The Meaning of Psalms 119:78 Explained

Psalms 119:78

KJV: Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

YLT: Ashamed are the proud, For with falsehood they dealt perversely with me. I meditate in Thy precepts.

Darby: Let the proud be ashamed; for they have acted perversely towards me with falsehood: as for me, I meditate in thy precepts.

ASV: Let the proud be put to shame; For they have overthrown me wrongfully: But I will meditate on thy precepts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let the proud  be ashamed;  for they dealt perversely  with me without a cause:  [but] I will meditate  in thy precepts. 

What does Psalms 119:78 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 119:65-80 - Profiting From Affliction
Before I was afflicted, I went astray; it is good for me that I have been afflicted; thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Here is the far-off interest of our tears. God measures out our sorrows and the trials which cause them. But our condition requires the stern and bitter regimen. The stone must be cut by the lapidary. The heavy clouds, with their drenching showers, must hang over the landscape. The fire must cleanse the metal. If need be, ye suffer heaviness through many temptations. Yes, there is a need-be, and only if need be, for He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. It is His strange work, Isaiah 28:21. The very least and the very greatest sorrows that befall us are provided, or permitted, by his unspeakable love. If we be without chastisement, whereof all children are partakers, then are we bastard and not sons, Hebrews 12:8. But amid the affliction, his loving-kindness always waits upon our comfort, Psalms 119:76. "God, that comforteth those that are cast down," says the Apostle, "comforted us by the coming of Titus," 2 Corinthians 7:6. [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 119:78 mean?

Let be ashamed the presumptuous for with falsehood they treated me wrongfully I [But] will meditate on Your precepts
יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ זֵ֭דִים כִּי־ שֶׁ֣קֶר עִוְּת֑וּנִי אֲ֝נִ֗י אָשִׂ֥יחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ  Let  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
זֵ֭דִים  the  presumptuous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זֵד  
Sense: arrogant, proud, insolent, presumptuous.
שֶׁ֣קֶר  with  falsehood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
עִוְּת֑וּנִי  they  treated  me  wrongfully 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: עָוַת  
Sense: to be bent, be crooked, bend, make crooked, pervert.
אָשִׂ֥יחַ  [But]  will  meditate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing.
בְּפִקּוּדֶֽיךָ  on  Your  precepts 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: פִּקּוּדִים  
Sense: precept, statute.