What Does Psalm 35:9 Mean in the King James?

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

Psalm 35:9 · 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

What English calls salvation is deliverance into spacious life, the reason the whole living self rejoices.

THE MEANING

Your ⁨נֶפֶשׁ⁩ (nefesh, living soul) is your whole living self, finding joy in the LORD. It rejoices in his ⁨יְשׁוּעָה⁩ (yeshuʿah, deliverance), the movement from constriction into room to live.

THE ROOT

יְשׁוּעָה

yeshuʿah

GROWS FROM

ישע

y-sh-ʿ

Deliver, rescue, bring out of a narrow place into room.

“salvation” in this verse is yeshuʿah. Yeshuʿah names deliverance, from ⁨יָשַׁע⁩ (yashaʿ, to deliver). The living self’s joy is tied to release into a fuller room of life.

ALSO GROWS

yashaʿ: To deliver or rescue.

יָשַׁע

The verb shows the movement carried by the noun: deliverance brings someone out.

moshiaʿ: Deliverer or rescuer.

מוֹשִׁיעַ

This branch names the one who brings the deliverance the verse rejoices in.

teshuʿah: Deliverance or rescue.

תְּשׁוּעָה

This related noun keeps the focus on being brought out, not on an abstract status.

תָּשִׂישׂ

tasis

GROWS FROM

שׂושׂ

s-w-s

Rejoice, exult.

The verse uses two distinct Hebrew joy verbs: ⁨תָּגִיל⁩ (tagil, exult) in the LORD, then ⁨תָּשִׂישׂ⁩ (tasis, rejoice) in his deliverance. The doubled expression joins joy in the LORD with joy in what he brings about.

ALSO GROWS

sason: Joy or gladness.

שָׂשׂוֹן

This noun carries the same root’s exultant joy into a state of gladness.

masos: Joy or exultation.

מָשׂוֹשׂ

This related noun echoes the verse’s rejoicing as an active, felt response.

THE PATTERN

The living self rejoices when the LORD’s deliverance turns constriction toward spacious life.

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

Psalm 13:5 · KJVThe heart’s rejoicing is joined to the LORD’s deliverance, as it is in Psalm 35:9.

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:18 · KJVJoy rests both in the LORD and in the deliverance that belongs to him.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Luke 1:47 · KJVThe same pattern appears as rejoicing in God as deliverer.

THE THREAD

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 · KJV

Isaiah names God himself as ⁨יְשׁוּעָה⁩ (yeshuʿah, deliverance), sharing the root ⁨ישע⁩ (y-sh-ʿ, deliver) with Psalm 35:9. That link deepens “his salvation”: the LORD is the one who brings the living self into room to live.

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