Psalms 119:148 — Word Study
WLCקִדְּמ֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃
BSAMy eyesʻayin anticipateqâdam■ [stay open] the watches of nightʼashmurâh [night guards, periods of vigil] that I may meditatesîyach [think deeply, muse] on Your wordʼimrâh [promise, divine saying, declaration]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קִדְּמ֣וּ | they anticipate | Verb, Piel, perfect third person common plural |
| עֵ֭ינַי | eyes my | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת | [the] night-watches | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ | to meditate | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ | on word your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word. |
| KJV | Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. |
| ASV | Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditate on thy word. |
| YLT | Mine eyes have gone before the watches, To meditate in Thy saying. |
| WEB | My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word. |
| BBE | In the night watches I am awake, so that I may give thought to your saying. |
All translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, emphasizing the psalmist's anticipation and meditation.
The verse consists of one main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and a purpose clause, clearly indicating the psalmist's intention to meditate.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָדַם
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 119:148
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 119:148 highlights the psalmist's commitment to God's word, emphasizing a desire to reflect on it during the night. This verse is part of a larger section where the psalmist expresses his reliance on God's promises and the importance of meditation in his spiritual life, akin to the themes found in other passages like Psalm 119:62 and Psalm 63:1-6.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 119:62 | At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous judgments. |
| 2 | Psalm 63:1–6 | O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water. |
| 3 | Psalm 139:17–18 | How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God, how vast is their sum! |
| 4 | Lamentations 2:19 | Arise, cry out in the night from the first watch of the night. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger on the corner of every street. |
| 5 | Luke 6:12 | In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קִדְּמ֣וּ, ki.de.Mugenerated
The verb קָדַם (qadam) is a Piel form meaning 'to anticipate' or 'to meet.' It suggests a readiness and eagerness, as the psalmist's eyes are open and alert during the night watches, waiting to engage with God's word. This form emphasizes an active role in the anticipation, indicating the psalmist's commitment to spiritual reflection.
The choice of this verb reflects a deep longing to not only see but to engage with what is coming, particularly in the context of meditation and prayer. The action of anticipating is not passive; it conveys a sense of urgency and devotion.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse generally agree, with all versions reflecting the anticipation of the psalmist's eyes during the night watches.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb קִדְּמ֣וּ governs the structure of the verse, with a noun phrase as the subject ('my eyes') and two prepositional phrases detailing the context of the meditation. The sentence emphasizes the psalmist's active engagement during the night watches.
The word order places the subject first, highlighting the psalmist's eyes and their role in the act of anticipation, followed by the details of what he anticipates and why.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קִדְּמ֣וּ as προέφθασαν, which conveys a similar sense of anticipation. This choice indicates a continuity in the theme of readiness and eagerness to engage with God's word, aligning with the psalmist's intent.
The Greek translation maintains the emphasis on the active role of the psalmist's eyes in waiting for the night watches, reinforcing the importance of vigilance in meditation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:148 shows the psalmist eagerly waiting during the night to think deeply about God's word. He expresses a commitment to meditation, highlighting how important it is to reflect on God's promises, especially during quiet times.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To anticipate the watches of night means to stay alert and ready during the night hours, particularly for the purpose of meditation and prayer.
The psalmist meditates on God's word to deepen his understanding and relationship with God, reflecting on His promises and guidance.
The night watches represent times of solitude and reflection, where the psalmist can focus on God's word without distractions.
You can apply this verse by setting aside quiet moments, especially at night, to meditate on Scripture and seek a deeper understanding of God's promises.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some specific times in my life when I have felt the need to meditate on God's word?
- How can I create a routine that includes quiet reflection on Scripture?
- What distractions might prevent me from engaging in meditation, and how can I address them?
- In what ways does anticipating God's word impact my daily life and decisions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, including Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to illustrate the importance of meditation on God's word, highlighting its spiritual significance.
The Church says also what follows, "My eyes have prevented the morning watch, that I might meditate on Your words" [Psalms 119:148].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:148 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMine eyes prevent the [night] watches,.... The Targum is, "the morning and evening watches.'' There were three of them; Kimchi interprets it of the second and third; the meaning is, that the psalmist
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches - Mine eyes are already awake before the night-watches are past (Maurer).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 148. The night watches, Heb. the watches; which were kept only by night. And these watches were then three, as hath been more than once observed. And this is not to be understood of the first watch, which was at the beginning of the night, for the prevention thereof was very easy, and frequent, and inconsiderable; but of the middle watch, as it is called, , which was set in the middle of the night; and especially of the morning watch, as it is called, , which was set some hours before the dawning of the day; and so this is an aggravation and addition to what he said .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:148 Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches, that I might meditate in thy word.Ver. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches] By this verse and the former it appeareth that he spent whole nights in prayer and meditation of God’ s word. Jerome counselled some godly women thus, Tenenti codicem somnus obrepat, et cadentem faciem pagina sacra suspiciat (Hier. ad Eusta.).
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 148. Mine eyes prevent] קדמו kiddemu, "go before the watches." Before the watchman proclaims the hour, I am awake, meditating on thy words. The Jews divided the night into three watches, which began at what we call six o'clock in the evening, and consisted each of four hours. The Romans taught them afterwards to divide it into four watches of three hours each; and to divide the day and night into twelve hours each; wherein different guards of soldiers were appointed to watch. At the proclaiming of each watch the psalmist appears to have risen and performed some act of devotion. For a remarkable custom of our Saxon ancestors, See Clarke on Psalms 119:164.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges148. Mine eyes prevent [or are beforehand with, the same word as in Psalms 119:147] the night watches] The night was divided into three watches by the Israelites (Lamentations 2:19; Judges 7:19; 1 Samuel 11:11). He compares himself to a sentinel who wakes before it is time for him to go on duty. Possibly, as Baethgen suggests, there is a reference to the author’s duties as a Levite. Before the hour when he must rise for his watch in the Temple he is awake, and meditating on God’s words. Cp. Psalms 119:62; Psalms 63:6.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMine eyes prevent the night watches - Luther renders this, “I wake up early.” The Hebrew word means a “watch” - a part of the night, so called from military watches, or a dividing of the night to
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible÷, Koph.145-152. I cried with my whole heart—Here we see the spirit of Samuel among them that called upon God.
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
My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word.
My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word.
My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word.
My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours, so that I can meditate on your word.
Tyndale line
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditate on thy word.
Mine eyes prevented the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
My eyes anticipated the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Mine eyes preuent the night watches to meditate in thy word.
Strictly literal
Mine eyes anticipate the night-watches, that I may meditate in thy *word.
Mine eyes have gone before the watches, To meditate in Thy saying.
My eyes have gone before the watches, || To meditate on Your saying.
My eyes are awake before the night-watches, that I may meditate in thy saying.
My eyes are open before the night watches change so that I might meditate on your word.
Simplified
During the night I stay awake, meditating on your word.
In the night watches I am awake, so that I may give thought to your saying.
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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with four out of five words matching directly. The Septuagint's rendering reflects the same themes of anticipation and meditation, although the word order differs.
קִדְּמ֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃
4 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.
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 119:148
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.
קָדַם (qadam) is a verb meaning to meet or come in front of someone or something. It covers actions such as anticipating, leading, and confronting, with nuances in its Piel and Hiphil forms. The entries emphasize its use in contexts of meeting or preceding, but do not provide specific verse references.
[קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
base
H6923 [קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
6923 qadam kaw-dam'
a primitive root; to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence,
to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help):--come (go,
(flee)) before, + disappoint, meet, prevent.
קָדַם (qa.dam) — to meet.
1) to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to meet, confront, come to meet, receive
1a2) to go before, go in front, be in front
1a3) to lead, be beforehand, anticipate, forestall
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to come in front
1b2) to confront, anticipate
V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Verb · Piel · perfect third person common pluralHVpp3cp
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
N-cd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp1bs
אַשְׁמוּרָה (ashmurah) refers to a watch, specifically a division of time, often associated with a night watch. It is derived from the root meaning to guard or keep watch. The entries consistently highlight its meaning related to timekeeping, without any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
אַשְׁמוּרָה, אַשְׁמֹ֫רֶה n.f. watch (division of time)
base
H821 אַשְׁמוּרָה, אַשְׁמֹ֫רֶה watch (division of time)
821 'ashmurah ash-moo-raw'
or bashmuwrah {ash-moo-raw'}; or -ashmoreth {ash-mo'-reth};
(feminine) from 8104; a night watch:--watch.
see HEBREW for 08104
אַשְׁמוּרָה (ash.mu.rah) — watch.
watch (a period of time), night-watch
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
Watches
The periods into which the time between sunset and sunrise was divided. They are so called because watchmen relieved each other at each of these periods. There are frequent references in Scripture to the duties of watchmen who were appointed to give notice of the approach of an enemy (2 Sam. 18:24-27; 2 Kings 9:17-20; Isa. 21:5-9). They were sometimes placed for this purpose on watch-towers (2 Kings 17:9; 18:8). Ministers or teachers are also spoken of under this title (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 33:2-9; Heb. 13:17).
שִׂיחַ (siyach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to muse or complain, encompassing a range of actions such as talking, singing, and meditating. It can imply conversing with oneself or aloud, and includes nuances of pondering and declaring thoughts. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts of communication and reflection.
שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk (of)
Qal
complain
muse
talk (about), sing (of)
talk (with)
Pôl‛el meditate, consider
base
H7878 שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk of
7878 siyach see'-akh
a primitive root; to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse
(with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter:--
commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk
(with).
שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — to muse.
1) to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to complain
1a2) to muse, meditate upon, study, ponder
1a3) to talk, sing, speak
1b) (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
אִמְרָה (imrah) refers to an utterance, speech, or word, and can denote a word of God, including commands and promises. It also has a connotation of a threat, particularly in the context of divine judgment. The term is feminine and is derived from a related root, אֶמְרָה (emrah), which shares similar meanings.
ref
H565a אִמְרָה utternace, speech, word H565b אֶמְרָה id. [565a]
565 'imrah im-raw'
or memrah {em-raw'}; feminine of 561, and meaning the
same:--commandment, speech, word.
see HEBREW for 0561
אִמְרָה (im.rah) — word.
1) utterance, speech, word
1a) word of God (command and promise)
אֶמְרָה (im.rah) — threat.
threat (of judgement from God)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms