Psalms 118:4
in Psalms 118Let those who fear the LORD say, “His loving devotion endures forever.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Let them now that fear Jehovah say, That his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
KJV
Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
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This verse in Psalms 118
Commentary
11 notes on this verseLet them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Not the proselytes to the Jewish religion only, but all that feared the Lord among all people, as Aben Ezra observes; such as fear the Lord and his goodness, and have had an experience of his grace and mercy, which has caused them to fear him; and to whom the mercy of God is great, and on whom it is from everlasting to everlasting; and therefore should speak well of it, and set their seal to it, that it abides for ever; see Psa 103:11.
This site's exposition
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good
on Psalms 118:1-4
The refrain is one line, that His loving devotion endures forever, and four voices are told to say it. Israel says it, then the house of Aaron, the priests, then all who fear the LORD. The circle widens at each call.
This site's exposition
Let those who fear the LORD say
Fear of the LORD is the one qualification here. John Gill, following Aben Ezra, read those who fear the LORD as everyone of any people who fears Him, with proselytes as one part. Psalm 103:11 sets the same loving devotion over those who fear Him as high as the heavens.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Let Israel now confess that He is good, and that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 2). "Let the house of Aaron now confess that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 3). "Yea, let all now that fear the Lord confess that His mercy endureth for ever" (ver. 4). Ye remember, I suppose, most beloved, what is the house of Israel, what is the house of Aaron, and that both are those that fear the Lord. For they are "the little and the great," who have already in another Psalm been happily introduced into your hearts: in the number of whom all of us should rejoice that we are joined together, in His grace who is good, and whose mercy endureth for ever; since they were listened to who said, "May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children;" that the host of the Gentiles might be added to the Israelites who believed in Christ, of the number of whom are the Apostles our fathers, for the exaltation of the perfect and the obedience of the little children; that all of us when made one in Christ, made one flock under one Shepherd, and the body of that Head, like one man, may say, "I called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord heard me at large" (ver. 5). The narrow straits of our tribulation are limited: but the large way whereby we pass along hath no end. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"
Therefore, if one examines these matters and because of this despises whatever is held in honor among people and longs only for the divine life, knowing that "all flesh is grass and all the glory of people is as the flower of grass," is he likely to think of grass, which exists today and is gone tomorrow, as something worth striving for? The one who has examined well the divine things knows that not only human affairs have no stability but also that the whole world itself has not remained forever unchanged.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The praises and thanksgivings of all that truly fear the Lord shall be as pleasing to him as those of the house of Israel or the house of Aaron. He preserves an account of God's gracious dealings with him in particular, which he communicates to others, that they might thence fetch both songs of praise and supports of faith, and both ways God would have the glory.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The trine repetitions are emphatic (compare Ps 118:10-12, 15, 16; Let . . . say--Oh! that Israel may say. now--as in Ps 115:2; so in Ps 118:3, 4. After "now say" supply "give thanks." that his mercy--or, "for His mercy."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever. If there were any throughout the world who did not belong to Israel after the flesh, but nevertheless had a holy fear and lowly reverence of God, the Psalmist calls upon them to unite with him in his thanksgiving, and to do it especially on the occasion of his exaltation to the throne; and this is no more than they would cheerfully agree to do, since every good man in the world is benefited when a true servant of God is placed in a position of honour and influence. The prosperity of Israel through the reign of David was a blessing to all who feared Jehovah. A truly God fearing man will have his eye much upon God's mercy, because he is deeply conscious of his need of it, and because that attribute excites in him a deep feeling of reverential awe. "There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared." In the three exhortations, to Israel, to the house of Aaron, and to them that fear the Lord, there is a repetition of the exhortation to say, "that his mercy endureth for ever." We are not only to believe, but to declare the goodness of God; truth is not to be hushed up, but proclaimed. God would have his people act as witnesses, and not stand silent in the day when his honour is impugned. Specially is it our joy to speak out to the honour and glory of God when we think up, in the exaltation of his dear Son. We should shout "Hosannah, "and sing loud "Hallelujahs" when we behold the stone which the builders rejected lifted into its proper place. In each of the three exhortations notice carefully the word "now." There is no time like time present for telling out the praises of God. The present exaltation of the Son of David now demands from all who are the subjects of his kingdom continual songs of thanksgiving to him who hath set him on high in the midst of Zion. Now with us should mean always.
That fear the Lord - All sincere penitents and genuine believers. See the notes on Psa 115:9-11 (note).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Let them now that fear the Lord say ... - Compare Psa 115:11. All that worship God are interested in what God has done for me. It is a manifestation of the divine character which should cheer them. They are called, therefore, to unite with the author of the psalm in praise and thanksgiving, not merely from sympathy with him, but because great truths of religion had been illustrated, in his case, which were of as much importance to them as to him.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־ | yomeru- | let them say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| נָ֭א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| יִרְאֵ֣י | yirei | [those] fearing | H3373 → | 64 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | <of> Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כִּ֖י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | leolam | [is] for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
יֹֽאמְרוּ־let them say
yomeru-H559 →5305 times
נָ֭אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
יִרְאֵ֣י[those] fearing
yireiH3373 →64 times
יְהוָ֑ה<of> Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כִּ֖יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְעוֹלָ֣ם[is] for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃covenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 19:5Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”
it leads to
- Psalms 134:1
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve by night in the house of the LORD!
- Psalms 148:11–13
kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth,
- Psalms 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!
- Psalms 135:1
Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD,
- Revelation 7:15
For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
- Psalms 134:1
Through
Psalms 22:23You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All offspring of Israel, revere Him!
it leads to
- Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
- Psalms 135:19–20
O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;
- Psalms 107:1–2
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
- Revelation 15:4
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 118; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Gregory of Nyssa, ON VIRIGINITY 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.