I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Parallel translations
- WEB I am your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.
- BSB I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.
- NKJV I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.
- NASB I am Your servant; give me understanding, So that I may know Your testimonies.
- NLT Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.
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
As God's servant he asks for understanding to know His testimonies. Servant-hearted dependence is the posture for receiving insight.
Overview
The psalmist again confesses himself God's servant and on that basis requests understanding to know God's testimonies. He recognizes that true knowledge of the word is a gift granted to the humble. This reflects the gospel reality that God reveals His truth to the lowly and gives understanding through His Spirit to those who belong to Christ (Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 2:12).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Jas 3:13–17Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
- Jas 1:5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
- 2 Cor 3:5–6Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
- Ps 116:16O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
- Ps 119:66Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
- Ps 119:11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
- Ps 119:18–19Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
- Prov 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
- Rom 6:22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
- Ps 119:29Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
- Ps 86:16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
- 2 Tim 2:7Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
- Ps 119:94I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
- 2 Chr 1:7–10In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
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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 119:125 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.