Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
Parallel translations
- WEB Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.
- BSB Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding to learn Your commandments.
- NKJV Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
- NASB ¶Your hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, so that I may learn Your commandments.
- NLT You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
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
Because God made and formed him, the psalmist asks his Maker for the understanding to learn His commandments. The God who creates is also the one who must teach.
Overview
Opening the YODH stanza, the psalmist grounds his prayer for understanding in the doctrine of creation: the hands that fashioned him are competent to instruct him. He recognizes that learning God's law is not merely intellectual effort but a gift of insight from the Creator. This anticipates the New Testament truth that God who began a good work also opens the heart to understand His word (Phil. 1:6; Luke 24:45).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 139:14–16I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
- Ps 138:8The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
- Job 31:15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
- Ps 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
- 2 Tim 2:7Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
- Job 32:8But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
- Ps 119:125I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
- 1 Jn 5:20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- Ps 119:34Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
- Ps 100:3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
- Jas 3:18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
- 2 Chr 2:12Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
- Ps 119:169Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
- 1 Chr 22:12Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.
- Ps 119:144The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
- Job 10:8–11Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
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 119:73 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.