Psalms 60:5 — Word Study
WLCלְ֭מַעַן יֵחָלְצ֣וּן יְדִידֶ֑יךָ הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
BSAProviderrâʼâh Amawʻam severeqâsheh to watershâqâh wineyayin reelingtarʻêlâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְ֭מַעַן | so that | Particle |
| יֵחָלְצ֣וּן | they may be rescued ! | Verb niphal jussive third person masculine plural, suffix |
| יְדִידֶ֑יךָ | beloved [ones] your | Suffix |
| הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה | save ! | Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| יְמִֽינְךָ֣ | right [hand] your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃ | and answer me | Conjunction, verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered. |
| KJV | That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. |
| ASV | That thy beloved may be delivered, Save with thy right hand, and answer us. |
| YLT | That Thy beloved ones may be drawn out, Save [with] Thy right hand, and answer us. |
| WEB | So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us. |
| BBE | So that your loved ones may be made safe, let your right hand be my salvation, and give me an answer. |
Translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, with no significant differences noted.
The verse consists of a main plea followed by a purpose clause, emphasizing the reason for the request.
7 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 60:5
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
Psalm 60:5 is a cry for help, where the psalmist implores God to respond and save His people. This verse is part of a larger context where the psalmist acknowledges God's sovereignty and power, asking for deliverance for His beloved ones amidst challenges. The surrounding verses highlight God's past actions and the need for His intervention in the present.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 60:12 | With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies. |
| 2 | Psalm 22:8 | “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.” |
| 3 | Psalm 108:6–13 | Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 7:7–8 | The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 33:3 | Surely You love the people; all the holy ones are in Your hand, and they sit down at Your feet; each receives Your words— |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְדִידֶ֑יךָ, ye.di.Dei.khagenerated
The word יְדִידֶ֑יךָ (ye.di.Dei.kha) means 'beloved' and is derived from a root that signifies love. It is used to describe those who are cherished, particularly in a poetic context, reflecting God's affection for His people.
In this verse, it emphasizes the special relationship between God and His people, indicating that the deliverance sought is for those whom He loves. The use of this word underscores the urgency of the request, as it is for the sake of His beloved that the psalmist calls upon God's strength.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term beloved to capture the essence of יְדִידֶ֑יךָ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה, save, which governs the entire plea. The structure includes a request for response, followed by the subject of the plea — God's beloved — and concludes with a purpose clause that indicates the desired outcome of the request.
The syntax emphasizes the urgency of the plea, with the verb placed prominently, highlighting the psalmist's dependence on God's action for deliverance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה as σου, indicating a focus on personal deliverance. This choice narrows the interpretation to a more individualistic plea, contrasting with the communal aspect present in the Hebrew.
The Greek rendering of יְדִידֶ֑יךָ as ἐπότισας suggests a different nuance, potentially emphasizing nurturing rather than merely love, which could reflect a broader interpretation of God's relationship with His people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 60:5 is a prayer asking God to respond and save His people using His strength, specifically for the sake of those He loves. This plea highlights the psalmist's reliance on God's power and care for His beloved ones.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's protective and loving nature, indicating that He cares deeply for those who are cherished and will act on their behalf.
The right hand symbolizes strength and power in biblical literature, suggesting that God's deliverance comes from His might.
The psalmist is acknowledging past victories and calling upon God to act again, reflecting a deep trust in God's ability to save.
It connects to the broader theme of God's faithfulness and love for His people, a recurring motif throughout the Psalms and the entire Bible.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's deliverance and strength?
- How can I better understand and appreciate God's love for me as His beloved?
- What does it mean for me to respond to God's call for help in my own life?
- How can I support others who are in need of God's saving power?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, highlighting its plea for deliverance and God's attentive response.
"That Your beloved may be delivered: save me with Your right hand, and hearken unto me" [Psalms 60:5].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 60 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 60:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat thy beloved may be delivered,.... Some think that these words express the effect or end of the banner being displayed; but because of the word "Selah" at the end of Ps 60:4, which makes so full
Read John Gill on Psalms 60 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThat thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand - prayer for the completion of the deliverance already begun.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 60 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 60:5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save [with] thy right hand, and hear me.Ver. 5. That thy beloved may be delivered] Heb. thy darlings, those that fear thee, Psalms 60:4, for, for their sakes it is that God doth good to a people; to all others he seemeth to say, as Elisha once did to Jehoram, that wicked king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? &c. Were it not that I regarded such and such people, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee, 2 Kings 3:13-14. Save with thy right hand] Heb. Save thy right hand, which seemeth to be afflicted together with us; because the enemies say, he cannot save us; thus Kimchi expoundeth it.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 60 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) From this verse onward the psalm appears again, with some variations noticed there, in Psalms 108:6-13. (6, 7, 8) These three verses, forming the centre of the poem, are, plainly by their style, of different age and authorship from the beginning. Possibly, indeed, they formed an original poem by themselves, an ancient oracular saying descriptive of the relations of Israel to the tribes bordering on her territory, and were then employed by the compilers of this psalm and Psalms 108, to rouse the drooping spirits of the race in some less fortunate time. (See Introduction.) The speaker is God Himself, who, according to a familiar prophetic figure, appears in the character of a warrior, the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 60 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–8. A prayer for deliverance and victory, based upon God’s promise to give Israel the possession of Canaan, and supremacy over the neighbouring nations.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 60 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThat thy beloved may be delivered - The word beloved is in the plural number, and might be rendered beloved ones. It refers not merely to David as his servant and friend, but to those associated with him.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 60 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible5. Thy beloved—The same word, radically, as Jedediah, the beloved of Jehovah, a title of endearment given to Benjamin and to Solomon. Deuteronomy 33:12; 2 Samuel 12:25. See Psalms 108:6.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 60 →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
Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered.
So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.
Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered.
Deliver by your power and answer me, so that the ones you love may be safe.
Tyndale line
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
That thy beloved may be delivered, Save with thy right hand, and answer us.
That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and answer us.
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
That thy beloued may be deliuered, helpe with thy right hand and heare me.
Strictly literal
That thy beloved ones may be delivered. Save with thy right hand, and answer me.
That Thy beloved ones may be drawn out, Save [with] Thy right hand, and answer us.
That Your beloved ones may be drawn out, || Save [with] Your right hand, and answer us.
(60:7) In order that thy beloved may be delivered: help with thy right hand, and answer me.
So that those you love may be rescued, rescue us with your right hand and answer me.
From the Latin
In thy tabernacle I shall dwell for ever: I shall be protected under the covert of thy wings.
Simplified
Rescue those you love! Answer us, and save us by your power!
So that your loved ones may be made safe, let your right hand be my salvation, and give me an answer.
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 for this verse, with a few differences in translation choices. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew, but the core message remains consistent across both texts.
לְ֭מַעַן יֵחָלְצ֣וּן יְדִידֶ֑יךָ הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
5 of the 6 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 60:5
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.
מַ֫עַן (ma`an) is a preposition and conjunction meaning 'for the sake of' or 'on account of.' It conveys purpose or intent, indicating a motive or aim, and is used adverbially. The word is derived from a root meaning 'heed' or 'purpose' and appears in contexts that express reasons or intentions.
[מַ֫עַן] subst. purpose, intent, only with לְ, in לְמַ֫עַן 271 prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that
base
H4616 מַ֫עַן prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that
4616 ma`an mah'-an
from 6030; properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only
adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim),
teleologically, in order that:--because of, to the end
(intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), + lest, that, to.
see HEBREW for 06030
מַ֫עַן (ma.an) — because.
1) purpose, intent prep
1a) for the sake of
1b) in view of, on account of
1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj
1d) to the end that
HTc — ParticleHTc
so (co', although the Hebrew might be pointed cewe'; Assyrian Sib'u; Septuagint Segor, Soa; Manetho, Seuechos; Latin Sevechus; Herodotus (ii. 137 ff), Sabakon): In all probability the "Sabaeo" of Herodotus, the Shabaka, who founded the Ethiopian dynasty, the XXVth of Egyptian kings. His date is given as 715-707 BC (Flinders Petrie, History of Egypt, III, 281 ff), but we may suppose that before his accession to the throne he was entitled to be designated king, as being actually regent. To this So, Hoshea, king of Israel, made an appeal for assistance to enable him to throw off the yoke of the Assyrian Shalmaneser IV (2Ki 17:3). But Hoshea's submission to So brought him no advantage, for Shalmaneser came up throughout all the land and laid siege to Samaria. Not long after the fall of Samaria, So ventured upon an eastern campaign, and…
So
(Nubian, Sabako), an Ethiopian king who brought Egypt under his sway. He was bribed by Hoshea to help him against the Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:4). This was a return to the policy that had been successful in the reign of Jeroboam I.
"So, king of Egypt," is once mentioned in the Bible -- (2 Kings 17:4) So has been identified by different writers with the first and second kings of the Ethiopian twenty-fifth dynasty, called by Manetho, Sabakon (Shebek) and Sebichos (Shebetek).
King of Egypt, made an alliance with Hoshea king of Israel, and promised him assistance; but was unable to prevent Shalmaneser king of Assyria from taking Samaria and subverting the kingdom, B. C. 721, 2Ki 17:4. See PHARAOH.
So is believed to have been the Servetus or Sabaco II of secular history, the second king of the Ethiopian or twenty-fifth dynasty, and the predecessor of Trihakah. A singular fact has been brought to light by the recent explorations at Nineveh, corroborating the Scripture record the more forcibly, because unexpected and direct. The Bible shows that Egypt and Assyria, though remote, were often in conflict during the height of the Assyrian ruins power, and that So was at war with Shalmaneser. After war comes the treaty of peace; and as the Bible prepares us to suppose such treaties were made, the Assyrian ruins…
חָלַץ (chalats) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings related to drawing out or withdrawing, as well as rescuing or delivering. It can also imply equipping for war or strengthening. The entries indicate that it can be used in various forms, including to arm oneself or to be delivered. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
חָלַץ vb. draw off or out, withdraw
Qal
draw, draw off
intrans. withdraw
Niph. be delivered
Pi.
pull out, tear out
rescue, deliver
base
[חָלַץ] vb. equip for war
Qal only Pt. pass.—equipped
as adj.
as subst. sg. coll.
Niph. be or go equipped
Hiph. will brace up, invigorate, thy bones
base
H2502a חָלַץ draw off or out, withdraw .. draw, draw off
. intrans. withdraw
. be delivered
. . pull out, tear out
. rescue, deliver
H2502b חָלַץ equip for war .only Pt. pass.—equipped . as adj.
. as subst. sq. coll.
. be or go equipped
. will brace up, invigorate, thy bones
2502 chalats khaw-lats'
a primitive root; to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip,
(reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for
fight); present, strengthen:--arm (self), (go, ready) armed (X
man, soldier), deliver, draw out, make fat, loose, (ready)
prepared, put off, take away, withdraw self.
חָלַץ (cha.lats) — to rescue.
1) to draw off or out, withdraw
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw, draw off
1a2) to withdraw
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be delivered
1b2) to be saved
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to pull out, tear out
1c2) to rescue, deliver, set free
1c3) to take away, plunder
חָלַץ (cha.lats) — to arm.
1) to equip (for war), arm for war, rescue, be rescued
1a) (Qal) equipped (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be equipped
1b2) to go equipped
1b3) to be armed
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make strong, brace up
1c2) to invigorate
HVNj3mp/Sn — Verb niphal jussive third person masculine plural · suffixHVNj3mp/Sn
יָדִיד (yadid) means 'beloved' or 'lovely' and is used poetically in the Old Testament. It is derived from a root meaning 'to love.' The entries indicate that it can refer to something or someone that is amiable or well-loved, with no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
[יָדִיד] adj. (poet.) beloved
my beloved
lovely
a song of love
base
H3039a יָדִיד beloved H3039b יָדִיד beloved
3039 ydiyd yed-eed'
from the same as 1730; loved:--amiable, (well-)beloved,
loves.
see HEBREW for 01730
יָדִיד (ye.did) — beloved.
1) beloved
2) lovely
יָדִידָה (ye.di.dah) — love.
love
HAampc/Sp2ms — SuffixHAampc/Sp2ms
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
HVhv2ms/Sh — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVhv2ms/Sh
sav: In the sense "except," the word came into English through the French (sauf) and is fairly common (38 times, in addition to "saving," the King James Version Ec 5:11; Am 9:8; Mt 5:32; Lu 4:27; Re 2:17). It represents no particular Hebrew or Greek terms but is employed wherever it seems useful. It is still in good (slightly archaic) use, and the Revised Version (British and American) has few modifications (De 15:4 the King James Version; Ps 18:31, etc.), but the English Revised Version has dropped "saving" in
The Hebrew word יָמִין (*yamiyn*) means 'right hand' or 'right side,' and it can also refer to the direction south, as the right hand points south when facing east. It is derived from the root word for 'to be strong' and covers various contexts, including body parts and directional references.
יָמִין 137 n.f. right hand
right hand
of situation on, or direction toward the right
of other parts of the body
= south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south
base
H3225 יָמִין right hand . right hand
. of situation on, or direction toward the right
. of other parts of the body
. = south, because when facing east the right hand is toward the south
3225 yamiyn yaw-meen'
from 3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or
other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally,
the south:--+ left-handed, right (hand, side), south.
see HEBREW for 03231
יָמִין (ya.min) — right.
1) right, right hand, right side
1a) right hand
1b) right (of direction)
1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)
Also means: ya.min (יָמִין ": south" H3225H)
יָמִין (ya.min) — right: south.
1) right, right hand, right side
1a) right hand
1b) right (of direction)
1c) south (the direction of the right hand when facing East)
יָמִין (ya.min) — [Ben]jamin.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);
brother of: Joseph (H3130);
half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
HNcfsc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word עָנָה (*anah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to heed or pay attention, covering a range of meanings including to answer, respond, testify, and sing. It appears in contexts where one responds to speech or circumstances, and can also refer to singing. The lexicons indicate that it can imply both verbal responses and musical expression.
[עוּן] vb. dwell
base
עָנָה 316 vb. answer, respond
Qal
answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
money meets all demands
specif. respond as a witness, testify
less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
Niph.
make answer
be answered
Hiph. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
base
עָנָה vb. sing
Qal sing, utter tunefully
Pi. sing sweetly of it
base
H6030a עוּן dwell H6030b עָנָה answer, respond .. answer, respond to sthg. said, actual or implied
. . respond to an occasion, speak in view of circumstances
. money meets all demands
. . specif. respond as a witness, testify
. less oft. make response as one accused (respondent)
. . make answer
. be answered
. wholly dub.; causes all things to respond in the joy of his heart
H6030c עָנָה sing
6030 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed,
i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to
begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify,
announce:--give account, afflict (by mistake for 6031),
(cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for 6031), cry,
hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing
(together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.
See also 1042, 1043.
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 06031
see HEBREW for 01042
see HEBREW for 01043
עוּן (un) — to dwell.
(Qal) to dwell
עָנָה (a.nah) — to answer.
1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to answer, respond to
1a2) to testify, respond as a witness
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to make answer
1b2) to be answered, receive answer
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)
עָנָה (a.nah) — to sing.
(Qal) to sing, utter tunefully
HC/Vqv2ms/Sp1bs — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHC/Vqv2ms/Sp1bs