Psalms 129:4 — Word Study
WLCיְהוָ֥ה צַדִּ֑יק קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ עֲב֣וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃
BSAThe LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is righteoustsaddîyq [just, having God's nature] He has cut meqâtsats■ [severed, cut asunder] from the cordsʻăbôth [ropes, chains] of the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty of sin]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֥ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| צַדִּ֑יק | [is] righteous | Adj |
| קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ | he has cut off | Verb, Piel, perfect third person masculine singular |
| עֲב֣וֹת | [the] rope of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| רְשָׁעִֽים׃ | wicked [people] | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked. |
| KJV | The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. |
| ASV | Jehovah is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. |
| YLT | Jehovah [is] righteous, He hath cut asunder cords of the wicked. |
| WEB | Yahweh is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked. |
| BBE | The Lord is true: the cords of the evil-doers are broken in two. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of the name for God — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two subordinate elements, clearly stating the subject and the action taken.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbקָצַץ
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 129:4
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 Lament of the Faithfulgenerated
Psalms 129:4 is part of a psalm that portrays the suffering of Israel under oppression, yet emphasizes the righteousness of the LORD who delivers His people. The preceding verses describe the hardships faced, while this verse affirms God's just nature and His action to sever ties with the wicked. This theme resonates with other passages that highlight God's justice and mercy, such as in Psalms 73:1.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 9:15 | O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.” |
| 2 | Nehemiah 9:33 | You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly. |
| 3 | Lamentations 1:18 | The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity. |
| 4 | Lamentations 3:22 | Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. |
| 5 | Daniel 9:7 | To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְהוָ֥ה, Yah.wehgenerated
The name יְהוָ֥ה (Yahweh) signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God, often translated as 'the LORD'. This name is central to the Jewish faith and reflects God's covenant relationship with His people.
In this verse, יְהוָ֥ה is described as צַדִּ֑יק (righteous), emphasizing His just nature in contrast to the wicked. The psalmist acknowledges that God's righteousness leads to liberation from the oppression of the wicked.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses is righteous and has cut to convey the meaning of the original Hebrew.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ (he has cut off), which governs the subject יְהוָ֥ה (the LORD) and the object עֲב֣וֹת (the cords). The structure emphasizes the action of the LORD in severing ties with the wicked.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject-verb-object order that highlights the LORD's action and character.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יְהוָ֥ה is rendered as κύριος (Lord), maintaining the divine authority of God's name. This choice reflects the translators' intent to convey the same reverence found in the Hebrew text.
The verb קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ is translated as συνέκοψεν (he cut off), which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of severing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 129:4 states that the LORD is righteous and has cut the speaker off from the cords of the wicked. This verse emphasizes God's justice and His power to deliver from evil.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the LORD embodies justice and moral integrity, acting in accordance with His nature.
They represent the bonds or ties that oppress the faithful, symbolizing the influence of evil.
It shows that God is actively involved in delivering His people from oppression and injustice.
We learn about the importance of trusting in God's righteousness and His ability to rescue us from evil.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel oppressed, and how can I trust in God's righteousness for deliverance?
- How can I reflect God's justice in my own actions and decisions?
- What does it mean for me to be cut off from the cords of the wicked in my daily life?
- How can I encourage others who are struggling with oppression to trust in the LORD's righteousness?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight God's justice and the deliverance of the faithful from sin. Quotations from early church fathers are included to illustrate this understanding.
"The righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners" [Psalms 129:4]....Which of us does not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, "Lord,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 129 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 129:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord [is] righteous,.... Or gracious and merciful; hence acts of mercy are called righteousness in the Hebrew language; the Lord has compassion on his people under their afflictions, and delivers
Read John Gill on Psalms 129 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. The righteousness of God is His people's ground of hoping deliverance.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 129 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleRighteous; faithful or merciful, as that word is frequently used. Cut asunder the cords wherewith the plough was drawn; by which means they were stopped in their course. So he persists in the same metaphor of a plough. By these cords he understands all their plots and endeavours.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 129 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 129:4 The LORD [is] righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.Ver. 4. The Lord is righteous] That is a ruled case, and must be held for a certain truth, whatever we are, or our persecutors. He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked] That is, their harness, their plough traces ( nam continuatur tropus rusticus), so that the plough is loose and the horses at liberty; all their forces and designs are broken.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 129 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) The Lord is righteous.—This expression of faith, introduced without any conjunction, is itself a revelation of the deeply-rooted religion of Israel. Cords.—Literally, cord. As in Psalms 124:7, the net was broken and the bird escaped, so here the cord binding the slave (comp. Psalms 2:3) is severed and he goes free.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 129 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. The Lord-hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.] The words have been applied to the sufferings of Christ; but I know not on what authority. No such scourging could take place in his case, as would justify the expression, - "The ploughers made long furrows there, Till all his body was one wound." It is not likely that he received more than thirty-nine stripes. The last line is an unwarranted assertion.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 129 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. The Lord is righteous: he &c.] Better, Jehovah the righteous hath cut asunder. The same attribute of righteousness which compels Him to punish (Nehemiah 9:33) binds Him to deliver, for it involves faithfulness to His covenant. Cp. Psalms 51:14 note; Isaiah 45:21. cords] The word usually denotes the straps or bands by which the yoke was fastened on to the neck of the ox (Job 39:10). If the metaphor of the preceding verse is continued, the meaning is that the plower’s harness is broken so that they can no longer continue their work. But the figure may be changed; Israel may be the ox, and the cords those which fasten the yoke of servitude upon its neck. Or ‘cords’ may be used generally as…
Read Cambridge on Psalms 129 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe Lord is righteous - Righteous in permitting this; righteous in what he has done, and will do, in the treatment of those who inflict such wrongs.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 129 →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
The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.
Yahweh is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.
The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.
The Lord is just; he cut the ropes of the wicked.”
Tyndale line
The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
Jehovah is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
But the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked.
Strictly literal
Jehovah is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
Jehovah [is] righteous, He hath cut asunder cords of the wicked.
YHWH [is] righteous, || He has cut apart cords of the wicked.
[Yet] the Lord is righteous; he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
Yahweh is righteous; he has cut the ropes of the wicked.”
From the Latin
For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word:
Simplified
But the Lord does what is right: he has cut me free from the ropes of the wicked.
The Lord is true: the cords of the evil-doers are broken in two.
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 agree on the wording of this verse, with the Dead Sea Scrolls also confirming the essential terms used. The scrolls provide a slightly different name for God, אדוני (Adonai), but the meaning remains consistent.
יְהוָ֥ה צַדִּ֑יק קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ עֲב֣וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃
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.
אדוני צדיק קצץ עבות רשעים
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 129:4
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.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
צַדִּיק (tsaddiyq) means just or righteous, covering various aspects such as lawful behavior, moral conduct, and being justified by God. It is derived from a related root and is used to describe individuals who are upright in character and actions.
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
base
H6662 צַדִּיק just, righteous
6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek'
from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).
see HEBREW for 06663
צַדִּיק (tsad.diq) — righteous.
1) just, lawful, righteous
1a) just, righteous (in government)
1b) just, right (in one's cause)
1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)
1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)
1e) right, correct, lawful
Adj — AdjHAamsa
קָצַץ (qatsats) means to cut off, with various nuances such as chopping or hewing in pieces. It is a primitive root that appears in different forms: Qal (to cut off), Piel (to cut or hew off), and Pual (to be cut off). The term is also related to an Aramaic equivalent, קְצַץ (H7113).
[קָצַץ] vb. cut off
Qal consec.
Pi. cut of hew off
Pu. hewn off
base
H7112 [קָצַץ] cut off
7112 qatsats kaw-tsats'
a primitive root; to chop off (literally or
figuratively):--cut (asunder, in pieces, in sunder, off), X
utmost.
קָצַץ (qa.tsats) — to cut.
1) to cut off
1a) (Qal) to cut off
1b) (Piel) to cut or hew off, cut in two, cut in pieces
1c) (Pual) to be cut or hewn off
Aramaic equivalent: qe.tsats (קְצַץ "to cut" H7113)
V-Piel-Perf-3ms — Verb · Piel · perfect third person masculine singularHVpp3ms
עֲבֹת (aboth) refers to a twisted cord or rope, and can also denote cordage or interwoven foliage. The word is derived from a root meaning something intertwined, and it encompasses various forms such as bands, chains, and thick branches. There is a suggestion of uncertainty regarding the meaning of 'interwoven foliage' in some entries.
עֲבֹת n.m. et f. (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
base
H5688 עֲבֹת (twisted) cord, rope; cordage; interwoven foliage (?)
5688 `aboth ab-oth'
or rabowth {ab-oth'}; or (feminine) tabothah {ab- oth-aw'};
the same as 5687; something intwined, i.e. a string, wreath or
foliage:--band, cord, rope, thick bough (branch), wreathen
(chain).
see HEBREW for 05687
עֲבֹת (a.vot) — cord.
1) cord, rope, cordage, foliage, interwoven foliage
1a) cord, rope, cordage, chain
1b) interwoven foliage
N-cs — 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…
רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
base
H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal
7563 rasha` raw-shaw'
from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad
person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did
wrong.
see HEBREW for 07561
רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.
1) wicked, criminal
1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
1b) wicked (hostile to God)
1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa