The Meaning of Psalms 119:20 Explained

Psalms 119:20

KJV: My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

YLT: Broken hath my soul for desire Unto Thy judgments at all times.

Darby: My soul breaketh for longing after thy judgments at all times.

ASV: My soul breaketh for the longing That it hath unto thine ordinances at all times.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My soul  breaketh  for the longing  [that it hath] unto thy judgments  at all times. 

What does Psalms 119:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 119:17-32 - A Prayer For Understanding
These verses are full of yearning and unsatisfied desire. The soul breaks for longing, cleaves to the dust, and melts for heaviness. We are reminded of the complaint of a godly man, uttered two centuries and a half ago: "If God had not said, "˜Blessed are those that hunger,' I know not what could keep weak Christians from sinking into despair. Many times all I can do is to complain that I want Him and wish to recover Him."
We learn from this psalm to pour out before God such desires. If we can do nothing else, we can complain that we are lacking in relish, in the sense of His nearness, and in the comfort of holy prayer. The expression of desire for God is prayer, which He accepts and will answer. "He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them," Psalms 145:19. When the father of the prodigal first saw him, he was a long way off, but love could not wait till the son had traversed that intervening distance. He ran to meet him, and kissed him, while the words of confession were trembling on his lips. So God will draw near to quicken, strengthen, teach, and cause us to understand. Then we shall run where now we limp. [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 119:20 mean?

Breaks My soul with longing for Your judgments at all times
גָּרְסָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֣י לְתַאֲבָ֑ה אֶֽל־ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ בְכָל־ עֵֽת

גָּרְסָ֣ה  Breaks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּרַס  
Sense: to be crushed, be broken.
נַפְשִׁ֣י  My  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לְתַאֲבָ֑ה  with  longing 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תַּאֲבָה  
Sense: longing.
מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ  Your  judgments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
בְכָל־  at  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵֽת  times 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.