Psalm 25:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

NIV: They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.

NASB: His soul will dwell in prosperity, And his descendants will inherit the land.

CSB: He will live a good life, and his descendants will inherit the land.

NLT: They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.

KJV: His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

NKJV: He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

God's will for our lives includes obedience to His commands. While there are no guarantees of success or fortune, obeying and honoring His will gives us the best chance at happiness. The Lord promises spiritual blessing to the person who reverences the Lord.

Further, He promises the descendants of the person who reverences Him will possesses the land; that is, Canaan, the Promised Land. These promises call to mind what the Lord commanded the people of Israel, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). In Deuteronomy 4:1–14 the Lord promised that those who kept His covenant would receive blessing and the privilege of passing along the covenant promises to the next generation. While the literal promises of physical land were meant only for the nation of Israel, the implications of that idea carry on for all Christians. This is a recurring theme in the fourth chapter of Hebrews.

In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul instructed children to obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1–3). He wrote, "(this is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.'"

There is a correlation between reverence for the Lord and well-being in Psalm 25:13 that is readily apparent today. The person who fears the Lord refuses to abuse his body because he recognizes it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). He abstains from habit-forming drugs and harmful practices and, therefore, is more likely to maintain good health. Generally speaking, his children follow his good example and enjoy personal well-being.

Psalm 25:8–14 was written by David about the character of God. He expresses the fact that it is wise to trust in God. David trusted God when life seemed tenuous. His foes made treacherous plans to disgrace him, but David trusted God to deliver him, forgive him, and guide him through life. Ephesians 2:8–10 is a companion passage. It teaches that God has a plan for all whom he saves.

This prayer of David uses the Hebrew alphabet as a pattern. This is an acrostic, where verses each begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The final verse, however, repeats the letter used in verse 16. David declares his trust in God and the value of the Lord's wisdom. Mixed into these praises of God's truth are multiple requests that David be forgiven of his sins. The psalm ends with David asking for rescue from his enemies, and for a similar redemption for the nation of Israel.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.