Psalms 119:122 — Word Study
WLCעֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־ יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
BSAEnsureʻârab [pledge, be surety for] Your servant’sʻebed [faithful follower, slave] well-beingṭôwb [welfare, good things] do notʼal [by no means] let the arrogantzêd [proud, presumptuous ones] oppress meʻâshaq▸ [press upon, defraud]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֲרֹ֣ב | stand surety for | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| עַבְדְּךָ֣ | servant your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לְט֑וֹב | for good | Preposition |
| אַֽל־ | may not | Particle |
| יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי | they oppress me | Verb qal jussive third person masculine plural, suffix |
| זֵדִֽים׃ | arrogant [people] | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. |
| KJV | Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. |
| ASV | Be surety for thy servant for good: Let not the proud oppress me. |
| YLT | Make sure Thy servant for good, Let not the proud oppress me. |
| WEB | Ensure your servant’s well-being. Don’t let the proud oppress me. |
| BBE | Take your servant's interests into your keeping; let me not be crushed by the men of pride. |
Where they part company is עֲרֹ֣ב — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb governs the plea, with a subordinate clause expressing the psalmist's desire for protection.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectזֵד
verbעָרַב
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 119:122
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 — A Prayer for Deliverancegenerated
Psalms 119:122 is part of a larger section where the psalmist expresses his commitment to God's ways while seeking divine assistance against oppressors. The verses surrounding this one reveal a deep reliance on God for justice and protection, showing the psalmist's vulnerability in the face of arrogance and oppression.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 43:9 | I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. |
| 2 | Proverbs 22:26–27 | Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. |
| 3 | Isaiah 38:14 | I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.” |
| 4 | Philemon 1:18–19 | But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to my account. |
| 5 | Hebrews 7:22 | Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֲרֹ֣ב, a.Rogenerated
The Hebrew verb עָרַב (a.Ro) means to pledge or stand surety for someone, indicating a commitment to ensure their welfare. It conveys the idea of taking responsibility for another's well-being, which is a significant theme in the psalmist's plea for divine protection.
This imperative form suggests urgency in the psalmist's request, emphasizing his reliance on God to act on his behalf. The verb's usage here highlights the relationship between the servant and the master, where the servant seeks assurance and support from 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 main verb of the verse is עֲרֹ֣ב, ensure, which governs the plea for well-being. This is followed by a jussive clause that expresses the psalmist's desire for protection against the arrogant oppressors.
The structure highlights the urgency of the psalmist's request, with the imperative form of the verb placing emphasis on God's action in response to the psalmist's vulnerability.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֲרֹ֣ב as ἔκδεχαι, which conveys a sense of receiving or accepting responsibility. This choice indicates a slight shift from the Hebrew emphasis on pledging to a focus on receiving the psalmist's request.
This translation suggests a broader understanding of the relationship between the servant and God, where God is seen as the one who accepts the psalmist's plea for protection.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 119:122 is a prayer where the psalmist asks God to ensure his well-being and protect him from the arrogant. The psalmist identifies himself as God's servant, expressing his need for divine assistance against those who oppress him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist seeks God's protection and support in his life, indicating a reliance on God for his safety and welfare.
The arrogant are those who oppress and defy God's laws, acting presumptuously against the psalmist.
By calling himself God's servant, the psalmist acknowledges his role and relationship with God, emphasizing his dependence on divine guidance and support.
This verse teaches the importance of turning to God in times of trouble and relying on His strength and protection against adversaries.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's assurance and support?
- How can I respond to those who may oppress or mistreat me in a way that reflects my faith?
- What does it mean to me to be a servant of God in my daily life?
- How can I cultivate a deeper reliance on God when facing challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers have commented on this verse, using it to illustrate the need for divine protection against the proud.
He next says, "Take off Your servant to that which is good, that the proud calumniate me not" [Psalms 119:122].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:122 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBe surety for thy servant for good,.... The psalmist was, in a like case with Hezekiah, oppressed; and therefore desires the Lord would undertake for him, appear on his side, and defend him, Psalms
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBe surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me - Be my guarantee.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 122. Do thou undertake and plead my cause against all mine enemies, as a surety rescues the poor persecuted debtor from the hands of a severe creditor. For good; for my safety and comfort.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.Ver. 122. Be surety for thy servant for good] Obi vadimonium; appear for me, and nonsuit all accusations against me; or, undertake for me that I shall keep thy laws, as I have said and sworn to do: Sis fide iussor meus. Some observe that this is the only verse throughout the whole psalm wherein the word is not mentioned under the name of law, judgments, statutes,or the like terms. And they make this note upon it; where the law faileth there Christ is a surety of a better testament. There are that render the words thus: Dulcify or delight thy servant in good, that is, make him joyful and comfortable in the…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersAIN. (122) Be surety.—Just as Judah became surety for the safety of Benjamin (Genesis 43:9), so the psalmist asks God to be answerable for the servant who had been faithful to the covenant, and stand between him and the attacks of the proud. So Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:14) asks God to “undertake” for him against the threat of death. There is also, no doubt, the further thought that the Divine protection would vindicate the profession which the loyal servant makes of his obedience, as in Job 17:3, where God is summoned as the only possible guarantee of the sufferer’s innocence. This and Psalms 119:132 are the only verses not actually mentioning, under one of its terms, the Law.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 122. Be surety for thy servant] ערב arob, give a pledge or token that thou wilt help me in times of necessity. Or, Be bail for thy servant. What a word is this! Pledge thyself for me, that thou wilt produce me safely at the judgment of the great day. Then sustain and keep me blameless till the coming of Christ. Neither of these two verses has any of the ten words in reference to God's law or attributes. The judgment and the justice refer to the psalmist's own conduct in Psalms 119:121. The hundred and twenty-second has no word of the kind.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges122. Be surety for thy servant for good] “Guarantee Thy servant’s welfare” (Kay). Cp. Genesis 43:9; Job 17:3; Isaiah 38:14. P.B.V. make thou thy servant to delight in that which is good follows Targ., Syr. and Kimchi, in explaining the verb from the sense which it bears in Psalms 104:34 and elsewhere, but this cannot be the meaning. Coverdale was unfortunately misled by Münster’s dulce fac servo tuo id quod est bonum to substitute this rendering in the Great Bible of 1539 for the correct rendering which he had given in 1535, “Be thou suertie for thy servant to do him good.”
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBe surety for thy servant for good - On the meaning of the word here rendered “be surety,” see the notes at Job 17:3, and the notes at Isaiah 38:14, in both which places the same Hebrew word occurs:
Read Albert Barnes 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
Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me.
Ensure your servant’s well-being. Don’t let the proud oppress me.
Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me.
Guarantee the welfare of your servant! Do not let the arrogant oppress me!
Tyndale line
Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
Be surety for thy servant for good: Let not the proud oppress me.
Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
Answere for thy seruant in that, which is good, and let not the proude oppresse me.
Strictly literal
Be surety for thy servant for good; let not the proud oppress me.
Make sure Thy servant for good, Let not the proud oppress me.
Make Your servant sure for good, || Do not let the proud oppress me.
Protect thy servant for good: let not the presumptuous oppress me.
Guarantee the welfare of your servant; do not let the proud oppress me.
Simplified
Please promise you'll take care of me, your servant. Don't let these arrogant people mistreat me.
Take your servant's interests into your keeping; let me not be crushed by the men of pride.
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 in the wording of Psalms 119:122. The correspondence shows that both texts maintain the same essential meaning, with no significant variations in the translation.
עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־ יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
6 of the 6 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.
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 119:122
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 עָרַב (arab) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to pledging, exchanging, and engaging in trade. It can refer to taking on a pledge, giving a pledge, or exchanging items, as well as having fellowship or sharing. The entries indicate various usages, including going surety for someone or making a bargain.
עָרַב vb. take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange
Qal
c. acc. pers. take on pledge, i.e. go surety for
give in pledge
exchange (in trade)
Hithp.
recipr. exchange pledges (make a bargain) with my lord
have fellowship with
share in
base
H6148 עָרַב take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange .. c. acc. pers. take on pledge, i.e. go surety for
. give in pledge
. exchange (in trade)
. . recipr. exchange pledges (make a bargain) with my lord
. . have fellowship with
. share in
6148 `arab aw-rab'
a primitive root; to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to
traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a
kind of exchange):--engage, (inter-)meddle (with), mingle
(self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in)
surety, undertake.
עָרַב (a.rav) — to pledge.
1) to pledge, exchange, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for, give pledges, be or become surety, take on pledge, give in pledge
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take on pledge, go surety for
1a2) to give in pledge
1a3) to exchange
1a4) to pledge
1b) (Hithpael)
1b1) to exchange pledges
1b2) to have fellowship with, share
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.
עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant
slave, servant of household
Subjects, of chief
Servants, worshippers of God
Servant of י׳, in a special sense
Israel as a people is servant of י׳
In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
Phrases
base
H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household
. Subjects, of chief
. Servants, worshippers of God
. Servant of י׳, in a special sense
. Israel as a people is servant of י׳
. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
. Phrases
5650 `ebed eh'-bed
from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,
(man-)servant.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.
1) slave, servant
1a) slave, servant, man-servant
1b) subjects
1c) servants, worshippers (of God)
1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)
1e) servant (of Israel)
1f) servant (as form of address between equals)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
pleasant, agreeable to the senses
pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
good, excellent, of its kind
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
c. מִן compar. = better
of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
good, kind, benign
good (ethical), right
base
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
good = benefit
moral good
base
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
bounty, good
base
H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses
. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
. good, excellent, of its kind
. good, rich, valuable in estimation
. good, appropriate, becoming
. c. מִן compar. =better
. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
. good, kind, benign
. good (ethical), right
H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good
2896 towb tobe
from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used
likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a
good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or
women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,
bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,
fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),
graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,
merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,
prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well
((-favoured)).
see HEBREW for 02895
טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.
adj
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
1c) good, excellent (of its kind)
1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
1e) good, appropriate, becoming
1f) better (comparative)
1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
1i) good, kind, benign
1j) good, right (ethical)
Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
טוֹב (tov) — good.
1) a good thing, benefit, welfare
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) good, benefit
1d) moral good
טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.
1) welfare, benefit, good things
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) bounty
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aamsa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
עָשַׁק (ashaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to oppress, wrong, or extort. It conveys actions of pressing upon, defrauding, and committing violence. The word can also imply being exploited or crushed in its passive form. It is rooted in a primitive form and is related to the concept of deceitful gain.
עָשַׁק oppress, wrong, extort
base
H6231 עָשַׁק oppress, wrong, extort
6231 `ashaq aw-shak'
a primitive root (compare 6229); to press upon, i.e. oppress,
defraud, violate, overflow:--get deceitfully, deceive,
defraud, drink up, (use) oppress((-ion)), -or), do violence
(wrong).
see HEBREW for 06229
עָשַׁק (a.shaq) — to oppress.
1) to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to oppress, wrong, extort
1a2) to oppress
1b) (Pual) to be exploited, be crushed
V-Qal-Juss-3mp | Suff — Verb qal jussive third person masculine plural · suffixHVqj3mp/Sp1bs
זֵד (zed) refers to a quality of arrogance or insolence, describing someone who is presumptuous or proud. The term can function as both an adjective and a noun, indicating arrogant individuals collectively. It is derived from a root meaning to be arrogant, and its usage is consistent across various lexicons.
זֵד adj. insolent, presumptious
base
H2086 זֵד insolent, presumptious
2086 zed zade'
from 2102; arrogant:--presumptuous, proud.
see HEBREW for 02102
זֵד (zed) — arrogant.
1) arrogant, proud, insolent, presumptuous
1a) the arrogant ones (as n coll pl)
1b) presumptuous (as adj)
Adj — AdjHAampa
pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…