Psalms 119:103
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Original Language Analysis
מַה
H4100
מַה
Strong's:
H4100
Word #:
1 of 6
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
לְ֭חִכִּי
unto my taste
H2441
לְ֭חִכִּי
unto my taste
Strong's:
H2441
Word #:
3 of 6
properly, the palate or inside of the mouth; hence, the mouth itself (as the organ of speech, taste and kissing)
Cross References
Proverbs 8:11For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.Psalms 19:10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.Psalms 63:5My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:Job 23:12Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.Proverbs 3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.Song of Solomon 5:1I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
Historical Context
In a pre-industrial diet, honey was rare luxury (Judges 14:8-9; 1 Samuel 14:25-27). Comparing Scripture to honey elevated it above life's choicest pleasures. The metaphor also connects to Promised Land descriptions: "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8)—God's Word as foretaste of ultimate blessing.
Questions for Reflection
- If someone examined your life, would they conclude you find Scripture sweeter than entertainment, comfort food, or other pleasures?
- What practices help you taste Scripture's sweetness rather than merely analyzing it intellectually?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! (מַה־נִּמְלְצוּ לְחִכִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ mah-nimletzu lekhikki imratekha)—Malats (be sweet, pleasant) describes sensory pleasure. Chek (palate, taste) makes theology visceral. Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (מִדְּבַשׁ לְפִי midevash lefi)—Honey, the ancient world's premier sweetener, serves as metaphor for Scripture's delight. Imrah (word, utterance, promise) emphasizes God's spoken revelation.
This fulfills Psalm 19:10: "More to be desired are they than gold... sweeter also than honey." Ezekiel ate a scroll that tasted like honey (Ezekiel 3:3); John's apocalyptic scroll was "sweet as honey" in his mouth (Revelation 10:9-10). The psalmist's experience transcends duty—God's Word becomes spiritual delicacy, savored not endured. This is Augustine's frui (enjoy) versus uti (use)—loving Scripture for itself, as communion with its Author.