Psalms 44:7 — Word Study
WLCכִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃
BSAForkîy [because of Your great power] You save usyâshaʻ▸ [rescue, deliver]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | for | Particle |
| ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ | you have saved us | Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
| מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ | from foes our | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ | and [those who] hate us | Conjunction, verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃ | you have put to shame | Verb, Hiphil, perfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame. |
| KJV | But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. |
| ASV | But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us. |
| YLT | For Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And those hating us Thou hast put to shame. |
| WEB | But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us. |
| BBE | But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us. |
Translations consistently affirm God's role as savior in this verse.
The verse consists of two main clauses that express God's saving action and the humiliation of enemies.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbלֹא
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 44:7
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 Deliverancegenerated
Psalms 44:7 expresses a deep reliance on God for salvation from enemies. The psalmist contrasts human inability to save with divine intervention, emphasizing that it is God who delivers His people from their foes. This theme resonates throughout the psalm, highlighting God's role in providing safety and victory, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 140:7 | O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You shield my head in the day of battle. |
| 2 | Psalm 144:10 | to Him who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword. |
| 3 | Joshua 1:5 | No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. |
| 4 | Joshua 10:8–10 | The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.” |
| 5 | Joshua 11:6 | Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ, Ho.o.sha'.ta.nugenerated
The Hebrew word הוֹשַׁע (yasha`) is a verb meaning 'to save' or 'to deliver'. It is in the Hiphil form, indicating the subject causes the action — here, God is the one who saves His people from danger. This word encompasses a range of salvific actions, from physical rescue in battle to moral deliverance from sin.
In this verse, the psalmist acknowledges that it is God who actively saves His people from their enemies, reinforcing the idea that true deliverance comes from divine intervention rather than human effort.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree that God is the one who saves His people from their enemies.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses linked by the conjunction כִּי (ki), which introduces the reason for the psalmist's confidence. The first clause, ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ, emphasizes God's saving action, while the second clause, וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ, describes the humiliation of the enemies.
The structure highlights the contrast between God's saving power and the fate of those who oppose Him, with the emphasis on God's action at the beginning of the verse.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb הוֹשַׁע is rendered as οὐ (ou), indicating a strong negation. This choice may reflect a different interpretative angle, emphasizing the certainty of God's deliverance.
The translation choice suggests a focus on the assurance of salvation rather than simply stating the act of saving, which aligns with the broader themes of divine protection in the psalm.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 44:7 expresses a plea for God's help, stating that He saves His people from their enemies and puts those who hate them to shame. This reflects a deep trust in God's power to deliver in times of trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God actively intervenes to protect His people from those who seek to harm them, providing safety and deliverance.
The psalmist acknowledges that it is God who saves, contrasting human limitations with divine capability.
Putting enemies to shame signifies God's ultimate victory over those who oppose His people, demonstrating His power and justice.
This verse reassures believers that God is a protector and deliverer, encouraging trust in His ability to save from various forms of adversity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to trust God for deliverance from challenges or adversaries?
- How can I remind myself of God's past faithfulness when facing current difficulties?
- What does it mean for me to rely on God's strength rather than my own in times of trouble?
- How can I support others who are struggling with their own enemies or challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse, such as from Augustine of Hippo, interprets it as a prophetic statement about God's future deliverance.
"For You have saved us from our enemies" [Psalms 44:7]. This too is spoken of the future under the figure of the past.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 44 →
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 44:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut thou hast saved us from our enemies,.... Spiritual ones, and not we ourselves; and therefore will not trust in ourselves, nor in anything of ours, but in the Lord, and give him the glory of
Read John Gill on Psalms 44 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 44 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 44:7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.Ver. 7. But thou hast saved us] Thou hast wrought and fought for us against those that sought to destroy us. Thou hast, and, therefore, thou will for thou art the same, my King, Psalms 44:4.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 44 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. But] Or, For. Past experience justifies the confidence of Psa 44:6. them … that hated us] R.V., them … that hate us. Cp. Psalms 44:10.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 44 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut thou hast saved us from our enemies - That is, Thou hast done it in times past. Thou hast interposed in behalf of our nation in periods of danger and trial, and hast delivered us.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 44 →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
For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame.
But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame.
For you deliver us from our enemies; you humiliate those who hate us.
Tyndale line
But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us.
But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.
But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
But thou hast saued vs from our aduersaries, and hast put them to confusion that hate vs.
Strictly literal
For thou hast saved us from our adversaries, and hast put them to shame that hate us.
For Thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And those hating us Thou hast put to shame.
For You have saved us from our adversaries, || And You have put to shame those hating us.
(44:8) But thou helpest us against our assailants, and those that hate us thou puttest to shame.
But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have put to shame those who hate us.
From the Latin
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness.
Simplified
You are the one who saves us from our enemies; you defeat those who hate us.
But it is you who have been our saviour from those who were against us, and have put to shame those who had hate for us.
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 כִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃, while the Septuagint matches four out of the five words. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, indicating a partial loss of the text but aligning with the Masoretic reading in essence.
כִּ֣י ה֭וֹשַׁעְתָּנוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ הֱבִישֽׁוֹתָ׃
4 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.
[כי] לוא [בקשת׳י] [אבטח] [וחרב׳י] [לא] [תושיע׳ני]
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 6 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 44:7
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.
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)
Conj — 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…
יָשַׁע (yasha`) is a Hebrew root meaning to save or deliver. It encompasses various forms of salvation, including liberation from physical and moral troubles, victory in battle, and general safety. The word can appear in different grammatical forms, such as Niph. (to be saved) and Hiph. (to save).
[יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass.
Niph.
be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
be saved in battle, victorious
Hiph.
deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
save from moral troubles
give victory to
base
H3467 [יָשַׁע] Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. . . be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
. be saved in battle, victorious
. . deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
. save from moral troubles
. give victory to
3467 yasha` yaw-shah'
a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e.
(by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or
succor:--X at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help,
preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation,
save(-iour), get victory.
יָשַׁע (ya.sah) — to save.
1) to save, be saved, be delivered
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered
1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to save, deliver
1b2) to save from moral troubles
1b3) to give victory to
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVhp2ms/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
HR/Ncmpc/Sp1bp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp1bp
שָׂנֵא (sane') is a primitive root meaning 'to hate.' It covers various forms of hatred, including personal animosity and enmity, and can refer to both humans and God. The word appears in different grammatical forms, with uses in Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating actions of hating or being hated. Its Aramaic equivalent is שְׂנָא.
שָׂנֵא 145 vb. hate
Qal 128 hate
Niph. is hated
Pi. enemy
base
H8130 שָׂנֵא hate
8130 sane' saw-nay'
a primitive root; to hate (personally):--enemy, foe, (be)
hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.
שָׂנֵא (sa.ne) — to hate.
1) to hate, be hateful
1a) (Qal) to hate
1a1) of man
1a2) of God
1a3) hater, one hating, enemy (participle) (subst)
1b) (Niphal) to be hated
1c) (Piel) hater (participle)
1c1) of persons, nations, God, wisdom
Aramaic equivalent: se.ne (שְׂנָא "to hate" H8131)
HC/Vprmpc/Sp1bp — Conjunction · verb piel participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vprmpc/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
בּוֹשׁ (buwsh) is a Hebrew root meaning 'to be ashamed.' It encompasses feelings of shame, disappointment, and disconcertion. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to feel shame), Piel (to delay in shame), and Hiphil (to put to shame). The entries indicate a range of uses, from personal feelings of shame to actions that cause shame to others.
בּוֹשׁ 109 vb. be ashamed
Qal
abs. feel shame
sq. מִן, be ashamed of, i.e. disconcerted, disappointed by reason of
with obj. I am ashamed to ask
Polel delay (in shame)
Hiph.
put to shame
put to shame
act shamefully
to be put to shame
be ashamed
Hithp. ashamed before one another
base
H954 בּוֹשׁ be ashamed
954 buwsh boosh
a primitive root; properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to
be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or
delayed:--(be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with,
a-)shamed(-d), be (put to) confounded(-fusion), become dry,
delay, be long.
בּוֹשׁ (bush) — be ashamed.
1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to feel shame
1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of)
1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to put to shame
1c2) to act shamefully
1c3) to be ashamed
1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another
HVhp2ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect second person masculine singularHVhp2ms
sham (bosh, "to be ashamed," bosheth, "shame," qalon; aischune, "ignominy," atimia, "dishonor," and other words): An oft-recurring word in Scripture almost uniformly bound up with a sense of sin and guilt. It is figuratively set forth as a wild beast (Jer 3:24), a Nessus-garment (Jer 3:25), a blight (Jer 20:18), a sin against one's own soul (Hab 2:10), and twice as the condensed symbol of Hebrew abomination--Baal (Jer 11:13 margin; Ho 9:10 margin; see ISH-BOSHETH). It is bracketed with defeat (Isa 30:3), reproach…