Psalms 115:13

Authorized King James Version

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He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

Original Language Analysis

יְ֭בָרֵךְ He will bless H1288
יְ֭בָרֵךְ He will bless
Strong's: H1288
Word #: 1 of 6
to kneel; by implication to bless god (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (god or the king, as
יִרְאֵ֣י them that fear H3373
יִרְאֵ֣י them that fear
Strong's: H3373
Word #: 2 of 6
fearing; morally, reverent
יְהוָ֑ה the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֑ה the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 3 of 6
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים both small H6996
הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים both small
Strong's: H6996
Word #: 4 of 6
abbreviated, i.e., diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)
עִם H5973
עִם
Strong's: H5973
Word #: 5 of 6
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃ and great H1419
הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃ and great
Strong's: H1419
Word #: 6 of 6
great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

Cross References

Psalms 112:1Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.Luke 1:50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.Psalms 128:1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.Revelation 19:5And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.Psalms 29:11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.Revelation 11:18And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.Acts 13:26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.Malachi 4:2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.Revelation 20:12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.Acts 26:22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

Analysis & Commentary

He will bless them that fear him, both small and great. This verse promises divine blessing to all who fear God, transcending social distinctions. The psalm has called Israel (v.9), Aaron's house (v.10), and God-fearers (v.11) to trust; now it assures all receive blessing regardless of status.

"He will bless" (יְבָרֵךְ/yevarekh) uses imperfect tense indicating future certainty: God "will" bless, not merely "might" bless. Barak means to bless, kneel, praise. God's blessing encompasses spiritual, material, relational, and eternal prosperity—comprehensive well-being flowing from covenant relationship. This blessing includes peace, provision, protection, presence, and ultimately salvation.

"Them that fear him" (יִרְאֵי יְהוָה/yirei Yahweh) describes blessing's recipients. "Fear" (yirah) means reverence, awe, worship, holy respect. This isn't terror but appropriate recognition of God's majesty, holiness, and authority producing humble obedience. Proverbs declares: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). Ecclesiastes concludes: "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

This "fear" balances love and respect, intimacy and reverence. It recognizes God as both Father and Judge, Savior and Sovereign. Philippians 2:12 commands: "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Hebrews 12:28-29 exhorts: "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."

"Both small and great" (הַקְּטַנִּים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִים/haketanim im-hagedolim) explicitly includes all regardless of social status, wealth, power, or influence. Qatan means small, insignificant, humble, low-status. Gadol means great, important, influential, high-status. God's blessing doesn't discriminate based on human hierarchies. Both peasant and king, servant and master, Gentile proselyte and Jewish priest receive equal blessing when they fear God.

This radicalism challenged ancient (and modern) assumptions. Ancient societies rigidly stratified people: royalty, priests, nobles, commoners, slaves. Yet God's kingdom reverses these hierarchies: "the last shall be first, and the first last" (Matthew 20:16). James warns: "have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons" (James 2:1).

Historical Context

Psalm 115 was likely written during or after the Babylonian exile, when Israel faced mockery from surrounding nations who questioned the power of their invisible God compared to pagan idols. The psalm's emphasis on God's sovereignty and the futility of idolatry would have provided crucial encouragement to a displaced people.

The phrase "both small and great" reflects ancient Near Eastern social stratification. Israel was a highly stratified society: kings, priests, nobles, landowners, farmers, servants, and slaves occupied distinct social tiers. Yet God's blessing transcends these human distinctions. This radical equality before God challenged prevailing social norms where blessings and favor typically correlated with status and power.

The "fear of the LORD" was central to Old Testament piety. It appears over 300 times in Scripture. For ancient Israelites, this fear shaped ethical behavior, worship practices, and daily decisions. The book of Deuteronomy repeatedly commands Israel to fear God (Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:12), connecting this fear with covenant obedience. Job is described as one who "feared God and eschewed evil" (Job 1:1). The wisdom tradition declares: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).

Questions for Reflection