King James Version

What Does Psalms 19:14 Mean?

Psalms 19:14 in the King James Version says “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redee...” — study this verse from Psalms chapter 19 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. strength: Heb. rock”

Psalms 19:14 · KJV

StrengthSalvation

Context

12

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. the great: or, much

14

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. strength: Heb. rock

Read Psalms 19 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. The psalm concludes with one of Scripture's most beloved prayers—a petition for purity in speech and thought, grounded in relationship with God as both strength and redeemer. Having celebrated creation's testimony and Scripture's perfection, David prays that his own words and thoughts might please the God he has praised.

"The words of my mouth" (imrey-fi, אִמְרֵי־פִי) refers to spoken utterances—what we say to others and to God. Imrah signifies sayings, speech, discourse. David is concerned with external expression. "The meditation of my heart" (vehegyon libi, וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי) addresses internal thought. Hegyon means meditation, musing, contemplation—the unspoken pondering of the lev (heart, the center of thought and will). David prays for alignment between outward speech and inward thought, between what is expressed and what is considered.

"Be acceptable in thy sight" (yihyu leratzon lephanekha, יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ) uses ratzon, meaning acceptance, favor, delight, pleasure. David asks that his words and thoughts find favor before God's face (panim). This echoes the sacrificial system where offerings were either accepted (ratzon) or rejected. David offers his speech and meditation as worship, seeking divine acceptance.

"O LORD, my strength" (Yahweh tzuri, יְהוָה צוּרִי) addresses God using tzur (rock, strength, refuge). This divine title emphasizes God's solid reliability, His immovable faithfulness, His protective strength. "And my redeemer" (vego'ali, וְגֹאֲלִי) employs go'el, the kinsman-redeemer who buys back family property or persons sold into slavery. This anticipates Christ, our ultimate Redeemer who bought us back from sin's slavery. The prayer rests on relationship with God as both empowering strength and rescuing savior.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This prayer became central to Jewish liturgy, recited at the conclusion of the Amidah (the standing prayer). Its placement shows how Scripture's authority (celebrated in verses 7-11) should shape personal piety—the word received must transform the life lived. What God has spoken should determine what we speak and think.

The concern for both words and meditation reflects biblical anthropology's refusal to separate external behavior from internal attitude. Jesus later taught: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). The Pharisees might cleanse the outside while leaving the inside filthy (Matthew 23:25-28). David prays for comprehensive transformation—thoughts and words both pleasing to God.

The pairing of "strength" and "redeemer" captures the dual aspects of salvation: power to change and mercy to forgive. We need strength because righteousness requires divine enabling—we cannot purify our speech and thoughts by willpower alone. We need a redeemer because we fail even when empowered—our best words and thoughts still fall short and require forgiveness. The prayer acknowledges both human inability and divine sufficiency.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why does David pray about both 'words of mouth' and 'meditation of heart'—why both external and internal?
  2. What does it mean for our words and thoughts to be 'acceptable' to God?
  3. How do the titles 'my strength' and 'my redeemer' relate to the prayer for acceptable speech and thought?
  4. In what ways can this verse serve as a daily prayer for believers seeking to honor God with their communication and contemplation?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 10 words
יִֽהְי֥וּ1 of 10
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

לְרָצ֨וֹן׀2 of 10

“be acceptable”

H7522

delight (especially as shown)

אִמְרֵי3 of 10

“Let the words”

H561

something said

פִ֡י4 of 10

“of my mouth”

H6310

the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos

וְהֶגְי֣וֹן5 of 10

“and the meditation”

H1902

a murmuring sound, i.e., a musical notation (probably similar to the modern affettuoso to indicate solemnity of movement); by implication, a machinati

לִבִּ֣י6 of 10

“of my heart”

H3820

the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything

לְפָנֶ֑יךָ7 of 10

“in thy sight”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְ֝הוָ֗ה8 of 10

“O LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

צוּרִ֥י9 of 10

“my strength”

H6697

properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a refuge; also an edge (as precipitous)

וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃10 of 10

“and my redeemer”

H1350

to redeem (according to the middle eastern law of kinship), i.e., to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his wido

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Psalms 19:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Psalms 19:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 104:34Psalms 51:15Psalms 119:1081 Peter 2:5Psalms 66:18-20Proverbs 15:8

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