Psalms 89:38 — Word Study
WLCוְאַתָּ֣ה זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתִּמְאָ֑ס הִ֝תְעַבַּ֗רְתָּ עִם־ מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃
BSAmoonyârêach to establishkûwn foreverʻôwlâm witnessʻêd cloudshachaq be faithfulʼâman Selahçelâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | and you | Conjunction, pronoun |
| זָ֭נַחְתָּ | you have spurned | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| וַתִּמְאָ֑ס | and you have rejected | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect second person masculine singular |
| הִ֝תְעַבַּ֗רְתָּ | you have been furious | Verb, Hithpael, perfect second person masculine singular |
| עִם־ | with | Preposition |
| מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃ | anointed your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one. |
| KJV | But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. |
| ASV | But thou hast cast off and rejected, Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. |
| YLT | And Thou, Thou hast cast off, and dost reject, Thou hast shown Thyself wroth With Thine anointed, |
| WEB | But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed. |
| BBE | But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection. |
Where they part company is in the nuances of זָנַחְתָּ and תִּמְאָ֑ס — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents God's actions, followed by a description of His emotional response, creating a powerful lament.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectכְּ
verbכּוּן
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 89:38
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 Lament of God’s Anointedgenerated
Psalm 89:38 reflects a profound sense of betrayal and anger directed towards God’s chosen one, often interpreted as the king of Israel. The psalmist grapples with the apparent abandonment by God, contrasting the earlier promises of divine support and protection. This verse is part of a larger lament that questions the faithfulness of God in light of current suffering, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Psalm 89:39.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 44:9–26 | But You have rejected and humbled us; You no longer go forth with our armies. |
| 2 | Psalm 60:1–10 | You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us! |
| 3 | Psalm 77:7 | “Will the Lord spurn us forever and never show His favor again? |
| 4 | 1 Chronicles 28:9 | As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 12:1 | Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 18 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מְשִׁיחֶךָ, me.shi.Che.khagenerated
The word מְשִׁיחַ (mashiyach) means 'anointed' and is derived from a root that signifies consecration. It refers to someone set apart for a special purpose, such as a king or priest. In this context, it emphasizes the relationship between God and His chosen leader, highlighting the gravity of the rejection.
The construct form here indicates possession — 'Your anointed one' — which underscores the intimate connection between God and the anointed, intensifying the emotional weight of the rejection expressed in the verse.
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 consists of a series of clauses that build upon one another, with the main subject being אַתָּ֣ה (you) — God — followed by three verbs that articulate the actions taken against His anointed one: זָ֭נַחְתָּ (you have spurned), וַתִּמְאָ֑ס (and you have rejected), and הִ֝תְעַבַּ֗רְתָּ (you have been furious). This structure emphasizes the progression of God's emotions and actions.
The arrangement of the Hebrew words places the subject at the forefront, followed by the actions, which creates a dramatic effect that highlights the intensity of the situation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מְשִׁיחֶךָ as πιστός (pistos), meaning 'faithful' or 'beloved.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the anointed one, suggesting a focus on the character of the king rather than solely on the act of anointing.
This shift in emphasis may indicate the translators' understanding of the anointed one as not just a political figure but as one who embodies faithfulness to God.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 89:38 expresses a deep sense of abandonment by God towards His chosen one, highlighting feelings of rejection and anger. The psalmist laments that God has spurned and rejected His anointed, which raises questions about the faithfulness of God's promises.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a profound sense of rejection and abandonment, indicating that God has turned away from the one He chose to lead.
The term 'anointed one' refers to the Messiah, suggesting that this rejection has implications for the understanding of God's promises regarding leadership and salvation.
The emotional tone reflects the psalmist's struggle with the apparent contradiction between God's past promises and present circumstances.
It teaches us about the human experience of feeling abandoned by God, even when we hold onto the hope of His promises.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt abandoned or rejected in my own life?
- How can I reconcile feelings of abandonment with my understanding of God's promises?
- What does the term 'anointed one' mean to me in the context of faith?
- How can I support others who are experiencing feelings of rejection or abandonment?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, highlighting the promises made concerning Christ and their significance in understanding God's faithfulness.
These promises, so sure, so firm, so open, so unquestioned, were made concerning Christ. For although some are mysteriously veiled, yet some are so clear, that all that is obscure is easily revealed by them.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 89:38 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut thou hast cast off,.... Here begin objections to what is before said, and swore to; even to the everlasting love of God, to Christ, and to his seed, to the unchangeableness and unalterableness of
Read John Gill on Psalms 89 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. -The people of the covenant contrast the sad state of things actually with what the covenant seemed to promise. Similarly in Psalms 44:9. Verse 38.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 89 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHaving hitherto declared the certainty of God’ s promises, he now proceeds to show the unsuitableness of the present dispensations of God’ s providence thereunto, and humbly expostulates with God about it. Thine anointed; that person and family which thou hast invested with the kingdom.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 89 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 89:38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.Ver. 38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred] So it seemed to the psalmist through infirmity of the flesh (though his faith did ubique micare, appear ever and anon amidst his complaints), and so the enemies reported and insulted. Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed] sc. Out of love displeased. And here, as likewise in the verses following, omnia sunt Asyndeta, ad vehementiam.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 89 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(38) But thou.—The poem takes a new departure here. God is reproached for violating the covenant, and the contrast between the actual condition of things in Israel at present, and the glorious destiny promised, is feelingly set forth. The boldness of this expostulation has scandalised the Jewish expositors. But see exactly similar language, Psalms 44:9; Psalms 44:22. The point of the poem, indeed, is gone if we soften down these expressions. The stronger the conviction of the inviolability of God’s promises, the more vehement becomes the sense of right to expostulate at their seeming violation, the delay of the fulfilment of the covenant. We may illustrate by the Latin poet’s “Hic pietatis…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 89 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 38. But thou hast cast off] Hitherto the psalmist has spoken of the covenant of God with David and his family, which led them to expect all manner of prosperity, and a perpetuity of the Jewish throne; now he shews what appears to him a failure of the promise, and what he calls in the next verse the making void the covenant of his servant. God cannot lie to David; how is it then that his crown is profaned, that it is cast down to the ground; the land being possessed by strangers, and the twelve tribes in the most disgraceful and oppressive captivity?
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 89 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges38–45. But present realities are in appalling contrast to this glorious promise: the king is rejected and dethroned, his kingdom is overrun by invaders, his enemies are triumphant.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 89 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut thou hast cast off - literally, Thou hast treated as a foul, offensive thing; thou hast treated him to whom these promises were made, as if he were a vile and detestable object - as that which
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
Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one.
But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.
Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one.
But you have spurned and rejected him; you are angry with your chosen king.
Tyndale line
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
But thou hast cast off and rejected, Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
But thou hast cast off and rejected, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thy anointed.
But thou hast reiected and abhorred, thou hast bene angry with thine Anoynted.
Strictly literal
But thou hast rejected and cast off; thou hast been very wroth with thine anointed:
And Thou, Thou hast cast off, and dost reject, Thou hast shown Thyself wroth With Thine anointed,
And You, You have cast off, and reject, || You have shown Yourself angry with Your anointed,
(89:39) And yet thou hast east off and despised, thou hast become wroth with thy anointed.
But you have refused and rejected; you have been angry with your anointed king.
Simplified
But you have rejected and abandoned him! You are angry with your chosen king!
But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection.
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 closely in their wording, with all six words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions.
וְאַתָּ֣ה זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתִּמְאָ֑ס הִ֝תְעַבַּ֗רְתָּ עִם־ מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃
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 89:38
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.
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
HC/Pp2ms — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp2ms
זָנַח (zanach) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to reject or spurn, with nuances of casting off or forsaking. It also has a secondary meaning related to emitting a stench, as noted in Isaiah 19:6. The word is built from a primitive root, indicating a strong sense of pushing aside or removing.
זָנַח vb. reject, spurn
Qal reject
Hiph. (late) reject
base
[זָנַח] stink, emit stench;—only Hiph. Is 19:6
ref
H2186a זָנַח reject, spurn H2186b זָנַח stink, emit stench
2186 zanach zaw-nakh'
a primitive root meaning to push aside, i.e. reject, forsake,
fail:--cast away (off), remove far away (off).
זָנַח (za.nach) — to reject.
1) to cast off, reject, spurn
1a) (Qal) to reject
1b) (Hiphil) to forcefully reject someone
זָנַח (za.nach) — to stink.
1) to stink, emit stench, become odious
1a) (Hiphil) stink (perfect)
HVqp2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
מָאַס (ma'ac) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to reject or despise. It can also denote the action of flowing or running in its Niph'al form. The entries highlight its usage in contexts of refusal and disdain, with no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
[מָאַס] vb. reject
Qal
reject, refuse
despise
Niph. be rejected
base
[מָאַס] vb. Niph. flow, run
base
H3988a מָאַס reject H3988b מָאַס Niph. flow, run
3988 ma'ac maw-as'
a primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to
disappear:--abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain,
(become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X
utterly, vile person.
מָאַס (ma.as) — to reject.
1) to reject, despise, refuse
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to reject, refuse
1a2) to despise
1b) (Niphal) to be rejected
מָאַס (ma.as) — to flow.
(Niphal) to flow, run
Hc/Vqw2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person masculine singularHc/Vqw2ms
The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.
עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on
Qal
pass over
Pass beyond
Pass through, traverse
pass along by
pass by
sweep by, of scourge
be past, over, of time
pass along (from hand to hand)
Pass on, go on
Pass away
Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
Pi.
his bull impregnateth
cause one to cross river
cause something to pass over
make over to
devote children to (לְ) heathen god
pass along (from hand to hand)
cause to pass through
let pass through
cause to pass by
let pass by
cause arrow to pass beyond
cause to pass under rod, for counting
cause to pass away, take away
Hiph.
cause to pass over, bring over
he made to pass across with chains of gold
base
[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
base
H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over
. Pass beyond
. Pass through, traverse
. . pass along by
. pass by
. sweep by, of scourge
. be past, over, of time
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. Pass on, go on
. Pass away
. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river
. cause something to pass over
. make over to
. devote children to (לְ) heathen god
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. . cause to pass through
. let pass through
. . cause to pass by
. let pass by
. cause arrow to pass beyond
. cause to pass under rod, for counting
. cause to pass away, take away
. . cause to pass over, bring over
. he made to pass across with chains of gold
H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
5674 `abar aw-bar'
a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any
transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,
intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,
through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),
convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,
gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,
in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,
overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)
pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,
through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,
provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,
send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X
speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)
transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be
wrath.
עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.
1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over
1a2) to pass beyond
1a3) to pass through, traverse
1a3a) passers-through (participle)
1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)
1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by
1a4a) passer-by (participle)
1a4b) to be past, be over
1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance
1a6) to pass away
1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)
1a6b) to vanish
1a6c) to perish, cease to exist
1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)
1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands
1b) (Niphal) to be crossed
1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross
1d) (Hiphil)
HVtp2ms — Verb · Hithpael · perfect second person masculine singularHVtp2ms
עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.
עִם prep. with
of fellowship and companionship
of aid
Of actions done jointly with another
If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against
Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another
Of a common lot together with the wicked
Of equality or resemblance generally aid
Of time, as long as
Of a locality, close to, beside
Of persons, עִם is spec.
in the house or family or service of
In possession of
In the custody or care of
Beside = except
With = friendly with
Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
base
מֵעִם 72 from with or beside
base
H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship
. Of a locality, close to, beside
. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of
. In possession of
. In the custody or care of
. Beside = except
. With = friendly with
. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside
5973 `im eem
from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction
with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;
often with prepositional prefix (and then usually
unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X
long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from
(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,
with(-al).
see HEBREW for 06004
עִם (im) — with.
1) with
1a) with
1b) against
1c) toward
1d) as long as
מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.
1a) beside, except
1b) in spite of
HR — PrepositionHR
מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach) means 'anointed' and refers to a consecrated person, such as a king, priest, or saint. It specifically denotes the Messiah and includes figures like the king of Israel, the high priest, and even Cyrus. The term encompasses various anointed roles in the Old Testament.
מָשִׁיחַ n.m. anointed
king of Israel anointed by divine command
high priest of Israel
Cyrus as commissioned by י׳
Messianic prince
patriarchs, regarded as anointed kings
base
H4899 מָשִׁיחַ anointed
4899 mashiyach maw-shee'-akh
from 4886; anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king,
priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah:--anointed,
Messiah.
see HEBREW for 04886
מָשִׁיחַ (ma.shi.ach) — anointed.
1) anointed, anointed one
1a) of the Messiah, Messianic prince
1b) of the king of Israel
1c) of the high priest of Israel
1d) of Cyrus
1e) of the patriarchs as anointed kings
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
