Bible Strands
Psalms 119:97
Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly within a structured acrostic poem, following a declaration that divine commandments exceed the boundaries of all human perfection.
The words — אָהַ֥בְתִּי ('a.Hav.ti) translates literally as "I love," and שִׂיחָתִֽי (si.cha.Ti) means "my meditation" or "my discourse."
The thread — The pattern of constant scriptural meditation appears in Psalms 1:2, which pairs delight in the Law with day-and-night meditation, and recurs in Psalms 119:159 with a petition for life based on that same love for God's precepts.
Why it lands — The text demands a reader treat divine instruction as a continuous mental occupation rather than an occasional reference, establishing that sustained engagement with the law precedes the wisdom described in the surrounding verses.
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
מ MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Cross-references
- Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
- Proverbs 2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul.
- Psalms 119:159 Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD; give me life according to Your loving devotion.
- Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
- Psalms 119:48 I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes.
- Deuteronomy 17:19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes.
- Psalms 119:167 I obey Your testimonies and love them greatly.
- Deuteronomy 6:6 These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
- Psalms 119:127 Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, even the purest gold.
- Psalms 119:165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble.