Deuteronomy 16:19
King James Version
7 Jun 2026
“Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.”
צַדִּיק
The blessed man is not the one who has never fallen — it is the one who knows where not to stand, not to walk, not to sit. Righteousness in the Psalms is relational — it is being in right standing with God, walking in step with Him, rooted in His word like a tree by water.
נָכַר
you will pay regard to
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נָכַר
properly, to scrutinize, i.e. look intently at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge, be acquainted with, care for, respect, revere, or (with suspicion implied), to disregard, ignore, be strange toward, reject, resign, dissimulate (as if ignorant or disowning)
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דָּבָר
the words of
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דָּבָר
In Hebrew, dabar is not just a word spoken — it is a word that accomplishes something. God's dabar does not return empty. The psalmist says this word is a lamp to his feet — not a floodlight revealing everything ahead, but enough light for the next step. That is faith.
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נָטָה
you will turn aside
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נָטָה
To incline, to stretch out, to bend. Natah. He inclined His ear to me. God bends down to listen. He positions Himself to hear the faintest cry of His people.
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מִשְׁפָּט
justice
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מִשְׁפָּט
Justice, right judgment. Mishpat. Doing what is right and fair in every situation. Let justice roll on like a river. God requires mishpat from His people.
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עַיִן
the eyes of
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עַיִן
Eye, spring of water. Ayin. Open the eyes of my heart LORD. I lift my eyes to You who are enthroned in heaven.
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פָּנִים
faces
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פָּנִים
Face, presence. Panim. The LORD make His face shine on you. God turns His face toward you. That is grace.
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לָקַח
you will take
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לָקַח
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
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חָכָם
wise people
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חָכָם
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
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שַׁחַד
a bribe
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שַׁחַד
a donation (venal or redemptive)
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עָוַר
it makes blind
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עָוַר
to blind
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