Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Parallel translations
- WEB Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:
- KJV Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
- NKJV Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
- NASB Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
- NLT But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
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
Truly happy is the one whose help and hope are in the God of Jacob. Lasting blessedness comes from trusting God rather than man.
Overview
In deliberate contrast to trusting princes, this beatitude pronounces blessing on those who hope in the covenant 'God of Jacob.' He is named as the reliable helper who does not perish. This hope is anchored finally in Christ, our living hope through His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jer 17:7–8But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- Ps 144:15Blessed are the people of whom this is so; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.
- Ps 71:5For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.
- Ps 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!
- Ps 46:11The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
- Ps 84:12O LORD of Hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!
- Gen 32:24–29So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
- Exod 3:6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
- Ps 46:7The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
- 1 Pet 1:21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.
- Ps 84:8O LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah
- Ps 39:7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
- Deut 33:29Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”
- Gen 50:17‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 146:5 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.