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Psalms 119:48 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאֶשָּֽׂא־ כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־ מִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃

BSAI lift upnâsâʼ [stretch out, reach for] my handskaph toʼêl Your commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, divine instructions] whichʼăsher [that] I loveʼâhab [have affection for, cherish] and I meditatesîyach [think deeply, ponder] on Your statuteschôq [in, with, decrees, ordinances]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 48 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ve.chu.Kei.cha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:48quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses love for God's commandments and a commitment to meditate on His statutes.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on his relationship with God.
Where we areIn the midst of a meditation on God's laws, emphasizing love and devotion.
The hard wordמִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָ
Take awayThe act of lifting hands signifies worship and devotion to God's commands.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbאָהֵב The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 119:48

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 Lawgenerated

47I delight in Your commandments because I love them.
48I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes.
49Remember Your word to Your servant, upon which You have given me hope.
50This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.

Psalm 119:48 expresses the psalmist's deep affection for God's commandments and his desire to engage with them through meditation. This verse is part of a larger section that highlights the importance of God's laws in the life of the believer, as seen in the preceding and following verses, which emphasize delight and comfort found in God's word.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 10:12Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless.
2Ezekiel 44:12Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
3Micah 5:9Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.
4Matthew 7:21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
5John 13:17If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נָשָׂא, naśa'generated

The verb נָשָׂא (naśa') means to lift or raise, indicating both a physical action and a spiritual posture of reaching out to God. This word is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe various forms of lifting, whether it be lifting burdens, raising hands in worship, or taking on responsibilities.

In this context, the psalmist lifts his hands as a gesture of worship and submission to God's commandments, which he loves. The parsing as a first person common singular verb indicates that this action is personal and intentional, reflecting the psalmist's individual devotion.


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 finite verb אֶשָּֽׂא (naśa') governs the main action of the verse, with three phrases hanging off it: a noun phrase indicating the object (my hands), a prepositional phrase indicating direction (to Your commandments), and a participial phrase describing the relationship to the commandments (which I love). This structure emphasizes the psalmist's active engagement with God's laws.

The order of the Hebrew words places the action of lifting hands first, highlighting the psalmist's immediate response of worship before expressing love for the commandments and intent to meditate on them.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נָשָׂא as ἦρα (ēra), which also means 'to lift.' This choice maintains the physical action of lifting while potentially broadening the interpretation to include a sense of raising up in prayer or worship.

The use of ἡ ἐντολή for מִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָ indicates a focus on the commandments as divine orders, aligning with the psalmist's reverence for God's statutes.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:48 shows the psalmist lifting his hands to God’s commandments, which he loves, and meditating on God’s statutes. This reflects his deep affection and commitment to following God's laws.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does lifting hands signify in this verse?

Lifting hands is a gesture of worship and submission, expressing the psalmist's devotion to God's commandments.

Why does the psalmist love God's commandments?

The psalmist loves God's commandments because they provide guidance and reflect God's character, which he cherishes.

What does it mean to meditate on God's statutes?

To meditate on God's statutes means to think deeply about them, reflecting on their meaning and how they apply to one's life.

How can we apply this verse in our daily lives?

We can apply this verse by actively engaging with God's word, showing our love for His commandments through our actions and thoughts.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I express my love for God's commandments in my daily life?
  2. How can I incorporate meditation on God's statutes into my routine?
  3. What does lifting my hands in worship mean to me personally?
  4. How do I find comfort in God's promises during difficult times?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:48 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved,.... Showing by such a gesture his great esteem of them, and affection for them; stretching out his hands, and embracing them

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Lift up; to lay hold upon them, to receive and embrace thy precepts and promises by faith and love, and cheerfully and vigorously to put them in practice; for as the hanging down of the hands is a gesture of sloth and listlessness, as , and elsewhere; so the lifting up of the hands is the posture of a man entering upon action, as . I will meditate in thy statutes; my deepest thoughts, as well as my hands, shall be exercised in them.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.Ver. 48. My hands also will I lift up, &c.] Removing all rubs, and pulling thy word to me with both hands earnestly, with my whole man, with my whole might; Utraque manu capessim, επεκτεινομενος, straining the body, and stretching out the hands to do mine utmost at it, while others put it from them with a force, and so judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, Acts 13:46.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(48) My hands.—See Psalms 28:2. The expression here is elliptical: “I will lift my hands in prayer for power to observe Thy commands.”

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 48. My hands also will I lift up] I will present every victim and sacrifice which the law requires. I will make prayer and supplication before thee, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. ANALYSIS OF LETTER VAU. - Sixth Division The psalmist prays for mercy, and promises to show his thankfulness two ways: - I. By a bold confession of God's law. II. By holy obedience to it. The whole section consists of two petitions and six promises. I. I. First petition. "Let thy mercies come also unto me - even thy salvation." He joins these two, mercy and salvation, as cause and effect; for God's mercy can alone bring salvation. This being granted, he vows to be thankful and courageous.…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

48. And I will lift up my hands unto thy commandments] The attitude of prayer, significant of an uplifted heart (Psalms 28:2), and here of reverence and devotion. which I have loved] The clause overweights the verse, and has probably been accidentally repeated from Psalms 119:47.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments ... - As an expression of delight or rejoicing, as people lift up their hands with their voice when they give expression to joy.

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on your statutes. ZAYIN

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I will lift my hands to your commands, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; And I will meditate on thy statutes. ז ZAYIN.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

My hands also will I lift to thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Mine handes also will I lift vp vnto thy commandements, which I haue loued, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And I will lift up my hands unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And I lift up my hands unto Thy commands, That I have loved, And I do meditate on Thy statutes!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I lift up my hands to Your commands, || That I have loved, || And I meditate on Your statutes!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And so will I lift up my hands unto thy commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on thy statutes.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I will lift up my hands to your commandments, which I love; I will meditate on your statutes.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I lift up my hands in prayer, honoring your commandments. I will think deeply about all you say. Zayin

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And so that my hands may be stretched out to you; and I will give thought to your rules. ZAIN

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.

וְandclauseverbאֶשָּֽׂאI.will.lift.upnoun phrase · objectכַפַּ֗palmsיmyprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶֽלtonoun phrasenoun phraseמִ֭צְוֺתֶיcommandmentsךָyourrelpאֲשֶׁ֥רwhichclauseverbאָהָ֗בְתִּיI.loveוְandclauseverbאָשִׂ֥יחָהI.will.meditateprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְonnoun phraseחֻקֶּֽיdecreesךָyour

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text of Psalms 119:48 reads: 'וְאֶשָּֽׂא־ כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־ מִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃'. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all 8 words correspond, although the order and articles are unique to the Greek translation. The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically 1Q10 and 11Q5, also align closely with the Masoretic Text, though some words are either restored or supplied by editors, indicating minor variations in preservation. Overall, the primary witnesses—Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and Dead Sea Scrolls—show a strong agreement on the verse's content, with slight differences in wording and restoration practices.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְאֶשָּֽׂא־ כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־ מִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֶשָּֽׂא־ἦραכַפַּ֗יμουאֶֽל־πρὸςמִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָσουאֲשֶׁ֥רἃςאָהָ֗בְתִּיἠγάπησαוְאָשִׂ֥יחָהἠδολέσξουνבְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃σου

8 of the 8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q10a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואשא] [כפ׳י] [אל] [מצותי׳ך] [אשר] אהבתי ואשיחה [בחקי׳ך]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ואשא כפ׳י אל מצוותי׳כה אשר אהבתי ואשישה בחוקי׳כה

6 words on the leather — 2 partly restored.

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.

Psalms 119:48נָשָׂאand I may land I may lift נָשָׂאכַּףhands myhands myכַּףאֶלtotoאֶלמִצְוָהcommandmentcommandments yoמִצְוָהאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁראָהֵבI loveI loveאָהֵבשִׂיחַand I will and I will mediשִׂיחַחֹקon decrees on decrees yourחֹקצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהכָּפַףto bendto bendכָּפַףחָקַקto decreeto decreeחָקַקאֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלפָּרַשׂto spreadto spreadפָּרַשׂרֶ֫גֶלfootfootרֶ֫גֶלפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫החֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחֹקstatute: dstatute: decreeחֹקשָׂנֵאto hateto hateשָׂנֵאפִּקּוּדpreceptpreceptפִּקּוּדפָּלָאto wonderto wonderפָּלָאלָמַדto learn: to learn: teachלָמַדמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:48

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.

and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
וְאֶשָּֽׂא־ve.'e.sa'- and I may lift up H5375 Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
stretch out, reach for
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal first person common singular
HC/Vqu1cs
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
כַפַּ֗יkha.Pai hands my H3709 Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
193× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to the palm of the hand, like in Exodus 29 where it describes the priest's hands being filled with offerings. It can also symbolize power or strength, like in Psalm 16. It's about the hand or its shape.
Tyndale gloss
palm
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כַּף (kaph) refers to the hollow or flat part of the hand, including the palm and the sole of the foot. It can also denote power and is used to describe various hollow objects, such as bowls or handles. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to the shape and function of hands and feet, as well as items that are hand-shaped.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כַּף 192 n.f. hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3709 כַּף hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3709 kaph kaf

from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an

animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling,

the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree);

figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle,

(-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

see HEBREW for 03721

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כַּף (kaph) — palm.

: palm/hand

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

1c) sole (of the foot)

1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects

1d1) of thigh-joint

1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)

1d3) hollow (of sling)

1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)

1d5) handles (as bent)

כַּף (kaph) — palm: sole.

: sole/paw

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

1c) sole (of the foot)

1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects

1d1) of thigh-joint

1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)

1d3) hollow (of sling)

1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)

1d5) handles (as bent)

כַּף (kaph) — palm: dish.

: dish/socket

1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand

1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand

1b) power

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffix
HNcfdc/Sp1bs
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
אֶֽל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
מִ֭צְוֹתֶיךָMitz.vo.tei.kha commandments your H4687 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a command or law given by God or humans, as seen in the Bible's rules and guidelines. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy. The commandments guide people's actions.
Amplified meaning
laws, divine instructions
Tyndale gloss
commandment
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4687 מִצְוָה commandment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'

from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,

the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,

precept.

see HEBREW for 06680

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.

1) commandment

1a) commandment (of man)

1b) the commandment (of God)

1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sher which H834 Particle
5,500× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Amplified meaning
that
Tyndale gloss
which
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

base

בַאֲשֶׁר

in (that) which

adv. in (the place) where

conj. in that, inasmuch as

on account of whom?

base

מֵאֲשֶׁר

from (or than) that which

adv. from (the place) where

conj. from (the fact) that …, since

base

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

according to that which, according as, as

with a causal force, in so far as, since

with a temporal force, when

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which

. adv. in (the place) where

. conj. in that, inasmuch as

. on account of whom?

H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which

. adv. from (the place) where

. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as

. with a causal force, in so far as, since

. with a temporal force, when

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

834 'aher ash-er'

a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)

when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X

alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +

from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,

wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where

(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +

whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is

indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun

expletively, used to show the connection.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.

A: 1) (relative part.)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conj)

2a) that (in obj clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

D: Kaph+

1) (conj.), according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since

1c) with a temporal force: when

בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.

1) in (that) which

2) (adv)

2a) where

3) (conj)

3a) in that, inasmuch as

3b) on account of

מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.

1) from (or than) that which

2) from (the place) where

3) from (the fact) that, since

כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.

conj

1) according as, as, when

1a) according to that which, according as, as

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel — Particle
HTr
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
אָהָ֗בְתִּי'a.Ha.ve.ti I love H157 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
211× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To love means to have affection for someone or something, including family, romance, or God. It can also describe being a friend or having appetite for things like food or wisdom.
Amplified meaning
have affection for, cherish
Tyndale gloss
to love: lover
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָהֵב (*'ahab*) means 'to love' and encompasses various forms of affection, including human love for others, love for God, and even appetites for things like food and wisdom. It can also refer to friendship and divine love towards humanity, particularly Israel. The entries indicate that it can function in different grammatical forms, such as participles for 'lovely' or 'loveable'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָהֵב 216 vb. love

Qal

human love to human object

less oft. of appetite

love to God

esp. Pt.

of divine love

Niph. Pt. pl. lovely, loveable

Pi.

friends

lovers

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H157 אָהֵב love

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

157 'ahab aw-hab'

or raheb {aw-habe'}; a primitive root; to have affection for

(sexually or otherwise):--(be-)love(-d, -ly, -r), like,

friend.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: lover.

: lover

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

1a5b) to people Israel

1a5c) to righteousness

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) lovely (participle)

1b2) loveable (participle)

1c) (Piel)

1c1) friends

1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers)

2) to like

Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

אָהֵב (a.hav) — to love: friend.

: friend

1) to love

1a) (Qal)

1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual

1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom

1a3) human love for or to God

1a4) act of being a friend

1a4a) lover (participle)

1a4b) friend (participle)

1a5) God's love toward man

1a5a) to individual men

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

luv ('ahebh, 'ahabhah, noun; phileo, agapao, verb; agape, noun): Love to both God and man is fundamental to true religion, whether as expressed in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Jesus Himself declared that all the law and the prophets hang upon love (Mt 22:40; Mr 12:28-34). Paul, in his matchless ode on love (1Co 13), makes it the greatest of the graces of the Christian life--greater than speaking with tongues, or the gift of prophecy, or the possession of a faith of superior excellence; for without love all these gifts and graces, desirable and useful as they are in themselves, are as nothing, certainly of no permanent value in the sight of God. Not that either Jesus or Paul underestimates the faith from which all the graces proceed, for this grace is recognized as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Love

This word seems to require explanation only in the case of its use by our Lord in his interview with “Simon, the son of Jonas,” after his resurrection (John 21:16, 17). When our Lord says, “Lovest thou me?” he uses the Greek word agapas; and when Simon answers, he uses the Greek word philo, i.e., “I love.” This is the usage in the first and second questions put by our Lord; but in the third our Lord uses Simon’s word. The distinction between these two Greek words is thus fitly described by Trench:, ”Agapan has more of judgment and deliberate choice; philein has more of attachment and peculiar personal affection. Thus the ‘Lovest thou’ (Gr. agapas) on the lips of the Lord seems to Peter at this moment too cold a word, as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance, or at least not inviting him to draw near, as in the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM, 1Jo 4:16. Love is a chief attribute of Jehovah, the length and breadth and height and depth of which are beyond comprehension, for they are infinite, Eph 3:18,19. Between the three Persons of the Godhead, love is unutterable full, perfect, and blissful; towards holy angels and Christians, God’s love is an infinite fatherly complacency and affection; towards sinners, it is immeasurable compassion. It is shown in all his works and ways, and dictated his holy law, but is most signally displayed in the gospel, Joh 3:16. "Herein is love."

Holy love in man would make the whole heart and soul supremely delight in and obey God, and cordially and practically love all beings according to their character-the good…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ OF CHILDREN FOR PARENTS

See CHILDREN

→ OF GOD, LOVE OF

→ OF MAN FOR GOD Ex 20:6; De 5:10; 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 30:6,16,20; Jos 22:5; 23:11; Ps 18:1; 31:23; 37:4; 45:10,11; 63:5,6; 69:35,36; 73:25,26; 91:14; 97:10; 116:1; 145:20; Pr 8:17; 23:26; Isa 56:6,7; Jer 2:2,3; Mt 22:37,38; Mr 12:29,30,32,33; Lu 11:42;

and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
וְאָשִׂ֥יחָהve.'a.Si.chah and I will meditate H7878 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to think deeply about something, like a problem or an idea, and to talk to oneself or others about it, as seen in the book of Psalms where David ponders God's creation.
Amplified meaning
think deeply, ponder
Tyndale gloss
to muse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk (of)

Qal

complain

muse

talk (about), sing (of)

talk (with)

Pôl‛el meditate, consider

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7878 שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk of

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-1cs — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive construct first person common singular
HC/Vqc1cs
and I may lift up hands my to commandments your which I love and I will meditate on decrees your
בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ve.chu.Kei.cha on decrees your H2706 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a decree or law given by God, like the Ten Commandments. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy, guiding the Israelites' actions. This concept is essential to understanding God's expectations.
Amplified meaning
in, with, decrees, ordinances
Tyndale gloss
statute: decree
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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