Psalms 111:7
in Psalms 111The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The works of his hands are truth and justice; All his precepts are sure.
KJV
The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
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This verse in Psalms 111
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe works of his hands are verity and judgment. Truth and justice are conspicuous in all that Jehovah does. Nothing like artifice or crooked policy can ever be seen in his proceedings; he acts faithfully and righteously towards his people, and with justice and impartiality to all mankind. This also should lead us to praise him, since it is of the utmost advantage to us to live under a sovereign whose laws, decrees, acts, and deeds are the essence of truth and justice. All his commandments are sure.
This site's exposition
truth and justice
on Psalms 111:7-9
What God's hands make is true and just, and His precepts can be trusted. Redemption already sent to His people stands behind the covenant He has ordained, and the psalm calls His name holy and awesome. Verse 8 gives the term: upheld forever and ever.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"The works of His hands are verity and judgment" [Psalm 111:7]. Let verity be held by those who are judged here. Martyrs are here sentenced, and brought to the judgment-seat, that they may judge not only those by whom they have been judged, but even give judgment on angels, [1 Corinthians 6:3] against whom was their struggle here, even when they seemed to be judged by men. Let not tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, the sword, separate from Christ. For "all His commandments are true;" [Romans 8:35] He deceives not, He gives us what He promised. Yet we should not expect here what He promised; we should not hope for it.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The works - All that he doth on the behalf of his people, or against their enemies. Truth - Are exactly agreeable to his promises, and to justice. Commandments - His laws given to the Israelites, especially the moral law.
The works of his hands are verity and judgment,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
His power was shown especially in giving them the promised land, and His faithfulness and justice thus displayed are, like His precepts, reliable and of permanent obligation.
The works of his hands are verity and judgment. Truth and justice are conspicuous in all that Jehovah does. Nothing like artifice or crooked policy can ever be seen in his proceedings; he acts faithfully and righteously towards his people, and with justice and impartiality to all mankind. This also should lead us to praise him, since it is of the utmost advantage to us to live under a sovereign whose laws, decrees, acts, and deeds are the essence of truth and justice. All his commandments are sure. All that he has appointed or decreed shall surely stand, and his precepts which he has proclaimed shall be found worthy of our obedience, for surely they are founded in justice and are meant for our lasting good. He is no fickle despot, commanding one thing one day and another another, but his commands remain absolutely unaltered, their necessity equally unquestionable, their excellence permanently proven, and their reward eternally secure. Take the word commandments to relate either to his decrees or his precepts, and we have in each case an important sense; but it seems more in accordance with the connection to take the first sense and consider the words to refer to the ordinances, appointments, or decrees of the great King.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Verity and judgment - His works are verity or truth, because they were wrought for the fulfillment of the promises he made to their fathers. And they were just; for their punishment was in consequence of their infidelities: and the punishment of the Babylonians was only in consequence of their gross iniquities; and in both respects he had proved his work to be according to justice and judgment.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The works of his hands - All that he does in the works of creation and providence; all in his acts toward the children of men. Are verity - Truth. That is, They tend to establish and confirm the truth; they are done in the cause or the defense of truth. Truth in any case may be ascertained by what God “does,” for all that he defends and protects is “truth,” and his acts, therefore, may be regarded as an expression of what is true and right. And judgment - In the cause of justice; or, in maintaining the principles of right. God never does anything to vindicate wrong. None of his acts can be fairly interpreted as having been done to sustain injustice, fraud, deceit, ambition, oppression, murder, or licentiousness. That he suffers free agents to do these things without interference is no evidence that he approves of them. That he “disapproves” of them is shown (a) by his declarations; (b) by his threatenings; (c) by all that he does to punish the wicked here. All his commandments are sure - His statutes; his ordinances. They are sure; that is, they are to be relied on; or, are worthy of confidence.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַעֲשֵׂ֣י | maasei | [the] works of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| יָ֭דָיו | yadav | hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֱמֶ֣ת | ʾemet | [are] faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט | umishpat | and justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים | neemanim | [are] reliable | H539 → | 106 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃ | pikudav | precepts his | H6490 → | 24 times |
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י[the] works of
maaseiH4639 →236 times
יָ֭דָיוhands his
yadavH3027 →1618 times
אֱמֶ֣ת[are] faithfulness
ʾemetH571 →127 times
וּמִשְׁפָּ֑טand justice
umishpatH4941 →422 times
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים[are] reliable
neemanimH539 →106 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃precepts his
pikudavH6490 →24 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
Psalms 19:7The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:130
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.
- Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
- Proverbs 1:4
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
- Psalms 23:3
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.
- 2 Timothy 3:15–17
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Psalms 119:130
Through
Deuteronomy 32:4He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
it leads to
- Psalms 18:30–31
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
- Psalms 92:15
to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness.”
- Psalms 18:30–31
Through
Psalms 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.
it leads to
- Psalms 97:2
Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
- Psalms 97:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 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, Exposition on Psalm 111; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; 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) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.