Psalms 108:12 — Word Study
WLCהָֽבָה־ לָּ֣נוּ עֶזְרָ֣ת מִצָּ֑ר וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת אָדָֽם׃
BSAnotlôʼ Godʼĕlôhîym to rejectzânach notlôʼ to come outyâtsâʼ Godʼĕlôhîym armytsâbâʼ
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הָֽבָה־ | give ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| לָּ֣נוּ | to us | Preposition, suffix |
| עֶזְרָ֣ת | help | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| מִצָּ֑ר | from [the] foe | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא | and [is] worthlessness | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת | [the] deliverance of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| אָדָֽם׃ | humankind | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. |
| KJV | Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. |
| ASV | Give us help against the adversary; For vain is the help of man. |
| YLT | Give to us help from adversity, And vain is the salvation of man. |
| WEB | Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain. |
| BBE | Give us help in our trouble; for there is no help in man. |
The translations agree on the meaning of שָׁוְא as worthless.
The sentence is structured around a main plea, with supporting phrases that clarify the need and reason for divine assistance.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge, Barnes & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 108:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Plea for Divine Assistancegenerated
Psalm 108:12 expresses a deep need for help against enemies, emphasizing that human efforts are ultimately futile. In the surrounding verses, the psalmist questions God’s presence and seeks assurance of divine support, reflecting a common theme in the Psalms where reliance on God is paramount, especially in times of distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 20:1–9 | May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. |
| 2 | Psalm 146:3–5 | Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. |
| 3 | Job 9:13 | God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him. |
| 4 | Job 16:2 | “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. |
| 5 | Isaiah 2:22 | Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁוְא, shavgenerated
The word שָׁוְא (shav) signifies emptiness or vanity, often used to describe something that lacks value or substance. Its root conveys notions of falsehood and worthlessness, indicating that human assistance cannot provide true deliverance.
In this verse, the psalmist contrasts the futility of human help with the necessity of divine aid. The use of שָׁוְא underscores the theme that only God can offer true support and salvation in times of trouble.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses worthless to translate שָׁוְא.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main finite verb is הָֽבָה־, give, which governs the entire plea. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient of the aid, a noun phrase identifying the type of help sought, and a clause that asserts the worthlessness of human assistance.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the request for divine help first, followed by the reason for this plea, highlighting the contrast between divine support and human limitations.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew עֶזְרָ֣ת is rendered as ἡμᾶς, meaning 'us.' This choice reflects a direct appeal for assistance, similar to the Hebrew, while the Greek word for שָׁוְא is ἐχελεύσῃ, which conveys a sense of emptiness or futility, aligning with the original intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 108:12 is a plea for help against enemies, stating that human assistance is of no value. The psalmist emphasizes the need for divine support, recognizing that only God can truly deliver from trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is seeking divine assistance against enemies, acknowledging that human efforts cannot provide the needed support.
Human help is described as worthless because it lacks the power to deliver from true danger or adversity; only God can provide real salvation.
This verse reflects a common theme in the Psalms where reliance on God is emphasized, particularly in times of distress and danger.
We learn that while seeking help from others is common, ultimate reliance should be placed on God, who is capable of delivering us from our troubles.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations have I relied on human help instead of seeking God's assistance?
- How can I remind myself of the futility of relying solely on human efforts?
- What steps can I take to deepen my reliance on God in times of trouble?
- How does understanding the worthlessness of human help change my perspective on seeking support?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 108:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 108 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. from trouble] Or, as R.V., against the adversary. Cp. Psalms 108:13. for vain is the help of man] Lit. salvation. Cp. Psalms 108:6. It is a delusion (cp. Psalms 33:17) to look to human strength for victory. See Psalms 44:6-7; 1 Samuel 17:47; Jeremiah 17:5; and cp. Judges 7:4; Judges 7:7; 1 Samuel 14:6; 2 Chronicles 14:11; 1Ma 3:16 ff.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 108 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleGive us help from trouble ... - This is copied from Psalms 60:11.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 108 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain.
Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
Give us help against the enemy, for any help men might offer is futile.
Tyndale line
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Give us help against the adversary; For vain is the help of man.
Give us help against the adversary: for vain is the help of man.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Giue vs helpe against trouble: for vaine is the helpe of man.
Strictly literal
Give us help from trouble; for vain is man's deliverance.
Give to us help from adversity, And vain is the salvation of man.
Give to us help from adversity, || And the salvation of man is vain.
(108:13) Give us help against the assailant; for vain is the help of man.
Give us help against the enemy, for man's help is futile.
From the Latin
May there be none to help him: nor none to pity his fatherless offspring.
Simplified
Please give us help against our enemies, for human help is worthless.
Give us help in our trouble; for there is no help in man.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording. The Septuagint matches six of the seven Hebrew words, maintaining the core message of the psalmist's plea for help while expressing the insufficiency of human effort.
הָֽבָה־ לָּ֣נוּ עֶזְרָ֣ת מִצָּ֑ר וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת אָדָֽם׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 108:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
יָהַב (yahab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to give, with various nuances including to set, provide, and ascribe glory. It can also imply granting or permitting something. The entries highlight its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
[יָהַב] vb. give
give
= set
with reflex. = provide
ascribe glory, etc.
= come now (orig. grant, permit)
base
H3051 יָהַב give . give
. = set
. with reflex. = provide
. ascribe glory, etc.
. = come now (orig. grant, permit)
3051 yahab yaw-hab'
a primitive root; to give (whether literal or figurative);
generally, to put; imperatively (reflexive) come:--ascribe,
bring, come on, give, go, set, take.
יָהַב (ya.hav) — to give.
1) to give, provide, ascribe, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give
1a2) to set, place
1a3) to provide (with reflexive)
1a4) to ascribe (glory)
1a5) to grant, permit, come now
Aramaic equivalent: ye.hav (יְהַב "to give" H3052)
HVqv2ms/Sh — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…
נוּ (nu) — us.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we
עֶזְרָה (ezrah) refers to help, succour, or assistance. It is a feminine noun derived from the root meaning aid. The word appears in contexts related to providing support, including in Psalm 60:11 and Psalm 108:12, where it emphasizes the act of helping or the one who helps.
עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה n.f. help, succour, assistance
base
H5833 עֶזְרָה, עֶזְרָת, עֶזְרָ֫תָה help, succour, assistance
5833 `ezrah ez-raw'
or mezrath (Psa. 60:11 (13); 108:12 (13)) {ez-rawth'};
feminine of 5828; aid:--help(-ed, -er).
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 013
see HEBREW for 05828
עֶזְרָה (ez.rah) — help.
1) help, succour, assistance
1a) help, succour
1b) one who helps
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
With the sense of that which brings aid, support, or deliverance, "help" (noun and vb.) represents a large variety of words in Hebrew and Greek (noun 7, verb 16). A principal Hebrew word is `azar, "to help," with the corresponding nouns `ezer, `ezrah; a chief Greek word is boetheo (Mt 15:25; Mr 9:22,24, etc.). True help is to be sought for in Yahweh, in whom, in the Old Testament, the believer is constantly exhorted to trust, with the renouncing of all other confidences (Ps 20:2; 33:20; 42:5; 46:1; 115:9,10,11; 121:2; Isa 41:10,13,14, etc.). In Ro 8:26 it is said, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity," the verb here…
The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.
צַר adj. narrow, tight
base
צַר n.[m.] straits, distress
base
צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe
base
צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28
ref
H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint
6862 tsar tsar
or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place
(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in
6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,
afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,
narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
see HEBREW for 06887
see HEBREW for 06864
צַר (tsar) — narrow.
narrow, tight
צַר (tsar) — distress.
straits, distress
צַר (tsar) — enemy.
adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor
צַר (tsar) — hard.
hard pebble, flint
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word שָׁוְא (*shav*) means emptiness or vanity. It conveys ideas of falsehood, worthlessness, and deception, both in a literal sense and in terms of moral or spiritual emptiness. The lexicons highlight its use in describing empty speech or conduct that is devoid of value.
שָׁוְא n.[m.] emptiness, vanity
base
H7723 שָׁוְא emptiness, vanity
7723 shav' shawv
or shav {shav}; from the same as 7722 in the sense of
desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally
(especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false,
subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also
adverbially, in vain):--false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.
see HEBREW for 07722
שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: false.
: false
1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood
1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity
1b) emptiness of speech, lying
1c) worthlessness (of conduct)
Also means: shav (שָׁוְא ": vain" H7723H)
שָׁוְא (shav) — vanity: vain.
: vain/empty/worthless
1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood
1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity
1b) emptiness of speech, lying
1c) worthlessness (of conduct)
HC/Ncmsa — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
תְּשׁוּעָה (tshuw`ah) refers to concepts of rescue, deliverance, and salvation, both in a personal and national context. It emphasizes help and safety, often associated with divine intervention. The term is linked to victory as well, indicating a broader range of meanings related to overcoming challenges or enemies.
תְּשׁוּעָה († תְּשֻׁעָה 2 S 19:3) n.f. deliverance, salvation
base
H8668 תְּשׁוּעָה, תְּשֻׁעָה
8668 tshuw`ah tesh-oo-aw'
or tshuah {tesh-oo-aw'}; from 7768 in the sense of 3467;
rescue (literal or figurative, pers., national or spir.):--
deliverance, help, safety, salvation, victory.
see HEBREW for 07768
see HEBREW for 03467
תְּשׁוּעָה (te.shu.ah) — deliverance: salvation.
: salvation
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) deliverance (usually by God through human agency)
1b) salvation (spiritual in sense)
Also means: te.shu.ah (תְּשׁוּעָה ": victory" H8668H)
תְּשׁוּעָה (te.shu.ah) — deliverance: victory.
: victory
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) deliverance (usually by God through human agency)
1b) salvation (spiritual in sense)
HNcfsc — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אָדָם (adam) refers to 'man' or 'mankind,' encompassing both individual humans and the species as a whole. It is also the name of the first man in the Bible, Adam, who is mentioned in various verses, including Genesis 2:19. The term can denote a city in the Jordan valley as well. The entries indicate a range of meanings, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind
a man = human being
coll. man, mankind
n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)
n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)
base
H120 אָדָם man, mankind . a man = human being
. coll. man, mankind
120 'adam aw-dawm'
from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the
species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common
sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
see HEBREW for 0119
אָדָם (a.dam) — man.
1) man, mankind
1a) man, human being
1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT)
1c) Adam, first man
1d) city in Jordan valley
אָדָם (a.dam) — the man (Adam).
The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19;
married to Eve (H2332);
father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33;
Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121)
man, human being
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa