I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, Yahweh! I will keep your statutes.
Parallel Translations
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I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, Yahweh! I will keep your statutes.
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I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
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KOPH. I have called with my whole heart; answer me, O LORD; I will keep Thy statutes.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Psalms 119:145 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 119:10 With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments.
- Jeremiah 29:13 You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.
- Psalms 102:1 Hear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come to you.
- Psalms 119:106 I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances.
- 1 Samuel 1:10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly.
- 1 Samuel 1:15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.
- Psalms 61:1-2 Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
- Psalms 62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us.
- Psalms 86:4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
- Psalms 119:44 So I will obey your law continually, forever and ever.
- Psalms 119:115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.
- Psalms 142:1-2 I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 145 I have cried with my whole heart. This…
145 I have cried with my whole heart. This verse may be so read and connected as that in the end of it the Psalmist may show what he desired in crying; According to this view, the last clause would read, “that I may keep thy statutes.”
In the following verse he makes no new statement; but he speaks more expressly. In the first place, he says that he cried to God; and next he adds, that he commended his welfare to Him by prayer; thereby intimating that whether he was in safety, or whether imminent danger threatened him with death, he uniformly reposed upon God, being fully persuaded that the only way in which he could continue safe was by having him for the guardian and protector of his welfare.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He showeth that all his affections and whole heart…
He showeth that all his affections and whole heart were bent to Godward for to have help in his dangers.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with [my] whole heart;…
Psa 119:145 KOPH. I cried with [my] whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
Ver. 145. I cried with my whole heart] This showeth that he had not only a gift of prayer, but a spirit of prayer.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Here we have, I. David's good prayers, by which…
Here we have, I. David's good prayers, by which he sought to God for mercy; these he mentions here, not as boasting of them, or trusting to any merit in them, but reflecting upon them with comfort, that he had taken the appointed way to comfort. Observe here, 1. That he was inward with God in prayer; he prayed with his heart, and prayer is acceptable no further than the heart goes along with it. Lip-labour, if that be all, is lost labour. 2. He was importunate with God in prayer; he cried, as one in earnest, with fervour of affection and a holy vehemence and vigour of desire. He cried with his whole heart; all the powers of his soul were not only engaged and employed, but exerted to the utmost, in his prayers. Then we are likely to speed when we thus strive and wrestle in prayer. 3. That he directed his prayer to God: I cried unto thee. Whither should the child go but to his father when any thing ails him? 4. That the great thing he prayed for was salvation: Save me. A short prayer (for we mistake if we think we shall be heard for our much speaking), but a comprehensive prayer: "Not only rescue me from ruin, but make me happy." We need desire no more than God's salvation (Psa 50:23) and the things that accompany it, Heb 6:9. 5. That he was earnest for an answer; and not only looked up in his prayers, but looked up after them, to see what became of them (Psa 5:3): "Lord, hear me, and let me know that thou hearest me."
II. David's good purposes, by which he bound himself to duty when he was in the pursuit of mercy. "I will keep thy statutes; I am resolved that by thy grace I will;" for, if we turn away our ear from hearing the law, we cannot expect an answer of peace to our prayers, Pro 28:9. This purpose is used as a humble plea (Psa 119:146): "Save me from my sins, my corruptions, my temptations, all the hindrances that lie in my way, that I may keep thy testimonies." We must cry for salvation, not that we may have the ease and comfort of it, but that we may have an opportunity of serving God the more cheerfully.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness,.... Not according…
Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness,.... Not according to his own merits and deserts, or works of righteousness done by him, for the sake of which he did not present his supplications to God; nor according to his love to him, which often waxed cold, and he in a poor lukewarm frame of spirit; but according to the lovingkindness of God, which is always the same, and which is a great encouragement to faith and hope in prayer; that since God is gracious and merciful, kind and bountiful, plenteous in mercy, and ready to forgive, on a throne of grace, and full of love, yea, love itself, invariably the same, he will hear, and saints shall find grace and mercy to help them in time of need;
O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgment; either according to his word of promise, or according to his manner and wonted method he used towards his people; see Psa 119:25; This is a prayer, not for the first work of quickening grace, or the first implantation of a principle of spiritual life, which the psalmist had had an experience of; but for the reviving of the work and principle in him, that he might be refreshed and comforted, and be animated and stirred up to a lively exercise of grace and performance of duty: finding himself in dead and lifeless frames, and not able to quicken himself.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain LETTER ק KOPH. - Nineteenth Division
LETTER ק KOPH. - Nineteenth Division
Verse 145. I cried with my whole heart] The whole soul of the psalmist was engaged in this good work. He whose whole heart cries to God will never rise from the throne of grace without a blessing.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain I cried with my whole heart ... - This…
I cried with my whole heart ... - This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Koph (ק q), answering to our letter “k.” The expression “I cried with my whole heart” means that he did it earnestly, fervently. He had no divided wishes when he prayed. Not always is this so, even with good people. They sometimes offer a form of prayer, that they may be spiritually-minded, when their hearts are intensely worldly, and they would be unwilling to be otherwise; or that religion may be revived, when their hearts have no lively interest in it, and no wish for it; or that they may live wholly to God, when they are making all their arrangements to live for the world, and when they would be greatly disappointed if God should take means to make them live entirely to him; or that they may be humble, childlike, sincere, when they have no wish to be any otherwise than they are now, and when they would regard it as an affront if it should be assumed by any that they are not so now, and if they were exhorted to change their course of life. Often it would be a great surprise - perhaps grief - even to professedly religious persons, if God should answer their prayers, and should make them what they professedly desire to be, and what they pray that they may be. See the notes at Psa 9:1; compare Psa 111:1; Psa 138:1; Psa 119:2, Psa 119:10, Psa 119:34, Psa 119:58, Psa 119:69; Jer 24:7.
I will keep thy statutes - It is my purpose and desire to keep thy law perfectly.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain ק, Koph.
ק, Koph.
145-152. I cried with my whole heart—Here we see the spirit of Samuel among them that called upon God. That peculiar, long-continued cry with which Samuel spent the night before the Lord is here heard, preventing, anticipating, the late hours of the night, and even the dawn of morning. It is a clinging, importunate cry day and night unto Him, of “His own elect,” which prayer will be surely heard. The last verse suggests the long confidence that prays and trusts “though he bear long with them.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 145. I have called with my whole heart; answer…
145. I have called with my whole heart; answer me, Jehovah] The perfect tense expresses the habit of his whole life.
145–152. Qôph. Unceasing prayer to be kept faithful in the midst of faithlessness is the rule of the Psalmist’s life.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O…
qKOPH
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord. "Earnest and patient prayer for grace" (Kay) seems to be intended, not mere prayer for deliverance. I will keep thy statutes. If thou hearest and answerest my prayer, I shall have both the will and the power to keep thy commandments.
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Vers. 145-152. The cry.
Very much are we told of it.
I ITS EARNESTNESS. It was "with the whole heart" (ver. 145). The very word "cry," repeated in this section so often, is full of suggestion as to what kind of seeking God this is. It denotes not only earnestness, but also sense of helplessness: if a man could do anything he would not "cry." It indicates, too, humility, simplicity, trust. It is the kind of prayer that has prevailing power.
II ITS PETITION. "Save me" (ver. 146). We know not what the nature of the peril was in which he then was, but it was evidently very great. This petition, though very concise, is very complete and direct and definite. We have many such prayers recorded. Blessed is it when the soul seeks to be saved seeks with a cry like this told of here! If we knew our need of salvation, there would be more such crying unto the Lord.
III ITS SEASONS OF UTTERANCE. (Vers. 147, 148) Very untimely they seem. Sleep, surely, should have claimed such seasons. Very early in the morning, in the dim twilight, and through the silent watches of the night. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence," etc. (Mat_11:12) Here was one of these violent ones. Blessed is the soul that is stirred to such intensity of earnest seeking as this man was!
IV ITS TRUSTED PLEA. "Thy loving-kindness." (Ver. 149) As suppliants for mercy, not as demanders of right due to us, must we come to God. As the publican, not the Pharisee.
V ITS PROMPTING MOTIVE. (Ver. 150) The drawing nigh of ungodly men. When we are going into the company of such, as we often have to do, we should specially seek for grace to be faithful and true. Here is a fit preparation for such a peril.
VI ITS ENCOURAGEMENT. (Ver. 151) True, they that follow after mischief are drawing nigh, but then, thou, Lord, art nigh likewise. Blessed recollection is this. It has helped God"s people many a time, and ever will.
VII ITS UNDERLYING CONVICTION AND SUPPORT. (Ver. 152) He who possesses this will go to God, not as one who thinks his prayer may possibly do some good, there is just a chance what a vast deal of prayer is of this sad sort! but as one who knows that he cannot seek the Lord in vain.
VIII ITS SUPREME AND CONSTANT AIM-HOLINESS OF HEART AND LIFE. See in every verse of the section how this aim is directly or indirectly avowed. To be right with God was his abiding desire. S.C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 145. I cried with my whole heart. His…
Ver. 145. I cried with my whole heart. His prayer was a sincere, plaintive, painful, natural utterance, as of a creature in pain. We cannot tell whether at all times he used his voice when he thus cried; but we are informed of something which is of much greater consequence, he cried with his heart. Heart cries are the essence of prayer. He mentions the unity of his heart in this holy engagement. His whole soul pleaded with God, his entire affections, his united desires all went out towards the living God. It is well when a man can say as much as this of his prayers: it is to be feared that many never cried to God with their whole heart in all their lives. There may be no beauty of elocution about such prayers, no length of expression, no depth of doctrine, nor accuracy of diction; but if the whole heart be in them they will find their way to the heart of God.
Hear me, O Lord. He desires of Jehovah that his cries may not die upon the air, but that God may have respect to them. True supplicants are not satisfied with the exercise itself, they have an end and object in praying, and they look out for it. If God does not hear prayer we pray in vain. The term "hear" is often used in Scripture to express attention and consideration. In one sense God hears every sound that is made on earth, and every desire of every heart; but David meant much more; he desired a kindly, sympathetic hearing, such as a physician gives to his patient when he tells him his pitiful story. He asked that the Lord would draw near, and listen with friendly ear to the voice of his complaint, with the view of pitying him and helping him. Observe, that his whole hearted prayer goes to the Lord alone; he has no second hope or help. "Hear me, O Lord, "is the full range of his petition and expectation.
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I will keep thy statutes. He could not expect the Lord to hear him if he did not hear the Lord, neither would it be true that he prayed with his whole heart unless it was manifest that he laboured with all his might to be obedient to the divine will. His object in seeking deliverance was that he might be free to fulfil his religion and carry out every ordinance of the Lord. He would be a free man that he might be at liberty to serve the Lord. Note well that a holy resolution goes well with an importunate supplication: David is determined to be holy, his whole heart goes with that resolve as well as with his prayers. He will keep God's statutes in his memory, in his affections, and in his actions. He will not wilfully neglect or violate any one of the divine laws.
Ver. 145. I cried with my whole heart. As a man cries most loudly when he cries with all his mouth opened; so a man prays most effectually when he prays with his whole heart. Neither doth this speech declare only the fervency of his affection; but it imports also that it was a great thing which he sought from God. And thou, when thou prayest, pray for great things; for things enduring, not for things perishing: pray not for silver, it is but rust; nor for gold, it is but metal; nor for possessions, they are but earth. Such prayer ascends not to God. He is a great God, and esteems himself dishonoured when great things with great affection are not sought from him. William Cowper.
Ver. 145. I cried with my whole heart. In all your closet duties God looks first and most to your hearts: "My son, give me thine heart": Pr 23:26. It is not a piece, it is not a corner of the heart, that will satisfy the Maker of the heart; the heart is a treasure, a bed of spices, a royal throne wherein he delights. God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry of your prayers, to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor yet at the music of your prayers, nor yet at the sweetness of your voice, nor yet at the logic of your prayers; but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are. There is no prayer acknowledged, approved, accepted, recorded, or rewarded by God, but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly. The true mother would not have the child divided. God loves a broken and a contrite heart, so he loathes a divided heart: Ps 51:17; Jas 1:8. God neither loves halting nor halving; he will be served truly and totally. The royal law is, "Thou shalt love and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." Among the heathens, when the beasts were cut up for sacrifice, the first thing the priest looked upon was the heart, and if the heart was naught, the sacrifice was rejected. Verily, God rejects all those sacrifices wherein the heart is not. Prayer without the heart is but as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Prayer is only lovely and weighty, as the heart is in it, and no otherwise. It is not the lifting up of the voice, nor the wringing of the hands, nor the beating of the breasts, nor an affected tone, nor studied motions, nor seraphical expressions, but the stirrings of the heart, that God looks at in prayer. God hears no more than the heart speaks. If the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf. No prayer takes with God, but that which is the travail of the heart. Thomas Brooks.
Outlines Upon Keywords of the Psalm, By Pastor C. A. Davis.
Ver. 145-152. The believer's cry. The reiterated cry (Ps 119:145-148) An appeal for audience (Ps 119:149). The nearness of the enemy (Ps 119:150). But, in response to the cry, God is also near (Ps 119:151).
Ver. 145-148. The cry.
1. Whence it came: from my heart.
2. Whither it went: to the Lord.
3. When it was heard: at dawn and dark.
4. What it sought: hearing, salvation.
5. What it promised: obedience.
6. How it was sustained: by hope in God's word. C.A.D.
Ver. 145,146. The souls cry.
1. The depth from which it rose.
2. The height it reached.
Ver. 145,146. Childlike prayer.
1. In its ring: "I cried."
2. In its directness: "to thee."
3. In its outburst: "whole heart."
4. In its outcries: "hear me"; "save me."
5. In its promise of better behaviour: "I will keep thy statutes." W.B.H.
Ver. 145.
1. The model of player: "I cried with my whole heart."
2. The object of prayer: "Hear me, O Lord."
3. The accompaniment of prayer: "I will keep thy statutes."
Psalms 119:146*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O…
Psa_119:145-146
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep Thy statutes.
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Cries of distress
Do we, or do we not, desire to get rid of every evil way? Are we anxious to be sincere and without offence, holy in our character, and obedient to Gods statutes in our lives?
I. Every man who desired purity of heart and character will betake himself to prayer. While struggling after purity he will soon discover that he is unable to reach it of himself. Sin will destroy us if we do not destroy it. Pray often, for sin will tempt often. Cry mightily, for Satan will tempt mightily. Innumerable snares will he place in your path; let your countless entreaties outnumber his devices.
II. The man who desires to walk in Gods way not merely prays, but he resolves. He will find out what Gods statutes are; and when he has found them out, he will keep them, cost whatever it may. Need I say that nobody becomes holy against his will? No man keeps Gods statutes without he exercises a resolve to do so. David sought after a thorough allegiance and a perfect conformity to the will of God. He says, I cried with my whole heart; I will keep Thy statutes; not some of the statutes that were agreeable to him, bur all of the statutes that had the Divine sanction. The true seeker for holiness is one who, while he resolves on obedience to God, will dare to be singular, if no man will accompany him in it. I cried with my whole heart; I will keep Thy statutes. He meant to do it, though he should be without a companion, lie was prepared to stand alone.
III. The man who is thus seeking purity, while he prays and resolves, if he be really wise and taught of the Spirit, will have a deep sense of his own weakness and depravity (verse 146). As though he should say, Oh, Lord, I am praying and resolving; but my prayers want Thine answers, and my resolutions need Thy might to fulfil them. My prayers--what are they? My resolves--what can they do? My God, I want sifting, I want sifting. Oh, save me, and then I shall keep Thy testimonies. Before ever we can keep Gods testimonies we must be saved. We must he saved first from the guilt of the past, from our sinful selves. We whose nature is evil cannot do much with so bad a nature to baffle all our efforts to cleanse our way. This nature must be removed and a new nature implanted, or else, whilst the old nature is extant the old evil will assert itself. Lord, save me, save me; change my heart; renew my spirit; make the fountain clear; set the mainspring right! Oh, Holy Ghost, regenerate me, and, if Thou do this, then, not till then, shall I keep Thy testimonies. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain Koph. Constant Prayer for Faithfulness over against Opposition. —
Koph. Constant Prayer for Faithfulness over against Opposition. —
v. 145. I cried with my whole heart, putting the full effort of his desire into his prayer; hear me, O Lord! I will keep Thy statutes, guarding the Word of the Lord as his precious treasure.
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v. 146. I cried unto Thee; save me, with a gracious deliverance, and I shall keep Thy testimonies, observing carefully what God testified of Himself and His works in His Word.
v. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, being awake before the coming of dawn, and cried; I hoped in Thy Word.
v. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, the coming of each of which finds him awake, that I might meditate in Thy Word, give himself to its undisturbed contemplation.
v. 149. Hear my voice according unto Thy loving-kindness, on the basis of His mercy and grace alone, there being no merit on the psalmist’s side which he might urge. O Lord, quicken me according to Thy judgment, reviving his heart by such declarations of gracious approval as served this purpose.
v. 150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief, surrounding the Lord’s servant with threats of violence; they are far from Thy Law, not guided by its precepts.
v. 151. Thou art near, O Lord, with His help stepping between the psalmist and the enemies seeking to hurt him, and all Thy commandments are truth, especially those promises of the Word which proclaim deliverance to the oppressed.
v. 152. Concerning Thy testimonies, on the basis of his knowledge as gained from the Word, I have known of old that Thou hast founded them forever. No matter how much time and effort the godless spend in trying to discredit the Word, the believers refuse to be led astray, since they know the eternal nature of God’s Word.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 This is the name of the nineteenth letter of…
QOPH
This is the name of the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Hebrew language, each of verses 145-152 begins with this letter.
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with my whole heart
The psalmist speaks of his whole being as if it were only his heart. AT: "completely" (See: Synecdoche)
covenant decrees
Other possible meanings are "testimonies" or "laws."See how you translated this in Psalms 78:5.
translationWords
heart
Yahweh
statute
call
save
covenant
decree
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 119:145-152 Qoph (ק): The psalmist prays to the Lord…
119:145-152 Qoph (ק): The psalmist prays to the Lord at night. Although God appears to be distant, he is nearby.
119:145-148 I pray and I cry out translate the same Hebrew verb. • I rise early and I stay awake translate the same Hebrew verb.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.