Psalms 119:137 — Word Study
WLCצַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃
BSARighteoustsaddîyq [just, having God's nature] are Youʼattâh O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and uprightyâshâr [straight, just, convenient] are Your judgmentsmishpâṭ [justice, righteous decisions]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| צַדִּ֣יק | [are] righteous | Adj |
| אַתָּ֣ה | you | Pronoun |
| יְהוָ֑ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר | and [are] upright | Conjunction |
| מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃ | judgments 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 | Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. |
| KJV | Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. |
| ASV | Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, And upright are thy judgments. |
| YLT | [Tzade.] Righteous [art] Thou, O Jehovah, And upright [are] Thy judgments. |
| WEB | You are righteous, Yahweh. Your judgments are upright. |
| BBE | O Lord, great is your righteousness, and upright are your decisions. |
All translations agree on the meaning of God's righteousness and the uprightness of His judgments.
The sentence is composed of a main clause followed by a predicate that describes God's judgments, emphasizing His character.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
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 119:137
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 Righteousnessgenerated
Psalm 119:137 expresses the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's inherent righteousness and the just nature of His judgments. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the law of God, where the psalmist contrasts his own sorrow over disobedience with the perfection of God's character, as seen in the surrounding verses. The psalmist's deep emotional response highlights the significance of God's righteousness in the life of His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 99:4 | The mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob. |
| 2 | Psalm 103:6 | The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. |
| 3 | Psalm 145:17 | The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 32:4 | He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He. |
| 5 | Ezra 9:15 | O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צַדִּיק, tza.Dikgenerated
The word צַדִּיק (tza.Dik) is an adjective meaning righteous, just, or having God's nature. It reflects a state of being right or just in moral and ethical conduct, often associated with individuals who align with God's standards. The parsing as an adjective indicates its role in describing the subject, which in this case is God.
This term is frequently used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe God's character and the expectations for His people. It emphasizes a relationship with God that is characterized by moral integrity and justice, as seen in the lives of biblical figures like King David.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as well as the KJV and ASV with Righteous are You, O LORD, maintaining the same meaning across these translations.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb צַדִּיק governs the main clause, with the subject אַתָּה explicitly addressing God. The structure emphasizes God's righteousness and the uprightness of His judgments, with the conjunction וְ linking the two predicates.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject-predicate relationship that highlights God's character and His judgments.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew צַדִּיק is rendered as δίκαιος, which also means righteous. This choice reflects a direct correspondence in meaning, affirming God's just nature.
The use of εὐθὴς for יָשָׁר further emphasizes the moral straightness of God's judgments, aligning with the Hebrew sense of uprightness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:137 states that God is righteous and His judgments are upright. This verse highlights the psalmist's recognition of God's perfect nature and His fair decisions. It is part of a larger meditation on the importance of God's law and character.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God's righteousness indicates that He is just and morally perfect, embodying the highest standards of justice and integrity.
God's judgments are an expression of His righteousness, ensuring fairness and justice in His dealings with humanity.
The psalmist emphasizes God's righteousness to highlight the contrast with human failings and to express a longing for obedience to God's law.
This verse teaches that God's nature is inherently just and upright, which serves as a standard for moral conduct in the lives of His followers.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I reflect God's righteousness in my daily life?
- In what ways do I see God's judgments as just and fair?
- What does it mean for me to align my actions with God's righteous standards?
- How can I encourage others to recognize the importance of God's justice?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's nature and the moral implications of His righteousness.
For this is the divine promise: “The Lord shall fight for you.” Henceforth, although afflictions and trials from without overtake them, yet,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Thus, then, as if giving a reason why he had cause to weep much, and to mourn deeply for his sin, he says, "Righteous are You, O Lord,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:137 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bibleu, TZADDI.--The Eighteenth Part. Ver. 137. TZADDI. Righteous [art] thou, O Lord,.... Essentially, originally, and of himself; naturally, immutably, and universally, in all his ways and works of
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryRighteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments - (Deuteronomy 32:4.) The "righteous" is singular, "judgments" plural - i:e., thy
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTZADDI Ver. 137. Righteous art thou, by thine essence and nature, and therefore it is impossible that thou shouldst be unjust in any of thy laws or providences.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:137 TZADDI. Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, and upright [are] thy judgments.Ver. 137. Righteous art thou, O Lord] Essentially and efficiently. And upright are thy judgments] Which are sometimes secret, but always just, as the Emperor Mauricius also acknowledged, when his wife and children were slain before his eyes by the traitor Phocas.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersTZADDI. (137) And upright.—For an interesting historical association with this verse see Gibbon’s account of the death of the Emperor Maurice (chap 46).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleLETTER צ TSADDI. - Eighteenth Division Verse 137. Righteous art thou] Thou art infinitely holy in thy nature; and therefore thou art upright in thy judgments - all thy dispensations to men.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges137–144. Tsâdç. The righteousness, purity, and truth of God’s law command the Psalmist’s deepest love and reverence.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleRighteous art thou, O Lord ... - This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Tsaddiy (צ ts) - corresponding with “ts.” The thought in this verse is, that God is right,
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
Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.
You are righteous, Yahweh. Your judgments are upright.
Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.
You are just, O Lord, and your judgments are fair.
Tyndale line
Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, And upright are thy judgments.
Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
TSADDI. Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
TSADDI. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and iust are thy iudgements.
Strictly literal
TZADE. Righteous art thou, Jehovah, and upright are thy judgments.
[Tzade.] Righteous [art] Thou, O Jehovah, And upright [are] Thy judgments.
[TSADE] You [are] righteous, O YHWH, || And Your judgments [are] upright.
TZADDE. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy decrees.
You are righteous, Yahweh, and your decrees are fair.
Simplified
Lord, you are right, and what you decide is just!
O Lord, great is your righteousness, and upright are your decisions.
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, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls also confirm the wording of the Masoretic Text, indicating a strong textual consistency across these ancient witnesses.
צַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃
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.
צדיק אתה יהוה וישרים משפטי׳כה
5 words on the leather.
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 119:137
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.
צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
base
H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous
6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'
from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).
see HEBREW for 06663
צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.
1) just, lawful, righteous
1a) just, righteous (in government)
1b) just, right (in one's cause)
1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)
1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)
1e) right, correct, lawful
Adj — AdjHAamsa
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
יָשָׁר (yashar) means straight or upright, covering a range of meanings from physical straightness to moral correctness. It can refer to something that is pleasing, just, or fitting, as well as the concept of uprightness itself. The term is also associated with a figure named Jashar, mentioned in Joshua 10:13.
יָשָׁר adj. straight, right
straight, level
right, pleasing
straightforward, just, upright
abstr., uprightness
base
H3477 יָשָׁר straight, right . straight, level
. right, pleasing
. straightforward, just, upright
. abstr., uprightness
3477 yashar yaw-shawr'
from 3474; straight (literally or figuratively):--convenient,
equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), + pleased well right(-eous),
straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).
see HEBREW for 03474
יָשָׁר (ya.shar) — upright.
1) straight, upright, correct, right
1a) straight, level
1b) right, pleasing, correct
1c) straightforward, just, upright, fitting, proper
1d) uprightness, righteous, upright
1e) that which is upright (subst)
Also means: ya.shar (יָשָׁר "upright" H3477I)
יָשָׁר (ya.shar) — Jashar.
A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jos.10.13
יָשָׁר (ya.shar) — upright.
1) straight, upright, correct, right
1a) straight, level
1b) right, pleasing, correct
1c) straightforward, just, upright, fitting, proper
1d) uprightness, righteous, upright
1e) that which is upright (subst)
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Aamsa
The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) primarily means judgment or justice and encompasses various aspects such as legal rights, ordinances, and decisions. It is derived from a root meaning to pronounce a verdict, covering both human and divine law. The entries highlight its application in legal contexts, including the act of deciding cases and the attributes of justice and rectitude.
מִשְׁפָּט 422 n.m. judgment
judgment
justice, right, rectitude
ordinance
decision
one's (legal) right, privilege, due
proper, fitting, measure
custom, manner
what manner of
plan
base
H4941 מִשְׁפָּט judgment . judgment
. justice, right, rectitude
. ordinance
. decision
. one's (legal) right, privilege, due
. . proper, fitting, measure
. custom, manner
. what manner of
. plan
4941 mishpat mish-pawt'
from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable)
pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree
(human or (participant's) divine law, individual or
collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the
crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a
participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or
even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime,
custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due,
fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly),
(manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order,
ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.
see HEBREW for 08199
מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice: judgement.
: judgement/punishment
1) judgment, justice, ordinance
1a) judgment
1a1) act of deciding a case
1a2) place, court, seat of judgment
1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)
1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)
1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)
1a6) execution (of judgment)
1a7) time (of judgment)
1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man)
1c) ordinance
1d) decision (in law)
1e) right, privilege, due (legal)
1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) — justice.
: justice/right/righteousness
1) judgment, justice, ordinance
1a) judgment
1a1) act of deciding a case
1a2) place, court, seat of judgment
1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges)
1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment)
1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment)
1a6) execution (of judgment)
1a7) time (of judgment)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms