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Psalms 119:78 — Word Study

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WLCיֵבֹ֣שׁוּ זֵ֭דִים כִּי־ שֶׁ֣קֶר עִוְּת֑וּנִי אֲ֝נִ֗י אָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃

BSAMay the arrogantzêd [proud, presumptuous] be put to shamebûwsh [be disappointed, be disgraced] forkîy subverting meʻâvath [dealing perversely, overthrowing] with a liesheqer [deception, falsehood] Iʼănîy [the psalmist, the speaker] will meditatesîyach [think deeply, ponder] on Your preceptspiqqûwd [commands, divine instructions]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 78 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 (be.fi.ku.Dei.cha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:78quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls for the arrogant to be ashamed for their deceitful actions while affirming his commitment to meditate on God's precepts.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing his feelings and intentions directly.
Where we areIn a section of Psalm 119 focused on the psalmist's plea for justice and his dedication to God's laws.
The hard wordיֵבֹ֣שׁוּ
Take awayThe psalmist seeks vindication against the proud while committing to reflect on divine instruction.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectזֵד verbבּוֹשׁ 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 119:78

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 — The Plea for Justice in Psalm 119generated

77May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight.
78May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts.
79May those who fear You turn to me, those who know Your testimonies.
80May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.

Psalm 119:78 is part of a longer reflection where the psalmist appeals to God for justice against the arrogant who have wronged him. This verse highlights the contrast between the psalmist's faithfulness to God's precepts and the deceitful actions of the proud. The surrounding verses emphasize the psalmist's reliance on God's compassion and his desire for a blameless heart in accordance with God's statutes.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 119:21–51You rebuke the arrogant— the cursed who stray from Your commandments.
2Psalm 35:26May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
3Psalm 119:86All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!
4Psalm 7:3–5O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands,
5Psalm 25:3Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ, ye.Vo.shugenerated

The verb יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ (ye.Vo.shu) is a Qal imperfect form, meaning 'let them be ashamed.' It conveys a sense of disappointment and guilt, suggesting that those who act arrogantly will face the consequences of their actions.

This word is rooted in feelings of shame and is often used in contexts where individuals are confronted with their wrongdoing. The psalmist's invocation for the arrogant to be ashamed reflects a desire for divine justice against those who have wronged him.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, and this is the basis for comparisons below. The BSB uses arrogant and falsehood which aligns with the meanings of the Hebrew terms.

Where translations differ, they do so primarily on the word זֵ֭דִים. The KJV, ASV, and others render it as proud, while the ILT opts for presumptuous, highlighting the nuanced meaning of arrogance in the context.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses: the first expresses a desire for the arrogant to be put to shame, while the second asserts the psalmist's intention to meditate on God's precepts. The first clause contains a subject and a verb, with the second clause also featuring a subject and verb.

The structure emphasizes the psalmist's plea for justice against the arrogant and his commitment to God's teachings, showing a clear contrast between the actions of the proud and the psalmist's devotion.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ is translated as αἰσχυνθήτωσαν (aischunthētosan), which also means 'let them be ashamed.' This choice maintains the original meaning of shame but may imply a broader sense of disgrace.

The translation of זֵ֭דִים as ὑπερήφανοι (hyperēphanoi) indicates a focus on their prideful nature, aligning with the Hebrew's connotation of arrogance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 119:78 expresses a plea for the arrogant to feel shame for their deceitful actions against the psalmist. He also declares his intention to think deeply about God's commands, showing his commitment to following divine guidance.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for the arrogant to be put to shame?

It signifies a desire for justice, where those who act arrogantly and deceitfully face the consequences of their actions, leading to their humiliation.

Why does the psalmist meditate on God's precepts?

Meditation on God's precepts reflects the psalmist's commitment to understanding and following divine instructions, which provide guidance and wisdom.

How does this verse relate to the theme of justice in the Psalms?

This verse highlights the psalmist's call for God to act against the proud, emphasizing the recurring theme of seeking justice and vindication throughout the Psalms.

What can we learn from the psalmist's approach to dealing with the arrogant?

The psalmist's response encourages reliance on God for justice while remaining steadfast in one's commitment to divine teachings.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when I encounter arrogance or deceit in my life?
  2. In what ways can I deepen my meditation on God's precepts?
  3. What does it mean for me to seek justice in my own life?
  4. How can I remain steadfast in my commitment to God's commands amidst opposition?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early church father Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, interpreting it as a call for the proud to be confounded while the psalmist remains focused on God's commandments.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
He then goes on as follows: "Let the proud be confounded, for they have unrighteously practised iniquity against me: but I will be occupied in Your commandments" [Psalms 119:78].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:78 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let the proud be ashamed,.... The same persons he before speaks of as accursed, who had him in derision, and forged a lie against him.

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

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

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

They dealt perversely with me, Heb. they have perverted me; either by their calumnies, whereby they have put false and perverse constructions upon all my words and actions; or by endeavouring to overthrow and destroy me, or to turn me out of the way of thy precepts. But all their wicked attempts against me shall never drive me from the study, and love, and practice of thy precepts.

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

Psalms 119:78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: [but] I will meditate in thy precepts.Ver. 78. Let the proud be ashamed] Theoderet thinks that David here prayeth not against, but for, his enemies, quando quidem confusio et ignominia salutem procreat. But that is not likely. For they dealt perversely with me] Writhing my words and deeds to a wrong sense; or, they would pervert me. But I will meditate in thy precepts] Or, I will speak of them, and so stop their mouths, and save myself from them.

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

(78) Dealt.—Better, wronged me; literally, bent me.

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

Verse 78. Let the proud be ashamed] To reduce a proud man to shame, is to humble him indeed. Let them be confounded. Without cause - without any colourable pretext, have they persecuted me.

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

78. for they dealt perversely with me without a cause] Better, for they have subverted me by falsehood. Cp. Lamentations 3:36.

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

Let the proud be ashamed - Referring here to his enemies, who appear to have been in the higher ranks of life, or to have been those who prided themselves on their wealth, their station, or their influence.

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

May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts.

NETBNew English Translation2006

May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me! But I meditate on your precepts.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let the proud be put to shame; for they have overthrown me wrongfully: But I will meditate on thy precepts.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let the proud be ashamed; for they have overthrown me wrongfully: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Let the proude be ashamed: for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with me: but I meditate in thy precepts.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Let the proud be ashamed; for they have acted perversely towards me with falsehood: as for me, I meditate in thy precepts.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Ashamed are the proud, For [with] falsehood they dealt perversely with me. I meditate in Thy precepts.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The proud are ashamed, || For [with] falsehood they dealt perversely with me. I meditate on Your precepts.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Let the presumptuous be made ashamed; because they have without a cause dealt perversely with me; but I will indeed meditate on thy precepts.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let the proud be put to shame, for they have slandered me; but I will meditate on your instructions.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Bring down those proud people who wronged me with their lies. I will spend time thinking about your instructions.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let the men of pride be shamed; because they have falsely given decision against me; but I will give thought to your orders.

Word by word, the decisions they made

זֵ֭דִיםZe.dim arrogant [people] H2086 2 different renderings
proudASV DBY FBV KJV LSV NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
presumptuousILT

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.

clauseverbיֵבֹ֣שׁוּlet.them.be.ashamedsubjectזֵ֭דִיםarrogant.[people]כִּי(dm)clauseadverbialשֶׁ֣קֶרfalsehoodverbעִוְּת֑וּtheyobjectנִיhave.subverted.meclausesubjectאֲ֝נִ֗יIverbאָשִׂ֥יחַI.will.meditateprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּonnoun phraseפִקּוּדֶֽיpreceptsךָyour

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


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

The Masoretic Text (MT) reads: 'יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ זֵ֭דִים כִּי־ שֶׁ֣קֶר עִוְּת֑וּנִי אֲ֝נִ֗י אָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃' The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in meaning, as all eight words match in a word-by-word correspondence, though the order and articles may differ. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1Q10) contain partial readings and include some restored words, but the main elements also align with the MT, confirming the presence of key terms like 'shame' and 'lie.' Overall, the witnesses show a strong agreement on the core message of the verse, despite the variations in the Dead Sea Scrolls due to partial preservation.

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

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ זֵ֭דִים כִּי־ שֶׁ֣קֶר עִוְּת֑וּנִי אֲ֝נִ֗י אָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יֵבֹ֣שׁוּαἰσξυνθήτωσανזֵ֭דִיםὑπερήφανοιכִּי־ὅτιשֶׁ֣קֶרἀδίκωςעִוְּת֑וּנִיἐμέאֲ֝נִ֗יἐγὼאָשִׂ֥יחַἀδολεσξήσωבְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃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

[יבשו] [זדים] [כי] [שקר] עות׳ני אני אשיח בפקדי׳ך

2 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.

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 119:78בּוֹשׁlet them belet them be ashבּוֹשׁזֵדarrogant [parrogant [peoplזֵדכִּיforforכִּישֶׁ֫קֶרfalsehoodfalsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶרעָוַתthey have sthey have subveעָוַתאֲנִיIIאֲנִישִׂיחַI will mediI will meditateשִׂיחַפִּקּוּדon preceptson precepts youפִּקּוּדזִידto boilto boilזִידשָׁקַרto dealto dealשָׁקַראָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יפָּקַדto reckon:to reckon: listפָּקַדיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעחָפֵרbe ashamedbe ashamedחָפֵרכָּלַםbe humiliabe humiliatedכָּלַםלִיץto mockto mockלִיץשֶׁ֫קֶרdeceptiondeceptionשֶׁ֫קֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדנָבָאto prophesto prophesyנָבָאתָּקַןbe straighbe straightתָּקַןשַׁדַּיAlmightyAlmightyשַׁדַּינְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםפִּקּוּדpreceptpreceptפִּקּוּדפָּלָאto wonderto wonderפָּלָאשִׂיחַto museto museשִׂיחַנָצַרto watchto watchנָצַר
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 119:78

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.

let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
יֵבֹ֣שׁוּye.Vo.shu let them be ashamed H954 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be ashamed is what this Hebrew word means, implying a feeling of guilt or disappointment. It is used to describe someone who is disconcerted or delayed, like in the story of Adam and Eve. Shame is a strong emotion.
Amplified meaning
be disappointed, be disgraced
Tyndale gloss
be ashamed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹשׁ (buwsh) is a Hebrew root meaning 'to be ashamed.' It encompasses feelings of shame, disappointment, and disconcertion. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to feel shame), Piel (to delay in shame), and Hiphil (to put to shame). The entries indicate a range of uses, from personal feelings of shame to actions that cause shame to others.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹשׁ 109 vb. be ashamed

Qal

abs. feel shame

sq. מִן, be ashamed of, i.e. disconcerted, disappointed by reason of

with obj. I am ashamed to ask

Polel delay (in shame)

Hiph.

put to shame

put to shame

act shamefully

to be put to shame

be ashamed

Hithp. ashamed before one another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H954 בּוֹשׁ be ashamed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

954 buwsh boosh

a primitive root; properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to

be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or

delayed:--(be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with,

a-)shamed(-d), be (put to) confounded(-fusion), become dry,

delay, be long.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹשׁ (bush) — be ashamed.

1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to feel shame

1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of)

1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame)

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to put to shame

1c2) to act shamefully

1c3) to be ashamed

1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-shamd': Almost exclusively moral in significance; confusion or abashment through consciousness of guilt or of its exposure. Often including also a sense of terror or fear because of the disgrace connected with the performance of some action. Capacity for shame indicates that moral sense (conscience) is not extinct. "Ashamed" occurs 96 out of 118 times in the Old Testament. Hebrew bosh, "to feel shame" (Latin, pudere), with derivatives occurs 80 times; kalam, "to shame," including the thought of "disgrace," "reproach"; chapher, "to blush": hence shame because of frustrated plans (uniformly in the Revised Version (British and American) "confounded"); Greek aischunomai, "suffused with shame," passive only and its compounds. Uses:

(1) A few times, of actual embarrassment, as of Hazael before the steadfast look of Elisha (2Ki 8:11; see…

let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
זֵ֭דִיםZe.dim arrogant [people] H2086 Adj
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes someone who is arrogant or proud, like the presumptuous ones in the Bible. It is used to describe those who defy God's laws. The KJV translates it as presumptuous or proud.
Amplified meaning
proud, presumptuous
Tyndale gloss
arrogant
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֵד (zed) refers to a quality of arrogance or insolence, describing someone who is presumptuous or proud. The term can function as both an adjective and a noun, indicating arrogant individuals collectively. It is derived from a root meaning to be arrogant, and its usage is consistent across various lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֵד adj. insolent, presumptious

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2086 זֵד insolent, presumptious

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2086 zed zade'

from 2102; arrogant:--presumptuous, proud.

see HEBREW for 02102

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֵד (zed) — arrogant.

1) arrogant, proud, insolent, presumptuous

1a) the arrogant ones (as n coll pl)

1b) presumptuous (as adj)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAampa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
כִּי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
שֶׁ֣קֶרShe.ker falsehood H8267 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
113× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to deception or falsehood, often implying a sense of betrayal or disappointment. It's used in the Bible to describe lies, false testimony, or deceitful behavior, like in Psalm 116:11, where the psalmist says all men are liars.
Amplified meaning
deception, falsehood
Tyndale gloss
deception
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫קֶר (sheqer) refers to deception, falsehood, and disappointment. It encompasses various forms of deceit, including fraud and wrongful testimony. The word is built from the root associated with untruths and can imply sham or lying. It is used in contexts involving false prophets and general dishonesty.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫קֶר 113 n.m. deception, disappointment, falsehood

deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

deceit, fraud, wrong

injurious falsehood, in testimony

falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

lie, falsehood, in gen.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8267 שֶׁ֫קֶר deception, disappointment, falsehood . deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one

. deceit, fraud, wrong

. injurious falsehood, in testimony

. falsity, of false or self-deceived prophets

. lie, falsehood, in gen.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8267 sheqer sheh'-ker

from 8266; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often

adverbial):--without a cause, deceit(-ful),

false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain

(thing), wrongfully.

see HEBREW for 08266

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫קֶר (she.qer) — deception.

1) lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood

1a) deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one)

1b) deceit, fraud, wrong

1b1) fraudulently, wrongfully (as adverb)

1c) falsehood (injurious in testimony)

1c1) testify falsehood, false oath, swear falsely

1d) falsity (of false or self-deceived prophets)

1e) lie, falsehood (in general)

1e1) false tongue

1f) in vain

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fols'-hood.

See LYING.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Ex 20:16; 23:1; Le 6:2-7; 19:11,12,16; Job 13:4; 21:34; 27:4; 31:5,6,33; 36:4; Ps 5:6,9; 10:7; 12:2,3; 28:3; 31:18; 34:13; 36:3; 50:19,20; 52:2-5; 55:21,23; 58:3; 59:12; 62:4; 63:11; 101:5,7; 109:2; 116:11; 119:29,69,163; 120:2-4; 144:8,11; Pr 2:12-15; 3:3; 6:12,13,17-19; 10:9,10,18,31; 11:9; 12:17,19,20,22; 13:5; 14:5,8,25; 17:4,7; 19:5,9,22,28; 20:17; 21:6; 26:18,19,24-26,28; 27:14; Ec 5:6; Isa 28:15; 32:7; 57:11; 59:3,4,12,13; 63:8;

let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
עִוְּת֑וּנִי'i.ve.Tu.ni they have subverted me H5791 Verb piel perfect third person common plural · suffix
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to pervert or twist something, and it is used to describe bending or making something crooked. It can also mean to falsify or subvert something, and it is used in the book of Proverbs to describe turning away from what is right.
Amplified meaning
dealing perversely, overthrowing
Tyndale gloss
to pervert
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָוַת (*avath*) is a primitive root meaning to wrest or make crooked. It covers actions like perverting, falsifying, and subverting, often in contexts related to justice or morality. The entries indicate various forms, including making something crooked or bending oneself.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[עָוַת] vb. be bent, crooked

Pi.

make crooked = falsify scales; pervert justice

bend, make crooked

Pu. what is bent

Hithp. and the strong men bend themselves.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5791 עָוַת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5791 `avath aw-vath'

a primitive root; to wrest:--bow self, (make) crooked.,

falsifying, overthrow, deal perversely, pervert, subvert, turn

upside down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָוַת (a.vat) — to pervert.

1) to be bent, be crooked, bend, make crooked, pervert

1a)(Piel)

1a1) to make crooked, falsify, pervert, subvert

1a2) to bend, make crooked

1b) (Pual) thing bent (participle)

1c) (Hithpael) to bend oneself

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb piel perfect third person common plural · suffix
HVpp3cp/Sp1bs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
אֲ֝נִ֗י'a.Ni I H589 Pronoun
874× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Amplified meaning
the psalmist, the speaker
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

589 'aniy an-ee'

contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X

which, X who.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.

I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp1bs
let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
אָשִׂ֥יחַ'a.Si.ach I will meditate H7878 Verb · Qal · imperfect 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
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singular
HVqi1cs
let them be ashamed arrogant [people] for falsehood they have subverted me I I will meditate on precepts your
בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃be.fi.ku.Dei.cha on precepts your H6490 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a precept or commandment from God, like a law or statute. It appears in the Bible as a mandate or instruction, and is translated in the KJV as commandment, precept, or statute, emphasizing its importance as a divine instruction.
Amplified meaning
commands, divine instructions
Tyndale gloss
precept
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּקּוּד (piqqud) refers to a precept or mandate, specifically one that is appointed by God. It is derived from a root meaning to appoint and is used in a plural form to collectively denote commandments or statutes within the Law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פִּקּוּד] 24 n.m. precept

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6490 [פִּקּוּד] precept

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6490 piqquwd pik-kood'

or piqqud {pik-kood'}; from 6485; properly, appointed, i.e. a

mandate (of God; plural only, collectively, for the

Law):--commandment, precept, statute.

see HEBREW for 06485

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּקּוּד (piq.qud) — precept.

precept, statute

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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