Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Fulfill your promise to your servant, that you may be feared.
- KJV Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
- BSB Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You.
- NKJV Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You.
- NASB Establish Your word to Your servant As that which produces reverence for You.
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
The psalmist asks God to confirm His promise to His servant, who is devoted to fearing Him. It matters because God's reliable word sustains those who reverence Him.
Overview
The psalmist appeals to God to establish His promise to him as one given to the fear of God. He rests his confidence on God's faithfulness to His word. All God's promises find their yes and amen in Christ, in whom the promises to those who fear God are confirmed and fulfilled.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Jer 32:39–41and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good, and of their children after them:
- Ps 147:11Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
- Ps 103:17But Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children;
- 2 Cor 1:20For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.
- Ps 103:11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
- 2 Sam 7:25–29Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.
- Ps 103:13Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
- Ps 119:49Remember your word to your servant, because you gave me hope.
- Ps 145:19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 119:38 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.