I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
Parallel translations
- WEB I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes.
- BSB I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies.
- NKJV I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
- NASB I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
- NLT I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow 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
The psalmist considered his ways and turned his feet toward God's testimonies. It matters because honest self-examination leads to repentance and renewed obedience.
Overview
Reflecting on the direction of his life, the psalmist redirects his steps to follow God's testimonies. Thoughtful self-assessment produces a turning toward God's word. This pattern of considering one's ways and turning back is the heart of repentance, central to the gospel call to turn to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 2 Cor 13:5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
- Ezek 18:28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
- Lam 3:40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
- 2 Cor 12:21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
- Luke 15:17–20And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
- Hag 1:7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
- Ezek 18:30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
- Hag 1:5Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
- Joel 2:13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
- Ezek 33:14–16Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
- Deut 4:30–31When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
- Jer 8:4–6Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
- Jer 31:18–19I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
- Ezek 33:19But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 119:59 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.