Psalms 89:31 — Word Study
WLCאִם־ חֻקֹּתַ֥י יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י לֹ֣א יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃
BSAifʼim [they choose to disobey] and faillôʼ [do not keep, neglect]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | if | Particle |
| חֻקֹּתַ֥י | statutes my | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ | they will violate | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י | and commandments my | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃ | they will keep | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments, |
| KJV | If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; |
| ASV | If they break my statutes, And keep not my commandments; |
| YLT | If My statutes they pollute, And My commands do not keep, |
| WEB | if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments; |
| BBE | If my rules are broken, and my orders are not kept; |
Where they part company is in the rendering of יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a conditional clause that sets the stage for the consequences that follow.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהוּא
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 89:31
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 Consequences of Disobediencegenerated
Psalm 89:31 is part of a warning from God regarding the behavior of His people. The psalmist expresses that if they choose to disobey God's laws, they will not only violate His statutes but also fail to uphold His commandments, leading to inevitable consequences. This theme is echoed throughout the Psalms, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's decrees and the repercussions of neglecting them.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 55:20 | My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ, ye.cha.Le.lugenerated
The verb יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ (yechalelu) is a Piel imperfect form, indicating an ongoing action performed by the subjects. It means 'to violate' or 'to profane', suggesting a serious breach of conduct regarding God's statutes. This word encapsulates the act of treating sacred things with disrespect, which is a significant theme in the context of covenant faithfulness.
The root of this verb, חָלַל (chalal), carries connotations of piercing or breaking, which aligns with the idea of breaking a covenant or commandment. The use of this verb here emphasizes the gravity of disobedience and the moral implications of failing to adhere to God's statutes.
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 main verb is יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ, they will violate, which governs the clause. It is followed by a conjunction and a noun phrase that details the objects of violation: חֻקֹּתַ֥י and מִצְוֹתַ֗י, my statutes and my commandments. The structure indicates a clear cause-and-effect relationship between disobedience and the consequences that follow.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the subjects, highlighting the seriousness of their potential violation of God's laws.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ is rendered as ἀτιμάσωσι (atimásōsi), meaning 'they will dishonor'. This choice emphasizes the moral degradation associated with disobedience, suggesting a broader interpretation of the consequences of violating God's statutes.
This translation reflects a nuanced understanding of the violation, indicating not just an act of breaking but also the dishonor that comes with it.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 89:31 warns that if the people disobey God's laws, they will violate His statutes and fail to keep His commandments. This disobedience has serious consequences, as God will respond to their actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To violate God's statutes means to break or disrespect the laws and decrees that He has established for His people, which can lead to negative consequences.
This verse emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commandments, indicating that failure to adhere to His laws results in violation and consequences.
Failing to keep God's commandments signifies a disregard for His authority and can lead to spiritual and moral decline.
Understanding the context helps to grasp the seriousness of disobedience and the covenant relationship between God and His people, highlighting the need for faithfulness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can ensure I am following God's commandments in my daily life?
- How do I respond when I realize I have violated God's statutes?
- In what areas of my life do I struggle with obedience to God's laws?
- How can I encourage others to uphold God's commandments in their lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss themes of obedience and divine judgment, using it to illustrate the consequences of straying from God's laws.
These things we suffer by our own fault and our own deserving, even as the divine judgment has forewarned us, saying, "If they forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, if they profane my statutes and keep not my commandments,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →
The Lord certainly would not exhort to repentance unless he promised pardon to the penitent. In the Gospel the Lord says, “Just so, I tell you, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →
Not without reason was [the soul] given horns and hoofs, to bruise all the sheaves of the threshing floor, like the calf of Libanius, for, unless the sheaves are bruised and the straw winnowed,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 89:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIf they break my statutes,.... Fixed, settled, appointed ordinances; such as are baptism and the Lord's supper, under the New Testament dispensation; which are the things that are unshaken, and will
Read John Gill on Psalms 89 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 89 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBy this variety of expressions he implies that God will pardon not only their lesser, but even their greater sins.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 89 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;Ver. 31. If they break my statutes] Heb. If they profane or make void; q. d. be their sins never so heinous, I will forgive them; though I take vengeance (temporal) of their inventions, Psalms 99:8. And keep not my commandments] Not-serving of God, not-sacrificing is a sin, Malachi 3:18 Ecclesiastes 9:2. See Psalms 89:30.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 89 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(30-33) An elaboration of 2 Samuel 7:14-15, and evidently made with a purpose. The poet acknowledges the sin of Israel in past times, but also regards the sufferings of the exile as having been the punishment foretold by them. Hence the sin has been expiated, and the perplexity arises why Israel is still afflicted.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 89 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIf they break my statutes - Margin, “profane.” The Hebrew word means to pollute or defile; and the idea is, If they practically contemn them; if they regard them as things of nought, or treat them
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 89 →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
if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments,
if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments;
if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments,
if they break my rules and do not keep my commandments,
Tyndale line
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
If they break my statutes, And keep not my commandments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
If they breake my statutes, and keepe not my commandements:
Strictly literal
If they profane my statutes, and keep not my commandments:
If My statutes they pollute, And My commands do not keep,
If they defile My statutes, || And do not keep My commands,
(89:32) If they profane my statutes, and keep not my commandments:
if they break my rules and do not keep my commands,
Simplified
if they break my decrees, and do not keep my commandments,
If my rules are broken, and my orders are not kept;
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 essential wording of the verse, with six out of six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments that include part of the verse, indicating that the core message has been preserved across different textual traditions.
אִם־ חֻקֹּתַ֥י יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י לֹ֣א יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃
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.
אמ יעזבו
2 words of the verse are on this fragment. The rest of the verse is not on it.
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 89:31
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.
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
Conj — ParticleHTc
חֻקָּה (chuqqah) refers to a statute or ordinance, indicating something that is prescribed or enacted. It is a feminine noun derived from a related word, חֹק (choq), and encompasses meanings such as custom and limit. The entries consistently highlight its legal and prescriptive nature.
חֻקָּה 104 n.f. something prescribed, enactment, statute
base
H2708 חֻקָּה something prescribed, enactment, statute
2708 chuqqah khook-kaw'
feminine of 2706, and meaning substantially the
same:--appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.
see HEBREW for 02706
חֻקָּה (chuq.qah) — statute.
1) statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed
1a) statute
HNcfpc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word חָלַל (*chalal*) is built from a primitive root meaning to bore or pierce, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to wound, to play the flute, and to profane or defile. It can refer to both physical actions, like piercing, and moral or ritual violations, such as polluting oneself or breaking a covenant. The lexicons note various grammatical forms and uses, but do not indicate significant disagreement.
חָלַל vb. bore, pierce
Qal my heart is pierced (wounded) within me
Pi. in the hand of the ones wounding thee
Pu. pierced by the sword
Po‛el his hand pierced the fleeing serpent
Po‛al pierced, wounded because of our transgressions
base
[חלל] vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe
Qal as well the singers as the pipe-players
Polel dancers
Pi. and the people piped with pipes
base
[חָלַל] vb. pollute, defile, profane
Niph.
reflex. pollute, defile oneself
Pass., be polluted, defiled
Pi.
defile, pollute
violate the honour of, dishonour
violate a covenant
treat a vineyard as common
Pu. my great name which is profaned among the nations
Hiph.
I will not let my holy name be profaned any more.
he shall not violate his word
begin
Hoph. then it was begun (= men began) to call on the name of י׳
base
H2490a חָלַל bore, pierce H2490b חלל vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe H2490c חָלַל pollute, defile, profane
2490 chalal khaw-lal'
a primitive root (compare 2470); properly, to bore, i.e. (by
implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane
(a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin
(as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the
flute):--begin (X men began), defile, X break, defile, X eat
(as common things), X first, X gather the grape thereof, X
take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast
as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain,
wound.
see HEBREW for 02470
see HEBREW for 02485
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to bore.
1) to wound (fatally), bore through, pierce, bore
1a) (Qal) to pierce
1b) (Pual) to be slain
1c) (Poel) to wound, pierce
1d) (Poal) to be wounded
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to play flute.
(Piel) to play the flute or pipe
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: begin.
: begin
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to profane oneself, defile oneself, pollute oneself
1a1a) ritually
1a1b) sexually
1a2) to be polluted, be defiled
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to profane, make common, defile, pollute
1b2) to violate the honour of, dishonour
1b3) to violate (a covenant)
1b4) to treat as common
1c) (Pual) to be profaned (of name of God)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to let be profaned
1d2) to begin
1e) (Hophal) to be begun
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: profane.
: profane
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
HVpi3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVpi3mp
מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.
מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment
base
H4687 מִצְוָה commandment
4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'
from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,
the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,
precept.
see HEBREW for 06680
מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.
1) commandment
1a) commandment (of man)
1b) the commandment (of God)
1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)
HC/Ncfpc/Sp1bs — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp1bs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.
שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve
Qal 425
keep, have charge of
keep, guard, captives
hence, watch for, wait for
watch, observe
keep, retain, of storing up (food)
keep within bounds, restrain
observe, celebrate
keep sabbath
of other obligations
observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)
sts. י׳ subj.
keep, reserve, weeks of harvest
Niph.
36be on one's guard
keep oneself, refrain, abstain
be kept, guarded
Pi. those paying regard to false vanities
Hithp. I kept myself from
base
H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of
. keep, guard, captives
. hence, watch for, wait for
. watch, observe
. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)
. keep within bounds, restrain
. . observe, celebrate
. keep sabbath
. of other obligations
. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)
. sts. י׳ subj.
. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest
. . be on one's guard
. keep oneself, refrain, abstain
. be kept, guarded
. those paying regard to false vanities
. I kept myself from
8104 shamar shaw-mar'
a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),
i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,
be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,
look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save
(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).
שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.
: obey/observe
1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
1a4) to watch, observe
1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain
1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)
1a8) to keep, preserve, protect
1a9) to keep, reserve
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware
1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
1b3) to be kept, be guarded
1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed
1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.
: guard
1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp