Psalms 119:107 (KJV)

What does Psalms 119:107 mean?

Psalms 119:107 is a prayer from someone in deep distress who asks the LORD to give him renewed life and strength. The speaker appeals to what God has said as the basis for that request, rather than presenting his suffering as a reason to give up.

The verse moves from the speaker’s declaration in verse 106 into a direct appeal for help. “According unto thy word” places the request alongside God’s own word: the speaker asks God to act in keeping with it.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 119:107

• “afflicted” — עָנָה (ʿanah): This word can carry the sense of being brought low or made to suffer. Here it describes the speaker’s condition as one of severe hardship.
• “quicken” — חָיָה (ḥayah): This word means to live or give life. In the KJV, “quicken me” asks God to keep or restore the speaker’s life, rather than to make him move faster.
• “word” — דָּבָר (davar): This word can mean a spoken word or a message. Here it points to what God has said, to which the speaker appeals in his request.

Why Psalms 119:107 matters

• The appeal to God’s word continues through the surrounding lines. Verse 105 calls that word “a lamp unto my feet,” and verse 107 appeals to the same source while the speaker is suffering.
• The speaker’s distress sits alongside a continued concern for God’s guidance. In verse 108, he asks to be taught God’s “judgments,” meaning God’s decisions or instructions about what is right.