Psalm 61:7 kjv
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
Psalm 61:7 nkjv
He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!
Psalm 61:7 niv
May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
Psalm 61:7 esv
May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
Psalm 61:7 nlt
May he reign under God's protection forever.
May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him.
Psalm 61 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:13 | "He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." | God's eternal covenant with David's lineage. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | "Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.” | The Davidic throne's promised permanence. |
| Psa 45:6 | "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever..." | Messianic vision of an eternal king. |
| Psa 89:4 | "Your seed will I establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations." | God's pledge to David's enduring lineage. |
| Psa 89:29 | "His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” | Divine assurance of perpetual reign. |
| Psa 89:36-37 | "His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon..." | Covenant's everlasting and certain nature. |
| Psa 23:6 | "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” | Enduring in God's presence by His grace. |
| Psa 27:4 | "One thing have I desired of the LORD... that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life..." | Desire for continuous communion with God. |
| Psa 40:11 | "Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness always preserve me!" | Direct plea for mercy and truth to preserve. |
| Psa 25:10 | "All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant..." | God's ways characterized by mercy and truth. |
| Psa 57:3 | "He shall send forth his mercy and his truth.” | God's active deployment of mercy and truth. |
| Psa 85:10 | "Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” | Harmony of God's attributes. |
| Prov 3:3 | "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck..." | Value of embodying mercy and truth. |
| Isa 9:7 | "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end... upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it..." | Prophecy of an endless Messianic kingdom. |
| Dan 2:44 | "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed..." | God's indestructible eternal kingdom. |
| Luk 1:32-33 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” | Angel's prophecy of Jesus' eternal reign. |
| Jn 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” | Jesus as the embodiment of grace and truth. |
| Heb 1:8 | "But of the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.'" | Applies Psa 45:6 directly to Christ. |
| Psa 121:7 | "The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life." | God's preserving power over His people. |
| Psa 145:20 | "The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy." | God's general preservation for those who love Him. |
| Rev 11:15 | "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” | Ultimate consummation of Christ's eternal rule. |
| Rev 7:15 | "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple...” | Believers in eternal divine presence. |
Psalm 61 verses
Psalm 61 7 Meaning
Psalm 61:7 expresses a deep hope and declaration regarding the enduring presence and reign of the king, established before God eternally. It posits that this permanence is actively safeguarded by God’s attributes of steadfast love (mercy) and faithfulness (truth), which the psalmist implores God to prepare or command for this very purpose. This verse looks to the divine preservation of the anointed one, ensuring his stable and everlasting position.
Psalm 61 7 Context
Psalm 61 is a prayer of David, likely composed during a period of great distress or exile, possibly during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 15-18) or when fleeing from Saul. The preceding verses (61:1-6) are a heartfelt plea for refuge and a lament from "the end of the earth" (v.2), expressing the psalmist's personal reliance on God as his strong tower and shelter. Verse 7 marks a shift in emphasis, transitioning from the psalmist's immediate personal plea to a confident declaration or petition concerning the enduring reign of the king. While David, the speaker, is king, this verse also inherently anticipates the wider promise given to David regarding the perpetuity of his lineage and throne (2 Sam 7). It grounds the king's security not in military might or human strength, but in God's immutable character—His mercy and truth—and His divine will.
Psalm 61 7 Word analysis
- He shall abide (יֵשֵׁב, yēshēv): This Hebrew term from the root yashav implies sitting, dwelling, or remaining. In this context, it conveys permanence, stability, and taking one's rightful place. It speaks of the king's continuous presence, establishing his authority and presence over an indefinite future.
- before God (לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים, lifnē Elohim): Literally "in the face of God." This signifies direct, intimate, and continuous access to God's presence and favor. To abide "before God" implies being divinely acknowledged, approved, and under His immediate protective oversight. Elohim is a generic but authoritative name for God.
- forever (עוֹלָם, olam): This powerful word denotes an eternal, unending duration, going beyond a mere long lifespan. It strongly emphasizes the permanence and everlasting nature of the king's dwelling/reign, connecting directly to the promises of the Davidic Covenant concerning an eternal dynasty.
- O prepare (תּוּהֵיִ, hêḵēn or בָּקֵר, baqar depending on specific Hebrew text, but most understand it as an imperative to prepare/appoint. The Hebrew term can convey a sense of visiting with a purpose of setting in order, or appointing. It signifies divine agency to bring about an ordered, purposeful outcome. The request is not for God to gain these qualities but to actively deploy them for the king.
- mercy (חֶסֶד, chesed): This rich Hebrew word denotes steadfast love, covenant loyalty, lovingkindness, and graciousness. It describes God's unwavering faithfulness and benevolence towards His covenant partners, acting as an active force of preservation and protection.
- and truth (וֶאֱמֶת, v’emet): From emet, meaning faithfulness, reliability, veracity, and unwavering adherence to promises. Coupled with chesed, it highlights God's integrity and consistency. These two attributes (hesed and emet) are frequently paired in Scripture, representing the essential and active character of God.
- which may preserve him (יִנְצְרֻהוּ, yintsrūhū): The verb natzar means to guard, keep, protect, or preserve. The plural subject implied by the ending of the verb (mercy and truth) acts as active agents, underscoring that these divine attributes are not passive qualities but dynamic forces that actively maintain and secure the king’s existence and reign.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "He shall abide before God forever": This phrase underlines the theocratic nature of the king's rule. His legitimacy and the perpetuity of his reign derive directly from his relationship with and position before God. It echoes the Davidic covenant's promise of an everlasting kingdom and anticipates the ultimate eternal King, Christ.
- "O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him": This is an urgent plea, not merely a hopeful wish. It attributes the very preservation and continuity of the king's enduring presence to the active deployment of God's covenant loyalty (chesed) and unchangeable faithfulness (emet). It highlights God's character as the ultimate guarantee of the king's stability.
Psalm 61 7 Bonus section
- Messianic Fulfillment: This verse profoundly points towards Jesus Christ. The earthly Davidic kings often fell short of the ideal "forever" rule due to their sin and subsequent kingdom divisions and exile. Jesus, as the Son of David (Luk 1:32-33), is the ultimate King whose kingdom is truly eternal, unbroken, and perfected (Heb 1:8, Rev 11:15). His reign is perpetually upheld by God's unchanging mercy and truth, for in Him, "grace and truth came" (Jn 1:17).
- Theological Significance of Chesed and Emet: The consistent pairing of chesed and emet throughout the Old Testament underscores the twin pillars of God’s covenant relationship with humanity. His loyal love (mercy) always acts in tandem with His trustworthiness (truth). This demonstrates that God's actions are never arbitrary or fickle; His benevolence is always grounded in His unchanging character and adherence to His word.
- The Divine 'Preparer': The phrase "O prepare" (or "appoint/command") emphasizes God's active, sovereign role in deploying His attributes. It’s not merely a passive quality, but God commanding His very essence to ensure the security of His chosen one. This reveals a dynamic God who acts definitively in history.
Psalm 61 7 Commentary
Psalm 61:7 shifts the psalmist’s gaze from personal distress to a confident articulation of the enduring nature of the divinely appointed king's reign. This verse draws heavily on the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7), which promised an eternal dynasty for David's house. The king's ability to "abide before God forever" is a divine grant, emphasizing that his stability and perpetual rule are not self-generated but God-sustained. The core of this divine sustenance lies in two fundamental attributes of God: chesed (steadfast love or mercy) and emet (truth or faithfulness). The plea "O prepare mercy and truth" is an earnest request for God to actively dispatch these divine qualities as guardians and preservers of the king. It acknowledges that these are God’s inherent attributes, but it calls upon God to unleash them as a protective force, securing the continuity of the royal line and kingdom. This prayer ultimately finds its fullest expression and fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose reign is indeed eternal, established, and preserved by the boundless grace and unwavering faithfulness of God. It encourages believers that all true and lasting preservation flows from God's unchanging nature and covenant promises.