But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.
Parallel translations
- WEB But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
- KJV But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
- NKJV But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.
- NASB But You, Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.
- NLT But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations.
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
In contrast to the boasting wicked, the LORD simply laughs at them and their schemes. It reveals how futile human rebellion is before God.
Overview
Echoing Psalm 2, this verse depicts God's serene mastery over those who plot against his people. The mighty appear formidable, but to the sovereign Lord they are objects of holy derision. This assures the believer that no opposition can finally thwart God's purposes in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 1:26in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
- Ps 37:13but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.
- Ps 2:4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
- Ps 59:5O LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, rouse Yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah
- Matt 18:17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
- 1 Sam 19:15–16But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 59:8 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.