Psalm 49:3
New International Version
My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.

New Living Translation
For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.

English Standard Version
My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

Berean Standard Bible
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.

King James Bible
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

New King James Version
My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.

New American Standard Bible
My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

NASB 1995
My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

NASB 1977
My mouth will speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

Legacy Standard Bible
My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be discernment.

Amplified Bible
My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

Christian Standard Bible
My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart’s meditation brings understanding.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart’s meditation brings understanding.

American Standard Version
My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Contemporary English Version
I speak words of wisdom, and my thoughts make sense.

English Revised Version
My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
My mouth will speak wise sayings, the insights I have carefully considered.

Good News Translation
My thoughts will be clear; I will speak words of wisdom.

International Standard Version
My mouth will speak wisely, and I will understand what I think about.

Majority Standard Bible
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.

NET Bible
I will declare a wise saying; I will share my profound thoughts.

New Heart English Bible
My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

Webster's Bible Translation
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

World English Bible
My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
My mouth speaks wise things, "" And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.

Young's Literal Translation
My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart are things of understanding.

Smith's Literal Translation
My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart understanding.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

Catholic Public Domain Version
My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence.

New American Bible
My mouth shall speak words of wisdom, my heart shall offer insights.

New Revised Standard Version
My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart is intelligence.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring forth understanding.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Evanescence of Wealth
2both low and high, rich and poor alike. 3My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding. 4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:…

Cross References
Proverbs 1:5-6
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel / by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Proverbs 8:1-4
Does not wisdom call out, and understanding raise her voice? / On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand. / Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out: ...

Proverbs 9:9-10
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. / The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Ecclesiastes 7:12
For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.

Job 28:28
And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 13:11
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Matthew 13:54
Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.

Luke 21:15
For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

1 Corinthians 1:24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. / No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.


Treasury of Scripture

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

mouth

Deuteronomy 32:2
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

Job 33:3,33
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly…

Proverbs 4:1,2
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding…

meditation

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 45:1
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Psalm 104:34
My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

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Psalm 49
1. An earnest persuasion to build the faith of resurrection
16. Worldly prosperity is not to be admired














My mouth will speak wisdom
The phrase begins with a declaration of intent, "My mouth will speak wisdom," which in Hebrew is "פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת" (pi yedabber chokhmot). The word "mouth" (פִּי, pi) signifies the instrument of communication, emphasizing the personal responsibility of the speaker to convey truth. In the biblical context, the mouth is often seen as a tool for both blessing and cursing, and here it is dedicated to the noble task of imparting wisdom. The term "wisdom" (חָכְמוֹת, chokhmot) is deeply rooted in the Hebrew tradition, often associated with skillful living and the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). Wisdom in the biblical sense is not merely intellectual knowledge but a practical, God-centered understanding of life. This phrase sets the tone for the psalm, indicating that what follows is not mere human insight but divinely inspired truth meant to guide and instruct.

the meditation of my heart will be understanding
The second part of the verse, "the meditation of my heart will be understanding," in Hebrew is "וְהָגוּת לִבִּי תְבוּנוֹת" (vehagut libbi tevunot). The word "meditation" (הָגוּת, hagut) implies a deep, reflective contemplation, suggesting that the speaker's insights are not superficial but the result of thoughtful consideration. This meditation is not just an intellectual exercise but involves the "heart" (לִבִּי, libbi), which in Hebrew thought represents the center of one's being, encompassing mind, will, and emotions. The heart is where true understanding (תְבוּנוֹת, tevunot) takes root. Understanding here is more than knowledge; it is discernment and insight that comes from God. This phrase underscores the importance of internalizing divine wisdom, allowing it to transform one's inner life and guide one's actions. The psalmist's commitment to speaking wisdom and meditating on understanding reflects a life devoted to aligning with God's truth, serving as an inspiration for believers to seek and share divine wisdom in their own lives.

Verse 3. - My mouth shall speak of wisdom (comp. Job 33:3, 4). It is not his own "wisdom" that the psalmist is about to utter, but a wisdom communicated to him from without, to which he has "to incline his ear" (ver. 4). And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding; or, of discernment (Kay).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
My mouth
פִּ֭י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

will impart
יְדַבֵּ֣ר (yə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

wisdom,
חָכְמ֑וֹת (ḥā·ḵə·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 2454: Wisdom, every wise woman

and the meditation
וְהָג֖וּת (wə·hā·ḡūṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1900: Meditation, a musing

of my heart
לִבִּ֣י (lib·bî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

will bring understanding.
תְבוּנֽוֹת׃ (ṯə·ḇū·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8394: Intelligence, an argument, caprice


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OT Poetry: Psalm 49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 49:2
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