Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
Parallel translations
- WEB Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.
- KJV Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
- BSB Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope.
- NKJV Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
- NLT Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
He asks God to uphold him by His word so he may live and not be ashamed of his hope. He depends on God to sustain the very hope God gave.
Overview
The psalmist prays for God's sustaining support according to His promise, that he might live and never be put to shame for trusting. His confidence is that God will not abandon those who hope in Him. This assurance is fulfilled in the gospel, where hope in Christ does not disappoint because God's love is poured into our hearts (Rom. 5:5; Rom. 10:11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rom 5:5and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
- Ps 25:2My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.
- 1 Pet 2:6Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
- Isa 41:10Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Ps 37:24Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Yahweh holds him up with his hand.
- Rom 10:11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
- Ps 37:17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh upholds the righteous.
- Ps 54:4Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
- Ps 63:8My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.
- Ps 94:18When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, Yahweh, held me up.
- Isa 42:1“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isa 45:17Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
- Ps 41:12As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.
- Rom 9:32–33Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 119:116 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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