Psalms 119:140
in Psalms 119Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thy word is very pure; Therefore thy servant loveth it.
KJV
Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
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This verse in Psalms 119
Commentary
7 notes on this verseDo you want me to show you how the fire goes out from the words of the Holy Spirit and ignites the hearts of believers? Hear David speaking in the psalm: "The declaration of the Lord has set him on fire." And again in the Gospel it was written, after the Lord spoke to Cleopas, "Was not our heart burning within us when he opened the Scriptures to us?" Whence will you burn?
This site's exposition
Righteous are You, O LORD
on Psalms 119:137-144
God's righteousness is stated first, then the testimonies are called righteous and altogether faithful. Zeal consumes him because his foes forget the words, a grief carried for someone else's sin. He is lowly and despised, and he still remembers the precepts.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Then considering with himself with what a flame of love he burned for the commandments of God: "Fiery," says he, "is Your word exceedingly, and Your servant has loved it" [Psalm 119:140]. Justly jealous was he of the impenitent heart in His enemies, who had forgotten God's word; for he endeavoured to bring them unto that which he himself most ardently loved.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thy word is very pure,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
"Thy word is very pure." It is truth distilled, holiness in its quintessence. In the word of God there is no admixture of error or sin. It is pure in its sense, pure in its language, pure in its spirit, pure in its influence, and all this to the very highest degree—"very pure." "Therefore thy servant loveth it," which is a proof that he himself was pure in heart, for only those who are pure love God's word because of its purity. His heart was knit to the word because of its glorious holiness and truth.
Thy word is very pure - צרופה tseruphah, it is purification. It is not a purified thing, but a thing that purifies. “Now ye are clean,” said Christ, “by the word I have spoken unto you.” God’s word is a fire to purify as well as a hammer to break.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Thy word is very pure - Margin, “tried or refined.” See the word explained in the notes at Psa 18:30. Therefore thy servant loveth it - Therefore I love it. I love it because it is pure, holy, true; not merely because it will save me. Apart from all reference to myself. I love thy truth as truth; I love purity as purity; I love law as law; I love holiness as holiness. This is true religion.
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| צְרוּפָ֖ה | tzerufah | [has been] refined | H6884 → | 33 times |
| אִמְרָתְךָ֥ | ʾimratekha | word your | H565 → | 37 times |
| מְאֹ֗ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ | veavdekha | and servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אֲהֵבָֽהּ׃ | ʾahevah | he loves it | H157 → | 211 times |
צְרוּפָ֖ה[has been] refined
tzerufahH6884 →33 times
אִמְרָתְךָ֥word your
ʾimratekhaH565 →37 times
מְאֹ֗דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥and servant your
veavdekhaH5650 →799 times
אֲהֵבָֽהּ׃he loves it
ʾahevahH157 →211 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 30:5Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
it leads to
- Psalms 18:30
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 12:6
The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Psalms 3:3
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- Psalms 18:30
Through
Psalms 12:6The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
it leads to
- Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 30:5
Through
2 Peter 1:21For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:15–17
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- 2 Samuel 23:2
The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.
- 1 Peter 1:11
trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
- 2 Timothy 3:15–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 119; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 9:9.7.