Psalms 31:23 · Bible study
Psalms 31:23 Commentary: Love the Lord
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Psalm 31:23: the call to love God because He preserves the faithful and judges the proud. Insights from key commentators.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Love God because He faithfully protects His people and justly repays the proud.
- Key words: “saints” = those set apart by God; “preserves” = keeps safe, maintains covenant; “proud doer” = one who acts arrogantly, trusting self.
- Main debate: Minimal, most agree on the basic sense; some ask whether the “proud doer” is specific enemies or a general category.
- Theological theme: Divine loyalty and justice are the foundation for human love and trust.
- Best use: Encouraging believers to base their love for God on His proven faithfulness, not just emotion.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.
KJV King James Version 1769
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Oh love Jehovah, all ye his saints: Jehovah preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth him that dealeth proudly.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Love Jehovah, all ye His saints, Jehovah is keeping the faithful, And recompensing abundantly a proud doer.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Love Jehovah, all ye his saints. Jehovah preserveth the faithful, and plentifully requiteth the proud doer.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Amad á Jehová todos vosotros sus santos: á los fieles guarda Jehová, y paga abundantemente al que obra con soberbia.
Amai ao SENHOR, todos vós santos dele; o SENHOR guarda aos fiéis, e retribui abundantemente ao que usa de arrogância.
Je disais dans ma précipitation:
Liebet den HERRN, alle seine Heiligen! Die Gläubigen behütet der HERR und vergilt reichlich dem, der Hochmut übt.
Ik zeide wel in mijn haasten: Ik ben afgesneden van voor Uw ogen; dan nog hoordet Gij de stem mijner smekingen, als ik tot U riep.
Amate l’Eterno, voi tutti i suoi santi! L’Eterno preserva i fedeli, e rende ampia retribuzione a chi procede alteramente.
Jam rzekł w uciekaniu mojem: Odrzuconym jest od oczów twych; aleś ty wysłuchał głos modlitw moich, gdym wołał do ciebie.
耶和華 的聖民哪，你們都 要愛 他！耶和華 保護 誠實人，足足 報應 行事 驕傲的人。
O have love for the Lord, all you his saints; for the Lord keeps safe from danger all those who are true to him, and gives the workers of pride their right reward.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 31:23 is the practical conclusion of the whole psalm: David’s deliverance leads to a call for all God’s people to love Him. Barnes and Matthew Henry both note that the psalmist’s experience of God’s faithfulness becomes the ground for exhortation. The “saints” are those who fear God and trust in Him, not a special elite, but all who are set apart by His grace. The verse sets two ways side by side: the faithful are preserved by God, while the proud (those who act arrogantly, relying on themselves or opposing God) will be fully repaid. Calvin stresses that “preserves the faithful” means God keeps covenant with His own, not that they never face trouble but that they are ultimately safe. The reward for the proud is not arbitrary vengeance but just recompense. The call to love is not a command to create feelings but to express devotion through trust and obedience, as Gill puts it, “to express it, not by words, but by deeds.”
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly calls all of God's people to love Him because He faithfully protects those who trust in Him and will certainly bring justice against the arrogant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'saints' | Christians across traditions agree 'saints' refers to God's faithful people, set apart by His grace. | Some traditions emphasize that all believers are saints (Protestant view); others see a special status for those who have lived particularly holy lives or are officially recognized by the Church (Catholic/Orthodox view). Both agree the call to love God applies to all who belong to Him. |
| Nature of God's preservation | All agree God keeps the faithful secure, He does not abandon them to destruction. | The debate lies in what 'preservation' includes: some see it as spiritual protection from final falling away; others include physical safety in this life, citing examples like David's deliverance. Both affirm that God is faithful to His covenant promises. |
| Recompense for the proud | All agree God will justly judge the proud, they will not escape accountability. | Some read 'plentifully rewardeth' as referring to punishment in this life (e.g., enemies of David were defeated); others point to final judgment in the age to come. The Old Testament often merges temporal and eschatological perspectives. |
| How love for God is expressed | All traditions agree that love for God must include obedience and trust, not just emotion. | The role of liturgy, deeds of service, and spiritual disciplines varies across traditions, but all see love as the root and fruit of a faithful life. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 31 is attributed to David, likely written during his flight from Saul or later when surrounded by enemies. The psalm moves from desperate prayer to confident thanksgiving. The opening verses describe feeling trapped (v.4), but by v.21 David marvels that God has shown “marvelous loving kindness in a strong city”, possibly a literal fortress like Keilah or Ziklag, or a metaphor for divine protection. Matthew Henry suggests the phrase “in my haste” (v.22) refers to David’s panic when nearly captured (1 Sam 23:26). The psalm ends (vv.23-24) as a public exhortation: because God has proved faithful, the whole community should join in loving Him.
The title “saints” (קְדֹשִׁים, though the English is supplied) designates those set apart for God, not sinless perfection, but people who are in covenant relationship. By calling them “his saints,” the psalmist grounds their identity in God’s choice, not their own merit. The “proud doer” is the enemy who trusts in himself and oppresses others. In the ancient Near East, pride was the root of rebellion against God and society. The verse ties together two key themes of the Old Testament: God’s loyalty to His people and His justice against evil. These are not competing attributes; they are two sides of the same faithful character. The call to love grows from both, because God is both savior and judge, He alone is worthy of whole-hearted devotion.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentators note no significant textual variants for Psalm 31:23. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse is quoted only in the form seen here. There is no variation that affects the meaning.
Reception History
Psalm 31:23 has been treasured by the Church as a call to loving trust. Early Christian writers, following Augustine, saw in the whole psalm a prefiguring of Christ’s sufferings and trust (v.5 is quoted by Jesus on the cross). This verse, with its emphasis on God preserving the faithful and judging the proud, was read as a promise for martyrs and all who suffer for righteousness. The Reformers, Luther, Calvin, and later Puritans like Matthew Henry, used it to encourage believers to look past present troubles to God’s steadfast character. In hymnody, the verse has inspired songs of confidence and exhortation. It continues to be quoted in sermons and devotional literature as a concise summary of why God is worthy of love: because He is both preserver and judge.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The call to love is based on grace received. The psalmist’s rescue becomes a reason for all saints to love God. God’s goodness to one believer is a gift for the whole church.
- God preserves the faithful. He keeps those who trust Him, not from every hardship, but from final ruin. The faithful are held safe in His hand (cf. 1 Sam 2:9).
- God repays the proud. Human arrogance will not escape notice. The recompense is “plentiful”, full and just. This is not punishment for minor faults, but the end of a life built on self-reliance and contempt for God.
Five-point outline
- Love the Lord, because He has loved you first.
- Love Him publicly, “all you his saints” means the whole assembly, not private devotion only.
- The faithful are safe, not from suffering, but from being lost.
- The proud will be paid, God’s justice is a comfort for the oppressed.
- Hope in the Lord, the next verse (v.24) calls for courage; love and hope belong together.
Illustration hooks
- A loyal friend stands by you when others turn away. God’s preservation is like that loyalty, steady, not based on your performance.
- A good boss pays fair wages, but also calls out misconduct. God rewards faithfulness and holds the arrogant accountable; both sides show His integrity.
- When a child learns to say “I love you” because they first feel loved, that mirrors the gospel: our love is response, not initiation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I know if I am one of “his saints”?
- If God preserves the faithful, why do good Christians still suffer?
- What does it look like to “love the Lord” in everyday life?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 31:23 stands at the end of a psalm that began with desperate need. By the time David writes this verse, he has seen God answer his cries. Now he turns to the whole community: not just “thank you, God,” but “you all must love Him too.” That shift, from personal testimony to corporate invitation, is the heart of this passage.
Discussion questions
- Read the whole of Psalm 31. What does David go through before he reaches verse 23? How does that change the way you hear the call to love?
- The verse mentions “saints.” Who are they? How does being called a saint affect how you see yourself and other believers?
- God “preserves the faithful”, what kind of preservation do you think David means? Physical safety? Spiritual strength? Both?
- The proud doer is “fully recompensed.” Why is it important that God’s justice is not partial? How does this comfort those who suffer from prideful people?
- How does the call to love connect with the next verse (v.24) about being strong and hoping in the Lord? Are love and hope linked?
- Can you think of a time when someone else’s deliverance encouraged you to love God more? Share if you are comfortable.
- What is one small way you could express love to God this week, not in words only, but in action, as Gill said?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 10:12 | Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, |
| Deuteronomy 30:16 | For I command you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it. |
| Deuteronomy 32:41 | if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me. |
| Deuteronomy 33:3 | Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words. |
| I Samuel 2:9 | He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength. |
| Psalms 30:4 | Sing praise to Yahweh, you saints of his. Give thanks to his holy name. |
| Psalms 34:9 | Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. |
| Psalms 54:5 | He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that only saints, partakers of the divine nature, can truly love God. He contrasts the faithful, who find God's commands a delight, with the proud doer—a fallen spirit absurdly proud of an indwelling devil, who will receive exactly what is due.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David grounds his entire prayer on persistent trust in God, treating faith as a continuous act rather than a single moment. David expects deliverance solely because he is convinced that hope placed in God can never be disappointed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the psalm's shift from desperate suffering to serene thanksgiving requires an interval of answered prayer between them. The judgment of the wicked is presented as the necessary complement to the triumph of the faithful, and alternative translations link key phrases to other psalms.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note draws a sharp contrast between two kinds of people: the faithful, whom God preserves, and the proud, whom He repays abundantly. The point is that God’s treatment is not the same for both, and the proud do not escape His full recompense.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that God's saints already possess the grace to love Him, so the call is to express that love through actions, not words, in response to His kindness. He emphasizes that God preserves the faithful from sin, falling away, and Satan's attacks, while He will certainly repay the proud for their arrogance.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
23, 24. the Lord . . . proud doer —literally, "the Lord is keeping faith," that is, with His people, and is repaying, c. Then let none despair, but take courage their hopes shall not be in vain.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see David's praise as faith's triumphant anticipation of deliverance, not a record of what already happened. The fenced city refers both to Ziklag as a literal turning point and to God’s protecting presence. The psalm calls the godly to patient waiting, which they identify as the hallmark of Old Testament faith.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry distinguishes two aspects of God's goodness for those who fear and trust him: what is laid up as a future inheritance in heaven, and what is wrought in believers even now in this world. Those whom men load with slanders, God loads with benefits and honours.