Psalms 72:9 — Word Study
WLCלְ֭פָנָיו יִכְרְע֣וּ צִיִּ֑ים וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
BSAMay the nomadstsîyîy [wild beast, desert-dwellers, inhabitants of the dry places] bowkâraʻ▸ [kneel, sink down in reverence] before himpânîym and his enemiesʼôyêb [those who hate or oppose him] licklâchak▸ [bite, taste] ◂the dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְ֭פָנָיו | before him | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| יִכְרְע֣וּ | they will bow down | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| צִיִּ֑ים | desert-dwellers | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו | and enemies his | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| עָפָ֥ר | dust | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃ | they will lick up | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. |
| KJV | They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. |
| ASV | They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust. |
| YLT | Before him bow do the inhabitants of the dry places, And his enemies lick the dust. |
| WEB | Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust. |
| BBE | Let those who are against him go down before him; and let his haters be low in the dust. |
The translations agree on the meaning of יִכְרְע֣וּ — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of two main clauses, each expressing a different action related to the king's authority.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectצִי
verbכָּרַע
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 72:9
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 Royal Psalmgenerated
Psalm 72:9 is part of a psalm that envisions the king's reign extending over all nations, bringing peace and justice. The psalmist expresses a hope that even those who live in the wilderness and the king's enemies will recognize his authority. This reflects the broader themes of divine kingship and the establishment of God's kingdom on earth, as seen in the verses surrounding it.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Kings 9:18–20 | Baalath, and Tamar in the Wilderness of Judah, |
| 2 | Isaiah 35:1–2 | The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. |
| 3 | Psalm 2:9 | You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery. ” |
| 4 | Psalm 21:8–9 | Your hand will apprehend all Your enemies; Your right hand will seize those who hate You. |
| 5 | Psalm 110:1–6 | The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִכְרְע֣וּ, yikh.re.'Ugenerated
The verb יִכְרְע֣וּ (*yikh.re.'U*) is an imperfect form of the root כָּרַע (*kara`*), meaning 'to bow down.' It indicates an action that is ongoing or future, suggesting that the desert-dwellers will bow in reverence.
This act of bowing signifies submission and respect, often in a worship context. The use of the imperfect tense highlights the expectation of this action occurring in the future, emphasizing the king's anticipated authority.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase is rendered as they will bow down, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יִכְרְע֣וּ governs the sentence, with the subject צִיִּ֑ים (desert-dwellers) performing the action. The structure highlights the action of bowing as central to the verse's message.
The prepositional phrase לְ֭פָנָיו (before him) indicates the direction of the action, emphasizing the reverence shown to the king.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יִכְרְע֣וּ is translated as προπεσοῦνται (they will fall down), which conveys a similar sense of submission but with a slightly different nuance of falling prostrate.
This choice of translation emphasizes the act of falling down as an expression of deep humility and reverence.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 72:9 expresses a hope that desert-dwellers will bow before the king, and that his enemies will lick the dust. This imagery conveys both reverence and humiliation, highlighting the king's authority.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies their recognition of his authority and a posture of submission, reflecting the king's power over all peoples.
This symbolizes their defeat and humiliation, emphasizing the consequences of opposing the king.
They represent those who are often marginalized or overlooked, yet they too will acknowledge the king's authority.
It illustrates the universal reign of the king, where even the most unlikely subjects will recognize his sovereignty.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to show reverence in my own life, and how can I express that to God?
- In what ways do I see authority being recognized in my community?
- How can I respond to those who oppose me in a way that reflects humility and grace?
- What does it look like for me to acknowledge the authority of Christ in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse includes Augustine of Hippo, who interprets the imagery of submission and defeat in relation to the king's reign.
"In His presence shall fall down the Ethiopians, and His enemies shall lick the earth" [Psalms 72:9].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 72 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 72:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him,.... In token of subjection to him, reverence and worship of him, to whom every knee shall bow, Isaiah 45:23.
Read John Gill on Psalms 72 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 72 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIn the wilderness; in solitary places; even rude and barbarous people, who lived without order and government among themselves; of which sort great numbers submitted to Christ, and received the gospel. Shall lick the dust, i.e. shall prostrate themselves to the ground, in token of reverence and subjection, as the custom of the Eastern people was. See .
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 72 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 72:9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.Ver. 9. They that dwell in the wilderness] Wild, barbarous, rude people; such as were the ancient Britons our progenitors, till Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shone upon them, till they were brought to the obedience of faith; Tunc enim sensim evanuit feritas, indies exulavit immanitas, corruit crudelitas, &c., for then it was otherwise (Bond in Horat.). And his enemies shall lick the dust] A ceremony much in use among the easterlings. Prostrati adorant honoratiorem, saith Herodotus of the Persians; they worship their betters, by falling to the ground before them; and how Tiridates…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 72 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) They that dwell in the wilderness. . . .—The Hebrew word in other places is used of “wild animals” (Psalms 74:14; Isaiah 23:13). Here apparently it refers to the nomad tribes wandering over the desert. The LXX. and ancient versions generally have “Æthiopians.” Lick the dust.—The allusion is to the Eastern etiquette of prostration before a sovereign.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 72 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 9. They that dwell in the wilderness] The ציים tsiyim, termed Ethiopians by the Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic. The Syriac terms them the islands. But it is likely that those who dwell by the sea-coasts, and support themselves by navigation and fishing, are here intended. His enemies shall lick the dust.] Shall be so completely subdued, that they shall be reduced to the most abject state of vassalage, till they shall become proselytes to the Jewish faith.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 72 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. Let them that dwell in the wilderness bow down before him, And let his enemies lick the dust. Even the wild Bedouin tribes that roam at large through the desert, the freest of the free, submit to his rule. LXX, Aq., Symm., Jer., render, Ethiopians, the Targ., Africans; but the term is quite general. There is no need to alter the text. Cp. Psalms 74:14. lick the dust] I.e. prostrate themselves with their faces on the ground in abject submission. Cp. Micah 7:17; Isaiah 49:23.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 72 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him - The word rendered “they that dwell in the wilderness” - ציים tsı̂yı̂ym, means properly those who abide in deserts, dry places, solitudes; and
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 72 →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
May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust.
May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
Before him the coastlands will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust.
Tyndale line
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
They that dwell in ye wildernes, shall kneele before him, and his enemies shall licke the dust.
Strictly literal
The dwellers in the desert shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust.
Before him bow do the inhabitants of the dry places, And his enemies lick the dust.
Desert-dwellers bow before Him, || And His enemies lick the dust.
Before him shall bend down those that dwell in the wilderness; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
May those who live in the wilderness bow down before him; may his enemies lick the dust.
From the Latin
They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
Simplified
Desert tribes will kneel before him; and his enemies will bite the dust.
Let those who are against him go down before him; and let his haters be low in the dust.
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 Psalm 72:9, with all six words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts, indicating a consistent translation of the verse.
לְ֭פָנָיו יִכְרְע֣וּ צִיִּ֑ים וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
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.
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 72:9
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.
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
כָּרַע (kara`) means to bow down or bend the knee. It encompasses actions like kneeling in reverence, crouching, or sinking down, and can also imply causing someone or something to bow. The term appears in various contexts, including expressions of grief and submission.
כָּרַע bow down
Qal
bow
bow down, of the crouching lion
bow down over (in order to lie with) a woman
bow down, of a woman in childbirth
Hiph.
cause to bow in grief
cause to bow down in death
base
H3766 כָּרַע bow down
3766 kara` kaw-rah'
a primitive root; to bend the knee; by implication, to sink,
to prostrate:--bow (down, self), bring down (low), cast down,
couch, fall, feeble, kneeling, sink, smite (stoop) down,
subdue, X very.
כָּרַע (ka.ra) — to bow.
1) to bend, kneel, bow, bow down, sink down to one's knees, kneel down to rest (of animals), kneel in reverence
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bow
1a2) to bow down, crouch
1a3) to bow down over
1a4) to tilt, lean
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to bow
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
צִי (tsiyiy) refers to a wild beast, specifically a desert-dweller or a creature that cries or yelps. The term is linked to nomadic or wilderness habitats, but the exact identity of the beast is not clearly defined. It is derived from a related word, צִי (tsiy), which emphasizes its connection to the desert.
[צִי] n.m. a wild beast, prop. either desert-dweller, or crier, yelper
base
H6728 [צִי] a wild beast, prop. either desert-dweller, or crier, yelper
6728 tsiyiy tsee-ee'
from the same as 6723; a desert-dweller, i.e. nomad or wild
beast:--wild beast of the desert, that dwell in (inhabiting)
the wilderness.
see HEBREW for 06723
צִי (tsiy.yi) — wild beast.
1) a wild beast, desert-dweller, crier, yelper
1a) a specific wild beast but not certainly identified
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.
[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
base
H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
341 'oyeb o-yabe'
or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;
hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.
see HEBREW for 0340
אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.
1) (Qal) enemy
1a) personal
1b) national
Conj | V-Qal | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vqrmpc/Sp3ms
עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.
עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust
base
H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust
6083 `aphar aw-fawr'
from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,
mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.
see HEBREW for 06080
עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.
1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish
1a) dry or loose earth
1b) debris
1c) mortar
1d) ore
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:
(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20…
Dust
Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).
To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…
[MOURNING]
Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…
לָחַךְ (lachak) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to lick.' It appears in both the Qal and Piel forms, with usages including an ox licking up grass and a reference to fire licking up water in a trench. The term also conveys a sense of humiliation when used in the context of licking dust.
[לָחַךְ] vb. lick
Qal of ox licking up grass.
Pi. lick up, fire fr. heaven the water in trench; of Isr. consuming produce of land; lick the dust, sign of humiliation
base
H3897 [לָחַךְ] lick
3897 lachak law-khak'
a primitive root; to lick:--lick (up).
לָחַךְ (la.chakh) — to lick.
1) to lick, lick up
1a) (Qal) to lick up
1b) (Piel) to lick up
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVpi3mp