Psalms 145:19 — Word Study
WLCרְצוֹן־ יְרֵאָ֥יו יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְֽאֶת־ שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃
BSAHe fulfillsʻâsâh▸ [satisfies, gives what is needed to] the desiresrâtsôwn [acceptance, delight] of those who fear Himyârêʼ [reverence, are afraid of] He hearsshâmaʻ▸ [listens to, gives attention to] their cryshavʻâh [a loud call for help, desperate plea] and saves themyâshaʻ▸ [rescues, delivers from danger]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רְצוֹן־ | [the] desire of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| יְרֵאָ֥יו | [those] fearing him | Suffix |
| יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה | he brings about | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וְֽאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם | cry for help their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע | he hears | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃ | and he saves them | Conjunction, verb hiphil third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. |
| KJV | He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. |
| ASV | He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; He also will hear their cry and will save them. |
| YLT | The desire of those fearing Him He doth, And their cry He heareth, and saveth them. |
| WEB | He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them. |
| BBE | To his worshippers, he will give their desire; their cry comes to his ears, and he gives them salvation. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, particularly regarding God's fulfillment of desires and attentiveness to cries for help.
The main verb governs the entire structure, with additional phrases expanding on God's actions towards those who fear Him.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָשָׂה
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 145:19
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 — God's Faithfulness to His Peoplegenerated
Psalms 145:19 highlights God's attentiveness to the needs of those who fear Him. The psalmist emphasizes that God not only fulfills their desires but also hears their cries for help and actively saves them. This verse is part of a larger passage that praises God's nearness and care for all who call on Him, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 20:4 | May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. |
| 2 | Psalm 34:9 | Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. |
| 3 | Psalm 36:7–8 | How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings! |
| 4 | Psalm 37:4–19 | Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. |
| 5 | Matthew 5:6 | Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רָצוֹן, re.tzon-generated
The noun רָצוֹן (ratsown) conveys the idea of acceptance and delight. It reflects God's goodwill and pleasure towards those who revere Him. This word emphasizes the relationship between God and His people, indicating that He takes joy in fulfilling their desires.
The parsing as a masculine singular construct shows that it is specifically referring to the desires of those who fear God. The root meaning relates to delight, indicating that these desires align with God's will and purpose.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses fulfills for רָצוֹן.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה (he brings about) governs the entire verse, indicating God's active role in fulfilling desires. The structure includes several clauses that describe what God does in relation to those who fear Him.
The sentence is built around the actions of God, with three verbs: יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה, יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע, and יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם, each contributing to a comprehensive picture of His attentiveness and deliverance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רָצוֹן as θέλημα (the will), which emphasizes the concept of God's will being fulfilled. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of God's desires for His people.
The Greek word ἐπακούσεται for יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע indicates a listening that implies action, reinforcing the idea that God not only hears but responds to the cries of His people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 145:19 tells us that God fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. He listens to their cries for help and saves them from their troubles. This verse shows God's care and attentiveness to those who honor Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Fearing God involves a sense of reverence and respect, recognizing His power and authority.
God fulfills their desires by responding to their needs and providing what is good for them.
God hears cries for help, especially those that express desperation and a need for rescue.
To save means to rescue or deliver from danger, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's fulfillment of my desires?
- How can I cultivate a deeper reverence for God in my life?
- What are some cries for help that I can bring to God today?
- How can I share my experiences of God's saving power with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, like Augustine, reflect on this verse to illustrate God's faithfulness to those who fear Him and His promise to fulfill their desires.
"He will perform the will of them that fear Him" [Psalms 145:19]. He will perform it, He will perform it: though He perform it not at once, yet He will perform it.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 145 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 145:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe will fulfil the desire of them that fear him,.... That have the true fear of God put into their hearts; that fear him not with a servile, but godly fear; that fear the Lord and his goodness, and
Read John Gill on Psalms 145 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 145 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFulfil the desire, so far as it is agreeable to his own will, and convenient for their good; not inordinate desires, which God commonly denies to his people in mercy, and granteth to his enemies in anger.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 145 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.Ver. 19. He will fulfil the desire, &c.] Or, the will, the pleasure, Beneplacitum. Hence that bold request of Luther, Fiat voluntas mea, let my will be done. But then he addeth, Mea, Domine, quia tua, My will, because thine, and no otherwise. They that do the will of God shall have their own will of God. See 1 John 3:22. The king can deny you nothing.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 145 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19, 20. Fear and love are the inseparable elements of true religion. Fear preserves love from degenerating into presumptuous familiarity: love prevents fear from becoming a servile and cringing dread.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 145 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe will fulfil the desire of them that fear him - Of those who worship him with reverence - those who are his true friends. See the notes at Matthew 7:7-8; notes at John 14:13; notes at 1 John 5:14; notes at Psalms 34:15.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 145 →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
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers; he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
Tyndale line
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; He also will hear their cry and will save them.
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
He wil fulfill the desire of them that feare him: he also wil heare their cry, and wil saue them.
Strictly literal
He fulfilleth the desire of them that fear him; he heareth their cry, and saveth them.
The desire of those fearing Him He doth, And their cry He heareth, and saveth them.
He does the desire of those fearing Him, || And He hears their cry, and saves them.
The desire of those who fear him will he fulfill, and their cry will he hear, and save them.
He fulfills the desire of those who honor him; he hears their cry and saves them.
Simplified
He satisfies the needs of those who follow him. He hears their cries for help and he saves them.
To his worshippers, he will give their desire; their cry comes to his ears, and he gives them salvation.
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 align closely, with five of the seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the MT, showing consistency in the message that God hears and saves those who call upon Him.
רְצוֹן־ יְרֵאָ֥יו יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְֽאֶת־ שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃
5 of the 7 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.
רצון יראי׳ו יעשה ואת שועת׳מה ישמע ויושיע׳ם ברוך יהוה וברוך שמ׳ו לעולם ועד
13 words on the leather.
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 145:19
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.
רָצוֹן (ratsown) refers to concepts of goodwill, favor, acceptance, and will. It encompasses ideas of delight, desire, and pleasure, particularly in the context of personal relationships and sacrifices. The word is derived from a root meaning to delight, and it captures both voluntary will and the notion of being acceptable.
רָצוֹן n.[m.] goodwill, favour, acceptance, will
goodwill, favour
acceptance, of persons, offering sacrifice
will, desire, pleasure
base
H7522 רָצוֹן goodwill, favour, acceptance, will . goodwill, favour
. acceptance, of persons, offering sacrifice
. will, desire, pleasure
7522 ratsown raw-tsone'
or ratson {raw-tsone'}; from 7521; delight (especially as
shown):--(be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire,
favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will,
as...(what) would.
see HEBREW for 07521
רָצוֹן (ra.tson) — acceptance.
1) pleasure, delight, favour, goodwill, acceptance, will
1a) goodwill, favour
1b) acceptance
1c) will, desire, pleasure, self-will
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
יָרֵא (yare') is an adjective and verb derived from the root יָרֵא (H3372), meaning 'to fear.' It encompasses meanings such as 'afraid' and 'reverent.' The entries indicate a moral aspect to fear, suggesting a sense of reverence alongside being fearful.
יָרֵא adj. verb. v. supr. [j.df.aa] Pt.
base
H3373 יָרֵא adj. verb. v. supr. [3372] Pt.
3373 yare' yaw-ray'
from 3372; fearing; morally, reverent:--afraid, fear (-ful).
see HEBREW for 03372
יָרֵא (ya.re) — afraid.
fearing, reverent, afraid
Adj | Suff — SuffixHAampc/Sp3ms
עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
do (1560 t.)
deal with
oft. in phr. do kindness with
abs. act, act with effect
make (670 t.)
produce, yield
prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
make offering
attend to, put in order
observe, celebrate, religious festival
acquire property of various kinds
appoint priests
bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
use
spend, pass, days of life
Niph.
97be done
be made, of concr. things
be produced from vine
be prepared, of food
be offered
be observed, passover
be used
Pu. I was made
base
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
base
H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)
. deal with
. oft. in phr. do kindness with
. abs. act, act with effect
. . make (670 + t.)
. produce, yield
. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
. make offering
. attend to, put in order
. observe, celebrate, religious festival
. acquire property of various kinds
. appoint priests
. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
. use
. spend, pass, days of life
. . be done
. . be made, of concr. things
. be produced from vine
. be prepared, of food
. be offered
. be observed, passover
. be used
. I was made
H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze
6213 `asah aw-saw'
a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and
widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,
appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,
bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal
(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)
execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +
finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go
about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X
indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,
make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,
bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,
provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,
spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be
(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.
: do/perform
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed
1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.
(Piel) to press, squeeze
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.
: make(OBJECT)
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
a-bout': The use of this word as a preposition, in the sense of "around," is confined to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, generally an adverb, for Greek hos or "hosei." The Revised Version (British and American) adopts it in several idiomatic translations of mello, referring to what is about to be, i.e. on the point of occurring, or immediately impending, amending the King James Version, in Ac 5:35; 27:2; Re 12:4, etc.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
שַׁוְעָה (shav'ah) refers to a cry for help or a hallooing. It is a feminine noun derived from another Hebrew word, שָׁוַע (shav'ah), which also relates to crying. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a call for assistance.
[שַׁוְעָה] n.f. cry for help
base
H7775 [שַׁוְעָה] cry for help
7775 shav`ah shav-aw'
feminine of 7773; a hallooing:--crying.
see HEBREW for 07773
שַׁוְעָה (shav.ah) — cry.
cry for help
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
יָשַׁע (yasha`) is a Hebrew root meaning to save or deliver. It encompasses various forms of salvation, including liberation from physical and moral troubles, victory in battle, and general safety. The word can appear in different grammatical forms, such as Niph. (to be saved) and Hiph. (to save).
[יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass.
Niph.
be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
be saved in battle, victorious
Hiph.
deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
save from moral troubles
give victory to
base
H3467 [יָשַׁע] Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. . . be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
. be saved in battle, victorious
. . deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
. save from moral troubles
. give victory to
3467 yasha` yaw-shah'
a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e.
(by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or
succor:--X at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help,
preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation,
save(-iour), get victory.
יָשַׁע (ya.sah) — to save.
1) to save, be saved, be delivered
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered
1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to save, deliver
1b2) to save from moral troubles
1b3) to give victory to
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil third person masculine singular · suffixHC/Vhu3ms/Sp3mp