Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls Outline (includes all sections)
Several years ago, I wrote a study on Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible. With 176 verses, it is divided into 22 sections that correlate to the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls series, I share how each Hebrew letter has a unique definition that connects to the verses and helps us get life-changing principles.
I wrote 22 sections (or blog posts) where we look at each letter’s definition and connect them to the verses . They are all linked in this blog post, in one place for ease of access and quick reference for your study time.
This study process helps to strengthen our memory for the entire chapter while deepening our relationship with God and increasing our love for the Bible. The idea to string pearls came when I discovered David Guzik’s quote in his Enduring Word Commentary:
The sections and verses are not like a chain where one link is connected to the other, but like a string of pearls where each pearl has equal, but independent value.
— David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary
In reading that comment, it intrigued and challenged me to get more information about each Hebrew letter and how each one connected to “their” sections. Through my studies, I learned that this acrostic psalm was written this way to help a person recall and memorize scripture quickly, and that each verse was somehow connected to the Hebrew letters’ definitions.
In the Hebrew culture, many words (and letters, as you’ll see) have multiple associations and meanings to objects, meanings, and expressions that help jog ones memory and focus for the things of God, particularly His word. It’s a way to deepen their understanding of scripture and their relationship with and trust in God.
As a disclaimer, I want to say that this is just based on my research and personal study time. I am not a certified scholar or a Hebrew expert, so if there are any cultural errors, I apologize in advance and hope you don’t allow that to stop you from grasping the truths in this psalm and God’s word overall.
In the table below, I list the Psalm 119 section with its link, the correlating Hebrew letter, the pronunciation of that letter, and its Hebrew definition. I hope you find this resource helpful and share it with your friends and study groups!
PSALM 119 BOOK UPDATE: Check back here to know where I’m at with the Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls Study Guide book. I share my progress and more frequent updates on my monthly newsletter which you can get here. Stay tuned for the release!
| Psalm 119 Section | Hebrew Letter | Pronunciation of Hebrew Letter | Hebrew Definition |
| PSALM 119:1-8 | ALEPH | Ah-lehf | Ox |
| PSALM 119:9-16 | BETH | Beht | House or understanding |
| PSALM 119:17-24 | GIMEL | Gee-mehl | Camel |
| PSALM 119:25-32 | DALETH | Da-lehd | Door |
| PSALM 119:33-40 | HE’ | Heh / hey | Window |
| PSALM 119:41-48 | WAW | Vahv | Nail, hook, or peg |
| PSALM 119:49-56 | ZAYIN | Zah-yeen | Sword |
| PSALM 119:57-64 | HETH | Khet | Courtyard |
| PSALM 119:65-72 | TETH | Teht / tate | Both good and evil (paradoxical) |
| PSALM 119:73-81 | YODH | Yohd / yood | Hand or arm |
| PSALM 119:80-88 Part 1 & Part 2 | KAPH | Khahf | Bowing down; palm of hand; spoon; crown |
| PSALM 119:89-96 | LAMEDH | Lah-medh | Goad |
| PSALM 119:97-104 | MEM | Mehm | Water |
| PSALM 119:105-112 | NUN | Noon | Fish |
| PSALM 119:113-120 | SAMEKH | Sah-mehk | Staff |
| PSALM 119:121-128 | AYIN | Ah-yeen | Eye; to see |
| PSALM 119:129-136 | PE | Peh / payh | Mouth |
| PSALM 119:137-144 | TSAHDHE | Tsa-dhe / Tsa-day | Hook |
| PSALM 119:145-152 | QOPH | Koof / kohf | Eye of a needle; nape of neck |
| PSALM 119:153-160 | RESH | Rehsh | Head |
| PSALM 119:161-167 | SHIN | Sheen / seen | Flames of fire; teeth |
| PSALM 119:168-176 | TAV | Tahv / tahf | Mark; seal |
tanyaremkiv 