Psalms 118:28 — Word Study
WLCאֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃
BSAYouʼattâh [my Lord, my Master] are my Godʼêl [Elohim, the supreme God] and I will give You thanksyâdâh▸ [offer, express, praise, gratitude] You are my Godʼĕlôhîym [the one I worship] [and] I will exalt Yourûwm▸ [lift up, glorify]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֵלִ֣י | [are] God my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אַתָּ֣ה | you | Pronoun |
| וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ | and I will give thanks to you | Conjunction, verb hiphil first person common singular, suffix |
| אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י | O God my | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃ | I will exalt you | Verb piel imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You are my God, and I will give You thanks. You are my God, and I will exalt You. |
| KJV | Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. |
| ASV | Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. |
| YLT | My God Thou [art], and I confess Thee, My God, I exalt Thee. |
| WEB | You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you. |
| BBE | You are my God, and I will give you praise; my God, and I will give honour to your name. |
Where they part company is וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses expressing the psalmist's acknowledgment of God and his commitment to worship.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
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 118:28
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 Song of Thanksgivinggenerated
Psalm 118:28 is part of a larger psalm that praises God for His enduring love and faithfulness. The psalmist acknowledges God as his own, expressing gratitude and a commitment to exalt Him. This reflects a personal relationship with God, emphasizing both worship and thanksgiving.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 145:1 | I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name forever and ever. |
| 2 | Psalm 146:2 | I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. |
| 3 | Exodus 15:2 | The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. |
| 4 | Isaiah 12:2 | Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.” |
| 5 | Isaiah 25:1–9 | O LORD, You are my God! I will exalt You; I will praise Your name. For You have worked wonders— plans formed long ago— in perfect faithfulness. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֵלִ֣י, 'e.Ligenerated
The word אֵל (*'el*) means 'God' and conveys the idea of strength or power. It is often used to refer to the supreme God, highlighting His might and authority. In this verse, it emphasizes the psalmist's recognition of God's sovereignty.
The parsing as a noun in the construct state with a suffix indicates a personal relationship, as the psalmist identifies God as 'my God'. This personal possessiveness underscores the intimate connection between the worshiper and the divine.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction: the first clause expresses the psalmist's acknowledgment of God, and the second details his response of thanks and exaltation. The structure emphasizes the relationship between recognizing God and responding in worship.
The finite verbs are אוֹדֶ֑ךָּ ('I will give thanks') and אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךּ; ('I will exalt'), indicating the psalmist's active commitment to worship.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֵלִ֣י as μου, meaning 'my', which maintains the personal aspect of the psalmist's relationship with God. This choice reflects the intimate nature of worship in the Greek context.
The Greek translation does not alter the meaning significantly but emphasizes the personal devotion expressed in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 118:28 shows the psalmist declaring God as his own and expressing thanks. He acknowledges God’s greatness and commits to lifting Him up in praise.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is affirming a personal relationship with God, recognizing Him as the supreme deity who is intimately involved in his life.
Giving thanks is a vital expression of worship, acknowledging God's goodness and faithfulness, which is a recurring theme in the Psalms.
To exalt God means to lift Him up in praise and honor, recognizing His greatness and authority over all.
This verse echoes themes found in other psalms that celebrate God’s enduring love and faithfulness, such as Psalm 145:1 and Psalm 146:2.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I recognize God's presence in my life, as the psalmist does?
- What are some specific ways I can express gratitude to God this week?
- In what areas of my life do I need to exalt God more?
- How can I encourage others to acknowledge and thank God in their lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, using it to illustrate the importance of communal worship and thanksgiving.
Declare a holy day in full assemblies, even unto the horns of the altarEarly Church Fathers on Psalms 118 →
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 118:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou [art] my God, and I will praise thee,.... These are the words of David, asserting his interest in God as his covenant God; and which is the great blessing of the covenant, and the greatest
Read John Gill on Psalms 118 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt thee - (Exodus 15:2.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 118 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 118:28 Thou [art] my God, and I will praise thee: [thou art] my God, I will exalt thee.Ver. 28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee] The people are taught to say thus; and the Greek, Arabic, and Latin translations repeat here, Psalms 118:21, "I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me; and art become my salvation." People can never be sufficiently thankful for their salvation by Christ. It is their duty, and should be their desire.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 118 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. I will praise thee] Rather, I will give thanks unto thee, as in Psalms 118:29. The verse is another echo of Exo 15:2. thou art my God] So the LXX. The Heb. text has, O my God. The word for ‘God’ in the preceding line is El, here it is Elôhîm. At the end of the verse the LXX repeats Psalms 118:21.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 118 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou art my God, and I will praise thee - This is the language of the author of the psalm - his solemn profession before the sanctuary and the altar; his response to the priesthood.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 118 →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
You are my God, and I will give You thanks. You are my God, and I will exalt You.
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.
You are my God, and I will give You thanks. You are my God, and I will exalt You.
You are my God and I will give you thanks! You are my God and I will praise you!
Tyndale line
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, euen my God: therefore I will exalt thee.
Strictly literal
Thou art my God, and I will give thee thanks; my God, I will exalt thee.
My God Thou [art], and I confess Thee, My God, I exalt Thee.
You [are] my God, and I confess You, || My God, I exalt You.
Thou art my God, and I will thank thee: my God, I will exalt thee.
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will exalt you.
From the Latin
My soul hath slumbered through heaviness: strengthen thou me in thy words.
Simplified
You are my God, and I will thank you! You are my God, and I will praise you!
You are my God, and I will give you praise; my God, and I will give honour to your name.
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 reads, "אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךּ;" the Septuagint aligns closely with this text, matching all five words in a word-by-word correspondence, though it presents them in its own structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls (11Q5) also agree with the Masoretic Text, preserving the same wording: "אל׳י אתה ואוד׳כה אלוה׳י ארוממ׳כה." Thus, all witnesses confirm the same essential message and wording, highlighting the consistency across these ancient texts.
אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃
5 of the 5 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.
אל׳י אתה ואוד׳כה אלוה׳י ארוממ׳כה
5 words on the leather.
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 118:28
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.
The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might
applied to men of might and rank
angels
gods of the nations
Ēl
as characterizing mighty things in nature
God, the one only and true God of Israel
אֵל strength, power
base
H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank
. angels
. gods of the nations
. Ēl
. as characterizing mighty things in nature
. God, the one only and true God of Israel
. אֵל strength, power
410 'el ale
shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;
especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God
(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.
Compare names in "-el."
see HEBREW for 0352
אֵל (el) — God.
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֵל (el) — El (Berith).
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)
אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)
אֵל (el) — El (Most High).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)
אֵל (el) — god.
: god
1) god, god-like one, mighty one
1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes
1b) angels
1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)
1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah
2) mighty things in nature
3) strength, power
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2ms
יָדָה (yadah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw or cast, particularly in the context of shooting arrows or stones. It also encompasses the meanings of giving thanks, praising, and confessing, especially in a ritual context. The word is built from a primitive root and has various forms, including Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of action.
[יָדָה] vb. throw, cast
Qal shoot (arrows) at
Pi. and they cast (stones) on me
Hiph.
give thanks, laud, praise
confess
Hithp.
confess
give thanks, in ritual worship
base
H3034 [יָדָה] throw, cast .shoot (arrows) at
. and they cast (stones) on me
. . give thanks, laud, praise
. confess
. . confess
. give thanks, in ritual worship
3034 yadah yaw-daw'
a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027;
literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to
throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or
worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by
wringing the hands):--cast (out), (make) confess(-ion),
praise, shoot, (give) thank(-ful, -s, -sgiving).
see HEBREW for 03027
יָדָה (ya.dah) — to give thanks.
1) to throw, shoot, cast
1a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)
1b) (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give thanks, laud, praise
1c2) to confess, confess (the name of God)
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to confess (sin)
1d2) to give thanks
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדָא "to praise" H3029)
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil first person common singular · suffixHC/Vhu1cs/Sp2ms
אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
pl. in number.
rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
angels
gods
pl. intensive
god or goddess
godlike one
works of God, or things belongng to him
God
הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
אֱלֹהִים = God
base
H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
. angels
. gods
. pl. intensive . god or goddess
. godlike one
. works of God, or things belongng to him
. God
. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
. אֱלֹהִים = God
430 'elohiym el-o-heem'
plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically
used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the
supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to
magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X
mighty.
see HEBREW for 0433
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.
This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.
Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.
Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bs
רוּם (ruwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be high or exalted, covering a range of actions such as rising, lifting, and promoting. It can refer to physical elevation, like raising an ark or setting up a throne, as well as figurative exaltation, particularly in relation to God. The word also has a related form, רָמַם (ramam), which means to be wormy.
רוּם vb. be high, exalted, rise
Qal
be high, lit. rock (in fig.)
esp. of י׳
be raised, uplifted
be lifted, rise, of ark
Pō‛lēl
raise, rear, children
cause tree to grow
lift up
exalt, extol, acc. י׳
Pō‛lal be lift up
Hiph.
raise, rear, c. acc., hand
raise poor
lift up voice
(take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone
set up, erect, stone
set on high, throne
lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.
lift up and take away, remove
lift off and present, contribute, offer
Hoph. be taken off from; be abolished
Hithpō‛l. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself
base
[רָמַם] vb. denom. be wormy;—Ex 16:20
ref
H7311a רוּם be high, exalted, rise .. . be high, lit. rock (in fig.)
. esp. of י׳
. be raised, uplifted
. be lifted, rise, of ark
.. . raise, rear, children
. cause tree to grow
. lift up
. exalt, extol, acc. י׳
.be lift up
. . . . raise, rear, c. acc., hand
. raise poor
. lift up voice
. (take into one's hand and) lift, take up, stone
. set up, erect, stone
. set on high, throne
. lift up, exalt, c. acc. pers.
. lift up and take away, remove
. lift off and present, contribute, offer
. be taken off from; be abolished
. and he shall exalt and magnify himself above, etc.; I will raise myself
H7311b רָמַם vb. denom. be wormy
7311 ruwm room
a primitive root; to be high actively, to rise or raise (in
various applications, literally or figuratively):--bring up,
exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be,
lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up,
levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer
(up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up,
tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.
רוּם (rum) — to exalt.
1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be high, be set on high
1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted
1a3) to be lifted, rise
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up
1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt
1b3) to exalt, extol
1c) (Polal) to be lifted up
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high
1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove
1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute
1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished
1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself
Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)
רָמַם (ra.mam) — be rotten.
(Qal) to be rotten, be wormy
V-o-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect first person common singular · suffixHVpi1cs/Sp2ms