I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
Parallel translations
- WEB I have chosen the way of truth. I have set your ordinances before me.
- BSB I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me.
- NKJV I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.
- NASB I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your judgments before me.
- NLT I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.
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
The psalmist has deliberately chosen the way of faithfulness and set God's judgments before him. It matters because godliness involves a conscious commitment to follow God's truth.
Overview
Choosing the way of truth, the psalmist keeps God's ordinances continually in view as his standard. His obedience is a settled decision, not mere drift. This deliberate alignment with God's word reflects the response of faith to the gospel, in which believers choose Christ and order their lives by His truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 3:19–21And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
- Prov 1:29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
- Ps 119:29Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
- Luke 10:42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
- 1 Pet 2:2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
- Josh 24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
- Deut 11:18–20Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
- Ps 119:111Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
- Ps 119:24Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
- 2 Jn 1:4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
- John 8:45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
- Ps 119:173Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
- Ps 119:52I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 119:30 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.