Psalms 119:68
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 119:68
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights that God's goodness isn't just an abstract quality; it's active and demonstrated through His actions. This leads the psalmist to realize that the very commands and ways God teaches are also expressions of His goodness.
The psalmist begins a new section of this extended praise poem, reflecting on God's faithfulness and kindness, even in difficult circumstances. He acknowledges that God's actions are inherently good and beneficent, flowing from God's own perfect nature. This foundational truth leads him to a humble plea: that God would continue to teach him His ways.
Why does the psalmist start with God's character before asking to be taught? It’s more than just saying 'God is nice.'
The verse opens with a powerful declaration: 'You are good, and do good.' This isn't just a compliment; it's the foundation for everything else.
God's Essential Goodness
First, God's goodness is part of His very being. He is good, inherently and perfectly. This is not something He acquired; it's who He is.
God's Active Beneficence
Second, because He is good, He actively does good. His goodness isn't just a passive quality; it flows out in actions that benefit His creation. He is the ultimate source of all kindness and positive action in the universe.
This dual truth—God's intrinsic goodness and His outward acts of goodness—forms the basis for the psalmist's confidence in asking God to teach him.
The psalmist doesn't just want knowledge; he wants a specific kind of learning. What's the connection?
The prayer 'teach me your statutes' is deeply connected to the preceding statement about God's goodness.
The Link Between Goodness and Learning
Because God is inherently good and actively does good, He is the perfect teacher. His 'statutes' (His laws, commands, and ways) are not arbitrary rules but expressions of His perfect goodness. They are designed for our well-being and reflect His righteous character.
A Prayer for Discerning Goodness
The psalmist isn't just asking to memorize rules. He's asking for the ability to understand and internalize God's ways, to develop a 'taste' for what is good and right, as the commentaries suggest. He recognizes that true understanding of God's statutes comes from God Himself, the ultimate source of all goodness.
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 parallels God's goodness with the provision and sustenance He offers, reinforcing the psalmist's declaration that God is good and does good.
Matthew 7:11Jesus' teaching here on God's willingness to give good gifts to His children directly echoes the psalmist's confidence that because God is good and does good, He will also teach His statutes.
Romans 2:4This verse speaks of God's kindness leading people to repentance, highlighting the active, beneficent nature of God's goodness that the psalmist acknowledges.
1 John 4:8This passage declares that 'God is love,' emphasizing the inherent goodness of God's very being, which is the foundation for the psalmist's prayer.
Galatians 5:22The first fruit of the Spirit is love, which aligns with the understanding of God's goodness as foundational and inherently active, leading to further good works and a desire for God's instruction.
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 verse highlights that God's goodness isn't just an abstract quality; it's active and demonstrated through His actions. This leads the psalmist to realize that the very commands and ways God teaches are also expressions of His goodness.
The psalmist begins a new section of this extended praise poem, reflecting on God's faithfulness and kindness, even in difficult circumstances. He acknowledges that God's actions are inherently good and beneficent, flowing from God's own perfect nature. This foundational truth leads him to a humble plea: that God would continue to teach him His ways.
The psalmist begins a new section of this extended praise poem, reflecting on God's faithfulness and kindness, even in difficult circumstances. He acknowledges that God's actions are inherently good and beneficent, flowing from God's own perfect nature. This foundational truth leads him to a humble plea: that God would continue to teach him His ways.
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"You are good and do good; teach me your statutes." — The verse highlights that God's goodness isn't just an abstract quality; it's active and demonstrated through His actions. This leads the psalmist to realize that the very commands and ways God teach…