You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist isn't just saying God is good in nature and then asking to be taught; he's connecting God's inherent goodness with His active goodness. This implies that asking God to teach us His statutes is itself an act of receiving His goodness, a direct result of Him being the one who delights to do good.
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist begins this section by confessing God's goodness and faithfulness, reflecting on past experiences of God's actions in his life, especially in response to his word. This leads him to pray for continued guidance and understanding, acknowledging that the struggles he's faced have actually taught him valuable lessons about God's ways. Therefore, this verse arises from a deep sense of God's character and the psalmist's ongoing need for divine instruction.
We often describe God as 'good,' but what does that truly mean in action? This verse highlights that God's goodness isn't just a feeling, but a powerful, active force.
The psalmist declares, 'You are good, and do good.' This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a profound theological statement.
Essential Goodness
First, God's goodness is essential. It's not something He acquires or does to seem good; it's who He is. He is the very definition of good.
Active Benevolence
Second, this goodness is active. 'You do good.' God's inherent goodness flows outward in benevolent actions toward His creation. This isn't a passive, distant deity, but one who actively sustains, provides, and blesses.
The Source of All Good
Every good thing we experience, from the breath in our lungs to the comfort of a friend, originates from this active goodness of God.
Right after acknowledging God's goodness and actions, the psalmist makes a bold request. What's the connection, and why is this prayer so crucial?
The verse continues, 'teach me your statutes.' This isn't a casual request; it's born out of the preceding declaration of God's goodness.
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Goodness Invites Request
Because God is inherently good and actively does good, the psalmist feels confident in approaching Him. He knows that a good God delights in responding to His creation, especially when they seek Him.
The Purpose of Statutes
God's 'statutes' are His commands, His ways, His wisdom. They are the expression of His good nature and His benevolent will for us. To learn them is to learn how to live in alignment with the very source of goodness.
Learning from the Best Teacher
The psalmist understands that true understanding of God's ways doesn't come from human effort alone. It requires divine impartation – a teaching directly from God Himself. This highlights that our growth in righteousness is a gift, not just an achievement.
Understand the original words
tob · Hebrew Adjective
An attribute describing God’s inherent, supreme moral excellence and his tendency to act in ways that are beneficial and morally right toward His creation.
choq · Hebrew Noun
Established, permanent, or inscribed regulations and ordinances; often refers to fixed decrees of God.
This passage highlights God's goodness in providing for His people in the wilderness, echoing the psalmist's acknowledgment of God's goodness and beneficent actions.
Matthew 7:11Jesus teaches that God gives good gifts to His children, reinforcing the idea that God's goodness is an active, giving quality that inspires confidence in asking Him to teach us.
Romans 2:4This verse speaks of God's kindness leading people to repentance, illustrating the 'doing good' aspect of God's character that prompts a desire to learn His ways.
1 John 1:5This verse states that God is light and in Him is no darkness, aligning with the psalmist's affirmation of God's inherent goodness and His desire to reveal His statutes.
Galatians 5:22-23The fruit of the Spirit described here demonstrates the goodness that originates in God and is cultivated in believers, connecting the idea of God's goodness to the internal transformation that learning His statutes brings.
cambridgePsalms 119:68: "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."
68 . God is good in nature and in action, kind and beneficent. ‘Bonus es tu, beneficus’ (Jer.). Cp. Deuteronomy 8:16 . To such a loving God he can appeal with confidence to teach him ( Matthew 7:11 ).
ellicottPsalms 119:68: "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."
(68) It is characteristic of this psalm that the higher the conception of the Divine nature, the more earnest becomes the prayer for knowledge of His will in relation to conduct.
The psalmist isn't just saying God is good in nature and then asking to be taught; he's connecting God's inherent goodness with His active goodness. This implies that asking God to teach us His statutes is itself an act of receiving His goodness, a direct result of Him being the one who delights to do good.
The psalmist begins this section by confessing God's goodness and faithfulness, reflecting on past experiences of God's actions in his life, especially in response to his word. This leads him to pray for continued guidance and understanding, acknowledging that the struggles he's faced have actually taught him valuable lessons about God's ways. Therefore, this verse arises from a deep sense of God's character and the psalmist's ongoing need for divine instruction.
The psalmist begins this section by confessing God's goodness and faithfulness, reflecting on past experiences of God's actions in his life, especially in response to his word. This leads him to pray for continued guidance and understanding, acknowledging that the struggles he's faced have actually taught him valuable lessons about God's ways. Therefore, this verse arises from a deep sense of God's character and the psalmist's ongoing need for divine instruction.
"You are good and do good; teach me your statutes." — The psalmist isn't just saying God is good in nature and then asking to be taught; he's connecting God's inherent goodness with His active goodness. This implies that asking God to teach us His s…
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Last reviewed October 2026