Psalms 119:76 — Word Study
WLCיְהִי־ נָ֣א חַסְדְּךָ֣ לְנַחֲמֵ֑נִי כְּאִמְרָתְךָ֥ לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
BSAMayhâyâh▸ Your loving devotionchêçêd [merciful kindness, faithful love] comfort menâcham I praynâʼ [please, I ask] according to Your promiseʼimrâh [word, saying] to Your servantʻebed [slave, one who serves]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְהִי־ | let it be | Verb, Qal, jussive third person masculine singular |
| נָ֣א | please | Particle |
| חַסְדְּךָ֣ | covenant loyalty your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לְנַחֲמֵ֑נִי | to comfort me | Preposition, verb piel infinitive construct common, suffix |
| כְּאִמְרָתְךָ֥ | according to word your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ | to servant your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant. |
| KJV | Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. |
| ASV | Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort, According to thy word unto thy servant. |
| YLT | Let, I pray Thee, Thy kindness be to comfort me, According to Thy saying to Thy servant. |
| WEB | Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant. |
| BBE | Let your mercy now be my comfort, as you have said to your servant. |
Translations agree on the essential meaning here, with variations in wording but consistent in conveying the psalmist's request for comfort.
The sentence is structured around a main request, with additional phrases clarifying the nature of the request and its basis in God's promises.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
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 119:76
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 Prayer for Comfortgenerated
Psalms 119:76 is part of a larger prayer where the psalmist acknowledges God's righteousness in affliction and seeks comfort through His loving kindness. This section emphasizes reliance on God's promises during times of distress, as seen in the surrounding verses that express a deep need for divine compassion and guidance.
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 106:4–5 | Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation, |
| 3 | 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חַסְדְּךָ, chas.de.Khagenerated
The word חֶ֫סֶד (chesed) signifies kindness, mercy, or loyal love. It reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people, emphasizing His unwavering commitment to them. In this verse, it is a plea for God's faithful love to provide comfort.
The parsing indicates that this word is a noun in the singular form, showing that the psalmist is invoking God's specific attribute of loving kindness. This term is often associated with God's actions towards humanity, particularly in times of need.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses loving devotion for חַסְדְּךָ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יְהִי, let it be, which governs the entire verse. It is followed by a polite particle נָא, please, indicating a request, and the infinitive verb לְנַחֲמֵנִי, to comfort me.
The structure emphasizes the psalmist's earnest plea, with the request for comfort directly linked to God's loving kindness and His promise to His servant.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְהִי as γενηθήτω, which carries the same jussive sense of 'let it be.' This choice aligns with the psalmist's request for divine action.
The Greek word χάρις is used for חַסְדְּךָ, which emphasizes grace and favor, highlighting the aspect of God's loving kindness as a source of comfort.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 119:76 expresses a heartfelt request for God's loving kindness to provide comfort, based on His promises. The psalmist is in a position of need, seeking reassurance from God, who is faithful to His word.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Loving devotion refers to God's faithful love and mercy, which the psalmist seeks for comfort during distress.
The psalmist relies on God's faithfulness to His promises as a source of hope and reassurance.
This verse echoes themes found in other psalms and scriptures that emphasize God's steadfast love and mercy towards His people.
We learn the importance of seeking God's loving kindness in times of trouble and trusting in His promises.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's comfort and loving kindness?
- How can I remind myself of God's promises when I feel distressed?
- What does it mean to rely on God's faithfulness in my daily life?
- How can I extend God's loving kindness to others who are in need of comfort?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to illustrate the comfort found in God's merciful kindness, emphasizing its significance in the context of prayer.
"O let Your merciful kindness be my comfort, according to Your word unto Your servant" [Psalms 119:76].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:76 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort,.... Shown in the provision and promise of a Saviour; in the forgiveness of sins through him; a discovery and application of which yields
Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant .
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleYet in judgment remember mercy, and give me that comfort and assistance in, and that deliverance out of, my troubles which thou hast promised me.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 119:76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.Ver. 76. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness] That I faint not, neither sink under the heaviest burden of these light afflictions. According to thy word unto thy servant] To thy servants in general, and, therefore, I trust to me, who am bold to thrust in among the rest, and to put my name in the writ.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 76. Thy merciful kindness] Let me derive my comfort and happiness from a diffusion of thy love and mercy, חסדך chasdecha, thy exuberant goodness, through my soul.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges73–80. Yôd. God has afflicted him in faithfulness: yet now O that He would comfort him, for the encouragement of the godly and the confusion of the proud.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLet, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to comfort me.” The word rendered merciful-kindness means mercy, favor, grace, kindness; and the idea is, that all
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bibleé, Jod.73-80. I may learn thy commandments—The psalmist considers the value of broad and truthful experiences in the word as related to his influence upon others.
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
May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant.
Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant.
May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant.
May your loyal love console me, as you promised your servant.
Tyndale line
Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort, According to thy word unto thy servant.
Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word to thy servant.
I pray thee that thy mercie may comfort me according to thy promise vnto thy seruant.
Strictly literal
Oh let thy loving-kindness be for my comfort, according to thy *word unto thy servant.
Let, I pray Thee, Thy kindness be to comfort me, According to Thy saying to Thy servant.
Please let Your kindness be to comfort me, || According to Your saying to Your servant.
Let, I pray thee, thy kindness come to comfort me, according to thy promise unto thy servant.
Let your covenant faithfulness comfort me, as you promised your servant.
Simplified
May your trustworthy love comfort me as you promised me, your servant.
Let your mercy now be my comfort, as you have said to your servant.
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 both agree in the wording of this verse, with a complete match in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint reflects the same concepts but with its own Greek phrasing, maintaining the core message of seeking comfort through God's promises.
יְהִי־ נָ֣א חַסְדְּךָ֣ לְנַחֲמֵ֑נִי כְּאִמְרָתְךָ֥ לְעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
6 of the 6 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 119:76
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.
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Juss-3ms — Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine singularHVqj3ms
נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.
נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
base
H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
4994 na' naw
a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may
usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly
to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,
occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)
thee (you), go to, now, oh.
נָא (na) — please.
1) I (we) pray, now, please
1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
Part — ParticleHTj
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.
[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.
Niph.
be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others
be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings
comfort oneself, be comforted
comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance
Piel—comfort, console
Pual; be comforted, consoled
Hithpa.—
be sorry, have compassion
rue, repent of
comfort oneself, be comforted
ease oneself, by taking vengeance
base
H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console
. be comforted, consoled
.— . be sorry, have compassion
. rue, repent of
. comfort oneself, be comforted
. ease oneself, by taking vengeance
5162 nacham naw-kham'
a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to
pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge
(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),
repent(-er,-ing, self).
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.
: comfort
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to be sorry, have compassion
1d2) to rue, repent of
1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1d4) to ease oneself
Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.
: relent
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
Prep | V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb piel infinitive construct common · suffixHR/Vpcc/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
The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.
עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant
slave, servant of household
Subjects, of chief
Servants, worshippers of God
Servant of י׳, in a special sense
Israel as a people is servant of י׳
In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
Phrases
base
H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household
. Subjects, of chief
. Servants, worshippers of God
. Servant of י׳, in a special sense
. Israel as a people is servant of י׳
. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
. Phrases
5650 `ebed eh'-bed
from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,
(man-)servant.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.
1) slave, servant
1a) slave, servant, man-servant
1b) subjects
1c) servants, worshippers (of God)
1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)
1e) servant (of Israel)
1f) servant (as form of address between equals)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms