) |
| Rom 9:15 | "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." | Rom 9:15 (God's sovereign mercy) |
| Luke 1:78 | ...through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high... | Lk 1:78 (Divine mercy for salvation) |
| Deut 30:19-20 | Choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him... | Dt 30:19-20 (Life by God's commands) |
| Jn 6:63 | It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. | Jn 6:63 (Life in Spirit & Word) |
| Rom 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. | Rom 8:2 (Spirit of life from law) |
| Deut 8:3 | ...man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. | Dt 8:3 (Life by God's Word) |
| Prov 4:22 | For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. | Prov 4:22 (Wisdom for life) |
| Ps 1:2 | But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. | Ps 1:2 (Delight in God's Law) |
| Ps 119:97 | Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. | Ps 119:97 (Love for God's Law) |
| Rom 7:22 | For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being... | Rom 7:22 (Delight in inner man) |
| Job 22:21 | "Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you." | Job 22:21 (Finding delight in God) |
| 2 Cor 12:9 | But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." | 2 Cor 12:9 (God's grace in weakness) |
| Ps 119:16 | I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. | Ps 119:16 (Delight in statutes) |
| Phil 2:13 | For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | Phil 2:13 (God working in us) |
| Ez 36:27 | And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes... | Ez 36:27 (New heart & spirit for law) |
| Jn 14:23 | Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him..." | Jn 14:23 (Love and obedience) |
| Jer 31:33 | I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | Jer 31:33 (Law in the heart) |
| Matt 5:6 | Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. | Mt 5:6 (Seeking God's righteousness) |
| Ps 42:1-2 | As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. | Ps 42:1-2 (Thirst for God) |
| Heb 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts... | Heb 8:10 (Law written on hearts) |
| Ps 119:24 | Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. | Ps 119:24 (Testimonies as delight) |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 77 Meaning
Psalm 119:77 expresses the Psalmist's fervent plea for God's deep and compassionate mercies, recognizing them as the source of his very life and vitality. This heartfelt petition is grounded in his profound love and spiritual delight for God's law, viewing it not as a burden but as a joyful wellspring of existence and wisdom. It signifies a complete reliance on God's character, revealed in His instruction, for flourishing.
Psalm 119 77 Context
Psalm 119 is an elaborate acrostic poem, where each section of eight verses begins with a specific letter of the Hebrew alphabet, arranged sequentially. Verse 77 falls within the 'Ayin' (ע) section (verses 73-80). This section reflects the Psalmist's longing for God's teachings amidst affliction, seeking wisdom, understanding, and comfort from God Himself.Leading into verse 77, the Psalmist has affirmed his knowledge of God's righteous judgments (Ps 119:75) despite suffering. He then pleads for God's steadfast love and comfort (Ps 119:76). Verse 77 thus serves as a continuation of this plea, connecting the desire for "life" (implying spiritual and holistic well-being beyond mere existence) directly to God's tender mercies and his personal delight in God's perfect law. The historical and cultural context reflects an Israelite perspective where God's law (Torah) was seen not merely as legal statutes but as divine revelation, a blueprint for a flourishing life in covenant relationship with God, and distinct from human or pagan decrees.
Psalm 119 77 Word analysis
- Let: (Hebrew: יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ - yavo'u, an imperfect verb functioning as an imperative plea). This signifies an earnest and direct request, a heartfelt yearning, not a demand. It shows humble dependence on God's initiative.
- your tender mercies: (Hebrew: רַחֲמֶיךָ֙ - rachameykha, "Your compassions" or "Your mercies"). Derived from rechem, meaning "womb," this word conveys a deep, visceral, motherly, and often painful compassion. It implies profound empathy, care, and a protective, life-giving instinct. It is a fundamental attribute of God's character. The plural form suggests intensity and fullness of these mercies.
- come unto me: This expresses a direct, personal, and immediate need for God's compassionate intervention. It's a desire for God's active presence and benevolent action in the Psalmist's personal experience of affliction.
- that I may live: (Hebrew: וָאֶחְיֶ֑ה - wa'ekheye, "and I might live"). This refers to more than just physical survival; it signifies true life, spiritual vitality, flourishing, well-being, wholeness, and active enjoyment of God's presence and blessings. It suggests a restoration from a state of languishing or spiritual deadness due to his afflictions.
- for: (Hebrew: כִּי - ki). This conjunction indicates a reason, justification, or explanation. It links the request for mercy and life directly to the Psalmist's disposition towards God's law.
- your law: (Hebrew: תּוֹרָתֶ֖ךָ - toratekha, "Your instruction" or "Your teaching"). Torah in the Bible is far broader than just legal statutes. It encompasses all of God's revealed instruction, divine revelation, principles, and commands given to humanity, especially Israel, guiding them towards a righteous and prosperous life in covenant with God. It represents God's wisdom and will.
- is my delight: (Hebrew: שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי - sha'ashu'ay, "my delightful meditations" or "my joy"). This strong word denotes a profound source of pleasure, joy, and meditative absorption. It's something one cherishes, contemplates deeply, and takes great satisfaction in. It signifies not just intellectual assent but a heart-level enjoyment and fondness for God's truth. It emphasizes a personal, possessive affection: "my delight."
- "Let your tender mercies come unto me, that I may live": This phrase establishes a vital connection between divine compassion and human existence. The Psalmist is acknowledging that true, abundant life is entirely dependent on God's profound, tender mercies. He recognizes his own vulnerability and absolute need for God's active benevolence to sustain him, especially amidst hardship. This dependency contrasts with self-sufficiency or relying on worldly comforts for survival.
- "for your law is my delight": This clause provides the grounding and context for the plea. It indicates that the Psalmist's desire for God's mercy and life is not born out of a rebellious or indifferent heart, but from one that truly loves and delights in God's revealed will. His internal disposition of delighting in the Torah aligns his spirit with God's. This delight isn't a bargaining chip to earn mercy, but rather a characteristic of a heart that seeks God truly and therefore trusts in His life-giving provisions. The "for" links his request to his righteous heart and commitment to God's ways.
- "Let your tender mercies...that I may live: for your law is my delight": This complete verse articulates a core principle: genuine spiritual vitality and life flow from God's character (mercy) and are accessed by a heart that reveres and finds profound joy in God's revelation (law). It illustrates the reciprocal relationship: delight in God's law draws one into the sphere where God's life-giving mercies are experienced most fully. It is a humble plea from a heart aligned with God's will.
Psalm 119 77 Bonus section
The "Ayin" section of Psalm 119 (where this verse is found) can symbolically link to the human "eye." As the Psalmist looks with "eyes" of faith and discernment (enabled by the law), he sees and yearns for God's tender mercies and life-giving presence. The "delight" in God's law is a powerful counterpoint to a perception of God's commands as burdensome. Instead, it signifies that true freedom and joy are found in alignment with divine wisdom, not in defiance of it. This delight is active; it's a meditative pleasure, leading to internalizing the Word rather than mere external adherence, echoing the Spirit's work under the New Covenant (Eze 36:27; Heb 8:10). The depth of "rachamim" goes beyond mere pity; it is akin to parental love, reflecting God's commitment to His children even in their weakest state.
Psalm 119 77 Commentary
Psalm 119:77 encapsulates a vital theological truth about God's compassionate character and humanity's response. The Psalmist, experiencing affliction, makes a heartfelt and urgent plea for God's "tender mercies"—a deeply compassionate, almost visceral love—to reach him. This plea is rooted in a profound recognition that his very "life," encompassing physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being, is utterly dependent on this divine mercy. He doesn't ask for abstract benevolence but for a personal intervention. The crucial part of the verse, introduced by "for," reveals the Psalmist's spiritual disposition: "your law is my delight." This isn't a legalistic boast, but an authentic expression of inner joy derived from God's revelation. His delight in God's law shows that his heart is inclined towards God, recognizing His wisdom and instruction as a source of joy, comfort, and the pathway to true living. The "for" thus connects the request for life-giving mercy to his pre-existing loving adherence to God's will. It signifies that those who truly delight in God's instruction are the ones most keenly aware of their need for His mercy and are positioned to receive the full measure of life He offers. It speaks to a covenant relationship: God's unfailing compassion meets the genuine devotion of His servant. For practical application, consider times of distress: instead of despair, one can turn to God's compassionate nature (His mercy) and His revealed Word (His law), finding sustenance for both soul and spirit.