Psalm 27 10

Psalm 27:10 kjv

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Psalm 27:10 nkjv

When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

Psalm 27:10 niv

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Psalm 27:10 esv

For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.

Psalm 27:10 nlt

Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will hold me close.

Psalm 27 verses

Psalm 27 10 Meaning

Psalm 27:10 conveys a profound truth about God's unparalleled faithfulness amidst human failure. It declares that even if one's closest earthly relationships – one's own father and mother – were to abandon them, the Lord (YHWH) would assuredly step in, gathering them into His protective care and steadfast love. This verse highlights the absolute reliability and perfect nurture of God, portraying Him as the ultimate sustainer and embrace when all human foundations or expectations crumble. It underscores God's commitment to His people, providing unwavering support that far exceeds any earthly bond.

Psalm 27 10 Context

Psalm 27, attributed to David, is a prayer rich in trust and yearning for God's presence. It begins with confident declarations of God being the psalmist's light, salvation, and stronghold, eliminating fear even in the face of adversaries (vv. 1-3). The psalmist expresses a singular desire: to dwell in God's house and behold His beauty (vv. 4-6). However, the Psalm shifts, revealing David's pressing struggles – a need for God's presence, deliverance from enemies, and protection from false witnesses (vv. 7-12). Within this shift, verse 10 presents a profound basis for David's hope: even if the most basic human support structures fail, God's faithfulness remains. Historically, David experienced significant abandonment, from being an outcast in Saul's court to suffering rebellion from his own son Absalom, giving real-world depth to the feeling of being forsaken. This verse anchors his confidence in a God whose loyalty transcends all human limitations or betrayals.

Psalm 27 10 Word analysis

• For (kî, כִּי): A versatile Hebrew particle here serving a causal or emphatic function. It introduces the profound reason or ground for the psalmist's unwavering hope and confidence in God, emphasizing that even under extreme circumstances, God remains utterly faithful.

• my father and my mother (ʾāḇî wĕʾimmî, אָבִי וְאִמִּי): These terms represent the most fundamental, inherent, and expected sources of protection, care, and provision within human relationships. The use of both parental figures stresses the comprehensive nature of this ultimate human dependency. Their "forsaking" highlights the extreme scenario envisioned.

• have forsaken (`āzaḇûnî, עֲזָבוּנִי): From the Hebrew verb `āzaḇ, meaning to abandon, leave, desert, neglect, or utterly cast off. It denotes a deliberate act of withdrawing care, support, or presence, implying rejection and a state of deep desolation. The perfect tense indicates a completed action.

• me (ʾōtî, אוֹתִי): The direct object pronoun, which intensely personalizes the potential or experienced abandonment. The suffering and vulnerability are acutely focused on the psalmist's individual being.

• but (understood through the disjunctive waw before YHWH): While not an explicit "but," the conjunctive "waw" (וְ) prefixed to "the Lord" functions as a strong contrastive here, pivoting the entire thought from profound human failure to magnificent divine faithfulness.

• the Lord (YHWH, יְהוָה): The divine covenant name, often transliterated as Yahweh. This specific name underscores God's personal, immutable, and covenantal nature – He is the eternally existing One who keeps His promises and remains true to His people. It distinguishes Him from any limited human being.

• will take me up (yiʾasfēnî, יַאַסְפֵנִי): From the verb ʾāsaf (or ʾāsaḵ), meaning to gather, collect, receive, or take in. This is far more tender and comprehensive than simply "picking up." It implies embracing, providing shelter, gathering into safety, sustenance, and intimate care. It evokes a nurturing and protective act, akin to a shepherd gathering a lost lamb or a parent welcoming a helpless child. The future tense expresses absolute certainty of God's action.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For my father and my mother have forsaken me": This phrase serves as a powerful hyperbole, vividly portraying the absolute depth of potential human failure or rejection. By invoking the failure of the most fundamental and trusted human relationship, the psalmist highlights a scenario of utter vulnerability and profound hurt. It sets the stage for the dramatic display of divine faithfulness. It can represent literal abandonment, but more broadly, it signifies that even the most cherished and reliable earthly supports can disappoint or disappear, leading to deep isolation.
  • "but the Lord will take me up": In striking contrast, this declares God's unfailing character. It emphasizes that where human love, loyalty, and support prove finite or fallible, God's provision and care are limitless and absolute. "The Lord will take me up" assures adoption into divine care, demonstrating God's compassion and omnipotence to sustain, nurture, and embrace His own, embodying His perfect fatherhood and motherly affection. This is the promise of an unshakeable divine foundation.

Psalm 27 10 Bonus section

• Divine Parentage: This verse establishes God as the ultimate and perfect parent, demonstrating qualities often associated with both father (protection, provision) and mother (nurture, unconditional love), exceeding all human capacity.
• Refutation of Idols/False Gods: In ancient contexts, where deities were often capricious or unreliable, this verse subtly contrasts YHWH's consistent faithfulness with the limitations of pagan gods or even the fragility of human power and love.
• Messianic Foreshadowing: Though not directly Messianic, the profound sense of abandonment (as faced by the Psalmist) and the ultimate trust in God can resonate with the perfect dependence of Jesus, who, though feeling forsaken on the cross ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matt 27:46), ultimately committed His spirit into His Father's hands (Lk 23:46).
• Personal Application for Believers: The verse provides deep comfort by highlighting spiritual adoption (Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5). Even if physically or emotionally "orphaned," a believer is spiritually taken up into God's family, a relationship that cannot be severed.
• The Unconditional Nature of God's Love: The extreme condition ("even if") emphasizes that God's love and commitment are not dependent on human performance or faithfulness, but flow from His own immutable character.

Psalm 27 10 Commentary

Psalm 27:10 is a powerful testament to the sovereignty and unwavering faithfulness of God in a world where human reliability is inherently limited. It presents an ultimate "worst-case scenario" – abandonment by the very figures who should provide unconditional love and protection – to magnify the absolute dependability of the Lord. This is often interpreted as hyperbole, meaning even if such an unthinkable event were to occur, God’s steadfast love and care would endure. This divine commitment provides an unbreakable anchor for the soul when all earthly anchors fail. The use of YHWH, God's covenant name, reinforces His relational faithfulness and His intrinsic character as the One who does not abandon His promises. God’s "taking up" implies more than mere rescue; it signifies adoption into His family, provision for every need, and tender, compassionate embrace. This verse reassures believers that no matter how deep the human betrayal or how profound the sense of isolation, God Himself is the ever-present, perfectly loving parent and guardian who will always provide refuge and sustenance. It calls us to place our ultimate trust not in fleeting human connections, but in the eternal, unchanging heart of God.

• Practical usage examples:
  • For those experiencing family rejection due to their faith or life choices, this verse affirms God as their true, unfailing family.
  • Individuals who have genuinely suffered parental neglect or orphanhood can find comfort in God’s perfect, adoptive Fatherhood.
  • In moments of deep solitude or when earthly support systems crumble, this verse redirects hope and dependence entirely to God's steadfast embrace.