Psalms 119:68
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Original Language Analysis
טוֹב
Thou art good
H2896
טוֹב
Thou art good
Strong's:
H2896
Word #:
1 of 5
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good
וּמֵטִ֗יב
and doest good
H2895
וּמֵטִ֗יב
and doest good
Strong's:
H2895
Word #:
3 of 5
to be (transitively, do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense
Cross References
Psalms 106:1Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.Psalms 119:12Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.Matthew 19:17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.Psalms 107:1O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.Psalms 86:5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.Matthew 5:45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern gods were often capricious and morally ambiguous. Israel's confession that Yahweh is essentially good, not merely powerful, was revolutionary. The goodness of God's character guaranteed the goodness of His law—Torah wasn't arbitrary divine whim but expression of perfect wisdom and love. Jesus embodied this perfectly: He 'went about doing good' (Acts 10:38) because He perfectly expressed the Father's nature (John 14:9).
Questions for Reflection
- Do you instinctively trust that God's commands are good, or do you view them as restrictions on your happiness?
- How does understanding that goodness is God's essence (not merely His actions) transform your view of His sovereignty over suffering?
- In what ways should God's perfect goodness motivate deeper study of His Word rather than casual obedience?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. This verse makes a profound distinction: God's essence (Thou art good—טוֹב־אַתָּה, tov-attah) and God's activity (doest good—וּמֵטִיב, u-metiv). God doesn't merely perform good actions—goodness is His very nature, and all His actions flow from that essence. Jesus affirmed 'No one is good but One, that is, God' (Mark 10:18).
The prayer teach me thy statutes reveals that knowing God's goodness should drive us to learn His ways. If God is perfectly good, then His commands reflect perfect goodness—not arbitrary restrictions but loving instruction. The psalmist seeks alignment with this good God through understanding His statutes (חֻקֶּיךָ, chuqqekha)—permanent decrees flowing from His unchanging character. This anticipates the New Covenant promise: 'I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts' (Jeremiah 31:33).