The Meaning of Psalms 119:11 Explained

Psalms 119:11

KJV: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

YLT: In my heart I have hid Thy saying, That I sin not before Thee.

Darby: Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

ASV: Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thy word  have I hid  in mine heart,  that I might not sin  against thee. 

What does Psalms 119:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 119:1-16 - God's Word An Inner Power
This long and noble psalm is devoted to the praise of God's Word, which is mentioned in every verse but one, Psalms 119:122. Probably if we were to substitute Will for Word we should not be far wrong. The earnest desire of the writer was that his will should be brought into blessed and unbroken union with the divine purpose in his life.
In its structure the psalm is an elaborate acrostic. In the original, each verse in a given section begins with the same letter, so that the twenty-two sections present the complete Hebrew alphabet.
It needs to be often used to be understood and valued. Chrysostom, Ambrose, Augustine, and Luther have left on record high tributes to its worth. There are several key expressions, which recur again and again, such as quicken and teach me thy statutes. It is interesting, also, to construct the psalmist's biography from his confessions. He had gone astray like a lost sheep, was small and despised, had many adversaries, was like a bottle in the smoke; but he accounted God's will and service more than food or gold, and his one desire was to be taught to do that will. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 119

1  This psalm contains various prayers, praises, and professions of obedience
2  Aleph
9  Beth
17  Gimel
25  Daleth
33  He
41  Waw
49  Zayin
57  Heth
65  Teth
73  Yodh
81  Kaph
89  Lamedh
97  Mem
105  Nun
113  Samekh
121  Ayin
129  Pe
137  Tsadhe
145  Qoph
153  Resh
161  Sin and Shin
169  Taw

What do the individual words in Psalms 119:11 mean?

In my heart I have hidden Your word that not I might sin against You
בְּ֭לִבִּי צָפַ֣נְתִּי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לְ֝מַ֗עַן לֹ֣א אֶֽחֱטָא־ לָֽךְ

בְּ֭לִבִּי  In  my  heart 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
צָפַ֣נְתִּי  I  have  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָפַן 
Sense: to hide, treasure, treasure or store up.
אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ  Your  word 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אִמְרָה 
Sense: utterance, speech, word.
לְ֝מַ֗עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
אֶֽחֱטָא־  I  might  sin 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
לָֽךְ  against  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular