Psalms 119:68 — Word Study
WLCטוֹב־ אַתָּ֥ה וּמֵטִ֗יב לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
BSAYouʼattâh [the Almighty, having God's nature] are goodṭôwb [pleasing, gracious] teach melâmad [guide, instruct] Your statuteschôq [decrees, divine laws]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| טוֹב־ | [are] good | Adj |
| אַתָּ֥ה | you | Pronoun |
| וּמֵטִ֗יב | and [are] doing good | Conjunction, verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singular |
| לַמְּדֵ֥נִי | teach me | Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ | decrees 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 | You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. |
| KJV | Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. |
| ASV | Thou art good, and doest good; Teach me thy statutes. |
| YLT | Good Thou [art], and doing good, Teach me Thy statutes. |
| WEB | You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes. |
| BBE | You are good, and your works are good; give me knowledge of your rules. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of טוֹב — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause affirming God's goodness and an imperative clause expressing a request for teaching.
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 119:68
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 Goodness and Guidancegenerated
Psalms 119:68 expresses a deep recognition of God's goodness and a plea for instruction in His statutes. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the psalmist's experiences, where he acknowledges that despite past afflictions, he now seeks to follow God's word faithfully. The psalmist's request for teaching emphasizes the importance of divine guidance in understanding God's laws, as seen throughout the Psalms.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 86:5 | For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You. |
| 2 | Psalm 106:1 | Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever. |
| 3 | Psalm 107:1 | Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever. |
| 4 | Psalm 145:7–9 | They will extol the fame of Your abundant goodness and sing joyfully of Your righteousness. |
| 5 | Exodus 33:18–19 | Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טוֹב, tov-generated
The Hebrew word טוֹב (tov) means good or pleasant, describing something beneficial or pleasing. It appears frequently in the Bible, often associated with God's character and actions.
As an adjective, it conveys a sense of ethical goodness and welfare. The parsing indicates it functions here as a predicate adjective, affirming God's nature as good.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the rendering of טוֹב as good, reflecting God's nature and actions.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause centers around the finite verb וּמֵטִ֗יב, and [are] doing good, with two subjects: אַתָּ֥ה, you, and the adjective טוֹב, good. The structure emphasizes God's character and His actions.
The imperative verb לַמְּדֵ֥נִי, teach me, introduces a request, indicating the psalmist's desire for divine instruction.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, טוֹב is rendered as ξρηστὸς (chrēstos), which also means good but carries connotations of kindness and usefulness, suggesting a broader interpretation of God's goodness.
This choice reflects an understanding of God's goodness as not only moral but also practical and beneficial in the lives of His people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 119:68 expresses the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's goodness and a request for guidance in understanding His laws. This verse highlights the importance of seeking divine instruction in living according to God's will.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God's goodness refers to His nature as beneficial and pleasing, which is reflected in His actions and laws.
The psalmist recognizes the need for divine guidance to understand and follow God's laws properly.
We can see God's goodness through His blessings, guidance, and the moral framework He provides through His laws.
God's statutes are His decrees and laws that guide His people in righteous living.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's goodness in my life?
- How can I seek to understand and follow God's statutes more closely?
- What role does teaching play in my spiritual growth?
- How can I share the understanding of God's goodness with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of God's goodness and the importance of divine instruction, as seen in their writings.
If the soul, with its capacity for pleasure and delight, has tasted this true and highest good and has adhered to both with the means at its disposal, putting away sorrow and fear, then it is wonderfully inflamed.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Sin abounded by the law because through the law came knowledge of sin, and it became harmful for me to know what through my weakness I could not avoid.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
"Sweet are You, O Lord;" or, as many have it, "Sweet are You, even Thou, O Lord" [Psalms 119:68].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:68 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou [art] good, and doest good,.... Essentially, originally, and only good, and the fountain of all goodness to his creatures; who does good to all men in a providential way, and especially to his
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. Thou art good, and doest good. To be good and to do good are God's grand characteristics (Acts 14:17). So Jesus, Acts 10:38.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThou art good; gracious and bountiful in thy nature. And doest good to all men, both good and bad, , and in all things, yea, even when thou afflictest. Teach me thy statutes; which is the good that I desire above all things.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:68 Thou [art] good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.Ver. 68. Thou art good, and doest good] Good in thyself (indeed there is none good but thyself) and good to thy creatures, inexpressibly bounteous and beneficial. Teach me thy statutes] And so impart unto me thy special goodness, that I may resemble thee in being and doing good; full of goodness, filled with knowledge, Romans 15:14.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(68) It is characteristic of this psalm that the higher the conception of the Divine nature, the more earnest becomes the prayer for knowledge of His will in relation to conduct.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 68. Thou art good] And because thou art good, thou doest good; and because thou delightest to do good, teach me thy statutes.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges68. God is good in nature and in action, kind and beneficent. ‘Bonus es tu, beneficus’ (Jer.). Cp. Deuteronomy 8:16. To such a loving God he can appeal with confidence to teach him (Matthew 7:11).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou art good - See the Psalms 100:5, note; Psalms 107:1, note. And doest good - As the expression or manifestation of goodness.
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
You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes.
You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
You are good and you do good. Teach me your statutes!
Tyndale line
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Thou art good, and doest good; Teach me thy statutes.
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Thou art good and gracious: teach me thy statutes.
Strictly literal
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Good Thou [art], and doing good, Teach me Thy statutes.
You [are] good, and doing good, || Teach me Your statutes.
Thou art good, and doing good: teach me thy statutes.
You are good, and you are one who does good; teach me your statutes.
Simplified
Since you are good, everything you do is good. Teach me your ways.
You are good, and your works are good; give me knowledge of your rules.
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, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls all agree on the essential wording of this verse. The Septuagint's translation aligns closely with the Hebrew text, indicating a consistent understanding of God's goodness and the request for teaching.
טוֹב־ אַתָּ֥ה וּמֵטִ֗יב לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
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.
טוב אתה אדוני ומטיב למד׳ני חוקי׳כה
6 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 119:68
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.
טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
pleasant, agreeable to the senses
pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
good, excellent, of its kind
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
c. מִן compar. = better
of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
good, kind, benign
good (ethical), right
base
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
good = benefit
moral good
base
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
bounty, good
base
H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses
. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
. good, excellent, of its kind
. good, rich, valuable in estimation
. good, appropriate, becoming
. c. מִן compar. =better
. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
. good, kind, benign
. good (ethical), right
H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good
2896 towb tobe
from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used
likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a
good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or
women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,
bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,
fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),
graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,
merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,
prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well
((-favoured)).
see HEBREW for 02895
טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.
adj
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
1c) good, excellent (of its kind)
1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
1e) good, appropriate, becoming
1f) better (comparative)
1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
1i) good, kind, benign
1j) good, right (ethical)
Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
טוֹב (tov) — good.
1) a good thing, benefit, welfare
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) good, benefit
1d) moral good
טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.
1) welfare, benefit, good things
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) bounty
Adj — AdjHAamsa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).
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
The Hebrew word יָטַב (yatab) is a primitive root meaning to be good or pleasing. It encompasses a range of meanings including being glad, making something good or right, and dealing well with others. The entries highlight its use in both a literal sense (like sound or beautiful) and a figurative sense (like happy or successful).
[יָטַב] vb. be good, well, glad, pleasing
Qal
be glad, joyful
be well placed
impers. be well for or with, go well with
be pleasing
Hithp.
make glad, rejoice
do good to, deal well with
do well or thoroughly
make a thing good, right, beautiful
do well, right, ethically
base
H3190 יָטַב be good, well, glad, pleasing
3190 yatab yaw-tab'
a primitive root; to be (causative) make well, literally
(sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful,
right):--be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make)
better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, + be content,
diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad,
do (be, make) good((-ness)), be (make) merry, please (+ well),
shew more (kindness), skilfully, X very small, surely, make
sweet, thoroughly, tire, trim, very, be (can, deal, entreat,
go, have) well (said, seen).
יָטַב (ya.tav) — be good.
1) to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be glad, be joyful
1a2) to be well placed
1a3) to be well for, be well with, go well with
1a4) to be pleasing, be pleasing to
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to make glad, rejoice
1b2) to do good to, deal well with
1b3) to do well, do thoroughly
1b4) to make a thing good or right or beautiful
1b5) to do well, do right
HC/Vhrmsa — Conjunction · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vhrmsa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).
לָמַד (lamad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to learn or teach. It encompasses the ideas of exercising in a skill, being trained, and instructing others. The root suggests a connection to motivation or incentive, as seen in the context of teaching with a rod. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to learn), Piel (to teach), and Pual (to be taught).
לָמַד vb. exercise in, learn
Qal learn something
Piel teach
Pual trained; taught
base
H3925 לָמַד exercise in, learn .learn something
.teach
.trained; taught
3925 lamad law-mad'
a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to
teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):(un-) accustomed,
X diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, -
ing).
לָמַד (la.mad) — to learn: teach.
: teach
1) to learn. teach, exercise in
1a) (Qal) to learn
1b) (Piel) to teach
1c) (Pual) to be taught, be trained
Also means: la.mad (לָמַד ": learn" H3925H)
לָמַד (la.mad) — to learn: learn.
: learn
1) to learn. teach, exercise in
1a) (Qal) to learn
1b) (Piel) to teach
1c) (Pual) to be taught, be trained
V-Piel-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb piel imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVpv2ms/Sp1bs
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.
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
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
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
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
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms