May they fear him as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains, through all generations.
Parallel translations
- WEB They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
- KJV They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
- NKJV They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, Throughout all generations.
- NASB ¶May they fear You while the sun shines, And as long as the moon shines, throughout all generations.
- NLT May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!
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 prayer asks that people fear God under this reign as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Overview
The petition reaches beyond any single lifetime to an enduring, even everlasting, reign marked by reverence for God. The imagery of sun and moon signals permanence. This everlasting dominion finds its true fulfillment in Christ, whose kingdom will never end (Luke 1:33).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 89:36–37his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Ps 72:17May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
- Dan 7:14And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
- Isa 9:7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
- 1 Kgs 3:28When all Israel heard of the judgment the king had given, they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
- Dan 2:44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.
- Ps 89:29I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.
- Rev 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
- Luke 1:32–33He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
- Ps 72:7May the righteous flourish in his days and prosperity abound, until the moon is no more.
- 1 Sam 12:18So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
- Eph 3:21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
- 1 Cor 15:24–25Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.
- Dan 7:27Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
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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 72:5 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.