Psalms 25:13
in Psalms 25His soul will dwell in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
His soul shall dwell at ease; And his seed shall inherit the land.
KJV
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
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This verse in Psalms 25
Commentary
18 notes on this verseWhen the just have been stripped of their bodies, the perfect blessedness that is promised to the saints at the resurrection is not immediately granted; but it says that the soul is able "to dwell in good things," since even if those rewards have still …
This site's exposition
Who is the man who fears the LORD
on Psalms 25:12-14
The man who fears the LORD is taught the path chosen for him, and his descendants inherit the land. Verse 14 uses the Hebrew word sod, a private council or inner circle, so God lets him in on what He is doing. The covenant is shown to him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess the earth" [Psalm 25:13]. And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed body.
"His soul shall dwell in good, and his seed shall, by inheritance, possess the earth" [Psalm 25:13]. And his work shall possess the stable inheritance of a renewed body.
The Medieval Church3 voices
The person who fears the Lord, his seed—which is good works—will cause him to inherit the spiritual land, which he will acquire by humility and labor with the forgiveness of sins.
The person who fears the Lord, his seed—which is good works—will cause him to inherit the spiritual land, which he will acquire by humility and labor with the forgiveness of sins.
Now the will of man is directed to two things in this world. First, that he possess good things. Second, that he leave those good things to his children, and even in these things God satisfies those who fear him in temporal matters. Hence, as …
11 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
At ease - Hebrew. in Good; in the possession and enjoyment of the true good. The land - Canaan; which was given as an earnest of the whole Covenant of Grace, and all its promises.
His soul shall dwell at ease,....
It is easy to apply the several passages of this psalm to ourselves in the singing of it; for we have often troubles, and always sins, to complain of at the throne of grace.
The soul that is sanctified by the grace of God, and, much more, that is comforted by the peace of God, dwells at ease. Even when the body is sick and lies in pain, yet the soul may dwell at ease in God, may return to him, and repose in him as its rest. Many things occur to make us uneasy, but there is enough in the covenant of grace to counterbalance them all and to make us easy.
The Nineteenth Century7 voices
He who fears God has nothing else to fear. His soul shall dwell at ease. He shall lodge in the chamber of content. One may sleep as soundly in the little bed in the corner as in the Great Bed of Ware; it is not abundance but content that gives true ease. Even here, having learned by grace both to abound and be empty, the believer dwells at ease; but how profound will be the ease of his soul for ever! There he will enjoy the otium cum dignitate; ease and glory shall go together.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
inherit the earth--(compare Mt 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He who fears God has nothing else to fear. His soul shall dwell at ease. He shall lodge in the chamber of content. One may sleep as soundly in the little bed in the corner as in the Great Bed of Ware; it is not abundance but content that gives true ease. Even here, having learned by grace both to abound and be empty, the believer dwells at ease; but how profound will be the ease of his soul for ever! There he will enjoy the otium cum dignitate; ease and glory shall go together. Like a warrior whose battles are over, or a husbandman whose barns are full, his soul shall take its ease, and be merry for ever. His seed shall inherit the earth. God remembers Isaac for the sake of Abraham, and Jacob for the sake of Isaac. Good men's sons have a goodly portion to begin the world with, but many of them, alas! turn a father's blessing into a curse. The promise is not broken because in some instances men wilfully refuse to receive it; moreover, it is in its spiritual meaning that it now holds good; our spiritual seed do inherit all that was meant by "the earth, " or Canaan; they receive the blessing of the new covenant. May the Lord make us the joyful parents of many spiritual children, and we shall have no fears about their maintenance, for the Lord will make each one of them princes in all the earth.
He who fears God has nothing else to fear. His soul shall dwell at ease. He shall lodge in the chamber of content. One may sleep as soundly in the little bed in the corner as in the Great Bed of Ware; it is not abundance but content that gives true ease. Even here, having learned by grace both to abound and be empty, the believer dwells at ease; but how profound will be the ease of his soul for ever! There he will enjoy the otium cum dignitate; ease and glory shall go together.
His soul shall dwell at ease - בטוב תלין betob talin, “shall lodge in goodness;” this is the marginal reading in our version; and is preferable to that in the text. His seed shall inherit - His posterity shall be blessed. For them many prayers have been sent up to God by their pious fathers; and God has registered these prayers in their behalf.
His soul shall dwell at ease - בטוב תלין betob talin, “shall lodge in goodness;” this is the marginal reading in our version; and is preferable to that in the text. His seed shall inherit - His posterity shall be blessed. For them many prayers have been sent up to God by their pious fathers; and God has registered these prayers in their behalf.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
His soul shall dwell at ease - Margin: “shall lodge in goodness.” So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one “at home;” one who finds a comfortable and safe resting place; one who is not a wanderer or a vagrant. The word rendered in the text “at ease,” and in the margin “goodness,” means “good;” and the idea is that of a good or safe condition as compared with that of one who wanders abroad without a shelter, or of one who has lost his way, and has no one to guide him. As contrasted with such an one, he who fears God, and who seeks his guidance and direction, will be like a man in his own comfortable and quiet home. The one is a condition of safety and of ease; the other, a condition of anxiety, doubt, trouble. Nothing could better describe the calmness, peace, and conscious security of the man who has found the truth and who serves God - as compared with the state of that man who has no religion, no fear of God, no hope of heaven. And his seed - His posterity; his family. “Shall inherit the earth.” Originally this promise referred to the land of Canaan, as a promise connected with obeying the law of God: Exo 20:12. It came then to be synonymous with outward worldly prosperity; with length of days, and happiness in the earth. See it explained in the notes at Mat 5:5.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
His soul shall abide in prosperity When he abides in the grave, his soul shall abide in prosperity.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Who is this man who fears the Lord? The Holy One, blessed be He, will guide him on the road that he chooses; that is the good road.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נַ֭פְשׁוֹ | nafsho | self his | H5315 → | 754 times |
| בְּט֣וֹב | betov | in good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| תָּלִ֑ין | talin | it will remain | H3885 → | 84 times |
| וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ | vezaro | and offspring his | H2233 → | 229 times |
| יִ֣ירַשׁ | yirash | it will possess | H3423 → | 231 times |
| אָֽרֶץ׃ | ʾaretz | [the] land | H776 → | 2504 times |
נַ֭פְשׁוֹself his
nafshoH5315 →754 times
בְּט֣וֹבin good
betovH2896 →538 times
תָּלִ֑יןit will remain
talinH3885 →84 times
וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹand offspring his
vezaroH2233 →229 times
יִ֣ירַשׁit will possess
yirashH3423 →231 times
אָֽרֶץ׃[the] land
ʾaretzH776 →2504 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
Zephaniah 3:17The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
it leads to
- Psalms 149:4
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.
- Psalms 147:11
The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Isaiah 62:4–5
No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will…
- Jeremiah 32:41
Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
- Psalms 149:4
Through
Psalms 37:11But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.
it leads to
- Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
- Isaiah 26:3
Through
Proverbs 1:33But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
it leads to
- Psalms 25:12–13
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.
- Psalms 25:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 13 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 25; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 25:13; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Athanasius, EXPOSITION ON PSALM 25 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.