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Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Psalms 119:1 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB ALEPH Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
  • BSB Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
  • NKJV Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord!
  • NASB Blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the Law of the Lord.
  • NLT Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.

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

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, walking according to the Lord's law. It matters because true happiness is found in a life ordered by God's word.

Overview

Beginning the great psalm celebrating God's word, this opening beatitude pronounces blessing on those who walk in integrity according to God's law. Such blamelessness is a wholehearted direction, not sinless perfection. Its perfect fulfillment is in Christ, who alone walked flawlessly and gives his righteousness and Spirit to enable believers' obedience.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 25

  • Luke 11:28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
  • Ezek 11:20That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
  • Jas 1:25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
  • Ps 128:1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
  • John 13:17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
  • Luke 1:6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
  • Ps 1:1–3Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
  • Titus 2:11–12For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
  • 1 Th 4:1–2Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
  • Ps 112:1Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
  • Acts 24:16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
  • Prov 11:20They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
  • Matt 5:3–12Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  • Ps 101:2I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
  • Rev 22:14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
  • Hos 14:9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
  • Ps 32:1–2Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
  • Ps 101:6Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
  • 2 Cor 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
  • 2 Chr 31:20–21And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
  • Job 1:8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
  • John 1:47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
  • Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
  • 2 Kgs 20:3I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
  • Prov 13:6Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 119:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 119:1 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.