But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
Parallel translations
- WEB But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
- BSB But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.
- 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 1:26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
- Ps 37:13The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
- Ps 2:4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
- Ps 59:5Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
- Matt 18:17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
- 1 Sam 19:15–16And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
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 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.