I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.
Parallel translations
- WEB I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes.
- KJV I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
- 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.
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 your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.
- Ezek 18:28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
- Lam 3:40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
- 2 Cor 12:21that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.
- Luke 15:17–20But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
- Hag 1:7This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Consider your ways.
- Ezek 18:30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
- Hag 1:5Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Consider your ways.
- Joel 2:13Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.
- Ezek 33:14–16Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
- Deut 4:30–31When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice.
- Jer 8:4–6“Moreover you shall tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “‘Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?
- Jer 31:18–19“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as an untrained calf: turn me, and I shall be turned; for you are Yahweh my God.
- Ezek 33:19When the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does 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.