My son, keep my words,.... Doctrines and instructions; which, as a father to a son, or a master to his scholars, he had delivered; these he would have him observe and attend to;
and lay up my commandments with thee: as a treasure in his heart, to be brought out upon occasion; to be kept as valuable, and made use of as an antidote against and a preservative from sinning; see Psalms 119:11. The Septuagint and Arabic versions add, what is not in the Hebrew text,
"son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong;''
the Arabic adds,
"and he shall strengthen thee; and fear none besides him.''