What Does Psalm 115:9 Mean in the King James?
O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
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
The Hebrew root for “trust” also carries “security,” so the verse locates Israel’s safety in the LORD.
THE MEANING
Trust here is reliance placed in the LORD, who is named as the people’s help and shield. That reliance carries the shade of security: your protection rests in his aid, not in your ability to make yourself invulnerable.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that you must first secure yourself before you can trust; the verse places security in the LORD’s help and protection.
THE ROOT
בְּטַח
bəṭaḥ
GROWS FROM
בטח
b-ṭ-ḥ
To trust, feel secure, or rely confidently.
The root gathers trust and security in one field of meaning. It makes reliance more than an opinion: the word carries the shade of being secure in the one trusted.
ALSO GROWS
beṭaḥ: Security; securely.
בֶּטַח
This branch joins trust with the safety named in the verse: reliance and security belong to the same word-family.
mivṭāḥ: Confidence; refuge.
מִבְטָח
This noun shows trust as confidence or refuge lodged in someone, illuminating the LORD as Israel’s help and shield.
THE PATTERN
Trust placed in the LORD finds its security in his aid and protection.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;THE THREAD
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.This verse uses the same Hebrew root, בטח (b-ṭ-ḥ), meaning “to trust” or “to feel secure.” The shared root holds fear and trust in the same moment: security is located in the LORD, even while fear is present.
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