King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Bend my heart toward your instructions and not toward selfish gain.
Berean Standard Bible:
Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain.
American Standard Version:
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, And not to covetousness.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Incline{H5186} my heart{H3820} unto thy testimonies{H5715}, and not to covetousness{H1215}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Hebrews 13:5
- [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Luke 12:15
- And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Mark 7:21
- For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22
- Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
1 Kings 8:58
- That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
Psalms 51:10
- Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
2 Peter 2:3
- ¶ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
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Commentary for Psalms 119:36
Psalm 119:36 is part of the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, which is an acrostic poem extolling the virtues of God's laws and statutes. Each stanza of the poem begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the verses within each stanza explore various aspects of the divine law. The historical context of the Psalms spans many centuries, with different Psalms attributed to various authors, including King David, though the authorship of Psalm 119 itself is not specified.
In verse 36, the psalmist is expressing a deep spiritual longing to align his heart with God's commandments, which are referred to as "thy testimonies." The use of the word "incline" suggests a deliberate turning or bending of the heart towards God's will, implying an active choice to live according to divine guidance rather than personal desires or worldly gains. The mention of "covetousness" is a direct reference to the sin of desiring what belongs to others or an excessive love of wealth and possessions, which is a theme also addressed in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21).
The themes present in this verse include the pursuit of spiritual integrity, the importance of aligning one's desires with God's precepts, and the conscious rejection of materialism and greed. The psalmist recognizes the temptation to stray towards covetousness and thus prays for divine assistance to keep his heart focused on what is truly valuable—God's word and will. This reflects a broader biblical theme of the human struggle between the pursuit of holiness and the pull of worldly desires, a tension that is central to the spiritual life as presented throughout the Scriptures.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5186
There are 207 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָטָה
Transliteration: nâṭâh
Pronunciation: naw-taw'
Description: a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application; [phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield. - Strong's Number: H3820
There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לֵב
Transliteration: lêb
Pronunciation: labe
Description: a form of לֵבָב; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything; [phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom] themselves, [idiom] unawares, understanding, [idiom] well, willingly, wisdom. - Strong's Number: H5715
There are 57 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵדוּת
Transliteration: ʻêdûwth
Pronunciation: ay-dooth'
Description: feminine of עֵד; testimony; testimony, witness. - Strong's Number: H1215
There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּצַע
Transliteration: betsaʻ
Pronunciation: beh'-tsah
Description: from בָּצַע; plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust); covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.