Psalms 119:38
in Psalms 119Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Confirm unto thy servant thy word, Which is in order unto the fear of thee.
KJV
Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
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This verse in Psalms 119
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes
on Psalms 119:33-40
Every verse here is a request put to God: teach, give understanding, direct, turn, establish, revive. The asking runs both ways, toward the commandments and away from covetous gain and worthless things. The verbs are all God's to do.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"O establish Your word in Your servant, that I may fear You" [Psalm 119:38]. And what else is this than, Grant unto me that I may do according to what You say? For the word of God is not established in those who remove it in themselves by acting contrary to it; but it is established in those in whom it is immoveable. God therefore establishes His word, that they may fear Him, in those unto whom He gives the spirit of the fear of Him; not that fear of which the Apostle says, "You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;" [Romans 8:15] for "perfect love casts out" this "fear," [1 John 4:18] but that fear which the Prophet calls "the spirit of the fear of the Lord;" [Isaiah 11:2] that fear which "is pure, and endures for ever;" that fear which fears to offend Him whom it loves.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Stablish thy word unto thy servant,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
who is devoted to thy fear--or better, "which (that is, Thy word) is for Thy fear," for producing it. "Which is to those who fear Thee." God's word of promise belongs peculiarly to such (compare Ge 18:19;
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A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
To encourage us in prayer for divine aid in adhering to His truth, we are permitted to believe that by His help we shall succeed. the way of thy statutes--that is, the way or manner of life prescribed by them. The help we hope to obtain by prayer is to be the basis on which our resolutions should rest.
"Stablish thy word unto thy servant." Make me sure of thy sure word: make it sure to me and make me sure of it. If we possess the spirit of service, and yet are troubled with sceptical thoughts we cannot do better than pray to be established in the truth. Times will arise when every doctrine and promise seems to be shaken, and our mind gets no rest: then we must appeal to God for establishment in the faith, for he would have all his servants to be well instructed and confirmed in his word.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
"Stablish thy word unto thy servant." Make me sure of thy sure word: make it sure to me and make me sure of it. If we possess the spirit of service, and yet are troubled with sceptical thoughts we cannot do better than pray to be established in the truth. Times will arise when every doctrine and promise seems to be shaken, and our mind gets no rest: then we must appeal to God for establishment in the faith, for he would have all his servants to be well instructed and confirmed in his word. But we must mind that we are the Lord's servants, for else we shall not long be sound in his truth. Practical holiness is a great help towards doctrinal certainty: if we are God's servants he will confirm his word in our experience. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine;" and so know it as to be fully assured of it. Atheism in the heart is a horrible plague to a God fearing man, it brings more torment with it than can well be described; and nothing but a visitation of grace can settle the soul after it has been violently assailed thereby. Vanity or falsehood is bad for the eyes, but it is even worse when it defiles the understanding and casts a doubt upon the word of the living God. "Who is devoted to thy fear," or simply—"to thy fear." That is, make good thy word to godly fear: wherever it exists; strengthen the whole body of reverent men. Stablish thy word, not only to me, but to all the godly ones under the sun. Or, again, it may mean—"Stablish thy word to thy fear," namely, that men may be led to fear thee; since a sure faith in the divine promise is the fountain and foundation of godly fear. Men will never worship a God in whom they do not believe. More faith will lead to more godly fear.
Stablish thy word - Fulfil the promises thou hast made to me.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Stablish thy word unto thy servant - Confirm it; make it seem firm and true; let not my mind be vacillating or skeptical in regard to thy truth. This seems to be a prayer against the influence of doubt and scepticism; a prayer that doubts might not be suffered to spring up in his mind, and that the objections and difficulties of scepticism might have no place there. There is a class of people whose minds are naturally skeptical and unbelieving, and for such people such a prayer is especially appropriate. For none can it be improper to pray that the word of God may always seem to them to be true; that their minds may never be left to the influence of doubt and unbelief. Who is devoted to thy fear - literally, “Who,” or which, “to thy fear.” This may refer either to the author of the psalm, or to the word of God. It may mean that he was among those who feared - that is, worshipped God; or, that the word of God had reference to the “fear,” that is, to the worship of God, or was designed to secure that. The construction seems to demand the latter interpretation; and then the prayer is, that God would confirm his faith in that “word” - in that revealed truth - which was designed to secure the worship of God.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָקֵ֣ם | hakem | fulfill | H6965 → | 628 times |
| לְ֭עַבְדְּךָ | leavdekha | to servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ | ʾimratekha | word your | H565 → | 37 times |
| אֲ֝שֶׁ֗ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃ | leyiratekha | [is] for fear your | H3374 → | 45 times |
הָקֵ֣םfulfill
hakemH6965 →628 times
לְ֭עַבְדְּךָto servant your
leavdekhaH5650 →799 times
אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָword your
ʾimratekhaH565 →37 times
אֲ֝שֶׁ֗רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לְיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃[is] for fear your
leyiratekhaH3374 →45 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
Psalms 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
it leads to
- Psalms 33:18
Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion
- Psalms 33:18
Through
Psalms 103:13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
it leads to
- Luke 11:11–12
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
- Hebrews 12:5–11
And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
- Luke 15:21–22
The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
- Psalms 103:17
But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—
- Jeremiah 31:20
Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore My heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares…
- Luke 11:11–12
Through
2 Corinthians 1:20For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:24–25
As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father.
- Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- 1 John 2:24–25
Where this verse is studied
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; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.