Psalms 94:5 — Word Study
WLCעַמְּךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה יְדַכְּא֑וּ וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥ יְעַנּֽוּ׃
BSAThey crushdâkâʼ▸ [bruise, oppress] Your peopleʻam [nation, those who belong to You] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel] they oppressʻânâh▸ [afflict, treat cruelly] Your heritagenachălâh [inheritance, those entrusted to Your care]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עַמְּךָ֣ | people your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| יְהוָ֣ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| יְדַכְּא֑וּ | they crush | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥ | and inheritance your | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יְעַנּֽוּ׃ | they afflict | 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 | They crush Your people, O LORD; they oppress Your heritage. |
| KJV | They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. |
| ASV | They break in pieces thy people, O Jehovah, And afflict thy heritage. |
| YLT | Thy people, O Jehovah, they bruise, And Thine inheritance they afflict. |
| WEB | They break your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict your heritage. |
| BBE | Your people are crushed by them, O Lord, your heritage is troubled, |
Translations agree on the meaning of עַמְּךָ֣ as Your people.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a conjunction and a noun phrase, emphasizing the actions against God's people and heritage.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיהוה
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 94:5
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 — A Lament for the Oppressedgenerated
Psalm 94:5 expresses the psalmist's anguish over the oppression of God's people. The surrounding verses describe the arrogance and cruelty of the wicked, who boast in their actions against the vulnerable, including widows and orphans. This lament highlights the contrast between the oppressors and the heritage of the Lord, emphasizing God's concern for His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 7:2 | or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me. |
| 2 | Psalm 14:4 | Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. |
| 3 | Psalm 44:22 | Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. |
| 4 | Psalm 74:8–19 | They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely.” They burned down every place where God met us in the land. |
| 5 | Psalm 79:2–3 | They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עַמְּךָ֣, 'a.me.Khagenerated
The word עַם (am) refers to a group of people or a nation, often used to describe the people of Israel or those belonging to God. Its grammatical construction as a noun in the singular form indicates a collective identity, emphasizing the unity of God's people.
This term is significant in the context of the verse, as it underscores the relationship between God and His people, who are being oppressed. The psalmist's use of this word evokes a sense of belonging and highlights the injustice faced by those who are called by God's name.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the rendering of עַמְּךָ֣ as Your people, maintaining the sense of a collective group belonging to God.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main verbs: יְדַכְּא֑וּ (they crush) and יְעַנּֽוּ (they afflict), which govern the actions described against God's people and heritage. The structure emphasizes the severity of the oppression faced by the psalmist's community.
The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the actions of the oppressors, highlighting the direct address to God and the plight of His people.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew יְדַכְּא֑וּ is rendered as ἐταπείνωσαν, which means 'they humbled'. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the oppression as not only physical but also spiritual and emotional.
The translation indicates a focus on the humiliation of God's people, which aligns with the psalmist's lament and underscores the depth of their suffering.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 94:5 describes how God's people are being crushed and oppressed by the wicked. The psalmist calls out to the LORD, expressing concern for those who belong to Him and lamenting their suffering at the hands of their oppressors.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the severe oppression and mistreatment that the faithful endure from those who act unjustly.
God's heritage refers to His people, those entrusted to His care, often highlighting their special status and relationship with Him.
The direct address emphasizes the psalmist's reliance on God to see and respond to the suffering of His people.
Inheritance underscores the idea of belonging and possession, indicating that God's people are His treasured possession, deserving of protection and care.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see oppression occurring in my community today?
- How can I support those who are marginalized or oppressed?
- What does it mean for me to be part of God's people?
- How can I call out to God in times of distress, like the psalmist?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, have commented on this verse, highlighting the oppression of God's people and their relationship to Him.
..."They have humbled Your people, O Lord; and have troubled Your heritage" [Psalms 94:5].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 94 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 94:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey break in pieces thy people, O Lord,.... Not the Israelites, as Kimchi; but the church of Christ, by their anathemas, cruel edicts, and persecutions; by confiscating their goods, imprisoning
Read John Gill on Psalms 94 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. They break in pieces thy people, O Lord - a sample of the deeds of "the workers of iniquity," as Psalms 94:4 is a sample of their words.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 94 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThose righteous persons whom thou hast chosen for thy portion or inheritance.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 94 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 94:5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.Ver. 5. They break in pieces thy people] They make potsherds of them. And this is the best use they make of thy patience; break it off, therefore.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 94 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Break in pieces.—Or, crush. (See Isaiah 3:15, where the word is in parallelism with “grind the faces of the poor.”)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 94 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. They break in pieces thy people] This was true of the Babylonians. Nehuchadnezzar slew many; carried the rest into captivity; ruined Jerusalem; overturned the temple; sacked, pillaged, and destroyed all the country.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 94 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. They break in pieces] Or, crush (as Isaiah 3:15; Proverbs 22:22), by violence and extortion. Thy people … thine inheritance, as in Psalms 28:9. Cp. Deuteronomy 4:20.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 94 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey break in pieces thy people - They tread down; they grind; they crush. The Hebrew word is often used as meaning to crush under foot; to trample on; and hence, it means to oppress. Lamentations 3:34; Isaiah 3:15.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 94 →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
They crush Your people, O LORD; they oppress Your heritage.
They break your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict your heritage.
They crush Your people, O LORD; they oppress Your heritage.
O Lord, they crush your people; they oppress the nation that belongs to you.
Tyndale line
They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.
They break in pieces thy people, O Jehovah, And afflict thy heritage.
They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.
They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
They smite downe thy people, O Lord, and trouble thine heritage.
Strictly literal
They crush thy people, O Jehovah, and afflict thine inheritance;
Thy people, O Jehovah, they bruise, And Thine inheritance they afflict.
Your people, O YHWH, they bruise, || And they afflict Your inheritance.
Thy people, O Lord! they crush, and thy heritage they afflict.
They crush your people, Yahweh; they afflict the nation that belongs to you.
From the Latin
For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
Simplified
Lord, they crush your people; they oppress those you call your own.
Your people are crushed by them, O Lord, your heritage is troubled,
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 this verse, with all words matched in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This consistency reinforces the shared understanding of the oppression faced by God's people.
עַמְּךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה יְדַכְּא֑וּ וְֽנַחֲלָתְךָ֥ יְעַנּֽוּ׃
5 of the 5 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 94:5
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.
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
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)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
דָּכָא (daka') is a Hebrew verb meaning to crush or be crushed. It encompasses various forms, indicating actions like bruising, breaking, and being contrite. The entries highlight its use in different grammatical aspects, such as the Niphal (to be crushed) and Piel (to crush). The word conveys both literal and figurative senses of destruction and humility.
[דָּכָא] vb. crush, poet.
not in Qal;Niph. crushed, fig. = contrite ones
Pi. crush
Pu. crushed, broken in pieces, shattered
Hithp. crushed
base
H1792 דָּכָא crush poet. . crushed, fig. = contrite ones
. crush
. crushed, broken in pieces, shattered
. crushed
1792 daka' daw-kaw'
a primitive root (compare 1794); to crumble; transitively, to
bruise (literally or figuratively):--beat to pieces, break (in
pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress,
smite.
see HEBREW for 01794
דָּכָא (da.kah) — to crush.
1) to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be crushed
1a2) to be contrite (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to crush
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be crushed, be shattered
1c2) to be made contrite
1d) (Hithpael) to allow oneself to be crushed
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVpi3mp
נַחֲלָה (nachalah) refers to concepts of possession and inheritance, encompassing property, shares, and heritage. It is derived from a root meaning to inherit and is used in the context of estates and heirlooms. The entries consistently highlight its relation to ownership and inheritance without significant disagreement among lexicons.
נַחֲלָה 224 n.f. possession, property, inheritance
property
portion, share
inheritance
base
H5159 נַחֲלָה possession, property, inheritance . property
. portion, share
. inheritance
5159 nachalah nakh-al-aw'
from 5157 (in its usual sense); properly, something
inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an
heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or
portion:--heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession.
Compare 5158.
see HEBREW for 05157
see HEBREW for 05158
נַחֲלָה (na.cha.lah) — inheritance.
1) possession, property, inheritance, heritage
1a) property
1b) portion, share
1c) inheritance, portion
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
עָנָה (anah) is a Hebrew verb with a range of meanings related to affliction and humility. It can denote being occupied, as well as being bowed down, depressed, or afflicted. The word has various forms, including ways to humble oneself or to afflict others, and it appears in contexts of discipline and humility, particularly in relation to fasting.
[עָנָה] vb. be occupied, busied with
base
[עָנָה] vb. be bowed down, afflicted
Qal
be put down or become low, of song of triumph
be depressed, downcast
be afflicted
Niph.
humble oneself
be afflicted
Pi.
humble, mishandle, afflict
humble, a woman by cohabit.
afflict as a discipline
humble, weaken
Pu.
be afflicted, in discipline by God
be humbled by fasting
Hiph. afflict, in discipline
Hithp.
humble oneself
be afflicted
humble oneself in fasting
base
H6031a עָנָה be occupied, busied with H6031b עָנָה be bowed down, afflicted .. be put down or become low, of song of triumph
. be depressed, downcast
. be afflicted
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. . humble, mishandle, afflict
. humble, a woman by cohabit.
. afflict as a discipline
. humble, weaken
. . be afflicted, in discipline by God
. be humbled by fasting
. afflict, in discipline
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. humble oneself in fasting
6031 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root (possibly rather ident. with 6030 through
the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally
or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various
applications, as follows):--abase self, afflict(-ion, self),
answer (by mistake for 6030), chasten self, deal hardly with,
defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt,
ravish, sing (by mistake for 6030), speak (by mistake for
6030), submit self, weaken, X in any wise.
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
עָנָה (a.nah) — be occupied.
(Qal) to be occupied, be busied with
עָנָה (a.nah) — to afflict.
1) to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be put down, become low
1a2) to be depressed, be downcast
1a3) to be afflicted
1a4) to stoop
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to humble oneself, bow down
1b2) to be afflicted, be humbled
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to humble, mishandle, afflict
1c2) to humble, be humiliated
1c3) to afflict
1d4) to humble, weaken oneself
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be afflicted
1d2) to be humbled
1e) (Hiphil) to afflict
1f) (Hithpael)
1f1) to humble oneself
1f2) to be afflicted
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָי "to afflict" H6033)
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVpi3mp