Psalms 119:73
in Psalms 119Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding to learn Your commandments.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
KJV
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
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This verse in Psalms 119
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Athanasius of Alexandria296–373
DEFENSE OF THE NICENE DEFINITION 3:9 · Written before 373.
But though we were to allow some prerogative to the Protoplast as having been deemed worthy of the hand of God, still it must be one of honor, not of nature. For he came from the earth, as other people, and the hand that then fashioned Adam is also both now and ever fashioning and giving entire consistency [same human nature] to those who come after him.
This site's exposition
Your hands have made me and fashioned me
on Psalms 119:73-80
He starts from creation: the hands that made him are asked for the understanding he cannot supply himself. Verse 74 asks that those who fear God see him and rejoice at his hope in God's word. Verse 75 reads the affliction as faithfulness on God's part.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Futile is the act of the father and mother, unless the Creator's work and will also touch the offspring. "Your hands have made me and formed me." And elsewhere it is written, "You have formed me and have laid your hand on me." Therefore, we …
..."Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me" (ver. 73). The hands of God are the power of God. Or if the plural number moveth them, since it is not said, Thy hand, but, "Thy hands;" let them understand by the hands of God the power and wisdom of God, both of which titles are given to one Christ, who is also understood under the figure, Arm of the Lord. Or let them understand by the hands of God, the Son and the Holy Spirit; since the Holy Spirit worketh conjointly with the Father and the Son: whence saith the Apostle, "But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit:" he said, "one and the self-same;" lest as many spirits as works might be imagined, not that the Spirit worketh without the Father and the Son. It is easy therefore to see how the hands of God are to be understood: provided, at the same time, that He be not denied to do those things through His Word which He doth by His hands: nor be considered not to do those things with His hands, which He doth through His word. ...But is this said in respect of Adam? from whom since all men were propagated, what man, since Adam was made, may not say that he himself also was made by reason of procreation and generation from Adam? Or may it rightly be said, in this sense, "Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me," namely, that every man is born even of his parents not without the work of God, God creating, they generating? Since, if the creative power of God be withdrawn from things, they perish: nor is anything at all, either of the world's elements, or of parents, or of seeds, produced, if God doth not create it. ...
A commentator
Augustine of HippoTractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 40 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
...For this I say, if only you have understood my words, I certainly have spoken and my words have sounded, and by their sound have reached your ears, and through your sense of hearing have carried their meaning to your mind, if so be you have understood. Suppose that some person of Latin speech has heard, but has only heard without understanding, what I have said. As regards the noise issuing from my mouth, he who has understood not has been a sharer therein just like yourselves. He has heard that sound; the same syllables have smote on his ears, but they have produced no effect on his mind. Why? Because he understood not. But if you have understood, whence comes your understanding? My words have sounded in the ear: have I kindled any light in the heart? Without doubt, if what I have said is true, and this truth you have not only heard, but also understood, two things have there been wrought (distinguish between them), hearing and intelligence. Hearing has been wrought by me, but by whom has understanding? I have spoken to the ear, that you might hear; who has spoken to your heart for understanding? Doubtless some one has also said something to your heart, that not only the noise of words might strike your ear, but something also of the truth might descend into your heart. Some one has spoken also to your heart, but you do not see him. If, brethren, you have understood, your heart also has been spoken to. Intelligence is the gift of God. And who, if you have understood, has spoken so in your heart, but He to whom the Psalm says, "Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments?"
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Second, we ought to speak of the commandments of God, that we may better know them. For the more frequently a man walks along a certain way, the better he knows it. Whence Gregory says that a man comes to know the way by walking …
A commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, Question 4 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
On that verse of the Psalm, *Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding,* the Gloss says: "God alone gives understanding: for God through himself, who *is light,* illuminates devout minds."
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
י, JOD.--The Tenth Part. JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me,.... Not the psalmist himself, nor his parents, but the Lord alone: for though parents are fathers of our flesh, they are but instruments in the hand of the Lord; though man is produced by natural generation, yet the formation and fashioning of men are as much owing to the power and wisdom of God, which are his hands, as the formation of Adam was. Job owns this in much the same words as the psalmist does, Job 10:8; see Psa 139:
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
We have now come to the tenth portion, which in each stanza begins with Jod, but it certainly does not treat of jots and titles and other trifles. Its subject would seem to be personal experience and its attractive influence upon others. The prophet is in deep sorrow, but looks to be delivered and made a blessing. Endeavouring to teach, the Psalmist first seeks to be taught (Psa 119:73), persuades Himself that he will be well received (Psa 119:74), and rehearses the testimony which he intends to bear (Psa 119:75).
We have now come to the tenth portion, which in each stanza begins with Jod, but it certainly does not treat of jots and titles and other trifles. Its subject would seem to be personal experience and its attractive influence upon others. The prophet is in deep sorrow, but looks to be delivered and made a blessing. Endeavouring to teach, the Psalmist first seeks to be taught (Psa 119:73), persuades Himself that he will be well received (Psa 119:74), and rehearses the testimony which he intends to bear (Psa 119:75). He prays for more experience (Psa 119:76-77), for the baffling of the proud (Psa 119:78), for the gathering together of the godly to him (Psa 119:79), and for himself again that he may be fully equipped for his witness bearing and may be sustained in it (Psa 119:80). This is the anxious yet hopeful cry of one who is heavily afflicted by cruel adversaries, and therefore makes his appeal to God as his only friend. "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me." It is profitable to remember our creation, it is pleasant to see that the divine hand has had much to do with us, for it never moves apart from the divine thought. It excites reverence, gratitude, and affection towards God when we view him as our Maker, putting forth the careful skill and power of his hands in our forming and fashioning. He took a personal interest in us, making us with his own hands; he was doubly thoughtful, for he is represented both as making and moulding us. In both giving existence and arranging existence he manifested love and wisdom; and therefore we find reasons for praise, confidence, and expectation in our being and well being. "Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." As thou hast made me, teach me. Here is the vessel which thou hast fashioned; Lord, fill it.
Thy hands have made me - Thou hast formed the mass out of which I was made; and fashioned me - thou hast given me that particular form that distinguishes me from all thy other creatures. Give me understanding - As thou hast raised me above the beasts that perish in my form and mode of life, teach me that I may live for a higher and nobler end, in loving, serving, and enjoying thee for ever. Show me that I was made for heaven, not for earth.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Thy hands have made me - This commences a new division of the psalm, in which each verse begins with the Hebrew letter Jod (י y) - or “i” - the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, called in Mat 5:18, “jot;” “one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.” The words “thy hands have made me” are expressive of the idea that he had been formed or moulded by God - as the “hands” are the instruments by which we do anything. See the notes at Job 10:8; compare Psa 100:3. And fashioned me - Fitted me; shaped me, formed me as I am. He had received alike his existence and the particular form of his existence from God - as a man makes a statue or image. Compare Psa 139:13-16. Give me understanding ... - As I have derived my being from thee, so I am wholly dependent on thee to carry out the purpose for which I have been made. My Maker alone can give me understanding. I have no resources in myself. See Psa 119:34.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָדֶ֣יךָ | yadeikha | hands your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עָ֭שׂוּנִי | ʾasuni | they made me | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וַֽיְכוֹנְנ֑וּנִי | vaykhonuni | and they prepared me | H3559 → | 217 times |
| הֲ֝בִינֵ֗נִי | havineni | give understanding me | H995 → | 170 times |
| וְאֶלְמְדָ֥ה | veelmedah | so let me learn | H3925 → | 85 times |
| מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ | mitzvoteikha | commandments your | H4687 → | 181 times |
יָדֶ֣יךָhands your
yadeikhaH3027 →1618 times
עָ֭שׂוּנִיthey made me
ʾasuniH6213 →2628 times
וַֽיְכוֹנְנ֑וּנִיand they prepared me
vaykhonuniH3559 →217 times
הֲ֝בִינֵ֗נִיgive understanding me
havineniH995 →170 times
וְאֶלְמְדָ֥הso let me learn
veelmedahH3925 →85 times
מִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃commandments your
mitzvoteikhaH4687 →181 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 138:8The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. O LORD, Your loving devotion endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.
it leads to
- Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Psalms 57:2
I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24
The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.
- Isaiah 26:12
O LORD, You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us.
- Psalms 136:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.
- Philippians 1:6
Through
Psalms 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
it leads to
- Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
- Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
- Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Proverbs 1:7
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Athanasius of Alexandria, DEFENSE OF THE NICENE DEFINITION 3:9; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 119; Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 40; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 3; Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, Question 4; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 6; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Peter Chrysologus, SERMON 6.