Psalms 22:27 · Bible study
Psalms 22:27 Commentary: All Nations Remember and Worship Yahweh
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Psalm 22:27: all the ends of the earth remembering and turning to the Lord. A deep look at God's universal call in this messianic psalm.
Research Summary
- Meaning: All people groups will remember God, repent, and worship Him.
- Key words: “Remember,” “turn,” “worship”, verbs that describe repentance and adoration.
- Main debate: Whether this prophecy is directly linked to the sufferer’s deliverance (Christ’s work) or more general hope.
- Theological theme: Universal scope of God’s kingdom; the mission of God (missio Dei).
- Best use: As a vision for world missions and a basis for confident prayer for the nations.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
KJV King James Version 1769
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Remember and return unto Jehovah, Do all ends of the earth, And before Thee bow themselves, Do all families of the nations,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah, and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee:
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Acordarse han, y volveránse á Jehová todos los términos de la tierra; y se humillarán delante de ti todas las familias de las gentes.
Todos os extremos da terra se lembrarão disso , e se converterão ao SENHOR; e todas as gerações das nações adorarão diante de ti.
Les malheureux mangeront et se rassasieront,
Es werden gedenken und sich zum HERRN bekehren aller Welt Enden und vor ihm anbeten alle Geschlechter der Heiden.
De zachtmoedigen zullen eten en verzadigd worden; zij zullen den HEERE prijzen, die Hem zoeken; ulieder hart zal in eeuwigheid leven.
Tutte le estremità della terra si ricorderan dell’Eterno e si convertiranno a lui; e tutte le famiglie delle nazioni adoreranno nel tuo cospetto.
Będą jeść ubodzy, i nasycą się; chwalić będą Pana, którzy go szukają; serce wasze żyć będzie na wieki.
地 的四 極 都要想念 耶和華，並且歸順他；列國 的萬 族 都要在你面前 敬拜。
All the ends of the earth will keep it in mind and be turned to the Lord: all the families of the nations will give him worship.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse announces that people from every nation will one day turn to Yahweh. Wesley and Matthew Henry call it a plain prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. Clarke sees the gospel preached to all nations, with each family embracing it for salvation. Barnes notes that the nations are depicted as having “forgotten” God and now remembering and turning from idols. Gill specifies that this refers to the elect among the Gentiles. Cambridge observes that the Psalmist’s hopes expand from personal deliverance to national and then universal horizons. Keil and Delitzsch describe a conversion of all peoples. Where commentators differ is the degree of direct connection to the suffering of the righteous servant earlier in the psalm: Matthew Henry and Lange tie it explicitly to Christ’s triumph, while Cambridge cautions that the link is not yet as clear as in Isaiah 53. Still, all see this as a confident vision of Yahweh’s kingdom reaching every corner of the earth.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: All people from every nation will one day remember and worship the true God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Universal scope of salvation | All traditions agree this verse announces that people from every nation, not just Israel, will come to worship Yahweh. | Some interpret this as a future conversion of all individuals on earth; others see it as the gathering of people from every nation, but not necessarily every person. |
| Connection to the suffering servant | Most agree that the sufferer described earlier in Psalm 22 is a type of Christ, as confirmed by the New Testament (Matthew 27:46; Hebrews 2:12). | Christians differ on how explicitly the psalm predicts the Messiah’s atonement as the cause of the nations’ conversion. Some see a direct link (Christ’s work secures global worship), while others view the psalm as describing David’s own deliverance, which becomes a pattern for gospel hope. |
| Nature of repentance | The ‘remember and turn’ language implies a conscious decision to abandon idols and submit to God. | Traditions differ on the role of human free will and divine grace in bringing about this repentance: some emphasize God’s sovereign choice, others the human response enabled by grace. |
| Fulfillment in the present age | This verse is seen as a prophecy being fulfilled as the gospel spreads. | Some believe it will be fully realized only at Christ’s return; others see the steady growth of the church in all nations as its partial fulfillment now. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 22 moves from a desperate lament (vv. 1, 21) to a song of thanksgiving (vv. 22, 31). Verse 27 sits in this second movement, where the sufferer’s rescue becomes the basis for widespread praise. The phrase “ends of the earth” appears elsewhere in the Psalms and prophets to describe the farthest boundaries of the world (e.g., Psalm 2:8; Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 45:22). The word “relatives” (or “kindreds”) translates a Hebrew word that can mean families or clans, suggesting that conversion will happen at the level of households, not only whole nations.
In the Old Testament, the Gentile nations are often shown as forgetting the true God (Jeremiah 3:21; Romans 1:21). Here, that forgetfulness is reversed: they “remember” and “turn”, two verbs that together describe repentance and returning to God. The language of “worship before you” echoes temple worship, where the worshiper stands in Yahweh’s presence. The psalm thus anticipates a day when foreigners will enter the covenant community, drawn by the story of one man’s suffering and deliverance. While the link to the Messiah’s work is more explicit in later passages (Isaiah 53:10, 12), this text already lays the foundation for a global mission.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and cross-references note no significant variant readings for Psalm 22:27. The Hebrew text is consistent across the major manuscript traditions. Translations differ slightly on English renderings (e.g., “kindreds” vs. “families”) but these reflect lexical choices, not textual variations. The verse is stable in the textual record.
Reception History
From the early church onward, this verse was read as a prophecy of Gentile inclusion in the people of God. The apostles saw its fulfillment as the gospel went out to the nations (Acts 13:46, 47). Medieval interpreters often linked it to Christ’s kingship over all peoples. At the Reformation, emphasis fell on the sovereign call of God to every nation, often quoted in missionary sermons. Modern scholarship places the verse within the larger arc of the Psalms’ vision of Zion as the center of universal worship. Across centuries, believers have found in Psalm 22:27 both a promise and an invitation: God is gathering worshippers from every family on earth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- From despair to the ends of the earth. The psalm begins with “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and ends with all nations worshipping. The path from suffering to glory opens the door for everyone.
- Remembering and turning. The nations are not coerced; they remember the God they once ignored. Repentance is a return of the heart, not just a change of location.
- Worship as the final destination. All families of the nations bow before Yahweh. The goal of history is not political triumph but worship, every knee bending before the one true King.
Five-point outline
- The sufferer’s story goes global. What happened to one righteous man becomes the seed for a harvest of nations.
- Forgetfulness reversed. People who lived as if God did not exist are brought to their senses.
- Turning includes turning away. “Turn to Yahweh” means leaving behind idols, self-reliance, and sin.
- Families, not just individuals. The word “kindreds” suggests whole lineage groups respond together, household transformation.
- Worship before you. The posture of bowing signals submission and adoration, the proper human response to Yahweh’s kingship.
Illustration hooks
- The ripple effect of one rescue. When someone is pulled from a burning building, the story spreads. Who heard about your deliverance and came to faith because of it?
- A family reunion of strangers. Imagine a wedding where people from a dozen countries, none related by blood, call each other brothers and sisters. That is the vision here.
- The atlas of worship. Show a map of the world. Highlight nations where the church is growing fast. This verse is being fulfilled every day.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does God really want people from other religions to come to him, or is faith just a cultural preference?”
- “If God is going to save people from every nation anyway, does it matter if we share our faith?”
- “How do I stay hopeful when much of the world still seems far from God?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage sits inside a psalm that moves from extreme suffering to global hope. Before you discuss verse 27, read the whole psalm aloud together. Notice the emotional arc. Then focus on how the rescue of one person leads to the conversion of many. In small groups, consider what it means for you to be part of that story.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 22:1, 21. What feelings and images stand out? How does the despair at the beginning make the hope of verse 27 more powerful?
- Verse 27 says the ends of the earth will “remember” God. In what ways do people today forget God? What helps you remember?
- The verb “turn” suggests a change of direction. What are some of the things people in your community might need to turn away from in order to turn to God?
- All the “families of the nations” worship. What does it mean that worship is not just for individuals but for whole clans and communities?
- Commentators point out that this vision is grounded in the suffering and deliverance described earlier in the psalm. How does the cross of Christ make the salvation of all nations possible?
- If you knew that God was going to draw people from every nation to worship him, how would that change the way you pray for the world?
- How can your small group partner with God in this global turning? Think of one concrete step you could take this month.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 2:8 | Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. |
| Psalms 72:8 | He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. |
| Psalms 72:11 | Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. |
| Psalms 86:9 | All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name. |
| Psalms 96:7 | Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. |
| Psalms 98:3 | He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. |
| Psalms 102:22 | when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh. |
| Psalms 117:1 | Praise Yahweh, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that the Gospel reaches not just whole nations but every single family within them, each embracing it for their own salvation. He adds that these families will worship Jesus the Savior directly, and through him present all their praises to God.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees the language of "ends of the world" as a conventional figure of speech, like saying the sun rises, rather than a literal geography. He notes that the nations are described as forgetting God, so here they are called to remember and turn from idols to worship Him, which he applies directly to the Redeemer's converting work among all families.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads this psalm as David's personal complaint that serves as a prophetic type of Christ, showing the pattern of abasement before exaltation. He is notably dismissive of elaborate mystical interpretations of the title "hind of the morning," insisting interpreters have needlessly sought hidden meaning in a minor detail.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible observes that the psalmist's hope expands from personal deliverance to encompass all nations and future generations. Yet this vision of God's universal kingdom is not explicitly tied to the psalmist's own suffering, unlike the later prophecy in Isaiah 53. The commentator also suggests a textual adjustment in the closing verses, following the Septuagint.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes see this as a prophecy of worldwide conversion: people from every nation and distant land will come to their senses, turn to the Lord, and worship Him. The progression moves from remembering their true state to repentance and finally to honoring God, showing that salvation is not limited to Israel alone.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the repentance and turning to God described here come entirely from divine initiative. Neither the sinner's remembrance of God nor their turning to Him originates in human will; both are works of the Spirit. Conversion first makes people passive recipients, then active believers enabled by grace.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees Christ's case as a demonstration of God's righteous government. Beyond the present, all people—the rich and the helpless alike—will worship God, celebrating His delivering power. They will transmit the records of His grace to future generations.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see the Psalm reaching far beyond David's own experience to foretell a global conversion. The sufferer's rescue sparks a spiritual feast where both the wealthy and the destitute worship God, and news of this salvation passes from generation to generation. The Psalm's final word, implying God's completed work, points to the same proclamation as Christ's "It is finished."
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the psalm is neither merely about David nor directly about the Messiah alone. David, speaking as a prophet in the Spirit, describes his own sufferings as a type that points forward to Christ, making the psalm both historically true to David and prophetically fulfilled in Jesus.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees the psalm's sudden shift from complaint to triumph as Christ himself moving from humiliation to exaltation. The opening words of the triumph are Christ's own promise to declare God's name among his people. Christ's certain hope of the joy before him turned his laments into praise.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads this verse as a clear prophecy that the Gentile nations will turn to God through Christ. The call to remember means they will grieve their former idol worship and recall their deep debt to God, especially Christ's suffering for them. He identifies "the Lord" here with both the true God and Jesus Christ, noting the Old Testament name Jehovah is applied to Christ in Scripture.