Psalms 136:24 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
BSAand freed uspâraq▸ [rescued, delivered] from our enemiestsar [adversaries, oppressors] His loving devotionchêçêd [kindness, mercy, faithful love] endures foreverʻôwlâm [lasts, remains, for all eternity, always]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ | and he rescued us | Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ | from foes our | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| כִּ֖י | for | Particle |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | [is] for ever | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | covenant loyalty his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and freed us from our enemies. His loving devotion endures forever. |
| KJV | And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. |
| ASV | And hath delivered us from our adversaries; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: |
| YLT | And He delivereth us from our adversaries, For to the age [is] His kindness. |
| WEB | and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever; |
| BBE | And has taken us out of the hands of our haters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. |
Where they part company is וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and a causal clause, clearly outlining God's action and its reason.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & 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 136:24
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 — God's Enduring Mercygenerated
Psalm 136:24 is part of a psalm that repeatedly emphasizes God's steadfast love and His acts of deliverance. The psalmist recalls various instances where God intervened for His people, highlighting His faithfulness and mercy. This verse specifically notes God's rescue from enemies, reinforcing the theme of divine protection and care.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 15:13 | With loving devotion You will lead the people You have redeemed; with Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 15:15 | Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today. |
| 3 | Proverbs 23:10–11 | Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, |
| 4 | Isaiah 63:9 | In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. |
| 5 | Luke 1:68–74 | “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ, vai.yif.re.Ke.nugenerated
The verb פָּרַק (paraḳ) means to tear apart or to deliver. In this context, it conveys the idea of God rescuing His people from danger or distress, emphasizing His active role in their salvation.
The parsing indicates a third person masculine singular form, suggesting that God is the subject performing the action of rescuing. This verb is used in various contexts to express both literal and figurative deliverance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses freed, aligning with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ governs the clause, indicating God's action of rescuing. The structure includes a prepositional phrase מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ that specifies from whom He rescues, followed by a causal conjunction כִּ֖י that introduces the reason for this action.
The sentence flows from the action of rescue to the affirmation of God's eternal kindness, creating a cohesive statement about His character and deeds.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ as ἡμᾶς (hēmās), meaning 'us.' This choice emphasizes the personal nature of God's deliverance, directly addressing the community of believers.
The LXX maintains the focus on God's action and the resulting relationship with His people, aligning with the Hebrew text's theme of divine rescue.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 136:24 tells us that God has rescued His people from their enemies, highlighting His everlasting kindness. This verse is part of a larger psalm that celebrates God's enduring love and faithfulness in delivering His people from trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's active role in delivering His people from danger and oppression, showcasing His protective nature.
It emphasizes God's steadfast love and mercy, which endure forever, reassuring believers of His constant presence and support.
It underscores the eternal nature of God's kindness, suggesting that His love and mercy are unchanging and everlasting.
We can trust in God's deliverance in our own lives and recognize His ongoing love and support in times of trouble.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's rescue in my life?
- How can I remind myself of God's enduring kindness during difficult times?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's deliverance?
- How can I show kindness and mercy to others, reflecting God's character?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 136:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd hath redeemed us from our enemies,.... Temporal enemies, tyrants, and oppressors: and spiritual ones, sin, Satan, the world, the law, death, and hell; for his mercy [endureth] for ever; as is
Read John Gill on Psalms 136 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 136 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.Ver. 24. And hath redeemed us] Or, broken us off, pulled us away, as by violence; for they would never else have loosed us. This is priori maior misericordia, a greater mercy than the former, saith Kimchi; to redeem is more than to preserve.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 136 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(24) Redeemed.—Better, as in original, snatched us from. (Comp. Psalms 7:2, used of a lion suddenly seizing his prey.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 136 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. And hath redeemed &c.] R.V. and hath delivered us from our adversaries.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 136 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd hath redeemed us from our enemies - Has rescued or delivered us from all our foes; has given to us freedom and peace.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 136 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
and freed us from our enemies. His loving devotion endures forever.
and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;
and freed us from our enemies. His loving devotion endures forever.
and snatched us away from our enemies, for his loyal love endures,
Tyndale line
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And hath delivered us from our adversaries; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever:
And hath delivered us from our adversaries: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
And hath rescued vs from our oppressours: for his mercie endureth for euer:
Strictly literal
And hath delivered us from our oppressors, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever:
And He delivereth us from our adversaries, For to the age [is] His kindness.
And He delivers us from our adversaries, || For His kindness [is] for all time.
And hath freed us from our assailants; for to eternity endureth his kindness;
Give thanks to him who has given us victory over our enemies, for his covenant faithfulness endures forever—
Simplified
He rescued us from our enemies. For his trustworthy love lasts forever.
And has taken us out of the hands of our haters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
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 in their wording, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partial restoration, confirming the key elements of the verse while indicating some editorial intervention.
וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
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.
[ויפרק׳נו] [מצרי׳נו] [כי] לעולם [חסד׳ו]
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 4 supplied entire by an editor.
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 136:24
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.
פָּרַק (paraḳ) is a Hebrew verb meaning to tear apart or away. It can imply breaking off, delivering, or rescuing in various forms, such as tearing away or being broken in pieces. The entries suggest a range of uses, including both literal and figurative senses, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[פָּרַק] vb. tear apart, away
Qal tear away yoke
Pi. he shall tear off their hoofs
Hithp. tear off (for, i.e. from, oneself)
base
H6561 [פָּרַק] tear apart, away
6561 paraq paw-rak'
a primitive root; to break off or crunch; figuratively, to
deliver:--break (off), deliver, redeem, rend (in pieces),
tear in pieces.
פָּרַק (pa.raq) — to tear.
1) to tear apart or away, tear off, break away
1a) (Qal) to tear away, snatch, rescue
1b) (Piel) to tear off
1c) (Hithpael) to tear off from oneself, be broken off, be broken in pieces
Aramaic equivalent: pe.raq (פְּרַק "to break" H6562)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vqw3ms/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
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
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp1bp
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
HTc — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
עוֹלָם (owlam) refers to concepts of long duration, antiquity, and futurity, encompassing meanings like eternity and perpetual existence. It is derived from a root meaning 'concealed' or 'the vanishing point.' The term is used to describe both ancient times and an indefinite future, indicating continuity and everlastingness.
עוֹלָם 439 n.m. long duration, antiquity, futurity
base
H5769 עוֹלָם long duration, antiquity, futurity
5769 `owlam o-lawm'
or lolam {o-lawm'}; from 5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the
vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future),
i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial
(especially with prepositional prefix) always:--alway(-s),
ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for,
(n-))ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of)
old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world
(+ without end). Compare 5331, 5703.
see HEBREW for 05956
see HEBREW for 05331
see HEBREW for 05703
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: enduring.
: enduring/eternal
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — Everlasting.
This name means long duration, everlasting, perpetual
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: any time.
: any_time
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time (of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence, perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
עוֹלָם (o.lam) — forever: antiquity.
: old/ancient
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms