So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Parallel translations
- WEB So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
- BSB So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- NKJV So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
- NASB so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
- NLT So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because God is our helper, we can confidently say we will not fear what people can do to us. God's presence produces courage in the face of human threats.
Overview
Building directly on the promise of verse 5, the author quotes Psalm 118:6 to express the boldness that flows from trusting God. If the Lord is the believer's helper, then human opposition loses its power to terrify. This confidence sustained the persecuted readers and rests ultimately on the God who secured our salvation in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Ps 118:6–9The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
- Isa 41:10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Rom 8:31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
- Ps 27:1–3The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
- Ps 124:8Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
- Heb 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
- Ps 56:4In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
- Ps 56:11–12In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
- Matt 10:28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Ps 54:4Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
- Ps 33:20Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
- Ps 63:7Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
- Dan 3:16–18Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
- Ps 94:17Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
- Luke 12:4–5And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
- Ps 40:17But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
- Gen 15:1After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
- Eph 3:12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
- Deut 33:29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
- Isa 41:14Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
- Ps 27:9Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
- Ps 115:9–11O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
- Exod 18:4And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
- Ps 146:3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
- Deut 33:26There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
- Heb 10:19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
- Ps 18:1–2I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
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Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
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