For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
Parallel translations
- WEB For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession.
- BSB For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession.
- NKJV For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.
- NASB For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His own possession.
- NLT For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.
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
Yahweh has chosen Jacob and Israel as His own treasured possession. It celebrates God's gracious election of His covenant people.
Overview
The psalm grounds praise in God's choice of Jacob, that is Israel, as His own special possession. This election rests on God's grace, not the nation's merit. It anticipates the church, chosen in Christ to be God's treasured people drawn from every nation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Pet 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Deut 10:15Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
- Deut 7:6–7For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
- Mal 3:17And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
- Zech 2:10–12Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
- Isa 41:8But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
- Ps 105:6O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
- Deut 32:9For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
- Isa 43:20–21The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
- Ps 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
- 1 Sam 12:22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
- Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
- Exod 19:5–6Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 135:4 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.