Lexical Summary taabah: Desire, longing, craving Original Word: תַּאֲבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance longing From ta'ab (compare 'abeh); desire -- longing. see HEBREW ta'ab see HEBREW 'abeh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom taab Definition a longing NASB Translation longing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּאֲבָה noun feminine longing; — Psalm 119:20. Topical Lexicon Overview תַּאֲבָה (taʾăvāh) denotes an intense yearning that presses upon the inner person. The term appears once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 119:20, where it expresses a consuming hunger for the Lord’s judgments. Though sparse in occurrence, the word captures a theme woven throughout the canon: the God-given appetite for His righteous revelation. Scriptural Occurrence and Context Psalm 119:20: “My soul is consumed with longing for Your judgments at all times.” Semantic Range and Cognate Connections Although תַּאֲבָה stands alone in its specific form, it belongs to the verbal root אָוָה (’āwâ), “to desire, crave.” Other cognates (e.g., תַּאֲוָה, תַּאֲוֹן) can signify neutral, righteous, or sinful desires depending on context (compare Proverbs 13:12; Psalm 10:3). In Psalm 119:20, the craving is sanctified, directed toward the Lord’s will. Theology of Spiritual Longing 1. God Himself instills the hunger (Psalm 42:1-2). Historical and Cultural Background Psalm 119 is an acrostic meditation designed for liturgical recitation. In an environment where surrounding nations sought guidance through omens or idols, Israel’s worshipper confesses that the only reliable standard comes from Yahweh’s written and spoken judgments. The intense vocabulary of desire underscores Scripture’s centrality in Israel’s communal and personal life. Christological Foreshadowing Jesus Christ embodies the perfect fulfillment of Psalm 119. His declaration, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34), mirrors the psalmist’s תַּאֲבָה. The incarnate Word both satisfies human longing and models the life that delights in the Father’s judgments. Ministerial and Devotional Applications • Preaching: Call believers to cultivate holy appetite rather than settle for lesser pursuits (Isaiah 55:1-3). Related Terms and Distinctions • חָפֵץ (ḥāpheṣ) – delight, pleasure focused on volitional choice (Psalm 1:2). Together these words paint a multifaceted portrait of desire directed God-ward. Key Themes for Further Study Longing and Satisfaction (Psalm 107:9) Word and Judgment (Psalm 19:9) Perpetual Meditation (Joshua 1:8) Hunger for Righteousness (Romans 7:22-25) The lone appearance of תַּאֲבָה in Psalm 119:20 thus speaks volumes: the believer’s life is meant to be driven by an insatiable appetite for God’s authoritative, life-giving judgments. Forms and Transliterations לְתַאֲבָ֑ה לתאבה lə·ṯa·’ă·ḇāh ləṯa’ăḇāh letaaVahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 119:20 HEB: גָּרְסָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֣י לְתַאֲבָ֑ה אֶֽל־ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ NAS: is crushed with longing After KJV: breaketh for the longing [that it hath] unto thy judgments INT: is crushed my soul longing After your ordinances 1 Occurrence |
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