Psalms 119:154 — Word Study
WLCרִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
BSADefendrîyb [plead, undertake] my causerîyb [my right, my plea] and redeem megâʼal [buy back, rescue] revive mechâyâh [quicken, give life] according to Your wordʼimrâh [as you have said, based on, promise, command, threat]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רִיבָ֣ה | conduct ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| רִ֭יבִי | case my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי | and redeem me | Conjunction, verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ | to word your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| חַיֵּֽנִי׃ | preserve alive me | Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word. |
| KJV | Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. |
| ASV | Plead thou my cause, and redeem me: Quicken me according to thy word. |
| YLT | Plead my plea, and redeem me, According to Thy saying quicken me. |
| WEB | Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise. |
| BBE | Undertake my cause, and come to my help, give me life, as you have said. |
The translations agree in their rendering of the verse, emphasizing the psalmist's plea for divine intervention.
The sentence is structured around the main plea, with additional requests for redemption and revival, showing a clear progression of thought.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
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 119:154
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 Plea for Justice and Lifegenerated
Psalm 119:154 is part of a larger meditation on the psalmist's affliction and his reliance on God's law. In this verse, he calls for God to defend his cause, indicating a sense of injustice, and seeks redemption and revival according to God's promises. This reflects the psalmist's deep faith and dependence on God's word as a source of hope and life.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 35:1 | Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me. |
| 2 | Psalm 43:1 | Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men. |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 24:15 | May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.” |
| 4 | Job 5:8 | However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him— |
| 5 | Proverbs 22:23 | for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רִיבָ֣ה, ri.Vahgenerated
The verb רִיבָה (ri.Vah) is a qal imperative form meaning to contend or plead. It expresses a strong request for God to engage in a legal or moral dispute on the psalmist's behalf. The imperative form indicates urgency and a personal appeal for divine advocacy.
This word encompasses a range of meanings, including arguing, fighting, or contending in various contexts, from personal disputes to legal matters. The psalmist's use of this term emphasizes his desire for God to take action in his defense.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, with all versions reflecting the psalmist's plea for defense and redemption based on God's word.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb רִיבָ֣ה (ri.Vah) governs the main clause, calling for action from God. The structure includes a direct object, the psalmist's plea, followed by two additional clauses that request redemption and revival, creating a layered appeal for help.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the requests, highlighting the urgency of the psalmist's situation and his reliance on God's promises.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רִיבָ֣ה as κρῖνον, which means 'judge' or 'decide'. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of the psalmist's plea, emphasizing God's role as a judge who determines justice.
This translation reflects a slight shift in focus from personal pleading to a more formal judicial context, indicating the psalmist's desire for divine judgment in his favor.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 119:154 shows the psalmist asking God to defend him and redeem him, while also seeking to be revived according to God's word. This reflects his trust in God's promises and his need for divine intervention in his life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is asking God to take action on his behalf, to advocate for him in a situation where he feels wronged or unjustly treated.
Redemption in this context refers to God rescuing the psalmist from his troubles, which can include physical, emotional, or spiritual deliverance.
This phrase indicates the psalmist's belief that God's promises and commands have the power to restore and give life, reflecting a deep reliance on God's word.
The plea for revival suggests that the psalmist is in a state of distress or despair and is seeking God's intervention to restore his vitality and hope.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need God to defend my cause?
- How can I seek redemption and restoration in my own circumstances?
- What promises from God can I hold onto when I feel discouraged?
- How does understanding God's word provide life and hope in difficult times?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo references this verse in his exposition, emphasizing the psalmist's plea for justice and deliverance.
"Avenge Thou," he says, "my cause, and deliver me" [Psalms 119:154]. The former sentence is here almost repeated.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:154 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BiblePlead my cause, and deliver me,.... This shows that his affliction was chiefly from men, wicked, ungodly, and unreasonable men; such as were Saul and his courtiers, and a whole ungodly nation: his
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryPlead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. Plead my cause - (Psalms 35:1.) So David in respect to his enemy, Saul (1 Samuel 24:15).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.Ver. 154. Plead my cause, and deliver me] Litiga litigium meum. Be both mine advocate and my redeemer.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 154. Plead my cause] ריבה ריבי ribah ribi. "Be my Advocate in my suit." Contend for us against the Babylonians, and bring us out of our bondage. According to thy word.] Spoken by thy prophets for our comfort and encouragement.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges154. Plead my cause] The dispute between him and his persecutors is represented as a lawsuit: will not Jehovah be his advocate? Cp. Psalms 35:1; Psalms 43:1; Isaiah 51:22. deliver me] Redeem me, as from bondage. Cp. Exodus 6:6; Exodus 15:13; Psalms 19:14, and the frequent description of Jehovah as Israel’s Redeemer from exile in Isaiah 40-66.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BiblePlead my cause ... - Undertake my cause, as an advocate does. See the notes at Psalms 35:1. Quicken me ... - Give me life. See the notes at Psalms 119:25.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleø, Resh.153-160. Plead my cause—The prayer is here as if the honour of God were involved in the deliverance of those who put their trust in him. The pleading is, for that very reason, the more earnest.
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
Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise.
Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
Fight for me and defend me! Revive me with your word!
Tyndale line
Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
Plead thou my cause, and redeem me: Quicken me according to thy word.
Plead thou my cause, and redeem me: quicken me according to thy word.
Plead my cause, and deliver me: revive me according to thy word.
Pleade my cause, and deliuer me: quicken me according vnto thy word.
Strictly literal
Plead my cause, and redeem me: quicken me according to thy *word.
Plead my plea, and redeem me, According to Thy saying quicken me.
Plead my plea, and redeem me, || Quicken me according to Your saying.
Plead my cause, and deliver me: according to thy promise do thou revive me.
Plead my cause and redeem me; keep me, as you have promised in your word.
Simplified
Plead my case, and save me as you promised! Let me live!
Undertake my cause, and come to my help, give me life, as you have said.
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 Psalm 119:154, with the Dead Sea Scrolls also matching the Hebrew text closely. All witnesses maintain the essential elements of the psalmist's plea.
רִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
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.
ריב׳ה ריב׳י וגאל׳ני לאמרת׳כה חי׳ני
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 119:154
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.
רִיב (riyb) means to strive or contend, often in a figurative sense of grappling or wrangling. It can refer to physical struggle, verbal disputes, legal cases, or complaints. The entries indicate that it encompasses a range of meanings from quarreling to defending one's position. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
רִיב vb. strive, contend
Qal strive
Hiph. (those) displaying contention against him
base
H7378 רִיב strive, contend
7378 riyb reeb
or ruwb {roob}; a primitive root; properly, to toss, i.e.
grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e. hold a
controversy; (by implication) to defend:--adversary, chide,
complain, contend, debate, X ever, X lay wait, plead, rebuke,
strive, X thoroughly.
רִיב (riv) — to contend.
1) to strive, contend
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to strive
1a1a) physically
1a1b) with words
1a2) to conduct a case or suit (legal), sue
1a3) to make complaint
1a4) to quarrel
1b) (Hiphil) to contend against
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
kon'-dukt.
See ETHICS.
רִיב (riyb) refers to strife or dispute, encompassing personal or legal contests. It can denote adversarial situations, chiding, or legal cases. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to conflict, such as quarrels and controversies, without significant disagreement among the lexicons.
רִיב 62 n.m. strife, dispute
base
H7379 רִיב strife, dispute
7379 riyb reeb
or rib {reeb}; from 7378; a contest (personal or legal):--+
adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy,
multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing),
suit.
see HEBREW for 07378
רִיב (riv) — strife.
1) strife, controversy, dispute
1a) strife, quarrel
1b) dispute, controversy, case at law
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
גָּאַל (ga'al) is a Hebrew verb meaning to redeem, often in the context of acting as a kinsman-redeemer. It encompasses various forms of redemption, including buying back property, marrying a relative's widow, and delivering individuals or Israel from bondage or exile. The related noun גְּאוּלַי (geulai) signifies the concept of redemption itself.
גָּאַל vb. redeem, act as kinsman
Qal
act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin
redeem, by payment of value assessed
redeem, with God as subj. implying personal relationship
H1350a גָּאַל redeem, act as kinsman .. act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin
. redeem, by payment of value assessed
. redeem, with God as subj. implying personal relationship
.. refl. redeem oneself
. pass. be redeemed
H1350b גְּאוּלַי n. abstr. redemption
1350 ga'al gaw-al'
a primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of
kinship), i.e. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back
a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.):--X in any wise,
X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near,
next) kinsfolk(-man), purchase, ransom, redeem(-er), revenger.
גָּאַל (ga.al) — to redeem: redeem.
: redeem
1) to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer
1a1a) by marrying brother's widow to beget a child for him, to redeem from slavery, to redeem land, to exact vengeance
1a2) to redeem (by payment)
1a3) to redeem (with God as subject)
1a3a) individuals from death
1a3b) Israel from Egyptian bondage
1a3c) Israel from exile
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to redeem oneself
1b2) to be redeemed
גְּאוּלַי (ge.u.lay) — redemption.
redemption
גָּאַל (ga.al) — to redeem: avenge.
: avenge
1) to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHC/Vqv2ms/Sp1bs
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
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
V-Piel-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVpv2ms/Sp1bs