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Psalms 9:10

in Psalms 9

Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; For thou, Jehovah, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

KJV

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

This verse in Psalms 9

Commentary

15 notes on this verse

A commentator

Didymus the Blind

FRAGMENTS ON THE PSALMS 9:11 · Written before 398.

Those who have a perfect knowledge of your name trust in no other thing. They are not abandoned by God. This word must be understood with wisdom and reverence, considering that one should not think that the person who lives rightly in his daily affairs …

This site's exposition

a refuge for the oppressed

on Psalms 9:9-10

The judge of the nations is the refuge of the oppressed. A stronghold is a high place out of an enemy's reach, and that is what the LORD is in times of trouble. Trust comes from knowing His name, and He has not forsaken those who seek Him.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:5 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Those who know you, he is saying, your support and assistance, have hope in you as sufficient anchor, sufficient assistance, impregnable tower, the one who not only promises relief from problems but also does not permit us to be alarmed by the problems even when present.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:6 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

So how can we seek God? When we earnestly direct our mind in that direction, when we free it from worldly interests. The seeker who drives out everything from the soul moves toward what is being sought. We must not simply seek but seek out. Those who seek out do not only take it on themselves to conduct the search but also enlist other aids to finding what is sought. But in the case of worldly things, we often do not find what we have sought for, whereas in the case of spiritual things this is impossible, as it is inevitable that the searcher makes the discovery. In fact, if we merely make the effort toward searching, God will not permit us to be rebuffed; hence he says, "Everyone who seeks finds."

A commentator

Augustine of Hippo

ON THE PSALMS, Psalm 9 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"And let them who know Thy Name, hope in Thee" [Psalm 9:10], when they shall have ceased hoping in wealth, and in the other enticements of this world. For the soul indeed that seeketh where to fix her hope, when she is torn away from this world, the knowledge of God's Name seasonably receives. For the mere Name of God hath now been published everywhere: but the knowledge of the name is, when He is known whose name it is. For the name is not a name for its own sake, but for that which it signifies. Now it has been said, "The Lord is His Name." Wherefore whoso willingly submits himself to God as His servant, hath known this name. "And let them who know Thy Name hope in Thee" [Psalm 9:10]. Again, the Lord saith to Moses, "I am That I am; and Thou shalt say to the children of Israel, I Am, hath sent me." "Let them" then "who know Thy Name, hope in Thee;" that they may not hope in those things which flow by in time's quick revolution, having nothing but "will be" and "has been." For what in them is future, when it arrives, straightway becomes the past; it is awaited with eagerness, it is lost with pain. But in the nature of God nothing will be, as if it were not yet; or hath been, as if it were no longer: but there is only that which is, and this is eternity. Let them cease then to hope in and love things temporal, and let them apply themselves to hope eternal, who know His name who said, "I am That I am;" and of whom it was said, "I Am hath sent me." "For Thou hast not forsaken them that seek Thee, O Lord." Whoso seek Him, seek no more things transient and perishable; "For no man can serve two masters."

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Exposition on the Psalms of David · Written before 1274.

proposed

"And let them hope." Above, the Psalmist set forth the deed for which he gave thanks and the authority of the doer; here he sets forth the fruit of the deed. And first, as regards others; second, as regards himself, at "Have mercy on me, …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Thy name - Thy infinite power and wisdom, and faithfulness and goodness. The name of God is frequently put for God. Put their trust - The experience of thy faithfulness to thy people in all ages, is a just ground for their confidence.
8 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

): " Those that know thy name will put their trust in thee, as I have done" (for the grace of God is the same in all the saints), "and then they will find, as I have found, that thou dost not forsake those that seek thee;" for the favour of God is the same towards all the saints. Note, (1.) The better God is known the more he is trusted.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens

And they that know thy name,....

The Nineteenth Century6 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

They that know thy name - Who have an experimental acquaintance with thy mercy, will put their trust in thee, from the conviction that thou never hast forsaken, and never wilt forsake, them that trust in thee.

A commentator

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Treasury of David, Vol. 1 (1869)

Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God. This most excellent knowledge leads to the most excellent grace of faith. O, to learn more of the attributes and character of God. Unbelief, that hooting nightbird, cannot live in the light of divine knowledge, it flies before the sun of God's great and gracious name. If we read this verse literally, there is, no doubt, a glorious fulness of assurance in the names of God.

A commentator

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Treasury of David, Vol. 1 (1869)

proposed

Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God. This most excellent knowledge leads to the most excellent grace of faith. O, to learn more of the attributes and character of God. Unbelief, that hooting nightbird, cannot live in the light of divine knowledge, it flies before the sun of God's great and gracious name. If we read this verse literally, there is, no doubt, a glorious fulness of assurance in the names of God. We have recounted them in the "Hints for Preachers, " and would direct the reader's attention to them. By knowing his name is also meant an experimental acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are every one of them anchors to hold the soul from drifting in seasons of peril. The Lord may hide his face for a season from his people, but he never has utterly, finally, really, or angrily forsaken them that seek him. Let the poor seekers draw comfort from this fact, and let the finders rejoice yet more exceedingly, for what must be the Lord's faithfulness to those who find if he is so gracious to those who seek. O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, To those who fall how kind thou art, How good to those who seek. "But what to those who find, ah, this Nor tongue nor pen can show The love of Jesus what it is, None but his loved ones know."
THERE ARE MANY MEN who are exceedingly well read in heathen mythologies; who can tell you the history of any one of the heathen gods, but who at the same time know very little of the history of Jehovah, and cannot rehearse his mighty acts. In our schools to this day there are books put into the hands of our youth that are by no means fit for them to read—books which contain all kinds of filth, and if not always filth, yet all kinds of fables and vanities, which are simply put into our hands when we are lads, because they happen to be written in Latin and Greek; and, therefore, I suppose it is imagined that we shall all the better recollect the wickedness that is contained in them, by having the trouble of translating them into our own mother tongue. I would that instead of this, all our youth were made acquainted with the history of the Lord our God. Would that we could give them for classics some books which record what he hath done, the victories of his glorious arm, and how he hath put to nought the gods of the heathen and cast them down even into the depths. At any rate, the Christian will always find it to be useful to have at hand some history of what God did in the days of yore. The more you know of God’s attributes, the more you understand of his acts; the more you treasure up of his promises, and the more you fully dive into the depths of his covenant, the more difficult will it become for Satan to tempt you to despondency and despair. Acquaint thyself with God and be at peace. Meditate on his law both day and night, and thou shalt be like a tree planted by the rivers of water; thy leaf shall not wither; thou shalt bring forth fruit in thy season, and whatsoever thou doest shall prosper. Ignorance of God is ignorance of bliss; but knowledge of God is a divine armor, by which we are able to ward off all the blows of the enemy.
THERE ARE MANY MEN who are exceedingly well read in heathen mythologies; who can tell you the history of any one of the heathen gods, but who at the same time know very little of the history of Jehovah, and cannot rehearse his mighty acts.
And they that know thy name - All who are acquainted with thee; all those who have been made acquainted with the manifestations of thy goodness, and with the truth respecting thy character. Will put their trust in thee - That is, all who have any just views of God, or who understand his real character, will confide in him. This is as much as to say, that he has a character which is worthy of confidence - since they who know him best most unreservedly rely on him. It is the same as saying that all the revelations of his character in his word and works are such as to make it proper to confide in him. The more intimate our knowledge of God, the more entirely shall we trust in him; the more we learn of his real character, the more shall we see that he is worthy of universal love. It is much to say of anyone that the more he is known the more he will be loved; and in saying this of God, it is but saying that one reason why men do not confide in him is that they do not understand his real character. For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee - Thou hast never left them when they have come to time with a confiding heart. David means, doubtless, to refer here particularly to his own case, to derive a conclusion from his particular case in regard to the general character of God. But what is here affirmed is still true, and always has been true, and always will be true, that God does not forsake those who put their trust in him. Men forsake him; he does not forsake them.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

And the Lord shall be a fortress for the crushed Heb. לדך, an expression of crushed, amenuyze in Old French. In the future, when He establishes His throne for judgment, He will be a fortress for Israel, who are crushed.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Psalms 9:10:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And they will trust in Thee: – It is right that they should trust in Thee – viz.
Radak: Provence, 1160–1235 · Radak on Psalms 9:11:1, via Sefaria, R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919

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. 5 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

9 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וְיִבְטְח֣וּso they may trust

    veyivtechuH982120 times

  • בְ֭ךָin you

    vekha

  • יוֹדְעֵ֣י[those who] know

    yodeiH3045945 times

  • שְׁמֶ֑ךָ<of> name your

    shemekhaH8034864 times

  • כִּ֤יfor

    kiH35884482 times

  • לֹֽא־not

    lo'-H38085168 times

  • עָזַ֖בְתָּyou have forsaken

    ʾazavtaH5800215 times

  • דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ[those who] seek you

    doresheikhaH1875164 times

  • יְהוָֽה׃O Yahweh

    yahwehH30686520 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Proverbs 18:10

    The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 22:3

      My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.

    • Isaiah 26:4

      Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.

    • Psalms 91:2

      I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

    • Psalms 144:2

      He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

    • Psalms 61:3–4

      For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy.

  • Through

    Psalms 91:14

    “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.

    it leads to

    • John 14:23

      Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

    • James 1:12

      Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

    • John 16:27

      For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.

About Psalms

The Ninth Plague. Darkness. Gustave Dore, 1866. Dore's English Bible (1866). Public domain.
The Ninth Plague. Darkness. Gustave Dore, 1866. Dore's English Bible (1866). Public domain.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON THE PSALMS, Psalm 9; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 287: “Dilemma and Deliverance” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Didymus the Blind, FRAGMENTS ON THE PSALMS 9:11; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:5; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.