Psalms 35:10 · Bible study
Psalms 35:10 Commentary: Study, All My Bones Shall Say
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Psalm 35:10: why the psalmist's bones speak, symbolizing total praise for God's deliverance of the poor from the strong.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist’s whole being, symbolized by his bones, declares God’s incomparable power to rescue the weak from the strong.
- Key words: bones (עצם), say (אמר), deliver (נצל), poor/afflicted (עני), needy (אביון), strong (חזק), robber (גזל).
- Main debate: Whether the bones are a poetic personification for the entire self (consensus view) or a more literal expectation of bodily healing and rejoicing.
- Theological theme: God’s incomparability (Who is like You?) and His preferential care for the poor and oppressed.
- Best use: Teaching on lament, total-body praise, and God’s justice for the vulnerable.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
KJV King James Version 1769
All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
All my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the afflicted from one stronger than he, yea, the afflicted and the needy from him that spoileth him!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Todos mis huesos dirán: Jehová, ¿ quién como tú, que libras al afligido del más fuerte que él, y al pobre y menesteroso del que le despoja?
Todos os meus ossos dirão: SENHOR, quem é como tu, que livras ao miserável daquele que é mais forte do que ele, e ao miserável e necessitado, daquele que o rouba?
Tous mes os diront: Éternel! Qui peut, comme toi,
Alle meine Gebeine müssen sagen: HERR, wer ist deinesgleichen? Der du den Elenden errettest von dem, der ihm zu stark ist, und den Elenden und Armen von seinen Räubern.
Al mijn beenderen zullen zeggen: HEERE, wie is U gelijk! U, Die den ellendige redt van dien, die sterker is dan hij, en den ellendige en nooddruftige van zijn berover.
Tutte le mie ossa diranno: O Eterno, chi è pari a te che liberi il misero da chi è più forte di lui, il misero e il bisognoso da chi lo spoglia?
Tedy wszystkie kości moje rzeką: Panie! któż podobny tobie? który wyrywasz utrapionego od mocniejszego nadeń, a nędznego i ubogiego od drapieżcy jego.
ибо у Тебя источник жизни; во свете Твоем мы видим свет.
我的骨頭 都 要說：耶和華啊，誰 能像你 救護 困苦人 脫離那比他 強壯的，救護困苦 窮乏人 脫離那搶奪他的？
All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 35:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The central image, bones that speak, strikes readers as strange. Yet commentators across traditions agree that the bones represent the whole person, the deepest frame that feels both anguish and joy. Barnes notes that “the bones are here put for the frame; the whole man.” Keil and Delitzsch observe that elsewhere bones share only anguish (Psalm 6:2; 31:10; 32:3), but here they share joy because the anxiety that shook the psalmist’s marrow has turned to deliverance. Gill adds that the bones denote the psalmist’s strength, so praising with all his might. The rhetorical question “Who is like You” echoes Exodus 15:11, asserting God’s incomparability. The deliverance, rescuing the poor from one too strong, reflects God’s pattern: He sides with the helpless. Clarke calls this a “general maxim” of God’s care for the poor. Thus the verse captures the total response of a person set free.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse expresses total, bodily praise for God’s unique act of rescuing the helpless from overwhelming oppressors.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the 'bones' speech | The bones are a poetic expression for the whole person, body and soul united in praise. | Some (e.g., Clarke) see it as figurative for 'all members' praising; others (e.g., Gill) emphasize the bones as the body’s strength praising with might, but both affirm totality. |
| Identity of the 'poor' | The term refers to the afflicted and vulnerable, often dependent on God alone. | Calvin sees David himself as the poor one suffering under Saul; other interpreters broaden it to all God’s oppressed people, and still others include literal economic poverty. |
| Imprecatory elements in the psalm | The psalm as a whole calls for God’s judgment on enemies who oppose His purposes. | Some traditions (Reformed) view David’s imprecations as righteous calls for divine justice. Others (e.g., Anabaptist) struggle to reconcile them with Jesus’ command to love enemies, reading them as cries for God to set things right rather than personal vengeance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 35 belongs to David’s prayers during persecution, likely while fleeing Saul or during Absalom’s revolt (Calvin favors Saul’s time). The psalm is structured as a lament with imprecations, but verse 10 forms the joyful climax of the first section.
In ancient Israelite anthropology, the physical body expressed the whole self. Bones were the enduring structure where pain and vitality registered (Job 33:19, 25; Psalm 22:14). When David says “All my bones shall say,” he intensifies verse 9, “My soul shall rejoice”, by extending joy to the entire body. Wesley puts it simply: “My whole body, as well as my soul.”
The phrase “who is like you” directly alludes to the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:11), the foundational confession of Israel’s redemption. By quoting it, David places his personal deliverance in the stream of God’s saving acts. The terms “poor” (עני) and “needy” (אביון) carry both literal and spiritual weight, describing one who is vulnerable and dependent on God alone (Psalm 10:14). The “strong one” (חזק) represents any force, human, political, or spiritual, that exceeds the victim’s power. The “robber” (גוזל) emphasizes violent seizure. This language would resonate with any Israelite who had experienced unjust treatment, especially land theft or legal exploitation.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries note no significant textual variants for Psalm 35:10. Keil and Delitzsch mention a minor Masoretic variation in accentuation (the word for “all” with a conjunctive accent rather than Makkeph), but this does not affect meaning. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters often read this verse as prophecy of Christ, who delivers the spiritually poor from sin and Satan. In the medieval period, it was used in prayers for protection against enemies. Reformers like Calvin emphasized David’s trust in God’s covenant faithfulness. The refrain “Who is like You” has been taken up in hymns across traditions, connecting personal deliverance to the exodus story. In modern contexts, Psalm 35:10 has been a source of hope for communities facing oppression, echoing the biblical theme of God as defender of the poor.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Total praise flows from total deliverance. The bones, the body’s strongest framework, join the soul in thanksgiving. Keil and Delitzsch note that the anxiety which had “agitated even the marrow” gives way to joy that “multiplies itself into a choir.”
- God’s incomparability is the foundation of praise. “Who is like You?” is not a question but a declaration. As Barnes writes, no one else “would interpose as God does in behalf of the poor” or has the power to save.
- God’s rescue targets the weak against the strong. The deliverance is specific: the poor from the aggressor, the needy from the plunderer. This reveals God’s character as defender of the helpless.
Five-point outline
- Bones as the seat of suffering and joy (Psalm 51:8)
- The whole self, body and soul, engaged in praise
- The exclamation “Who is like You” as covenant language
- Deliverance as rescue from overwhelming power
- The poor and needy as objects of God’s special care
Illustration hooks
- Legal rescue: A person wrongly accused, facing a skilled prosecutor with vast resources, suddenly acquitted through a last-minute witness. The feeling spreads from the chest to the hands, the whole body exhales.
- Medical relief: After weeks of chronic pain that disrupted sleep and movement, a successful treatment brings such relief that every joint seems to thank the doctor.
- Community justice: A family threatened by a predatory lender finds unexpected help from a legal aid organization. The weight lifts from shoulders; the body literally straightens.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How can I praise God when my body still carries the memory of trauma?”
- “Does God really protect the poor today, when injustice seems to win?”
- “Is it okay to pray for deliverance from people who are stronger than me, or should I just endure?”
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 35:10 invites us to consider what it means to praise God with our whole selves. The psalmist has been surrounded by enemies who attack without reason, yet he trusts that God’s rescue will be so complete that even his bones will join the song. This is not quiet, internal gratitude, it is a bodily, public celebration of God’s justice.
Discussion questions
- What does it mean for the psalmist’s bones to “say” something? Why does he use this image?
- How does the question “Who is like You, O LORD?” function in this verse? (Compare with Exodus 15:11.)
- Who are the “poor” and “needy” in this context? How does God rescue them from the “strong” and the “robber”?
- In what situations have you felt like the weaker party, needing a stronger deliverer?
- How can praise become physical, something the body participates in, not just the mind?
- The psalm includes prayers against enemies (imprecations). How do we understand those together with this verse of praise?
- If you truly believed that God rescues the poor from the powerful, what might change in your prayers, actions, or perspective this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:11 | Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? |
| Job 5:15 | But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty. |
| Job 5:16 | So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth. |
| Job 33:19 | “He is chastened also with pain on his bed, with continual strife in his bones, |
| Job 33:25 | His flesh will be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth. |
| Psalms 10:14 | But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless. |
| Psalms 18:17 | He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. |
| Psalms 22:14 | I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). 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 notes that when God preserves someone's life, every part of the body, even the bones, joins in praising His saving mercy. He draws a general maxim: God is especially attentive to the poor, supplying spiritual help where material benefits are lacking because they need it more.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats the phrase "all my bones" as a metaphor for the whole person, emphasizing that David's relief would be so complete that every part of his physical frame would rejoice. He then stresses that God's uniqueness lies specifically in rescuing the crushed and needy from those who would plunder them, a deliverance no one else can provide.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David did not view everyone who opposed him as an enemy. He recognized that most people were simply misled by ignorance and the influence of those in power. Only those who knowingly and maliciously sided with Saul to gain his favor did David consider true enemies, and against them alone he called for God's judgment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that the psalmist's joy in deliverance is so intense it affects his physical frame, just as sorrow does. This bodily thrill underscores God's incomparable power and goodness, especially toward the afflicted who cry out to Him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the psalmist's entire body, down to his very bones, joins in declaring God's incomparable power. God alone rescues the poor and afflicted from oppressors who are too strong for them, even from those who would strip them of everything.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the phrase "all my bones shall say" as the whole person praising God with utmost strength and fervor. He then reads the deliverance of the poor and needy in both a literal and spiritual sense: God rescues them from enemies too strong for them, whether human oppressors, indwelling sin, or Satan himself.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
All my bones —every part. him that spoileth him —(Compare Ps 10:2 ).
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch point out that the bones, elsewhere in the Psalms described as sharing only in the soul's anguish, now share in the joy that replaces that anxiety. The downfall of God's enemies triggers a triumphant joy that pulses through every part of the body, turning distress into a chorus of praise. The repetition of "afflicted" stresses rescue from losing even the little he has.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues this psalm is not a tedious repetition of complaints but a rhythmic, agitated prayer. Its three main thoughts circle back in different forms and figures, reflecting the experience of a heart so shaken by bitter betrayal that it can only gradually master its emotions by desperately holding on to God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to David's situation as God's appointed servant, living with a clear conscience and following God's guidance, yet facing relentless enemies. Henry's point is that David's innocence makes the persecution completely unjust and that David's cause is ultimately God's own cause.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
My bones - My whole body, as well as my soul.