The Meaning of Psalms 119:48 Explained

Psalms 119:48

KJV: My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

YLT: And I lift up my hands unto Thy commands, That I have loved, And I do meditate on Thy statutes!

Darby: And I will lift up my hands unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

ASV: I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; And I will meditate on thy statutes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My hands  also will I lift up  unto thy commandments,  which I have loved;  and I will meditate  in thy statutes. 

What does Psalms 119:48 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 119:33-48 - Love For God's Commands
Twice over the psalmist says, "thy commandments which I have loved," and then proceeds to give the key to perfect love of them in the words, "I will meditate in thy statutes." Fugitive moments spent over God's Word will never lead to a deep and fervent affection for it. If you look cursorily at a great painting, you will fail to become enthralled with it. In the Dresden gallery connoisseurs will spend hours before a single painting by Raphael. They go away, and return the next day. They make the painting their own by prolonged communion with its matchless forms. One of them said: "I could spend an hour every day, for years, upon that assemblage of human, angelic, and divine ideals, and on the last day of the last year discover some new beauty and a new joy." But what thoughts, what ideals, can genius express in a painting which can be compared with those great thoughts of God, of heaven, and of eternity, which are given on the page of Scripture. Surely we cannot hope to spring into possession of such thoughts in less time than lovers of art spend on a masterpiece! We must meditate! [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 119:48 mean?

And I will lift up My hands to Your commandments which I love and I will meditate on Your statutes
וְאֶשָּֽׂא־ כַפַּ֗י אֶֽל־ מִ֭צְוֺתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהָ֗בְתִּי וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ

וְאֶשָּֽׂא־  And  I  will  lift  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
כַפַּ֗י  My  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
מִ֭צְוֺתֶיךָ  Your  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
אָהָ֗בְתִּי  I  love 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
וְאָשִׂ֥יחָה  and  I  will  meditate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing.
בְחֻקֶּֽיךָ  on  Your  statutes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.