What Does Psalm 119:15 Mean in the King James?
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew beneath “have respect” adds a literal gaze: this verse makes attention to the LORD’s instruction a direction of sight.
THE MEANING
The verse gathers your attention around the LORD’s instructions and turns your gaze toward the paths themselves. The word behind “meditate” also carries musing and speech, joining what you ponder with what you speak.
THE ROOT
וְאַבִּיטָה
ve-abbitah
GROWS FROM
נבט
To look, gaze, or regard.
“have respect” in this verse is ve-abbitah. The verb carries the plain sense of looking or gazing. This gives “respect” a visual edge: the paths are held in view.
ALSO GROWS
hibbit: To look or gaze.
הִבִּיט
This verb form shows that the verse’s regard is directed attention.
mabbat: A look or sight.
מַבָּט
The noun preserves the root’s link between regard and vision.
אָשִׂיחָה
asichah
GROWS FROM
שׂיח
To muse, ponder, or speak.
“meditate” in this verse is asichah. This root can describe inner musing and voiced speech. Meditation here holds a voice within it: what is pondered can also be spoken.
ALSO GROWS
siach: Musing, meditation, or concern.
שִׂיחַ
This branch keeps meditation close to an active, sustained thought.
sichah: Conversation or discourse.
שִׂיחָה
This branch reveals the root’s movement from inward thought toward spoken words.
אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ
orchoteikha
GROWS FROM
ארח
A path, route, or course of travel.
The word for “ways” belongs to the language of routes and journeys. It presents the LORD’s ways as courses of movement that can be kept in view.
ALSO GROWS
orach: A path or course.
אֹרַח
This is the singular form underlying the paths named in the verse.
orchot: Paths or routes; also caravans.
אֹרְחוֹת
The shared word can name both a route and travelers moving along one.
THE PATTERN
Sustained attention to divine instruction makes the way visible and carries it into lived practice.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein 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.But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.THE THREAD
I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.The Hebrew word אָשִׂיחָה (asichah, “I speak or muse”) at the end of Psalm 77:12 shares the root שׂיח (siach, “muse or speak”) with “meditate” here. The shared root holds musing and speech together: attention to the LORD’s work can find words.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us