Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Psalms 16:3

But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Affections;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Affections, the;   Communion of Saints;   Righteousness;   Titles and Names of Saints;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Psalms, the Book of;   Saint;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Delight;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Saint;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - English Versions;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Life;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Psalms;   Sin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Saint;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Messiah;   Psalms the book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Accommodation;   Delight;   Excellent;   Gallant;   Psalms, Book of;   Quotations, New Testament;   Text of the Old Testament;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Holiness;   Pereda;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 20;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
English Revised Version
As for the saints that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
Update Bible Version
As for the saints that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
New Century Version
As for the godly people in the world, they are the wonderful ones I enjoy.
New English Translation
As for God's chosen people who are in the land, and the leading officials I admired so much—
Webster's Bible Translation
[But] to the saints that [are] in the earth, and [to] the excellent, in whom [is] all my delight.
World English Bible
As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
Amplified Bible
As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land, They are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
English Standard Version
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To the seyntis that ben in the lond of hym; he made wondurful alle my willis in hem.
Berean Standard Bible
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.
Contemporary English Version
Your people are wonderful, and they make me happy,
American Standard Version
As for the saints that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
Bible in Basic English
As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the noble in whom is all my delight.
Complete Jewish Bible
The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
Darby Translation
To the saints that are on the earth, and to the excellent [thou hast said], In them is all my delight.
Easy-to-Read Version
But you have also said about the gods of this land, "They are my powerful gods. They are the ones who make me happy."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
As for the holy that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all my delight.
King James Version (1611)
But to the Saints, that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
New Life Bible
As for those in the land who belong to You, they are the great ones in whom is all my joy.
New Revised Standard
As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent: all my delite is in them.
George Lamsa Translation
I said it also to the saints that are on the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
Good News Translation
How excellent are the Lord 's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
It belongeth unto the holy ones, whom, in his own land, Yahweh, ennobleth, In whom is all his delight
Douay-Rheims Bible
(15-3) To the saints, who are in his land, he hath made wonderful all my desires in them.
Revised Standard Version
As for the saints in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But all my delyght is [to do good] vnto the saintes that are in the earth: and vnto such as excell in vertue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
On behalf of the saints that are in his land, he has magnified all his pleasure in them.
Christian Standard Bible®
As for the holy people who are in the land,they are the noble ones.All my delight is in them.
Hebrew Names Version
As for the holy ones who are in the eretz, They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
Lexham English Bible
With regard to the saints who are in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my desire.
Literal Translation
As for the saints in the earth, they are the excellent ones; all my delight is in them.
Young's Literal Translation
For the holy ones who [are] in the land, And the honourable, all my delight [is] in them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
All my delyte is vpon the sanctes that are in the earth, and vpon soch like.
THE MESSAGE
And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!
New American Standard Bible
As for the saints who are on the earth, They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them.
New King James Version
As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
Legacy Standard Bible
As for the saints who are in the earth,They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

Contextual Overview

1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. 2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord , Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; 3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. 5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the Lord , who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

But: Galatians 6:10, Titus 3:8, Hebrews 6:10

the saints: Psalms 30:4, Psalms 116:15, 2 Chronicles 6:41, Acts 9:13, Ephesians 1:1

the excellent: Proverbs 12:26, Song of Solomon 4:1 - Song of Solomon 7:13, Malachi 3:17

in whom: Psalms 119:63, Proverbs 8:31, Proverbs 13:20, Song of Solomon 7:10, Isaiah 62:4, Ephesians 5:25-27, 1 John 3:14-17

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:11 - they Numbers 7:5 - Take it Ruth 1:10 - Surely 1 Samuel 19:2 - delighted Job 5:1 - the saints Psalms 15:4 - but Psalms 47:4 - excellency Psalms 122:8 - General Song of Solomon 1:8 - O thou Song of Solomon 5:1 - eat Daniel 5:12 - an excellent Malachi 3:16 - spake Luke 17:10 - General John 11:3 - he John 13:34 - That ye love Acts 4:23 - they Acts 9:32 - the saints Acts 26:10 - the saints 2 Corinthians 6:14 - for Ephesians 1:15 - love Ephesians 5:9 - goodness Colossians 1:2 - the saints Titus 1:8 - a lover of good Philemon 1:5 - toward the Lord

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Genesis 16:4
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Genesis 16:5
And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
Genesis 25:6
But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
Genesis 28:9
Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
Genesis 30:4
And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
Genesis 32:22
And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
Genesis 35:22
And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
2 Samuel 5:13
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[But] to the saints that [are] in the earth,.... Who are sanctified or set apart by God the Father in election; whose sins are expiated by the blood of Christ in redemption, and who are sanctified or made holy by the Spirit of God in the effectual calling; and who live a holy life and conversation: these are said to be "in the earth", not to distinguish them from the saints in heaven, to whom the goodness of Christ extends as to them, unless it be to distinguish them from the angels in heaven, who are called saints, Deuteronomy 33:2; as Aben Ezra observes; but to point out the place of their abode, scattered up and down in the earth; and to show that love, grace, goodness, and kindness of Christ reaches to them in the present state of things, notwithstanding all their meanness and imperfection in themselves, and their despicableness in the eyes of others; see John 13:1;

and [to] the excellent; the same with the saints, who though reckoned by men the faith of the world, and the offscouring of all things, are in high esteem with Christ; they are "nobles" o in his account, as the word is rendered in Jeremiah 30:21; they are princes in all the earth, and these princes are kings; they are made kings and priests unto God by Christ; they wear and live like kings, and have the attendance, power, riches, and glory of kings; they are guarded by angels, they have power with God, they are rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom;

in whom [is] all my delight; Christ's delights were with these sons of men before the world was, and have always continued with them; they are his "Hepbzibah" and "Beulah", as in Isaiah 62:4; hence he became incarnate, and suffered and died for them, and makes application of all the blessings of his grace and goodness to them.

o אדירי "magnificis", Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Rivetus "nobilibus delectationis meae", Gejerus; "ducibus eorum", Cocceius; so Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But to the saints that are in the earth - This verse also has been very variously rendered. Our translators seem to have understood it, in connection with the previous verse, as meaning that his “goodness,” or piety, was not of so pure and elevated a character that it could in any way extend to God so as to benefit him, but that it “might” be of service to the saints on earth, and that so, by benefiting them, he might show his attachment to God himself. But if the interpretation of the previous verse above proposed be the correct one, then this interpretation cannot be admitted here. This verse is probably to be regarded as a further statement of the evidence of the attachment of the psalmist to God. In the previous verse, according to the interpretation proposed, he states that his happiness - his all was centered in God. He had no hope of anything except in him; none beyond him; none besides him.

In this verse he states, as a further proof of his attachment to him, that he regarded with deep affection the saints of God; that he found his happiness, not in the society of the wicked, but in the friendship of the excellent of the earth. The verse may be thus rendered: “As to the saints in the earth (or in respect to the saints in the earth), and to the excellent, all my delight is in them.” In the former verse he had stated that, as to God, or in respect to God, he had no source of blessing, no hope, no joy, beyond him, or independent of him; in this verse he says that in respect to the saints - the excellent of the earth - all his delight was in them. Thus he was conscious of true attachment to God and to his people. Thus he had what must ever be essentially the evidence of true piety - a feeling that God is all in all, and real love for those who are his; a feeling that there is nothing beyond God, or without God, that can meet the wants of the soul, and a sincere affection for all who are his friends on earth. DeWette has well expressed the sense of the passage, “The holy, who are in the land, and the noble - I have all my pleasure in them.”

In the earth - In the land; or, perhaps, more generally, “on earth.” God was in heaven, and all his hopes there were in him. In respect to those who dwelt on the earth, his delight was with the saints alone.

And to the excellent - The word used here means properly “large, great,” mighty; then it is applied to “nobles, princes, chiefs;” and then to those who excel in moral qualities, in piety, and virtue. This is the idea here, and thus it corresponds with the word “saints” in the former member of the verse. The idea is that he found his pleasure, not in the rich and the great, not in princes and nobles, but in those who were distinguished for virtue and piety. In heaven he had none but God; on earth he found his happiness only in those who were the friends of God.

In whom is all my delight - I find all my happiness in their society and friendship. The true state of my heart is indicated by my love for them. Everywhere, and at all times, love for those who love God, and a disposition to find our happiness in their friendship, will be a characteristic of true piety.


 
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