Psalms 119:97

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

MEM. Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מָֽה־אָהַ֥בְתִּי תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם הִ֣יא שִׂיחָתִֽי׃

Transliteration

How mâ I love ʾāhaḇtî your law ṯôrāṯêḵā! All kāl the day hayyôm it hîʾ is my meditation śîḥāṯî.

Grammar Details

*mâ*: interrogative pronoun used as exclamation - how!
*ʾāhaḇtî*: qal perfect 1st person singular - I love
*ṯôrāṯêḵā*: noun feminine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your law
*kāl*: noun masculine singular construct - all of
*hayyôm*: definite article + noun masculine singular - the day
*hîʾ*: 3rd person feminine singular pronoun - it/she
*śîḥāṯî*: noun feminine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix - my meditation

Word Meanings

*mâ*: how!/how much!
*ʾāhaḇtî*: I love/I cherish/I adore
*ṯôrāṯêḵā*: your law/your instruction/your teaching
*hayyôm*: the day/all day long/throughout the day
*śîḥāṯî*: my meditation/my conversation/my thought

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 1:2 : 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night.
Ps 119:48 : 48 I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; And I will meditate on thy statutes.
Ps 119:127 : 127 Therefore I love thy commandments Above gold, yea, above fine gold.
Ps 119:159 : 159 Consider how I love thy precepts: Quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy lovingkindness.
Ps 119:165 : 165 Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.
Ps 119:167 : 167 My soul hath observed thy testimonies; And I love them exceedingly.
Prov 2:10 : 10 For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
Prov 18:1 : 1 He that separateth himself seeketh [his own] desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.
Ps 119:113 : 113 SAMEKH. I hate them that are of a double mind; But thy law do I love.
Deut 6:6-9 : 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
Deut 17:19 : 19 and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;
Josh 1:8 : 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 119:47-48
2 verses
79%
47And I will delight myself in thy commandments, Which I have loved.
48I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; And I will meditate on thy statutes.
Ps 119:159
78%
159Consider how I love thy precepts: Quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy lovingkindness.
Ps 119:127
77%
127Therefore I love thy commandments Above gold, yea, above fine gold.
Ps 119:76-77
2 verses
76%
76Let, I pray thee, thy lovingkindness be for my comfort, According to thy word unto thy servant.
77Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live; For thy law is my delight.
Ps 119:167-168
2 verses
76%
167My soul hath observed thy testimonies; And I love them exceedingly.
168I have observed thy precepts and thy testimonies; For all my ways are before thee.
Ps 119:10-16
7 verses
76%
10With my whole heart have I sought thee: Oh let me not wander from thy commandments.
11Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.
12Blessed art thou, O Jehovah: Teach me thy statutes.
13With my lips have I declared All the ordinances of thy mouth.
14I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, As much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways.
16I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Ps 119:111-113
3 verses
75%
111Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes For ever, even unto the end.
113SAMEKH. I hate them that are of a double mind; But thy law do I love.
Ps 119:98-99
2 verses
75%
98Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; For they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than all my teachers; For thy testimonies are my meditation.
Ps 119:174
75%
174I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah; And thy law is my delight.
Ps 119:33-35
3 verses
74%
33HE. Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end.
34Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; For therein do I delight.
Ps 119:163-165
3 verses
74%
163I hate and abhor falsehood; [But] thy law do I love.
164Seven times a day do I praise thee, Because of thy righteous ordinances.
165Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.
Ps 119:96
74%
96I have seen an end of all perfection; [But] thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Ps 119:103
74%
103How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [Yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth!
Ps 119:129
74%
129PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful; Therefore doth my soul keep them.
Ps 119:72-73
2 verses
74%
72The law of thy mouth is better unto me Than thousands of gold and silver.
73YODH. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
Ps 119:143
73%
143Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; [Yet] thy commandments are my delight.
Ps 119:55-58
4 verses
73%
55I have remembered thy name, O Jehovah, in the night, And have observed thy law.
56This I have had, Because I have kept thy precepts.
57HHETH. Jehovah is my portion: I have said that I would observe thy words.
58I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: Be merciful unto me according to thy word.
Ps 119:140
73%
140Thy word is very pure; Therefore thy servant loveth it.
Ps 119:18
73%
18Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold Wondrous things out of thy law.
Ps 119:119
73%
119Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: Therefore I love thy testimonies.
Ps 119:93
73%
93I will never forget thy precepts; For with them thou hast quickened me.
Ps 119:66
72%
66Teach me good judgment and knowledge; For I have believed in thy commandments.
Ps 119:131
72%
131I opened wide my mouth, and panted; For I longed for thy commandments.
Ps 119:5
72%
5Oh that my ways were established To observe thy statutes!
Ps 119:20
72%
20My soul breaketh for the longing That it hath unto thine ordinances at all times.
Ps 119:40
72%
40Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness.
Ps 119:27
72%
27Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: So shall I meditate on thy wondrous works.
Ps 1:2
71%
2But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night.
Ps 40:8
71%
8I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart.
Ps 139:17
71%
17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!