To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Parallel translations
- KJV To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
- BSB to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with shackles of iron,
- NKJV To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;
- NASB To bind their kings with chains, And their dignitaries with shackles of iron,
- NLT to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains,
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 image of binding kings and nobles in chains pictures the subjugation of proud earthly powers under God's rule.
Overview
Hostile rulers who set themselves against God are here pictured as defeated and bound, their authority overturned by the Lord through His people. The scene anticipates the ultimate truth that every earthly authority is accountable to God. It points forward to Christ, before whom every knee will bow and to whom all kings and nations will finally be subject (Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 19:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Josh 12:7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
- Josh 10:23–24They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
- Judg 1:6–7But Adoni-Bezek fled. They pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
- Job 36:8If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 149:8 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.