Limitless Word
Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.
Psalms 105:19 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB until the time that his word happened, and Yahweh’s word proved him true.
  • KJV Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
  • BSB until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.
  • NASB Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord refined him.
  • NLT Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.

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

Joseph waited in prison until God's word came to pass and proved him true. It matters because it shows God's promises are vindicated in His timing.

Overview

Joseph's dreams (Genesis 37) and his interpretations (Genesis 40-41) were the 'word' that the events finally confirmed. The testing period refined him as he waited on the Lord. The verse teaches that God's word never fails, though it may require patient endurance, a truth supremely shown in the fulfillment of every promise in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Acts 7:10and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
  • Prov 21:1The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.
  • Gen 40:20–21On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
  • Dan 2:30But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
  • Gen 41:25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh.
  • Gen 41:11–16We dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
  • Ps 44:4You are my King, God. Command victories for Jacob!

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 105:19YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 105:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.