8502. tiklah
Lexical Summary
tiklah: Value, worth, estimation

Original Word: תִּכְלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tiklah
Pronunciation: tik-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tik-law')
KJV: perfection
NASB: perfection
Word Origin: [from H3615 (כָּלָה - finished)]

1. completeness

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
perfection

From kalah; completeness -- perfection.

see HEBREW kalah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from kalah
Definition
completeness, perfection
NASB Translation
perfection (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
תִּכְלָה noun feminine completeness, perfection; — רָאִיתִי קֵץ ׳לְכָלתֿ Psalm 119:96 to all perfection have I seen an end.

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Summary

Thiklah is a poetic term denoting a limit, end, or boundary beyond which something cannot pass. Its single biblical appearance underscores the contrast between what is finite within creation and the boundless nature of the divine Word.

Scriptural Occurrence

Psalm 119:96: “I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is without limit.”

Theological Significance of ‘End’ and ‘Completion’

Thiklah encapsulates the biblical tension between creation’s inherent finitude and God’s infinite perfection. While the finest achievements under the sun reach a terminus, the Lord’s statutes remain inexhaustible (Psalm 19:7-11). This distinction magnifies divine transcendence and affirms the sufficiency of Scripture as an unending source of wisdom, comfort, and authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Relation to God’s Commandments and Perfection

The Psalmist’s discovery—“all perfection” has an end—does not demean excellence in human endeavor; rather, it elevates the commandment of God as the only realm where perfection knows no boundary. In this way Thiklah reinforces the doctrine of the Word’s inerrancy and the believer’s dependence on divine revelation over human prowess (Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 55:9-11).

Wider Biblical Themes of Limitation vs. Infinite God

1. Creation’s limits: Psalm 90:10 highlights the brevity of life; Ecclesiastes 1:2 describes the cyclical futility of earthly pursuits.
2. God’s limitlessness: Isaiah 40:28 declares, “His understanding is limitless”; Romans 11:33 marvels at the “depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.”
3. Redemptive completion: In Jesus Christ the infinite enters the finite (John 1:14), offering an eternal inheritance “that can never perish, spoil, or fade” (1 Peter 1:4).

Implications for Personal Spiritual Life

• Humility: Recognizing Thiklah invites confession of creaturely limits and dependence on grace (James 4:13-15).
• Hope: Because God’s Word is without Thiklah, believers possess an unfailing anchor amid temporal change (Hebrews 6:19).
• Pursuit of Holiness: The unlimited breadth of the commandment beckons lifelong growth in obedience (Philippians 3:12-14).

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Preaching and Teaching: Use Psalm 119:96 to contrast worldly achievements with the enduring relevance of Scripture, encouraging congregations to build their worldview upon the boundless Word.
2. Counseling: When individuals confront personal insufficiency, direct them to the limitless resources of God’s promises (2 Corinthians 12:9).
3. Discipleship: Frame spiritual disciplines—prayer, study, service—as pathways into the immeasurable depth of God’s commandment (Ephesians 3:18-19).

Forms and Transliterations
תִּ֭כְלָה תכלה Tichlah tiḵ·lāh tiḵlāh
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 119:96
HEB: לְֽכָל תִּ֭כְלָה רָאִ֣יתִי קֵ֑ץ
NAS: to all perfection; Your commandment
KJV: an end of all perfection: [but] thy commandment
INT: to all perfection have seen A limit

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 8502
1 Occurrence


tiḵ·lāh — 1 Occ.

8501
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