Psalm 111:8 kjv
They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
Psalm 111:8 nkjv
They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness.
Psalm 111:8 niv
They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
Psalm 111:8 esv
they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
Psalm 111:8 nlt
They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
Psalm 111 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 119:160 | The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever. | God's word and ordinances endure forever. |
| Matt 5:18 | For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law... | The permanence of God's Law. |
| Lk 16:17 | But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. | Emphasizes the unchangeability of God's Law. |
| Isa 40:8 | The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. | God's word stands eternal against human transience. |
| 1 Pet 1:25 | but the word of the Lord remains forever. | God's word is eternal and unchanging. |
| Ps 119:89 | Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. | God's word is eternally established. |
| Ps 33:11 | The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. | God's plans and counsel are eternal. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind... | God's immutability and faithfulness. |
| Deut 32:4 | The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness... | God's perfect, just, and faithful nature. |
| Ps 92:15 | proclaiming that the Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. | God is perfectly righteous, no unrighteousness. |
| Ps 119:137 | Righteous are you, O Lord, and upright are your judgments. | God's judgments are inherently righteous. |
| Dan 4:37 | ...for all his works are right and his ways are just... | God's works and ways are always right and just. |
| Mal 3:6 | For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. | God's unchanging nature ensures stability. |
| Jas 1:17 | ...the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. | God's constancy and immutability. |
| Rev 15:3 | Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways... | God's ways are always just and true. |
| Jn 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." | Jesus as the embodiment of truth. |
| Eph 4:24 | ...and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. | Reflecting God's true righteousness. |
| 2 Sam 22:31 | This God—his way is perfect... | God's perfect way and character. |
| Ps 100:5 | For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. | God's enduring steadfast love and faithfulness. |
| Ps 89:34 | My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips. | God's unbreakable covenant and word. |
| Hab 1:13 | You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong... | God's pure and upright character. |
| Jer 32:17 | 'Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power...nothing is too hard for you. | God's powerful works are executed reliably. |
| Tit 1:2 | ...in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began. | God's truthfulness as eternal. |
Psalm 111 verses
Psalm 111 8 Meaning
Psalm 111:8 proclaims the enduring and perfectly just nature of God's works and precepts. It declares that God's actions and His established laws are not temporary or arbitrary but are perpetually firm, unwavering, and inherently grounded in absolute truth and moral integrity. This speaks to God's unchanging character and the absolute reliability of His divine decree and righteous governance.
Psalm 111 8 Context
Psalm 111 is an acrostic psalm of praise (each successive line begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet). It exalts Yahweh for His great works and covenant faithfulness. The preceding verse (v. 7) states, "The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy." Verse 8 elaborates on this, emphasizing the enduring nature of these works and precepts. The historical context is generally Israelite worship, focusing on God's character revealed through His actions in creation and redemption, contrasting His perfect and eternal rule with the often-unstable and fallible decrees of human rulers or the capricious nature attributed to pagan deities. This verse functions as a bedrock statement of divine reliability within the broader praise of God's excellent deeds and righteous administration.
Psalm 111 8 Word analysis
- They (הֵמָּה hēmmāh): This pronoun refers back to "the works of His hands" (מַעֲשֵׂי יָדָיו ma‘ăśē yādāyw) and "all His precepts" (כָּל־פִּקּוּדָיו kol-piqqudāw) mentioned in Psalm 111:7. It signifies the totality of God's active involvement in the world, His decrees, and His moral commands.
- stand firm (נְכוֹנִים nəḵōw nîm): Derived from the root כון (kun), meaning to be established, firm, ready, or secure. This denotes stability, unchangeability, and an inherent certainty. It implies being firmly founded and enduring.
- forever and ever (לָעַד לְעוֹלָם lā‘aḏ lə‘ōlām): A powerful Hebrew double expression for eternality and perpetuity. La'ad (עד) implies indefinitely long, always, perpetual, while le'olam (עוֹלָם) means for eternity, forever, perpetual. Combined, they strongly convey absolute permanence without end.
- executed (עֲשׂוּיִים ‘ăśûyîm): From the root עשׂה (‘āśāh), meaning to do, make, or accomplish. Here, in the Niphal participle, it can be understood as "are made" or "are performed/executed." This highlights that God's works and precepts are not merely theoretical or static but are actively performed and embodied in the fabric of reality and His administration.
- in truth (בֶּאֱמֶת bĕ'ĕmeṯ): From אֱמֶת ('emet), meaning firmness, faithfulness, truth, reality. This signifies that God's works and precepts are characterized by reliability, integrity, and adherence to objective reality. They are not arbitrary but reflect God's unchanging faithfulness to His character.
- and uprightness (וָיֹשֶׁר wāyōšer): From יֹשֶׁר (yōšer), meaning uprightness, straightness, equity, rectitude. This word indicates moral perfection, justice, and moral correctness. God's actions and commands are always in harmony with what is fundamentally right and fair.
Words-group analysis:
- "They stand firm forever and ever": This phrase emphasizes the unalterable, perpetual, and everlasting nature of God's works and commands. Unlike human decrees which are transient and prone to change, divine pronouncements possess inherent and eternal stability. This reflects God's immutability.
- "executed in truth and uprightness": This phrase describes the inherent moral character and perfect reliability of everything God does and commands. His actions are not only eternally stable but also originate from a character of absolute faithfulness and perfect righteousness. There is no deceit, injustice, or flaw in their execution or foundation.
Psalm 111 8 Bonus section
This verse, embedded within an acrostic psalm praising God's excellence, serves as a pillar of confidence in God's administration of the cosmos and His interaction with humanity. It underscores that His authority and His revealed will are not arbitrary dictates of a capricious deity but are extensions of an inherently truthful and righteous being. This permanence stands in stark contrast to the fallibility of human justice systems, which can be corrupted, overthrown, or prove inadequate. The divine standard of "truth and uprightness" is unblemished and eternal.
Psalm 111 8 Commentary
Psalm 111:8 is a profound theological statement on the character and works of God. It asserts the eternal durability and absolute moral perfection of God's deeds and precepts. The phrase "stand firm forever and ever" speaks to God's immutable nature. Unlike human endeavors, which are transient, imperfect, and subject to decay or alteration, God's "works" – both His creative acts and His ongoing interventions in history – and His "precepts" – His laws, commands, and moral framework – are utterly constant and unending. They are rooted in God's very being, transcending time and circumstance.
The addition of "executed in truth and uprightness" elaborates on the quality of this eternality. It's not just that they last forever, but how they are executed is critical. "Truth" (אֱמֶת) signifies reliability, faithfulness, and adherence to reality. God's ways are true in every sense – they reflect reality, fulfill promises, and never fail. "Uprightness" (יֹשֶׁר) points to inherent righteousness and moral rectitude. There is no crookedness, injustice, or arbitrariness in God's dealings. His every action and command is morally perfect, justly applied, and consistently reflective of His holy character. This divine perfection means that humanity can place full trust in God's word and His actions, knowing they are perpetually consistent, inherently just, and eternally dependable.
For example, when a believer faces life's uncertainties, this verse assures them that God's character, as revealed in His past works (like creation or the Exodus) and His revealed word, remains eternally truthful and just, providing a stable foundation amidst shifting circumstances. It offers comfort that His promises are steadfast and His guidance unwavering.