Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Parallel translations
- WEB Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
- BSB Blessed are those who know the joyful sound, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.
- NKJV Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
- NASB Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! Lord, they walk in the light of Your face.
- NLT Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
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 blessed are those who know how to praise God; they live in the light of His favorable presence.
Overview
The "joyful sound" (acclaim) likely echoes the festal trumpet blasts that summoned Israel to worship. To know God is to have learned to praise Him, and such worshipers enjoy His presence as light for their path. This anticipates the fuller light brought in Christ, in whose face the glory of God shines (2 Cor. 4:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Ps 44:3For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
- Ps 4:6There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
- Job 29:3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
- Ps 100:1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
- Acts 2:28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
- Isa 52:7–8How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
- Isa 2:5O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
- Num 6:26The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
- Lev 25:9Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
- Num 10:10Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
- Num 23:21He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
- John 14:21–23He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
- Rev 21:23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
- Prov 16:15In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
- Ps 90:6In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
- Ps 98:4–6Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
- Nah 1:15Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
- Rom 10:18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
- Rom 10:15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
- Luke 2:10–14And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
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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 89:15 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
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