Psalms 36:5 — Word Study
WLCיְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־ שְׁחָקִֽים׃
BSAevilʼâven to devisechâshab uponʻal bedmishkâb to standyâtsab uponʻal wayderek notlôʼ pleasantṭôwb badraʻ notlôʼ to rejectmâʼaç
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְ֭הוָה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם | [is] in the heavens | Preposition, particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | covenant loyalty your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ | faithfulness your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| עַד־ | [is] to | Preposition |
| שְׁחָקִֽים׃ | [the] clouds | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. |
| KJV | Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. |
| ASV | Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, is in the heavens; Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies. |
| YLT | O Jehovah, in the heavens [is] Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness [is] unto the clouds. |
| WEB | Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. |
| BBE | Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and your strong purpose is as high as the clouds. |
Where they part company is חֶסֶד — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses, each with a prepositional phrase indicating the extent of God's attributes. The structure emphasizes the parallel nature of God's loving devotion and faithfulness.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 36:5
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 — The Attributes of Godgenerated
Psalm 36:5 expresses the psalmist's awe at God's unwavering love and faithfulness, which are depicted as reaching the highest heavens and clouds. This verse is part of a larger reflection on the nature of God, emphasizing His kindness and reliability as foundational attributes. The surrounding verses further illustrate the contrast between the wickedness of man and the righteousness of God, affirming the security found in His loving care.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 52:1 | Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long. |
| 2 | Psalm 57:10 | For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds. |
| 3 | Psalm 103:11 | For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. |
| 4 | Psalm 108:4 | For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. |
| 5 | Isaiah 55:7–9 | Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֶסֶד, chas.De.khagenerated
The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (chesed) signifies a deep, loyal love, often translated as 'kindness' or 'mercy.' It is a key term in the Old Testament that describes God's covenant loyalty to His people, highlighting His unwavering commitment and benevolence.
In this verse, חֶסֶד emphasizes the nature of God's love as steadfast and enduring, illustrating how it extends to the heavens. This portrayal of divine love serves to reassure believers of God's constant presence and support.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses, both describing the extent of God's attributes: חַסְדֶּךָ and אֱמוּנָתְךָ. The structure emphasizes the parallel nature of God's loving devotion and faithfulness, with each clause expressing a different aspect of His character.
The Hebrew word order places יְהוָה at the beginning, establishing a direct address to God, which highlights the personal relationship between the psalmist and the divine.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֶסֶד as ἀνομίαν, which can imply a sense of wrongdoing or lawlessness. This choice may reflect a broader interpretation of God's love as encompassing not just kindness but also the need for justice.
This translation choice indicates a nuanced understanding of divine attributes, suggesting that God's love also addresses human failings and the need for redemption.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 36:5 highlights God's loving devotion and faithfulness, illustrating how they reach to the heavens and clouds. This verse reassures believers of God's steadfast presence and care, contrasting human wickedness with divine righteousness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God's loving devotion refers to His steadfast love and kindness towards humanity, emphasizing His commitment to His covenant with His people.
The verse illustrates God's faithfulness by stating that it reaches to the clouds, indicating that His reliability and trustworthiness are vast and unchanging.
The imagery of heavens and clouds signifies the greatness and majesty of God's attributes, showing that His love and faithfulness are beyond human comprehension.
We can experience God's loving devotion through His actions in our lives, His guidance, and His presence, which provide comfort and assurance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's loving devotion in my life?
- How can I reflect God's faithfulness in my relationships with others?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's faithfulness during difficult times?
- How can I better understand and appreciate the vastness of God's love?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers reflect on this verse to highlight God's mercy and faithfulness, illustrating how these divine attributes are foundational to understanding His character.
Finally, let us consider what follows. 'O Lord,' he says, 'in heaven is your mercy, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →
Therefore, mercy must be sought from heaven, and the truth of God must be gathered from the oracles of the prophets, who, like clouds, cover the mysteries of divine knowledge.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →
"Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Your truth reaches even unto the clouds" [Psalms 36:5]. I know not what Mercy of Him he means, which is in the heavens.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 36:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThy mercy, O Lord, [is] in the heavens,.... Meaning either the general mercy of God the earth is full of, and extends to all creatures; to which it is owing that wicked men before described are not
Read John Gill on Psalms 36 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. The second strophe. The consolation which the pious have in God's inexhaustible mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and loving-kindness.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 36 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThough this be the disposition and carriage of mine enemies towards me, and therefore I can expect no good from them, yet thou, O Lord, blessed be thy name, art of another temper; they are cruel and perfidious and unrighteous, but thou art infinite in mercy, and faithfulness, and righteousness, and loving-kindness, as it here follows; and therefore though I despair of them, yet I trust in thee, as other men do for these reasons, . Is in the heavens; or, is unto (as the prefix beth oft signifies, as , and elsewhere, and as it is here explained in the following clause) the heavens. As it is on the earth, of which there was no question, so it reacheth thence to the heavens, i.e. it is infinite…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 36 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 36:5 Thy mercy, O LORD, [is] in the heavens; [and] thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds.Ver. 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens] Yea, far above them, Psalms 108:4, and over all thy good and men’ s bad works. Otherwise thou couldest never endure such provocations of the profane rout; who yet live upon thee, and share in thy general goodness, admiratur David incredibilem Dei patientiam, &c. (Vat.). And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds] God s mercy goeth usually yoked with his truth, and bounded by it; lest any should presume upon it, considering that God is faithful as well as merciful; faithful, I say, to fulfil both his promises and his menaces too. And as he…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 36 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Thy mercy, O Lord, is in . . .—Better, Jehovah, to the heavens (reacheth) thy grace, Thy faithfulness to the sky. i.e., there are no narrower bounds of divine mercy and truth.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 36 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens] That is, thou art abundant, infinite in thy mercy; else such transgressors must be immediately cut off; but thy long-suffering is intended to lead them to repentance. Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds] עד שחקים ad shechakim, to the eternal regions; above all visible space. God's faithfulness binds him to fulfil the promises and covenants made by his mercy. Blessings from the heavens, from the clouds, from the earth, are promised by God to his followers; and his faithfulness is in all those places, to distribute to his followers the mercies he has promised.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 36 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–9. From the grievous spectacle of human perversity the Psalmist takes refuge in adoring contemplation of the character of God, the only source of life and light, who deals blessing liberally to all His creatures.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 36 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens - This commences the second part of the psalm - the description of the character of God in contrast with the character of the wicked man.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 36 →The verse in English, compared — 17 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
Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.
O Lord, your loyal love reaches to the sky; your faithfulness to the clouds.
Tyndale line
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, is in the heavens; Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies.
Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, is in the heavens; thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies.
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth to the clouds.
Thy mercy, O Lord, reacheth vnto the heauens, and thy faithfulnesse vnto the cloudes.
Strictly literal
Jehovah, thy loving-kindness is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds.
O Jehovah, in the heavens [is] Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness [is] unto the clouds.
O YHWH, Your kindness [is] in the heavens, || Your faithfulness [is] to the clouds.
(36:6) O Lord, into the heavens reacheth thy kindness, thy faithfulness even into the skies.
Your covenant faithfulness, Yahweh, reaches to the heavens; your loyalty reaches to the clouds.
From the Latin
Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.
Simplified
Lord, your faithful love reaches to the heavens, your trustworthiness to the clouds.
Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and your strong purpose is as high as the clouds.
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 in the essential wording of this verse, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some damage, with four words visible and one partially restored, but they do not present any significant variation from the Masoretic Text.
יְ֭הוָה בְּהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ עַד־ שְׁחָקִֽים׃
6 of the 6 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.
[און] [יחשב] [על] משכב׳ו יתיעץ כול דרך לוא [טוב] [רע] [לוא] [ימאס]
4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.
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 36:5
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.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HNpt — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word שָׁמַיִם (*shamayim*) is a dual noun meaning 'heavens' or 'sky.' It refers to the visible heavens where celestial bodies are found, as well as the abode of God. The dual form may suggest both the arch of the sky and the higher ether. It is noted in contexts such as Elijah's ascent in a whirlwind.
[שָׁמַי] n.m. only pl. שָׁמַיִם 421 heavens, sky
visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are
phrases
as abode of God
Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind
הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations
base
H8064 שָׁמַי only pl. שָׁמַיִם heavens, sky . . visible heavens, sky, where stars, etc., are
. phrases
. . as abode of God
. Elijah taken up הַשּׁ׳ in whirlwind
. הַשּׁ׳ personified in various relations
8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim
dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused
root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps
alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well
as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies
revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).
שָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) — heaven.
1) heaven, heavens, sky
1a) visible heavens, sky
1a1) as abode of the stars
1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc
1b) Heaven (as the abode of God)
Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)
HR/Td/Ncmpa — Preposition · particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHR/Td/Ncmpa
hev'-'nz (shamayim; ouranoi): On the physical heavens see ASTRONOMY; WORLD. Above these, in popular conception, were the celestial heavens, the abode of God and of the hosts of angels (Ps 11:4; 103:19-21; Isa 66:1; Re 4:2; 5:11; compare Da 7:10), though it was recognized that Yahweh's presence was not confined to any region (1Ki 8:27). Later Judaism reckoned seven heavens. The apostle Paul speaks of himself as caught up into "the third heaven," which he evidently identifies with Paradise (2Co 12:2).
See HEAVENLY.
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (*emuwnah*) is built from the root of H529, indicating concepts of firmness and steadfastness. It encompasses meanings such as fidelity, trust, and stability. The entries consistently highlight its moral implications, particularly in relation to faithfulness.
אֱמוּנָה n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity
lit. firmness, steadiness
steadfastness
faithfulness, trust
base
H530 אֱמוּנָה firmness, steadfastness, fidelity . lit. firmness, steadiness
. steadfastness
. faithfulness, trust
530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw'
feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security;
morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set
office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.
see HEBREW for 0529
אֱמוּנָה (e.mu.nah) — faithfulness.
firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness
HNcfsc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while
prep.
of space
Of time
Of degree
conj.
until
While
Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)
עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus
of space
Of time
Of degree
base
H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space
. Of time
. Of degree
. conj. . until
. While
. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)
. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space
. Of time
. Of degree
5704 `ad ad
properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or
conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,
or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,
while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,
at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),
(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,
till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.
see HEBREW for 05703
עַד (ad) — till.
prep
1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as
1a) of space
1a1) as far as, up to, even to
1b) in combination
1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)
1c) of time
1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end
1d) of degree
1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like
conj
2) until, while, to the point that, so that even
Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
HR — PrepositionHR
שַׁ֫חַק (shachaq) refers to fine dust or a thin cloud. It is derived from a root meaning to beat small, and its range includes both physical dust and vaporous clouds, extending to concepts of the firmament or sky. The entries consistently emphasize its qualities of fineness and thinness.
שַׁ֫חַק n.m. dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
base
H7834 שַׁ֫חַק dust, cloud (as fine, thin)
7834 shachaq shakh'-ak
from 7833; a powder (as beaten small): by analogy, a thin
vapor; by extension, the firmament:--cloud, small dust,
heaven, sky.
see HEBREW for 07833
שַׁ֫חַק (sha.chaq) — cloud.
1) dust, cloud
1a) fine dust
1b) (thin) cloud
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
In the summer season of Palestine, were an unlooked-for phenomenon, 1Sa 12:17,18, and rising from off the Mediterranean, betokened rain, 1Ki 18:44 Lu 12:54. Clouds are the symbol of armies and multitudes, probably by their grand and majestic movements, Isa 60:8 Jer 4:13 Heb 12:1. They betokened the presence of Jehovah, as on mount Sinai,
Ex 19:9 24:12-18; in the temple, Ex 40:34 1Ki 8:10; in the cloudy…