Psalms 71:21 — Word Study
WLCתֶּ֤רֶב׀ גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י וְתִסֹּ֥ב תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
BSAYou will increaserâbâh▸ [multiply, cause to grow] my honorgᵉdûwlâh [greatness, dignity] and comfort menâcham▸ [show pity, surround with sympathy] once againçâbab▸ [on every side, in every way]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תֶּ֤רֶב׀ | may you increase | Verb, Hiphil, jussive second person masculine singular |
| גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י | greatness my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְתִסֹּ֥ב | and may you turn | Conjunction, verb qal second person masculine singular |
| תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃ | may you comfort me | Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. |
| KJV | Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. |
| ASV | Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me. |
| YLT | Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest — Thou comfortest me, |
| WEB | Increase my honor and comfort me again. |
| BBE | You will make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side. |
The translations agree on the key themes of increase and comfort, with no significant differences noted.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with additional phrases that express the psalmist's desires.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָבָה
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 71:21
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 Prayer for Deliverance and Praisegenerated
Psalm 71:21 is part of a prayer where the psalmist acknowledges past troubles and expresses confidence in God's restoration. The surrounding verses highlight a journey from despair to hope, culminating in a commitment to praise God for His faithfulness. This reflects a broader theme in the Psalms of seeking divine help in times of distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 72:11 | May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 3:1 | Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. |
| 3 | Isaiah 9:7 | Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. |
| 4 | Isaiah 49:6 | He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” |
| 5 | Revelation 11:15 | Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תֶּ֤רֶב׀, Te.revgenerated
The verb רָבָה (rabah) is a Hiphil form meaning to increase or multiply. It conveys the idea of growth or abundance, often used to describe God's blessings. In this context, it emphasizes the psalmist's desire for God to enhance his honor, suggesting a restoration of dignity and status.
The jussive mood indicates a wish or desire, making it a personal plea for divine intervention. This word captures the essence of hope and expectation in the psalmist's relationship with God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations of this verse generally agree, with all versions reflecting the psalmist's request for God to increase his honor and comfort him.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs govern the structure of this verse: תֶּ֤רֶב (may you increase), וְתִסֹּ֥ב (and may you turn), and תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי (may you comfort me). Each verb is accompanied by its respective object, creating a series of requests directed towards God.
The arrangement emphasizes the psalmist's desires for both honor and comfort, suggesting a holistic appeal for restoration in various aspects of life.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תֶּ֤רֶב as ἐπλεόνασας, indicating a similar meaning of increase or abundance. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the psalmist's request for growth in honor.
Other words in this verse also find parallels in the Septuagint, reinforcing the continuity of meaning across translations.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 71:21 expresses a heartfelt request for God to increase the psalmist's honor and provide comfort once again. This verse is part of a larger prayer where the psalmist reflects on past troubles and looks forward to God's restoration and support.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist seeks a restoration of dignity and respect, indicating a desire for God to elevate his status after experiencing troubles.
Comfort in the Bible often involves God's compassion and support, as seen in various passages where God reassures His people.
This plea highlights the psalmist's reliance on God during difficult times, emphasizing the importance of divine support in overcoming challenges.
This verse encapsulates the themes of suffering, restoration, and praise, reflecting the psalmist's journey from despair to hope in God's faithfulness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's increase and restoration?
- How can I better understand and experience God's comfort in times of trouble?
- What does it mean for me to ask God to surround me with His support?
- How can I express gratitude for the honor and dignity God has given me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, like Augustine of Hippo, reflect on this verse to discuss themes of divine discipline and restoration.
But this was discipline; admonition, not desertion. Lastly, giving thanks, he says what? "And being turned You have made me alive,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 71 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 71:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou shalt increase my greatness,.... His temporal greatness, as he did, by crushing the rebellion of his son; returning him to his palace and family; and giving him rest from his enemies all around:
Read John Gill on Psalms 71 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. Thou shalt increase my greatness - even to a greater height than it attained before.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 71 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI am assured that thou wilt not only restore to me that royal majesty which my son hath invaded, but also increase my honour and power.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 71 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 71:21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.Ver. 21. Thou shall increase my greatness] Meam, id est Tuam, quam mihi dedisti, saith the Arabic gloss here; my greatness, that is, thy greatness which thou hast given me.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 71 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) Comfort me on every side.—Literally, either thou wilt compass with comfort, or wilt turn with comfort. The LXX. adopts the latter.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 71 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness] Thou wilt restore me to my throne and kingdom; and it shall be done in such a way that all shall see it was the hand of God; and I shall have the more honour on the account. Comfort me on every side.] I shall have friends in all quarters; and the tribes on all sides will support me.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 71 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21–24. Repeated prayers and vows of thanksgiving.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 71 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou shalt increase my greatness - Thou wilt not merely restore me to my former condition, but wilt enlarge my happiness, and wilt do still greater things for me.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 71 →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
You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
Increase my honor and comfort me again.
You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
Raise me to a position of great honor! Turn and comfort me!
Tyndale line
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me.
Increase thou my greatness, and turn again and comfort me.
Thou wilt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Thou wilt increase mine honour, and returne and comfort me.
Strictly literal
Thou wilt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest — Thou comfortest me,
You increase my greatness, || And You surround—You comfort me,
Thou wilt increase my greatness, and wilt turn round and comfort me.
May you increase my honor; turn again and comfort me.
Simplified
You will give me even greater prestige, and you will make me happy again.
You will make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side.
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 this verse, with three of the four Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This alignment suggests a shared understanding of the psalmist's plea for divine intervention.
תֶּ֤רֶב׀ גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י וְתִסֹּ֥ב תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
3 of the 4 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 71:21
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.
רָבָה (rabah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to increase or multiply, encompassing ideas of becoming great, numerous, or abundant. It has various forms, including Qal (to become many), Piel (to make large), and Hiphil (to make much). The word also appears in a context related to shooting in Genesis 21:20. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, רְבָה.
[רָבָה] 225 vb. be, or become, much, many, great
Qal 59
become many, numerous
be great
grow great (Aramaism)
Pi. 4 make large, increase
Hiph. 162
H7235a רָבָה be, or become, much, many, great .. become many, numerous
. . be great
. grow great (Aramaism)
. make large, increase
. . make much or many
. make great, obj. pers.
H7235b רָבָה shoot
7235 rabah raw-baw'
a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect):--(bring
in) abundance (X -antly), + archer (by mistake for 7232), be
in authority, bring up, X continue, enlarge, excel,
exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly,
X -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have,
make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more
(in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much
(greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), X
process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.
see HEBREW for 07232
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to multiply.
1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things)
1a2) to be or grow great
1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make much, make many, have many
1c1a) to multiply, increase
1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly
1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly
1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much
Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236)
רָבָה (ra.vah) — to shoot.
(Qal) to shoot
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive second person masculine singularHVhj2ms
in'-kres, (noun), in-kres' (verb): Employed in the English Bible both as verb and as noun, and in both cases to represent a number of different words in the original. As a verb it is used in the ordinary sense of the term. As a noun it is usually used of plant life, or of the herds and flocks, to denote the fruitage or the offspring; more rarely of money, to denote the interest. As examples of the different terms translated by this word, students who read Hebrew or Greek may compare De 7:22; Pr 16:21; Job 10:16 the King James Version; Job 12:23; Nu 18:30; De 7:13…
גְּדוּלָּה (gduwlah) refers to greatness, encompassing both the greatness of man and the attribute of God's greatness. It is derived from the word for 'great' and can denote mighty acts or dignity. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to majesty and significant deeds.
גְּדוּלָּה n.f. greatness
base
H1420 גְּדוּלָּה, גְּדוּלָה, גְּדֻלָּה, גְּדוּלָּה
1420 gduwlah ghed-oo-law'
or (shortened) gdullah {ghed-ool-law'}; or (less accurately)
gduwllah {ghed-ool-law'}; feminine of 1419; greatness;
(concretely) mighty acts:--dignity, great things(-ness),
majesty.
see HEBREW for 01419
גְּדוּלָּה (ge.du.lah) — greatness.
1) greatness
1a) of man
1b) of God's greatness (as an attribute)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word סָבַב (savav) means to turn or go around, encompassing a range of actions such as surrounding, marching, and changing direction. It is built from a primitive root and has various applications, both literal and figurative, including transforming or enclosing. The entries detail its uses in different verbal forms, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicons.
סָבַב vb. turn about, go around, surround
Qal
turn, intrans.
march, or walk, around
go partly round, circle, skirt
make a round, or circuit, go about to
surround, encompass
Niph.
turn oneself against, close round upon
turn round (from a direct course)
esp. of boundary: turn round from, toward
pass. be turned over to, into the power of
Pi. to change, transform, the aspect of the matter
Po‛.
encompass (with protection)
come about, assemble round
march or go about
enclose, envelop
Hiph.
turn (trans.), cause to turn
bring over (i.e. to allegiance)
turn into, of changing name
= bring round, of changing name
cause to go around
surround with (acc.) wall
perh. also encompass (as foe)
Hoph.
be turned, of cart wheel
surrounded, i.e. set, of jewels
base
H5437 סָבַב turn about, go around, surround .. turn, intrans.
. . march, or walk, around
. go partly round, circle, skirt
. make a round, or circuit, go about to
. surround, encompass
. . . turn oneself against, close round upon
. turn round (from a direct course)
. esp. of boundary: turn round from, toward
. pass. be turned over to, into the power of
. to change, transform, the aspect of the matter
. . encompass (with protection)
. come about, assemble round
. march or go about
. enclose, envelop
. . . turn (trans.), cause to turn
. bring over (i.e. to allegiance)
. turn into, of changing name
. = bring round, of changing name
. . cause to go around
. surround with (acc.) wall
. perh. also encompass (as foe)
. . be turned, of cart wheel
. surrounded, i.e. set, of jewels
5437 cabab saw-bab'
a primitive root; to revolve, surround, or border; used in
various applications, literally and figuratively (as
follows):--bring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, X whirl, X
round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset
(about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to
come about, X circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, round),
drive, environ, X on every side, beset (close, come, compass,
go, stand) round about, inclose, remove, return, set, sit
down, turn (self) (about, aside, away, back).
סָבַב (sa.vav) — to turn: turn.
: turn/bring_around
1) to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or around, surround, encircle, change direction
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn, turn about, be brought round, change
1a2) to march or walk around, go partly around, circle about, skirt, make a round, make a circuit, go about to, surround, encompass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to turn oneself, close round, turn round
1b2) to be turned over to
1c) (Piel) to turn about, change, transform
1d) (Poel)
1d1) to encompass, surround
1d2) to come about, assemble round
1d3) to march, go about
1d4) to enclose, envelop
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to turn, cause to turn, turn back, reverse, bring over, turn into, bring round
1e2) to cause to go around, surround, encompass
1f) (Hophal)
1f1) to be turned
1f2) to be surrounded
סָבַב (sa.vav) — to turn: surround.
: surround/go_round
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Conjunction · verb qal second person masculine singularHC/Vqu2ms
נָחַם (nacham) is a Hebrew root that conveys a range of meanings related to feelings of sorrow, compassion, and comfort. It can signify being sorry, repenting, or consoling oneself, as well as avenging oneself in a more negative context. The verb appears in various forms, including Niph., Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of comfort and regret.
[נחם] vb. Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc.
Niph.
be sorry, moved to pity, have compassion, for others
be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent, of one’s own doings
comfort oneself, be comforted
comfort oneself, ease oneself, by taking vengeance
Piel—comfort, console
Pual; be comforted, consoled
Hithpa.—
be sorry, have compassion
rue, repent of
comfort oneself, be comforted
ease oneself, by taking vengeance
base
H5162 נחם Niph. be sorry, console oneself, etc. .comfort, console
. be comforted, consoled
.— . be sorry, have compassion
. rue, repent of
. comfort oneself, be comforted
. ease oneself, by taking vengeance
5162 nacham naw-kham'
a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly;
by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to
pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge
(oneself):--comfort (self), ease (one's self),
repent(-er,-ing, self).
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: comfort.
: comfort
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
1c) (Pual) to be comforted, be consoled
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to be sorry, have compassion
1d2) to rue, repent of
1d3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1d4) to ease oneself
Also means: na.cham (נָחַם ": relent" H5162H)
נָחַם (na.cham) — to be sorry: relent.
: relent
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion
1a2) to be sorry, rue, suffer grief, repent
1a3) to comfort oneself, be comforted
1a4) to comfort oneself, ease oneself
1b) (Piel) to comfort, console
V-Piel-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb piel imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVpi2ms/Sp1bs