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Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Psalms 119:1 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB ALEPH Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
  • KJV Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
  • BSB Blessed are those whose way is blameless, 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, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”
  • Ezek 11:20that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
  • Jas 1:25But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
  • Ps 128:1A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
  • John 13:17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
  • Luke 1:6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
  • Ps 1:1–3Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
  • Titus 2:11–12For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
  • 1 Th 4:1–2Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
  • Ps 112:1Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
  • Acts 24:16Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.
  • Prov 11:20Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.
  • Matt 5:3–12“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Ps 101:2I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.
  • Rev 22:14Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
  • Hos 14:9Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.
  • Ps 32:1–2By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
  • Ps 101:6My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me.
  • 2 Cor 1:12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
  • 2 Chr 31:20–21Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he did that which was good, right, and faithful before Yahweh his God.
  • Job 1:8Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”
  • John 1:47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
  • Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
  • 2 Kgs 20:3“Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
  • Prov 13:6Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows 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.