The Meaning of Psalms 119:1 Explained

Psalms 119:1

KJV: ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

YLT: Aleph. O the happiness of those perfect in the way, They are walking in the law of Jehovah,

Darby: ALEPH. Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah.

ASV: ALEPH. Blessed are they that are perfect in the way, Who walk in the law of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

ALEPH. Blessed  [are] the undefiled  in the way,  who walk  in the law  of the LORD. 

What does Psalms 119:1 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 119:1 mean?

Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of Yahweh
אַשְׁרֵ֥י תְמִֽימֵי־ דָ֑רֶךְ הַֽ֝הֹלְכִ֗ים בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָֽה

אַשְׁרֵ֥י  Blessed  [are] 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֶשֶׁר 
Sense: happiness, blessedness.
תְמִֽימֵי־  the  undefiled 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: תָּמִים  
Sense: complete, whole, entire, sound.
דָ֑רֶךְ  in  the  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הַֽ֝הֹלְכִ֗ים  who  walk 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּתוֹרַ֥ת  in  the  law 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.