I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.
Parallel translations
- WEB I am your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.
- KJV I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
- BSB 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 wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- Jas 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
- 2 Cor 3:5–6not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
- Ps 116:16Yahweh, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant. You have freed me from my chains.
- Ps 119:66Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
- Ps 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
- Ps 119:18–19Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law.
- Prov 9:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
- Rom 6:22But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life.
- Ps 119:29Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your law graciously!
- Ps 86:16Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.
- 2 Tim 2:7Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
- Ps 119:94I am yours. Save me, for I have sought your precepts.
- 2 Chr 1:7–10That night, God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for what you want me to give you.”
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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.