Psalm 105 10

Psalm 105:10 kjv

And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

Psalm 105:10 nkjv

And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

Psalm 105:10 niv

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

Psalm 105:10 esv

which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

Psalm 105:10 nlt

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:

Psalm 105 verses

Psalm 105 10 Meaning

Psalm 105:10 asserts that God definitively established His covenant with Jacob as an unchangeable decree and with Israel as an everlasting covenant. This verse highlights the enduring nature of God's promises to the patriarchs, specifically those made to Abraham and reaffirmed to Isaac and then to Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel), making it a perpetual and unbreakable commitment. It signifies the legal and eternal bond between God and the lineage of Abraham through Jacob, securing their inheritance and purpose.

Psalm 105 10 Context

Psalm 105 is a historical psalm, recounting God's faithful acts toward Israel from the call of Abraham to the settlement in the Promised Land. This particular verse, 105:10, directly follows verse 9, which explicitly states God "remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac." Thus, verse 10 functions as a direct continuation and confirmation of these foundational patriarchal covenants. It emphasizes the direct transmission and reinforcement of God's unchangeable commitment through the generational line chosen by God. The psalm's purpose is to evoke praise and remind Israel of God's unchanging nature and His unwavering commitment to His promises, especially regarding the land and their unique relationship with Him. Historically, such affirmations would reinforce national identity and trust in God amidst challenging circumstances.

Psalm 105 10 Word analysis

• And confirmed it: The Hebrew word for "confirmed" is עֲמַד (‘amad), meaning "to stand," "to establish," or "to make stand." Here, it signifies God's decisive act of establishing and making firm. It's not a suggestion but a declaration that something is unalterably fixed and put in place by divine authority. "It" refers directly back to the "covenant" mentioned in verse 9.
• to Jacob: יַעֲקֹב (ya'aqov). Refers to the patriarch Jacob, Abraham's grandson, who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. This specifies the personal, direct, and divinely ordained transfer of the covenant promise from Abraham and Isaac to him, making it concrete for his lineage.
• as a decree: The Hebrew word חֹק (choq) denotes a "statute," "ordinance," "limit," or "decree." It carries the connotation of a fixed, prescribed, and binding law or rule. This emphasizes the non-negotiable and unchangeable nature of the covenant. It is not subject to human whims or alterations but stands as a divine, immutable order.
• to Israel: יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'el). This is Jacob's new name, given by God (Gen 32:28), signifying "he struggles with God" or "God contends." This name became the collective name for the nation descended from Jacob. Its use alongside "Jacob" reinforces that the personal covenant given to the patriarch is also the foundational covenant for the entire nation that springs from him.
• as an everlasting covenant: The Hebrew בְּרִית עוֹלָם (b'rit ‘olam) is a powerful theological phrase. בְּרִית (b'rit) means "covenant" – a binding agreement or pact, often accompanied by an oath and rituals. עוֹלָם (‘olam) means "everlasting," "eternal," "perpetual," or "for all time." This phrase unequivocally declares the enduring, unending, and permanent nature of God's commitment. It highlights that the covenant is not temporary or contingent on specific human conditions for its duration, but is secured by God's eternal nature.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And confirmed it to Jacob as a decree": This phrase emphasizes the authoritative and fixed nature of God's promise. It underscores that God did not merely state a desire or hope, but he sovereignly established it as an unchangeable law binding upon himself and perpetually in effect for Jacob. The use of "decree" (choq) lends legal and absolute certainty to the covenant.
• "to Israel as an everlasting covenant": This parallel phrase, building on the previous one, re-emphasizes the binding nature and adds the crucial element of eternality. By mentioning "Israel" (Jacob's new, national name), it extends the personal promise to the collective nation. The "everlasting covenant" (b'rit ‘olam) denotes its perpetual and never-ending quality, assuring that God's commitment remains steadfast through all generations and throughout all time. The parallelism solidifies the concept of an unyielding, permanent, divinely mandated bond.

Psalm 105 10 Bonus section

The repeated affirmation of the covenant through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob underscores a crucial aspect of God's revelation: covenant theology. God chooses to interact with humanity, and especially His chosen people, through established, formal, and legally binding agreements, not arbitrary whim. The use of both "Jacob" and "Israel" is significant. "Jacob" refers to the individual man with whom God had a personal encounter, reinforcing the covenant's specific, personal transmission. "Israel" refers to the collective nation that arose from him, demonstrating the corporate, national implications and continuation of the covenant. This covenant forms the very foundation of Israel's national existence, land claims, and their unique identity as God's treasured possession, established solely by God's gracious and unchanging word, not by any merit of their own.

Psalm 105 10 Commentary

Psalm 105:10 succinctly declares the immutability of God's covenant with the patriarchs. God's self-revelation is tied to His faithful adherence to His sworn promises. The sequence from "decree" (choq) to "everlasting covenant" (b'rit ‘olam) highlights a progression: it's not just a divine rule or statute, but one that is perpetual, eternally binding, and defines God's relationship with Jacob's descendants. This verse underscores the divine initiative, authority, and permanence of the covenant, assuring Israel (and by extension, those grafted into its spiritual heritage through Christ) of God's unfailing commitment. It serves as a reminder that their very identity and inheritance are rooted in an unbreakable, divinely ordained, eternal agreement. Practically, this truth should inspire unwavering trust in God's promises and a recognition of His historical faithfulness as the basis for future hope.