Romans 4:6
in Romans 4And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,
KJV
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
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This verse in Romans 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseAfter these things, as if for the confirmation of his statement which he had made — "But to him who does not work, yet believes in him who justifies the ungodly, faith is reckoned unto righteousness" — he takes up a testimony from the Psalms and says: "As David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God accounts righteousness without works: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin."
This site's exposition
credits righteousness apart from works
on Romans 4:6-8
David is the second witness, quoted from Psalm 32:1-2. He calls a man blessed whose lawless acts are forgiven, and the Lord will never count his sin. The psalm ties pardon to a righteousness God supplies.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Paul backs this up by the example of the prophet David, who says that those are blessed of whom God has decreed that, without work or any keeping of the law, they are justified before God by faith alone. Therefore he foretells the blessedness of …
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Hence it seems to me that the Apostle understood this: that it is impossible for a person in whom, by reason of age, the understanding that discerns between good and evil is already present, to have neither injustice nor justice in him. And if this is so, the soul cannot be found without one of these two; and it is certain that if it has ceased from evils, it is henceforth found among good things. But that soul is not among evils "whose iniquities are forgiven," and "whose sins are covered," and "to whom the Lord has not imputed sin"; it is fitting, therefore, that it be among good things. Suitably, then, in connection with the remission of iniquities and the covering over of sins, and with the fact that the Lord does not impute sin, the Apostle says that justice is reckoned to a person, although he has not yet performed works of justice, but solely because he believed in him who justifies the ungodly. For the beginning of being justified by God is the faith that believes in the one who justifies. And this faith, when it has been justified, clings like a root that has taken in rain within the soil of the soul, so that when it has begun to be cultivated by the law of God, branches rise up in it that bear the fruit of works. Therefore the root of justice does not come from works, but from the root of justice the fruit of works grows — namely from that root of justice by which God credits justice apart from works.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.
proposed
After demonstrating by the example of the patriarch Abraham that faith is older than the law, Paul quotes a further witness in support of his position, viz., David the prophet and king.
And after proving this from Abraham, he introduces David also as giving his suffrage in favor of the statement made. What then doth David say? and whom doth he pronounce blessed? is it him that triumphs in works, or him that hath enjoyed grace? him that hath obtained pardon and a gift? And when I speak of blessedness, I mean the chiefest of all good things; for as righteousness is greater than a reward, so is blessedness greater than righteousness. Having then shown that the righteousness is better, not owing to Abraham's having received it only but also from reasonings (for he hath whereof to boast, he says, before God); he again uses another mode of showing that it is more dignified, by bringing David in to give his suffrage this way. For he also, he says, pronounces him blessed who is so made righteous.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Having proved by the example of Abraham that righteousness or justification is from faith, he presents David as well, who calls blessed the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works, and shows the advantage and superiority of faith.
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, as David also, he proves the conditional statement by a quotation from a psalm. First, he gives its sense; second, he presents its words, at blessed are they; third, he excludes a false interpretation, at this blessedness, then. He says: as …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
So David also - David is fitly introduced after Abraham, because be also received and delivered down the promise. Affirmeth - A man is justified by faith alone, and not by works. Without works-That is, without regard to any former good works supposed to have been done by him.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And it is observable that this particular instance of his faith was against hope, against the surmises and suggestions of his unbelief. He had just before been concluding hardly that he should go childless, that one born in his house was his heir (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man,.... the apostle having instanced in Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, cites some passages from David, king of Israel, a person of great note and esteem among the Jews, in favour of the doctrine he is establishing; who in a very proper and lively manner describes the happiness of such persons: unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Saying, Blessed, &c.-- (Ps 32:1, 2). David here sings in express terms only of "transgression forgiven, sin covered, iniquity not imputed"; but as the negative blessing necessarily includes the positive, the passage is strictly in point.
Even as David also, etc. - David, in Psa 32:1, Psa 32:2, gives us also the true notion of this way of justification, i.e. by faith, without the merit of works, where he says: -
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Even as David - The apostle having adduced the example of Abraham to show that the doctrine which he was defending was not new, and contrary to the Old Testament, proceeds to adduce the case of David also; and to show that he understood the same doctrine of justification without works. Describeth - Speaks of. The blessedness - The happiness; or the desirable state or condition. Unto whom God imputeth righteousness - Whom God treats as righteous, or as entitled to his favor in a way different from his conformity to the Law. This is found in Psa 32:1-11. And the whole scope and design of the psalm is to show the blessedness of the man who is forgiven, and whose sins are not charged on him, but who is freed from the punishment due to his sins. Being thus pardoned, he is treated as a righteous man. And it is evidently in this sense that the apostle uses the expression “imputeth righteousness,” that is, he does not impute, or charge on the man his sins; he reckons and treats him as a pardoned and righteous man; Psa 32:2. See the note at Rom 4:3. He regards him as one who is forgiven and admitted to his favor, and who is to be treated henceforward as though he had not sinned. That is, he partakes of the benefits of Christ’s atonement, so as not henceforward to be treated as a sinner, but as a friend of God.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καθάπερ | kathaper | just as | G2509 → | |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Δαυὶδ | dauid | David | G1138 → | 59 times |
| λέγει | legei | declares | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μακαρισμὸν | makarismon | blessedness | G3108 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπου | anthropou | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| ᾧ | ho | to whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| λογίζεται | logizetai | credits | G3049 → | 40 times |
| δικαιοσύνην | dikaiosunen | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| χωρὶς | choris | apart from | G5565 → | 40 times |
| ἔργων· | ergon | works: | G2041 → | 168 times |
καθάπερjust as
kathaperG2509 →
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΔαυὶδDavid
dauidG1138 →59 times
λέγειdeclares
legeiG3004 →1325 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
μακαρισμὸνblessedness
makarismonG3108 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπουman
anthropouG444 →549 times
ᾧto whom
hoG3739 →1405 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
λογίζεταιcredits
logizetaiG3049 →40 times
δικαιοσύνηνrighteousness
dikaiosunenG1343 →92 times
χωρὶςapart from
chorisG5565 →40 times
ἔργων·works:
ergonG2041 →168 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
2 Timothy 1:9He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:8–9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- Titus 3:4–5
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
- Ephesians 1:3–4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
- Ephesians 2:8–9
Through
1 Corinthians 1:30It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their…
- Ephesians 1:7
Through
Philippians 3:9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
Where this verse is studied
About Romans
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 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); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 8; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.