Psalms 132:7 — Word Study
WLCנָב֥וֹאָה לְמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֑יו נִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָֽיו׃
BSALet us gobôwʼ [come, enter] to His dwelling placemishkân [tabernacle, holy tent] let us worshipshâchâh [bow down, give reverence] at His footstoolhădôm [throne, resting place, before His feet]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נָב֥וֹאָה | let us go | Verb, Qal, infinitive construct first person common plural |
| לְמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֑יו | to dwelling place his | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| נִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה | let us bow down | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect first person common plural |
| לַהֲדֹ֥ם | to [the] footstool of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| רַגְלָֽיו׃ | feet his | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool. |
| KJV | We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. |
| ASV | We will go into his tabernacles; We will worship at his footstool. |
| YLT | We come in to His tabernacles, We bow ourselves at His footstool. |
| WEB | “We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.” |
| BBE | Let us go into his tent; let us give worship at his feet. |
Where they part company is in the phrasing of the invitation to worship, but all translations agree on the essential meaning.
The verse contains one main clause inviting action, with two phrases elaborating on the destination and the act of worship.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbבּוֹא
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 132:7
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 Call to Worshipgenerated
Psalms 132:7 is a communal invitation to enter into God's presence and worship at His footstool, emphasizing the importance of approaching God with reverence. This verse is part of a larger context that reflects on God's dwelling and the significance of worship, as seen in verses 6 and 8, where the ark of the covenant is mentioned as a symbol of God's presence among His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 5:7 | But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple. |
| 2 | Psalm 66:13–14 | I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You— |
| 3 | Psalm 118:19 | Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter and give thanks to the LORD. |
| 4 | Psalm 122:1 | I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” |
| 5 | Isaiah 2:3 | And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָב֥וֹאָה, na.Vo.'ahgenerated
The verb בּוֹא (bo) means to come or go in, indicating an invitation to approach. It has a wide range of applications, including entering a place or arriving at a destination. The parsing as a Qal infinitive construct in the first person plural shows a collective action, inviting the community to participate in the act of coming to God's dwelling.
The use of this verb here emphasizes the communal aspect of worship, encouraging the people to come together to seek God's presence.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase is rendered as let us go, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, and YLT.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb נָב֥וֹאָה governs the verse, with two phrases following: the prepositional phrase indicating the destination and the verb phrase expressing the act of worship. The structure highlights the action of coming to God's dwelling and the subsequent act of reverence.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of coming and bowing down, indicating the importance of both approaching God and showing humility in worship.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נָב֥וֹאָה as εἰσελευσόμεθα, which also means 'we will enter.' This choice reflects a direct invitation to enter God's presence, similar to the Hebrew.
The consistency between the Hebrew and the Septuagint in this context reinforces the communal call to worship and approach.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 132:7 invites the people to come to God's dwelling and worship at His footstool. This reflects a communal act of reverence and acknowledgment of God's presence, emphasizing the importance of worship in the life of the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Worshiping at His footstool signifies a position of humility and reverence before God, acknowledging His authority and majesty.
God's dwelling place is significant as it represents His presence among His people, a place where they can meet Him and offer their worship.
We can apply this call by intentionally seeking God's presence in our lives, gathering with others to worship, and approaching Him with humility and reverence.
Bowing down in worship is an act of submission and respect, demonstrating our recognition of God's greatness and our dependence on Him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I actively seek God's presence in my life?
- How can I cultivate a heart of worship and reverence towards God?
- What does it mean to me to bow down before God?
- How can I encourage others to join in worship and seek God together?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, discussing the significance of entering God's tabernacles and the relationship between God and His people.
"We will go into His tabernacles" [Psalms 132:7]. Whose? Those of the Lord God of Jacob. They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who enter that they may be dwelt in.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 132 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 132:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWe will go into his tabernacles,.... The tabernacles of him that was heard of at Ephratah; born in Bethlehem, and found in the ministry of the word among the Gentiles: enter into his churches, raised
Read John Gill on Psalms 132 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWe will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. We will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool - the language of David and the people at the dedication of the ark on Zion.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 132 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWe will go; seeing the ark is now fixed in a certain place, we will go to it more generally and constantly than formerly we did. Into his tabernacles; into his tabernacle or temple, the plural number put for the singular, as 46:4, &c. At his footstool; either the temple; or rather the ark, so called , because God is oft said to sit between the cherubims, which were above the ark.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 132 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.Ver. 7. We will go into his tabernacles] We will cheerfully and unanimously frequent his public worship, in the place he hath pitched upon (called his gates, and his courts, Psalms 100:4), saying as Psalms 132:8-10 : επουτωθεω, follow God, was the rule among the very heathens. We will worship at his footstool] i.e. At his ark, where he uttered oracles and wrought miracles, &c., which yet was but his footstool, to lift his people heavenward, Christward, who was the truth of that type, the ark, the mercy seat.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 132 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) We will.—Let us go, &c Tabernacles.—Better, habitation, as in Psalms 132:5, where the same word is used. The plural occurs also in Psalms 84:1. These words do not, as the last verse, recall an incident of the past, but express the determination of the present. The result of David’s project is that the present generation have a place of worship. It does not detract from this explanation to refer the psalm to post-exile times, and to the second Temple, since the fact of the existence of a temple at any time could be poetically ascribed to David. His footstool.—See on Psalms 99:5.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 132 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. Let us go into his dwelling place, Let us worship at the footstool of his feet. This is the mutual exhortation of the Israelites to come and worship in the ‘dwelling place’ (Psalms 132:5) which David had resolved to prepare, before the Ark. Jehovah’s footstool may mean His sanctuary, as in Psalms 99:5; but here more probably, as in 1 Chronicles 28:2, the Ark is meant. As He is enthroned upon the Cherubim, the Ark beneath them is His footstool. This verse anticipates, for the next verse implies that the translation of the Ark has not yet been effected.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 132 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWe will go into his tabernacles - His tents, or the fixed resting place prepared for the ark.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 132 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible7. Tabernacles—Apartments and courts of the tent pitched on Zion for the public convocation of the people, (see on Psalms 84:1,) or else, by ensilage, the plural is put for the singular.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 132 →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
Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool.
“We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.”
Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool.
Let us go to his dwelling place! Let us worship before his footstool!
Tyndale line
We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
We will go into his tabernacles; We will worship at his footstool.
We will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool.
We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
We will enter into his Tabernacles, and worship before his footestoole.
Strictly literal
Let us go into his habitations, let us worship at his footstool.
We come in to His tabernacles, We bow ourselves at His footstool.
We come into His dwelling places, || We bow ourselves at His footstool.
let us then go into his dwelling: let us prostrate ourselves before his footstool.”
We will go into God's tabernacle; we will worship at his footstool.
Simplified
Let's go to the place where the Lord lives and bow down at his feet in worship.
Let us go into his tent; let us give worship at his feet.
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 agree on the wording of this verse, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This agreement indicates a shared understanding of the invitation to worship.
נָב֥וֹאָה לְמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֑יו נִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָֽיו׃
5 of the 5 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 132:7
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.
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
V-Qal-1cp — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct first person common pluralHVqc1cp
(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.
1. In the Old Testament:
In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare
מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) means 'dwelling-place' or 'tabernacle.' It is derived from a root meaning to dwell and can refer to various types of residences, including the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. The term encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, such as a grave or the Temple.
מִשְׁכָּן 139 n.m. dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
base
H4908 מִשְׁכָּן dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’
4908 mishkan mish-kawn'
from 7931; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair
of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple);
specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden
walls):--dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle,
tent.
see HEBREW for 07931
מִשְׁכָּן (mish.kan) — tabernacle.
1) dwelling place, tabernacle
1a) dwelling-place
1b) dwellings
Aramaic equivalent: mish.kan (מִשְׁכַּן "habitation" H4907)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word שָׁחָה (*shachah*) is a primitive root meaning to bow down or prostrate oneself, particularly in homage to a superior or in worship before God. It can also imply a figurative sense of being depressed by anxiety. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including worship of both God and false gods.
[שָׁחָה] 172 vb. bow down
Qal bow down
Hiph. fig., anxiety depresses it
Hithpa‛lēl
bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.
before God, in worship
before other gods
base
H7812 שָׁחָה bow down .bow down
. fig., anxiety depresses it
.. bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.
. before God, in worship
. before other gods
7812 shachah shaw-khaw'
a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially
reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down,
crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance,
do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
שָׁחָה (sha.chah) — to bow.
1) to bow down
1a) (Qal) to bow down
1b)(Hiphil) to depress (fig)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to bow down, prostrate oneself
1c1a) before superior in homage
1c1b) before God in worship
1c1c) before false gods
1c1d) before angel
V-v-1cp — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect first person common pluralHVti1cp
הֲדֹם (hadom) refers to a stool or footstool, derived from an unused root meaning to stamp upon. The term is consistently defined across entries, emphasizing its function as a base for resting feet.
הֲדֹם n.m. stool, footstool
base
H1916 הֲדֹם stool, footstool
1916 hadom had-ome'
from an unused root meaning to stamp upon; a foot
stool:--(foot-)stool.
הֲדֹם (ha.dom) — footstool.
stool, footstool
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.
רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot
foot
three times (feet, paces)
base
H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot
. three times (feet, paces)
7272 regel reh'-gel
from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a
step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X
according as, X after, X coming, X follow,
((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X
journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.
see HEBREW for 07270
רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.
1) foot
1a) foot, leg
1b) of God (anthropomorphic)
1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table
1d) according to the pace of (with prep)
1e) three times (feet, paces)
Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
HNcfdc/Sp3ms — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp3ms