Psalms 119:12 — Word Study
WLCבָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה יְהוָ֗ה לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
BSABlessed arebârak [praised, honored] Youʼattâh O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] teach melâmad [guide, instruct] Your statuteschôq [given to me, belonging to me, decrees, laws, divine commands]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בָּר֖וּךְ | [be] blessed | Verb, Qal, participle (passive) masculine singular |
| אַתָּ֥ה | you | Pronoun |
| יְהוָ֗ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| לַמְּדֵ֥נִי | teach me | Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ | decrees your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. |
| KJV | Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. |
| ASV | Blessed art thou, O Jehovah: Teach me thy statutes. |
| YLT | Blessed [art] Thou, O Jehovah, teach me Thy statutes. |
| WEB | Blessed are you, Yahweh. Teach me your statutes. |
| BBE | Praise be to you, O Lord: give me knowledge of your rules. |
Where they part company is בָּר֖וּךְ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure features a main clause followed by a request, clearly delineating the act of praise from the desire for instruction.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
verbבָּרַךְ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 119:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Meditation on God's Wordgenerated
Psalm 119:12 is part of a larger reflection on the significance of God's word in the life of the believer. The psalmist expresses a deep desire for understanding and guidance, emphasizing the need for divine instruction to live according to God's statutes. This theme resonates throughout Psalm 119, where the importance of God's laws is repeatedly highlighted.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Timothy 1:11 | that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. |
| 2 | 1 Timothy 6:15 | which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time. |
| 3 | Psalm 119:26–27 | I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. |
| 4 | Psalm 86:11 | Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. |
| 5 | Psalm 143:10 | Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בָּר֖וּךְ, ba.Rukhgenerated
The Hebrew word בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is a verb meaning 'to bless' and is often associated with praise or honor. It is built from a root that conveys the idea of kneeling, suggesting an act of worship or reverence. In this verse, it emphasizes the act of praising God directly.
As a participle in the passive form, it indicates that God is the subject of the blessing, and the psalmist acknowledges His greatness. This word is frequently used in the context of worship, reflecting a relationship of gratitude and reverence towards God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses: the first is a declaration of praise, בָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה, Blessed are You, and the second is a request for teaching, לַמְּדֵ֥נִי, teach me. This structure emphasizes the relationship between worship and the desire for understanding.
The word order places the blessing first, highlighting the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's greatness before making a personal request for guidance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בָּר֖וּךְ as εὐλογητὸς, which also means 'blessed' and carries similar connotations of praise and honor. This choice reflects the continuity of meaning across the translations.
The use of κύριε for יְהוָ֗ה stresses the lordship of God, reinforcing the theme of divine authority and guidance in the psalmist's request.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:12 expresses the psalmist's praise for God and a request for instruction in His laws. This verse highlights the importance of understanding God's decrees and living according to them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To be blessed means to recognize and honor God's greatness, acknowledging His role in the believer's life.
The psalmist seeks guidance to live according to God's laws, indicating a desire for spiritual growth and alignment with divine will.
This verse reflects the overarching theme of Psalm 119, which emphasizes the importance of God's word and the believer's need for instruction and understanding.
Statutes refer to God's decrees or laws that guide the actions and beliefs of His people, as seen throughout the Old Testament.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I actively seek to understand God's statutes in my daily life?
- In what ways do I express my praise and honor to God?
- What steps can I take to align my actions with God's teachings?
- How does recognizing God's authority influence my decisions and behavior?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBlessed [art] thou, O Lord,.... In himself, in his nature, persons, and perfections; the fountain of all happiness to angels and men, in time and to eternity; to whom all blessing, honour, and glory, are to be given.
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBlessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. Thou hast taught me to know and praise thee as "Blessed:" go on teaching me still.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBlessed art thou; thou art infinitely blessed, and most worthy of all blessing and praise, and therefore do thou bless me in teaching me, as it follows. Or, Blessed be thou. I bless and praise thee for that great blessing of thy word, . Teach me thy statutes, both to know and to practise them better.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:12 Blessed [art] thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. Ver. 12. Blessed art thou (or be thou), O Lord] viz. For what thou hast already taught me of thy will, and my duty. Teach me thy statutes] Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio. David had never enough, but craveth more; "Teach me thy statutes," saith he, that I may bless thee better.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 12. Blessed art thou] 8. He must acknowledge the mercy of God, in so far preserving him from all the consequences of his sin. 9. He should beg of him to become his teacher, that his heart and conscience might be instructed in the spirituality of his statutes.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. The confession of Jehovah’s adorableness is a fitting preface to the prayer for further instruction. Cp. Psalms 119:7.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBlessed art thou, O Lord - Blessed art thou as the author of such a law. This language of benediction or doxology is an outbreak of feeling or adoration in view of such a law - so good, so holy, so suited to direct and guide man.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleá, Beth.9-16. After the general preliminary given in “Aleph,” the value of the divine word, as the guide of early life, is considered.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 119 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes.
Blessed are you, Yahweh. Teach me your statutes.
Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes.
You deserve praise, O Lord! Teach me your statutes!
Tyndale line
Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Blessed art thou, O Jehovah: Teach me thy statutes.
Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Blessed art thou, O Lord: teache mee thy statutes.
Strictly literal
Blessed art thou, Jehovah! teach me thy statutes.
Blessed [art] Thou, O Jehovah, teach me Thy statutes.
Blessed [are] You, O YHWH, teach me Your statutes.
Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
Blessed you are, Yahweh; teach me your statutes.
Simplified
Thank you Lord! Teach me what to do!
Praise be to you, O Lord: give me knowledge of your rules.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with five words matching directly. The Dead Sea Scrolls also reflect the same sentiment, though one word is partly restored, indicating a high degree of consistency among the witnesses.
בָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה יְהוָ֗ה לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ברוך אתה יהוה למד׳ני [חוקי׳ך]
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word בָּרַךְ (*barak*) is built from a primitive root meaning 'to kneel' and encompasses a range of meanings including 'to bless' and 'to curse.' It can refer to blessing God or men, as well as the act of kneeling in adoration. The entries note that it can also imply a curse in certain contexts, reflecting a nuanced use in greetings and farewells.
[בָּרַךְ] 329 vb. kneel, bless
Qal
kneel down
bless
Niph. bless oneself
Pi.
bless God, adore with bended knees
God blesses
men bless men
salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing
bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates
Pu.
pass. to be blessed, adored
prospered by God
have prosperity invoked, by Balaam
in gratitude
Hiph. and he made his camel kneel
Hithp. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart
base
H1288 בָּרַךְ kneel, bless .. kneel down
. bless
. bless oneself
. . bless God, adore with bended knees
. God blesses
. men bless men
. salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing
. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates
. . pass. to be blessed, adored
. prospered by God
. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam
. in gratitude
. and he made his camel kneel
. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart
1288 barak baw-rak'
a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as
an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit);
also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X
abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless,
congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down),
praise, salute, X still, thank.
בָּרַךְ (ba.rakh) — to bless.
1) to bless, kneel
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to kneel
1a2) to bless
1b) (Niphal) to be blessed, bless oneself
1c) (Piel) to bless
1d) (Pual) to be blessed, be adored
1e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel
1f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself
2) (TWOT) to praise, salute, curse
Aramaic equivalent: be.rakh (בְּרַךְ "to bless" H1289)
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singularHVqsmsa
bles'-ed (barukh): Where God is referred to, this word has the sense of "praise," as in 1Sa 25:32, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel." But where man is in mind it is used in the sense of "happy" or "favored," and most frequently so in the Psalms and the Gospels, as for example, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked" (Ps 1:1); "Blessed art thou among women" (Lu 1:42); "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3).
See BEATITUDES.
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2ms
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
לָמַד (lamad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to learn or teach. It encompasses the ideas of exercising in a skill, being trained, and instructing others. The root suggests a connection to motivation or incentive, as seen in the context of teaching with a rod. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to learn), Piel (to teach), and Pual (to be taught).
לָמַד vb. exercise in, learn
Qal learn something
Piel teach
Pual trained; taught
base
H3925 לָמַד exercise in, learn .learn something
.teach
.trained; taught
3925 lamad law-mad'
a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to
teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):(un-) accustomed,
X diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, -
ing).
לָמַד (la.mad) — to learn: teach.
: teach
1) to learn. teach, exercise in
1a) (Qal) to learn
1b) (Piel) to teach
1c) (Pual) to be taught, be trained
Also means: la.mad (לָמַד ": learn" H3925H)
לָמַד (la.mad) — to learn: learn.
: learn
1) to learn. teach, exercise in
1a) (Qal) to learn
1b) (Piel) to teach
1c) (Pual) to be taught, be trained
V-Piel-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVpv2ms/Sp1bs
חֹק (choq) refers to something prescribed, such as a statute, ordinance, or limit. It encompasses a range of meanings, including prescribed tasks, portions, and decrees, whether from God or man. The plural form, חֻקִּים, denotes multiple enactments or statutes. The entries consistently emphasize its legal and prescriptive nature.
חֹק 127 n.m. something prescribed, a statute or due
prescribed task
prescribed-portion or allowance of food
action prescribed for oneself, resolve
prescribed due of the priest from offerings
prescribed limit, boundary
enactment, decree, ordinance of either God or man
pl. חֻקִּים enactments, statutes of a law
base
H2706 חֹק something prescribed, a statute or due . prescribed task
. prescribed-portion or allowance of food
. action prescribed for oneself, resolve
. prescribed due of the priest from offerings
. prescribed limit, boundary
. enactment, decree, ordinance of either God or man
. pl. חֻקִּים enactments, statutes of a law
2706 choq khoke
from 2710; an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time,
space, quantity, labor or usage):--appointed, bound,
commandment, convenient, custom, decree(-d), due, law,
measure, X necessary, ordinance(- nary), portion, set time,
statute, task.
see HEBREW for 02710
חֹק (choq) — statute: decree.
: decree
1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due
1a) prescribed task
1b) prescribed portion
1c) action prescribed (for oneself), resolve
1d) prescribed due
1e) prescribed limit, boundary
1f) enactment, decree, ordinance
1f1) specific decree
1f2) law in general
1g) enactments, statutes
1g1) conditions
1g2) enactments
1g3) decrees
1g4) civil enactments prescribed by God
חֹק (choq) — statute: portion.
: portion
1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due
1a) prescribed task
1b) prescribed portion
1c) action prescribed (for oneself), resolve
1d) prescribed due
1e) prescribed limit, boundary
1f) enactment, decree, ordinance
1f1) specific decree
1f2) law in general
1g) enactments, statutes
1g1) conditions
1g2) enactments
1g3) decrees
1g4) civil enactments prescribed by God
חֹק (choq) — statute: allotment.
: allotment/boundary
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms