What Does Psalm 106:12 Mean in the King James?

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

Psalm 106:12 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Trust is the moment God’s words become firm beneath you, and praise is that trust finding a voice.

THE MEANING

God’s words meet you as something firm enough to lean your full weight on, and trust rises into praise. The song is belief made audible.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

Belief is only private agreement; here, trust finds a voice in song.

THE ROOT

וַיַּאֲמִינוּ

vayya’aminu

GROWS FROM

אָמַן

Be firm or steady; in this verb form, trust or lean upon.

“believed” in this verse is vayya’aminu. The word for believing grows from firmness: trust means treating God’s words as something steady enough to lean on. The same root gives both ⁨אֱמוּנָה⁩ (emunah, trust or steadiness) and ⁨אָמֵן⁩ (amen, firm; truly), so belief here carries the sense of becoming settled on what is reliable.

ALSO GROWS

emunah: Trust, steadiness.

אֱמוּנָה

This branch keeps the firmness inside belief visible: trust rests on what is steady.

amen: Firm; truly; so be it.

אָמֵן

The familiar response ‘Amen’ carries the same root sense of affirming what is firm.

תְּהִלָּתוֹ

tehillato

GROWS FROM

הָלַל

Praise or acclaim.

The Hebrew names both the singing and what the song contains: ⁨שִׁיר⁩ (shir, song) and ⁨תְּהִלָּה⁩ (tehillah, praise). Praise is not an extra feeling beside trust; it is what trust sounds like when it becomes a song.

ALSO GROWS

tehillah: Praise; a song of praise.

תְּהִלָּה

This is the noun behind ‘his praise,’ showing that praise itself is voiced through the song.

hallelu-yah: Praise Yah.

הַלְלוּיָהּ

This familiar call to praise carries the same praise-root into an explicit utterance.

THE PATTERN

When trust takes God’s words as firm, it becomes audible as praise and can carry that trust outward.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 12:2 · KJVTrust and song meet in the same breath: the one trusted is also named as strength and song.

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalm 40:3 · KJVPraise becomes visible and audible to others, and the song opens a path toward their trust.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Acts 16:25 · KJVEven from confinement, praise takes voice and reaches the people listening.

THE THREAD

And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

Exodus 14:31 · KJV

Both verses use ⁨אָמַן⁩ (aman, to be firm or trust) for ‘believed.’ Exodus names the LORD as the one trusted; Psalm 106 names his words, then shows that trust rising into song.

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