Psalms 119:135

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Make your face shine on your servant, and teach me your laws.

Berean Standard Bible:

Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.

American Standard Version:

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; And teach me thy statutes.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Make thy face{H6440} to shine{H215} upon thy servant{H5650}; and teach{H3925} me thy statutes{H2706}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Psalms 4:6

  • ¶ [There be] many that say, Who will shew us [any] good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Numbers 6:25

  • The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

Numbers 6:26

  • The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Psalms 80:3

  • Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Psalms 80:7

  • Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Luke 24:45

  • Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Psalms 80:19

  • Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:


Commentary for Psalms 119:135

Psalm 119:135, "Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes," is part of the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, which is an acrostic poem extolling the virtues of God's law. Each of its 22 stanzas begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and this particular verse falls under the section for the letter "He."

The verse echoes the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26, where God instructs Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites by saying, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." The imagery of God's face shining upon someone is a symbol of divine favor, blessing, and presence.

In Psalm 119:135, the psalmist is expressing a deep desire for God's favor and guidance. The request for God's face to shine upon the servant is not merely for personal benefit but also for divine illumination to understand and live by God's statutes. The verse reflects a humble recognition that wisdom and understanding come from God, and it is through His teaching that one can properly discern and follow His commandments.

Historically, this verse is set within the broader context of ancient Israel, where the law was central to the religious and moral life of the people. The psalmist's plea for divine instruction underscores the high regard for the Torah (the Law of Moses) and the belief that a life lived in accordance with God's statutes is a life full of blessing and righteousness.

In summary, Psalm 119:135 encapsulates the themes of divine blessing, guidance, and instruction. The psalmist seeks God's favorable presence as a source of light for understanding and adhering to God's laws, reflecting a deep devotion to the Torah and an acknowledgment of the need for God's help in living a life that is pleasing to Him.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H6440
    There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פָּנִים
    Transliteration: pânîym
    Pronunciation: paw-neem'
    Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
  2. Strong's Number: H215
    There are 105 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אוֹר
    Transliteration: ʼôwr
    Pronunciation: ore
    Description: a primitive root; to be (causative, make) luminous (literally and metaphorically); [idiom] break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.
  3. Strong's Number: H5650
    There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֶבֶד
    Transliteration: ʻebed
    Pronunciation: eh'-bed
    Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.
  4. Strong's Number: H3925
    There are 80 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לָמַד
    Transliteration: lâmad
    Pronunciation: law-mad'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive); (un-) accustomed, [idiom] diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, -ing).
  5. Strong's Number: H2706
    There are 124 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חֹק
    Transliteration: chôq
    Pronunciation: khoke
    Description: from חָקַק; an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage); appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree(-d), due, law, measure, [idiom] necessary, ordinance(-nary), portion, set time, statute, task.