Psalms 140:13
in Psalms 140Surely the righteous will praise Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
KJV
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
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This verse in Psalms 140
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThe upright shall dwell with your countenance. And what is the countenance of God, if not Christ? 'Who thought it not robbery to be equal with God.'
This site's exposition
the LORD upholds justice for the poor
on Psalms 140:12-13
The last verses answer the prayer with what the psalmist knows, that justice for the poor is upheld by the LORD and the needy defended. The righteous will praise the name, and the upright will live in God's presence. That is where the psalm stops.
This site's exposition
Surely the righteous will praise Your
Surely translates ak, a word of firm assurance after the requests of verses 9 to 11. The upright who dwell in the presence of the LORD answer the question of Psalm 15:1, who may dwell on His holy hill. The lament closes in praise.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"But the just shall confess to Your Name" [Psalm 140:13]. Both when You shall plead their cause, and when You shall maintain their right, they "shall confess to Your Name;" nought shall they attribute to their own merits, all they shall attribute to nought save to Your mercy....Therefore see what follows, see wherewith he concludes. "The upright shall dwell with Your Countenance." For ill was it with them in their own countenance; well will it be with them with Your Countenance. For when they loved their own countenance, "In the sweat of their countenance did they eat bread." [Genesis 3:19] Your Countenance shall come to them with abundance to satisfy them. Nought more shall they seek, for nought better have they; no more shall they abandon You, nor be abandoned by You. For after His Resurrection, what was said of the Lord? "You shall fill me with joy with Your Countenance." Without His Countenance He would not give us joy. For this do we cleanse our countenance, that we may rejoice in His Countenance. [1 John 3:2] ...Because too, "blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God;" [Matthew 5:8] He gave the Form of Man both to good and evil, the Form of God He preserved for the pure and good, that we may rejoice in Him, and it may be well with us for ever with His Countenance.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In this, as in other things, David was a type of Christ, that he suffered before he reigned, was humbled before he was exalted, and that as there were many who loved and valued him, and sought to do him honour, so there were many who hated and envied him, and sought to do him mischief, as appears by these verses, where, I.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name. The former Psalm had its "surely", but this is a more pleasing one. As surely as God will slay the wicked he will save the oppressed, and fill their hearts and mouths with praises. Whoever else may be silent, the righteous will give thanks; and whatever they may suffer, the matter will end ill their living through the trial, and magnifying the Lord for his delivering grace. On earth ere long, and in heaven for ever, the pure in heart shall sing unto the Lord.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name. The former Psalm had its "surely", but this is a more pleasing one. As surely as God will slay the wicked he will save the oppressed, and fill their hearts and mouths with praises. Whoever else may be silent, the righteous will give thanks; and whatever they may suffer, the matter will end ill their living through the trial, and magnifying the Lord for his delivering grace. On earth ere long, and in heaven for ever, the pure in heart shall sing unto the Lord. How loud and sweet will be the songs of the redeemed in the millennial age, when the meek shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace! The upright shall dwell in thy presence. Thus shall they give thanks in the truest and fullest manner. This abiding before the Lord shall render to him "songs without words", and therefore all the more spiritual and true. Their living and walking with their God shall be their practical form of gratitude. Sitting down in holy peace, like children at their father's table, their joyful looks and language shall speak their high esteem and fervent love to him who has become their dwelling place. How high have we climbed in this Psalm—from being hunted by the evil man to dwelling in the divine presence; so doth faith upraise the saint from the lowest depths to heights of peaceful repose. Well might the song be studded with Selahs, or uplifters.
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2527: “David's Five-stringed Harp” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
This Psalm was written by David when he was sorely vexed by many adversaries. These adversaries were bent upon his destruction—they could not bear that the son of Jesse should be favored of God and that he should come to the throne—so they set their wits to work to invent all manner of slanders against him. They misconstrued his actions, they misrepresented his motives. They spat the very venom of asps from their mouths against him and, at the same time, they said to one another, "If we can lead him to do wrong. If we can, somehow or other, entrap him, either in his speech, or in his private character, or in his public actions, then we shall have a weapon wherewith we can smite him." The ungodly are fully aware that slander is, after all, a very dangerous weapon to handle and, like the Australian boomerang, it is very apt to come back to the man who throws it. Stones, hurled into the air, often fall upon the head of the thrower, and slander often recoils upon those who utter it. So, if they can but get a trthflaccusation against a man of God, then they are exceedingly glad. Slander is like shooting at a man with only powder, or with very small shot that can sting, but cannot kill. But, oh, if they can discover some questionable action of the man, or some decided wrongdoing, then they can load their rifles with bullets and have something deadly to fire at the righteous! David was exceedingly troubled by all this malice on the part of his enemies. He was a man who would have liked to go through the world at peace with everybody. Even when Saul tried to hunt him to the death, you remember that he would not lift his hand against his adversary even when he might have slain him.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2527: “David's Five-stringed Harp” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
This Psalm was written by David when he was sorely vexed by many adversaries. These adversaries were bent upon his destruction—they could not bear that the son of Jesse should be favored of God and that he should come to the throne—so they set their wits to work to invent all manner of slanders against him. They misconstrued his actions, they misrepresented his motives. They spat the very venom of asps from their mouths against him and, at the same time, they said to one another, "If we can lead him to do wrong.
The righteous shall give thanks - For thou wilt support and deliver him. The upright shall dwell in thy presence - Shall be admitted to the most intimate intercourse with God. The persecuted have ever been dear to God Almighty; and the martyrs were, in an especial manner, his delight; and in proportion as he loved those, so must he hate and detest these.
The righteous shall give thanks - For thou wilt support and deliver him. The upright shall dwell in thy presence - Shall be admitted to the most intimate intercourse with God. The persecuted have ever been dear to God Almighty; and the martyrs were, in an especial manner, his delight; and in proportion as he loved those, so must he hate and detest these.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name - Unto thee. (1) they will have occasion to do it; (2) they will be disposed to do it. They will not be unmindful of the favors conferred upon them; it will be a characteristic of them that they “will” be thankful. The upright shall dwell in thy presence - They shall be under thy protection; they shall be admitted to thy favor; they shall dwell in thy dwelling-place. (1) On earth they shall enjoy his favor - “as if” they abode with God. (2) in heaven they will be permitted to dwell with him forever. The general idea of the psalm is, that the poor, the persecuted, the afflicted, if righteous, shall enjoy the favor and protection of God. God is on their side, and not on the side of the wicked who oppress them. But then, people “should be righteous” in order that they may find the favor of God and dwell with him. There is no reason why a “poor” wicked man should enjoy the favor of God anymore than why a “rich” wicked man should. It is not poverty or riches that commend us to God; it is faith, and holiness, and love, and obedience, in the condition of life in which we are placed, be it in a cottage or a palace.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
I know that ultimately the Lord will perform the judgment of a poor man, and He will avenge the vengeance of His servants.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
But May he hasten and do it so that the righteous will thank His name.
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. 4 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
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֣ךְ | ʾakh | surely | H389 → | 161 times |
| צַ֭דִּיקִים | tzadikim | righteous [people] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| יוֹד֣וּ | yodu | they will give thanks | H3034 → | 114 times |
| לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ | lishmekha | to name your | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יֵשְׁב֥וּ | yeshevu | they will dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים | yesharim | upright [people] | H3477 → | 119 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ | paneikha | presence your | H6440 → | 2123 times |
אַ֣ךְsurely
ʾakhH389 →161 times
צַ֭דִּיקִיםrighteous [people]
tzadikimH6662 →206 times
יוֹד֣וּthey will give thanks
yoduH3034 →114 times
לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָto name your
lishmekhaH8034 →864 times
יֵשְׁב֥וּthey will dwell
yeshevuH3427 →1079 times
יְ֝שָׁרִ֗יםupright [people]
yesharimH3477 →119 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
פָּנֶֽיךָ׃presence your
paneikhaH6440 →2123 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 16:11You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
it leads to
- Acts 2:28
You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
- Jude 1:24
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
- Psalms 36:7–8
How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!
- Revelation 7:15–17
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.
- Ephesians 3:19
of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
- Acts 2:28
Through
1 Thessalonians 4:17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
it leads to
- John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 15:52
in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
- John 14:3
Through
Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
it leads to
- Psalms 128:1–2
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!
- Psalms 128:1–2
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 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 140; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2527: “David's Five-stringed Harp” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 50, on Psalm 139; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.