Bible Strands
Psalms 119:103
How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God, positioned between affirming adherence to divine ordinances and declaring that God's precepts yield understanding for rejecting every false path.
The words — נִּמְלְצ֣וּ (nim.le.Tzu) translates literally as "they are smooth," and מִ/דְּבַ֥שׁ (mi./de.Vash) means "more than honey."
The thread — The honey comparison recurs in Psalms 19:10 regarding God's precepts, while Proverbs 24:13 uses honey to illustrate the inherent goodness of wisdom's instruction.
Why it lands — The text states that God's spoken commands register as physically and mentally satisfying as sweet food, demanding that a reader treat divine instruction as a daily necessity rather than an abstract concept.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Cross-references
- Proverbs 8:11 For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.
- Psalms 19:10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
- Proverbs 24:13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
- Job 23:12 I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.
- Psalms 63:5 My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.
- Proverbs 3:17 All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
- Song of Solomon 5:1 I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
- Song of Solomon 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine.