Give me understanding, so that I may comply with Your Law And keep it with all my heart.
Parallel translations
- WEB Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.
- KJV Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- BSB Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.
- NKJV Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- NLT Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.
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 asks for understanding so that he may keep and wholeheartedly observe God's law. It matters because true obedience flows from God-given understanding and a devoted heart.
Overview
Understanding of God's law is sought as the foundation for keeping it with the whole heart. The psalmist sees that real obedience is impossible without insight from God. This points to the new heart and Spirit promised in the gospel, enabling wholehearted obedience through union with Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Matt 7:24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.
- 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.
- Prov 2:5–6then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.
- Ps 119:73Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.
- 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.
- John 7:17If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.
- Jas 2:8–12However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
- Ps 119:10With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments.
- Ps 111:10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Ps 119:69The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.
- Jas 3:13–18Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- Matt 5:19Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Job 28:28To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
- Ps 119:58I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word.
- Jas 4:11Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
- Deut 4:6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 119:34 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.