The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Parallel translations
- WEB The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. YUD
- BSB The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
- NKJV The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. י Yod
- NASB The Law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Yodh
- NLT Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver. Yodh
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
God's law is more precious to the psalmist than thousands of gold and silver pieces. It matters because Scripture's worth surpasses all material wealth.
Overview
Closing the Teth stanza, the psalmist values the law from God's mouth above vast riches. The word is his supreme treasure, outweighing any earthly fortune. This esteem for God's word anticipates the surpassing worth of Christ Himself, the Word made flesh, beside whom all else is counted loss.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 8:10–11Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
- Ps 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
- Ps 119:127Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
- Prov 16:16How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
- Ps 119:162I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
- Matt 13:44–46Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
- Prov 8:19My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
- Ps 119:14I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
- Ps 119:111Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
- Prov 3:14–15For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
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 119:72 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.