Have you ever wondered what is the longest chapter in the Bible? For this is Psalm 119, with a length of 176 verses that make it a unique work of great importance for Christianity. Don’t miss it!
Psalm 119 KJV
The Word of God embodied in the Holy Scriptures is one of the main axes of our religion. In the Bible we find the foundations of our faith, as well as some behavioral guidelines that show us how to follow God’s way.
Psalm 119 is a praise of God’s Word in all its aspects, and its author, as you will soon discover, wanted to make this very clear.
It is the longest chapter in the whole Bible and for this reason it has a very important weight within the Book of Psalms. The details hidden in this work of art are superb, and in Tu Biblia Online we will accompany you to explain them to you, so that you can enjoy the infinite power that the words of the text transmit.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at Psalm 119 of the Bible, its context and its most important verses. Let’s get started!
Psalm 119 complete in video
We know that Psalm 119 is long, but we strongly recommend that you dedicate a few minutes of your day to get to know it, since it is of transcendental importance.
Although it is always good to have a relaxing time listening to the Word of God, if you prefer to read it, in the following section you will find the written text.
Psalm 119 of the Bible in English and large print
As we have already mentioned, below you will find all the verses that make up Psalm 119 of the King James Bible, in English and large print. Take a look at all the details of the text, and see if you can find one that does not appear in our explanation below!
1 Blessed are the perfect on the way,
Those who walk in the law of Jehovah.
2 Blessed are those who keep their testimonies,
And with all their hearts they seek him;
3 For they do not do iniquity
Those who walk in his ways.
4 You ordered
May your commandments be kept.
5 Would that my ways were orderly
To keep your statutes!
6 Then I would not be ashamed,
When I obeyed all your commandments.
7 I will praise you in uprightness of heart.
When I learn thy righteous judgments.
8 Thy statutes will I keep;
Do not leave me entirely.
Bet
9 With what shall the young man cleanse his way?
By keeping your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought you;
Let me not stray from your commandments.
11 I have kept your words in my heart,
Lest I sin against you.
12 Blessed art thou, O Jehovah;
Teach me your statutes.
13 With my lips I have counted
All judgments from your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies.
More than all wealth.
15 On your commandments I will meditate;
I will consider your ways.
16 I will rejoice in your statutes;
I will not forget your words.
Guímel
17 Do good to your servant; let him live,
And keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, and I will look
The wonders of your law.
19 I am a stranger on earth;
Do not hide your commandments from me.
20 My soul is broken with longing
Your judgments at all times.
21 You rebuked the proud, the accursed,
Who deviate from your commandments.
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept your testimonies.
23 Princes also sat and spoke against me;
But your servant meditated on your statutes,
24 For your testimonies are my delights
And my advisors.
Dálet
25 My soul is crushed to the dust;
Quicken me according to your word.
26 I have told you my ways, and you have answered me;
Teach me your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of your commandments,
That I may meditate on your wonders.
28 My soul melts with anxiety;
Sustain me according to your word.
29 Remove from me the way of falsehood,
And in your mercy grant me your law.
30 I chose the way of truth;
I have set your judgments before me.
31 I have adhered to your testimonies;
O Jehovah, put me not to shame.
32 In the way of your commandments I will run,
When you enlarge my heart.
He
33 Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes,
And I will keep it until the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law,
And I will fulfill it wholeheartedly.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
Because in her I have my will.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,
And not to greed.
37 Turn away my eyes, that they may not see vanity;
Send me on my way.
38 Confirm your word to your servant,
Who fears you.
39 Remove from me the reproach I have feared,
Because your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed for your commandments;
Enliven me in your righteousness.
Vau
41 Thy mercy come to me, O Jehovah;
Your salvation, according to your saying.
42 And I will give for an answer to my shamer,
I have trusted in your word.
43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth at any time,
Because in your judgments I hope.
44 I will keep your law always,
Forever and eternally.
45 And I shall walk at liberty,
Because I sought your commandments.
46 I will speak of your testimonies before kings,
And I will not be ashamed;
47 And I will rejoice in your commandments,
Which I have loved.
48 I will also lift up my hands to your commandments, which I have loved,
And I will meditate on your statutes.
Zain
49 Remember the word given to your servant,
In which you have made me wait.
50 She is my comfort in my affliction,
Because your words have enlivened me.
51 The proud mocked me greatly,
But I have not departed from your law.
52 I remembered, O Jehovah, thy judgments of old,
And I consoled myself.
53 Horror seized me because of the wicked.
That they leave your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs .
In the house where I was a foreigner.
55 I remembered your name in the night, O Jehovah,
And I have kept your law.
56 These blessings I had
Because I have kept your commandments.
Chet
57 Jehovah is my portion;
I said I will keep your words.
58 Your presence I implored with all my heart;
Have mercy on me according to your word.
59 I considered my ways,
And I turned my feet to your testimonies.
60 I hurried and I did not delay
In keeping your commandments.
61 Companies of the wicked have surrounded me,
But I have not forgotten your law.
62 At midnight I rise to praise thee
By your righteous judgments.
63 I am the companion of all those who fear you.
And they keep your commandments.
64 The earth is full of your mercy, O Jehovah;
Teach me your statutes.
Tet
65 Thou hast done well by thy servant,
O LORD, according to your word.
66 Teach me good sense and wisdom,
Because I have believed your commandments.
67 Before I was humbled, I went astray;
But now I keep your word.
68 Good are you, and a benefactor;
Teach me your statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep your commandments with my whole heart.
70 Their hearts grew fat as tallow,
But I have rejoiced in your law.
71 It is good for me to have been humiliated,
To learn your statutes.
72 Better to me is the law of your mouth
What thousands of gold and silver.
Yod
73 Your hands made me and formed me;
Make me understand, and I will learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,
For I have waited on your word.
75 I know, O Jehovah, that your judgments are just,
And that according to your faithfulness you afflicted me.
76 Let your mercy be now to comfort me,
According as thou hast said unto thy servant.
77 Let your mercies come to me, that I may live,
For your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed, for they have slandered me without cause;
But I will meditate on your commandments.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me
And they know your testimonials.
80 Let my heart be whole in your statutes,
So that I will not be embarrassed.
Caf
81 My soul faints for your salvation,
But I hope in your word.
82 My eyes fail for your word,
Saying: When will you comfort me?
83 Because I am like a wineskin to smoke;
But I have not forgotten your bylaws.
84 How many are the days of your servant?
When will you bring those who persecute me to justice?
85 The proud have dug holes for me;
But they do not proceed according to your law.
86 All your commandments are true;
They persecute me without cause; help me.
87 I was almost thrown out,
But I have not left your commandments.
88 Quicken me according to your mercy,
And I will keep the testimonies of your mouth.
Lámed
89 Forever, O Jehovah,
Let your word abide in the heavens.
90 From generation to generation is your faithfulness;
Thou didst establish the earth, and it abideth.
91 By your ordination all things subsist to this day,
Well, they all work for you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
Already in my affliction I would have perished.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
For with them you have vivified me.
94 I am yours , save me,
For I have sought your commandments.
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me;
But I will consider your testimonies.
96 I have seen an end to all perfection;
Your commandment is very broad.
Mem
Oh , how I love your law!
All day long she is my meditation.
98 You have made me wiser than my enemies by your commandments,
Because they are always with me.
99 More than all my teachers I have understood,
Because your testimonies are my meditation.
100 More than the old ones I have understood,
Because I have kept your commandments;
101 From every evil way I restrained my feet,
To keep your word.
102 I did not depart from your judgments,
Because you taught me.
103 How sweet your words are to my palate!
More than honey to my mouth.
104 From your commandments I have acquired intelligence;
Therefore I have hated every false way.
Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet,
And luminary to my path.
106 I swore and ratified
That I will keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am greatly grieved;
Quicken me, O LORD, according to your word.
108 I beseech you, O LORD, that the voluntary sacrifices of my mouth may be pleasing to you,
And show me your judgments.
109 My life is continually in danger,
But I have not forgotten your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
But I did not deviate from your commandments.
111 I have taken your testimonies as an inheritance forever,
Because they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have inclined my heart to do your statutes.
Continuously, until the end.
Sámec
113 I abhor hypocritical men;
But I love your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield;
On your word I have waited.
115 Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God.
116 Sustain me according to your word, and I shall live;
And let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117 Hold me up , and I shall be saved,
And I will always rejoice in your statutes.
118 Thou hast flouted all those who deviate from thy statutes,
Because their cunning is falsehood.
119 Like dross you have made all the wicked of the earth to be consumed;
Therefore, I have loved your testimonies.
120 My flesh has trembled for fear of you,
And of your judgments I am afraid.
Ayin
121 Judgment and justice have I done;
Do not abandon me to my oppressors.
122 Strengthen your servant for good;
Let not the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes fail for your salvation,
And by the word of your righteousness.
124 Deal with your servant according to your mercy,
And teach me your statutes.
125 I am thy servant, give me understanding
To know your testimonials.
126 It is time to act, O Jehovah,
Because they have invalidated your law.
127 Therefore I have loved your commandments
More than gold, and more than very pure gold.
128 Therefore I esteemed all your commandments above all things to be right,
And I abhorred every false way.
Pe
129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore, my soul has kept them.
130 The exposition of your words enlightens;
It makes the simple understand.
131 I opened my mouth and sighed,
Because I desired your commandments.
132 Look upon me , and have mercy upon me,
As you usually do with those who love your name.
133 Order my steps with your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Deliver me from the violence of men,
And I will keep your commandments.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
And teach me your statutes.
136 Rivers of water descended from my eyes,
Because they did not keep your law.
Tsade
137 Righteous art thou, O Jehovah,
And upright are your judgments.
138 Your testimonials, which you have recommended,
They are straight and very faithful.
139 My zeal has consumed me,
Because my enemies forgot your words.
140 Most pure is thy word,
And your servant loves her.
141 Small am I, and discarded,
But I have not forgotten your commandments.
142 Your righteousness is everlasting righteousness,
And your law the truth.
143 Affliction and anguish have seized me,
But your commandments were my delight.
144 Your testimonies are eternal justice;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.
Cof
145 I cried with all my heart; answer me, Jehovah,
And I will keep your statutes.
146 To you I cried out; save me,
And I will keep your testimonies.
147 I anticipated the dawn, and cried out;
I waited on your word.
148 My eyes anticipated the watches of the night,
To meditate on your commands.
149 Hear my voice according to your mercy;
O LORD, quicken me according to your judgment.
150 Those who persecute me have approached wickedness;
They turned away from your law.
151 You are near, O Jehovah,
And all your commandments are true.
152 I have long since understood your testimonials,
That you have established them forever.
Resh
153 Look upon my affliction, and deliver me,
For I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause, and redeem me;
Enliven me with your word.
155 Far from the wicked is salvation,
Because they do not seek your statutes.
156 Many are thy mercies, O Jehovah;
Enliven me according to your judgments.
157 Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
But I have not turned away from your testimonies.
158 I saw the prevaricators, and I was disgusted,
Because they did not keep your words.
159 Behold, O Jehovah, I love your commandments;
Quicken me according to your mercy.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
And every judgment of your righteousness is everlasting.
No
161 Princes have persecuted me without cause,
But my heart was afraid of your words.
162 I rejoice in your word
As one who finds many spoils.
163 I abhor and abhor lying;
Your master law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
Because of your righteous judgments.
165 Much peace have those who love your law,
And there is no stumbling block for them.
166 I have waited for your salvation, O LORD,
And I have done your commandments.
167 My soul has kept your testimonies,
And I have loved them greatly.
168 I have kept your commandments and your testimonies,
For all my ways are before you.
Tau
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my prayer come before you;
Deliver me according to thy word.
171 My lips will overflow with praise
When you show me your bylaws.
172 My tongue shall speak your words,
For all your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen your commandments.
174 I have desired your salvation, O Jehovah,
And your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you,
And your judgments help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
For I have not forgotten your commandments.
Who wrote Psalm 119
Have you already read or listened to the 176 verses of Psalm 119? If so, you will surely have already realized the importance and value of this text, and you will be eager to discover everything that surrounds its meaning.
To begin with, let’s give you some idea about who the author of Psalm 119 was.
Unlike other psalms in which the author is named in the title or during the text, in Psalm 119 there is no name written.
Over the years, Bible scholars have attributed it to David, who is said to have been writing it throughout his life. Although there is no absolute consensus on this, this is the most widely accepted hypothesis.
King David wrote most of the psalms found in the Old Testament Book of Psalms. With them, David wanted to transmit in the form of musical and poetic compositions the teachings of Our Lord so that his followers would live happily in faith.
Psalm 119 explanation and meaning the message
In the following we will analyze the meaning of Psalm 119, in a global way and also commenting on its most important verses.
As we have already advanced, this is the longest psalm and consists of 176 verses. In at least 171 of these verses, the concept of Scripture is mentioned, using one of its synonyms. Thus, the central theme of Psalm 119 is the praise of God’s Word and the importance of the Holy Scriptures.
The words we see used in the text are seven: word, commandments, law, testimonies, judgments, statutes and saying. Even so, the original Hebrew version of the psalm contained eight terms, since there were two word synonyms (imrah and dabar).
On the other hand, you may have noticed that the psalm is divided into 22 blocks of 8 verses, with a subtitle in each one of them. These subtitles are letters of the Hebrew alphabet and appear in this text so that, in the original version, the first letter of each verse coincides with that of the subtitle of its block. In the image you can see the complete Hebrew alphabet.
Now we are going to focus on the analysis of the most important verses of Psalm 119, that is, those that provide a message that stands out from the rest of the verses.
Psalm 119:1 and Psalm 119:2
Psalm 119 begins with two verses of great force, both with the same opening word: blessed.
In these two verses David explains that those who follow the Word of God will be happy, not only by reading and studying it, but by living it day by day. To live according to the way of the Lord is to live in perfection; something difficult to achieve for humans, but which should always be an objective to be attained.
On the other hand, since we follow God’s way, we love the people around us and therefore we must show them the happiness that comes from living according to the Word of the Lord.
Psalm 119:9
This verse is dedicated to the youth. Adolescence and later years. These are stages of many changes in which we define ourselves as we want to be, looking for influences from friends or older examples, such as parents, relatives or other people.
It is important at this age to always keep in mind the Word of God, since in the formation of the personality of each individual, it is easy to deviate and move away from God.
If you know someone young, do not hesitate to teach him or her the goodness of our religion and the happiness of faith, always without forcing or imposing anything, so that he or she can decide freely.
God’s way is beautiful on its own, and does not require imposition.
Psalm 119:10
Verse 10 shows us something that may seem worrisome to us, although deep down it is beautiful because it makes us human. No matter how much we dedicate ourselves to the Lord and believe that our faith is firm, we will always be susceptible to error and sin.
This does not mean that we should abandon our dedication, but it is important to be aware of this and to cultivate our faith more when our strength fails us. If we do so, the Lord will watch over us, showing us the way to follow and will not let us fall.
Psalm 119:11
In verse 11, we see the need to listen to the Word of God with the heart, and not just interpret it with our minds.
Love is the main value of Christianity together with faith, and for this reason we must interpret the sacred texts from love, always looking for ways to apply them in our lives to make a better world around us.
Psalm 119:18
In Psalm 119:18, David tells us that to understand the wonders hidden in the biblical texts, the Lord must open our eyes. This is the moment when faith comes into play, one of the most important words to approach God.
With faith we will find happiness in the Word of God and, what for many is just a book, for us will be the right way to live. The Holy Scriptures will reach your heart if you are ready to receive them.
This is why it is important to pray regularly, to have your heart prepared and open to receive God’s messages, whether at home, at work or at church.
Psalm 119:50
The Word of the Lord can bea refuge for us when we are sad or feel threatened and afraid. In the Bible we will find comfort for our worries and in almost every situation, a solution.
The Scriptures enable us to lead a full life, strengthen us and nourish our spirit. To live far from them is to fall into materialism and the current of ambition and power, so present in the world in which we live today.
We have to feel the richness of the Word, which has nothing to do with the riches of the material world, and feed our faith constantly, just as we feed ourselves with physical food.
Psalm 119:103
Verse 103 is what we linguistically call synesthesia. A figure of speech that consists of attributing aspects related to sensations to feelings.
In this case David says that the Word of God is sweet to his palate, thus referring to the fact that it is pleasant to read the biblical texts, to listen to them and also to pray with them. It is a great pleasure, like putting honey in your mouth, although as you can imagine there is no comparison in terms of magnitude.
Reading the Holy Scriptures gives us a spiritual pleasure, far from what we understand as material pleasure. Spiritual pleasure is lasting and will help us to achieve true happiness that will truly fill our lives.
Psalm 119:105
We come now to what may be the most beautiful verse in the psalm, the verse Psalm 119:105.
This verse proposes the idea of the Word of God as a guide for life, a light that every person must follow if he wants to be fully happy.
The teachings of Our Lord make us walk with a firm and sure step, aware that this is the right and good path. There is nothing to fear when we have faith.
Let us allow ourselves to be guided by the Lord and let us seek our happiness in Him, for only in this way will we attain eternal life and a future filled with joy, peace and above all love.
Psalm 119:133
In verse 133, David comments on the objective of knowing the Scriptures. This goal is to live in the right way and to stay away from all acts that involve evil.
Here he refers to the term Iniquity, a word that defines injustices or acts done with evil, values that are far from Christian morality and that we should repudiate and try to correct if we commit them or see them committed.
Psalm 119:165
Finally, we will comment on verse 165, which speaks of the benefits of living a life in accordance with the Word of God.
We can interpret that at this point David is already speaking from the experience of having led a life close to God, which has brought him happiness and peace, even when things were very complicated for him.
That’s right, faith and prayer give us the possibility to lead a happy and peaceful life. This motivation makes us persevere in the study of the Word and that is why we wake up every day with more desire to know it and to help you understand it a little more.
We share with you a song dedicated to this verse:
After this review of the most outstanding verses of Psalm 119, you will have seen that it deals in different ways with the goodness of God’s word in our daily lives.
This psalm teaches us to understand many things from different points of view, so we encourage you to take the verses that resonate with you and put them into practice in your life.
Psalm 119 Prayer
Surely, processing all the information we have presented to you about Psalm 119 will be difficult to digest all at once. And because it is such a long text, you may not feel ready to use it as a prayer.
For this reason, before continuing with some curiosities about Psalm 119, we suggest you stop for a moment and pray with the prayer below:
With this song, we end this article!
We hope with all our strength, that you have understood with Psalm 119, the benefits of loving and studying the word of God. We know it has been a bit long, but I don’t think anyone can say that this beautiful journey has not been worth it.
We take this opportunity to thank you for reading us and hope to see you in the next article!