Psalms 77:15 · Bible study
Psalms 77:15 Commentary: God's Arm and the Sons of Jacob and Joseph
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 77:15 recalls God's redemption of Israel with an arm. Why 'sons of Jacob and Joseph'? Study the meaning and context of this verse.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage by His own power, naming both Jacob and Joseph to include all the people.
- Key words: redeemed, arm, Jacob and Joseph, the arm symbolises strength, and Joseph is mentioned for his role in preserving and representing the northern tribes.
- Main debate: Why Joseph? Some see it as honouring Joseph’s role (Clarke, Gill); others as referencing the northern kingdom (Cambridge Bible).
- Theological theme: Redemption is both a past act and a foundation for present hope. God’s power is unchanging.
- Best use: In personal or corporate lament, to ground prayer in the certainties of God's saving history.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
With power You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
WEB World English Bible 2000
You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. [Selah
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thou hast redeemed with strength Thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou hast with [thine] arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He struck the rock in the wilderness: and gave them to drink, as out of the great deep.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Con tu brazo redimiste á tu pueblo, á los hijos de Jacob y de José. ( Selah.)
Com teu braço livraste teu povo, os filhos de Jacó e de José. (Selá)
Tu es le Dieu qui fait des prodiges;
Du hast dein Volk erlöst mit Macht, die Kinder Jakobs und Josephs. ( Sela.)
Gij zijt die God, Die wonder doet; Gij hebt Uw sterkte bekend gemaakt onder de volken.
Tu hai, col tuo braccio, redento il tuo popolo, i figliuoli di Giacobbe e di Giuseppe. Sela.
Tyś jest Bóg,który czynisz cuda; podałeś do znajomości między narody moc twoję.
рассек камень в пустыне и напоил их, как из великой бездны;
你曾用你的膀臂 贖了 你的民，就是雅各 和約瑟 的子孫。（細拉）
With your arm you have made your people free, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah.)
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 77:15 celebrates God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. The 'arm' symbolizes divine power, as in Exodus 6:6 (Barnes). Adam Clarke states the verse 'refers to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.' The mention of Joseph receives careful attention: Clarke cites the Targum that Joseph nourished the sons Jacob begot. Barnes notes Joseph's prominence in Egypt. Gill explains that Joseph is named for honour and because he supported Jacob and his family during famine. The Cambridge Bible suggests Joseph may represent the powerful northern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Thus the verse grounds present hope in a past redemption that encompasses the whole people, north and south.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Joseph as reference to the northern kingdom: Psalm 78:67-68 and Amos 5:6,15 use Joseph to denote Ephraim and the northern tribes; Cambridge Bible adopts this view.
- Joseph as honored patriarch and nourisher: The Targum and commentators like Clarke and Gill emphasize Joseph's historical role in preserving Jacob's family in Egypt.
What is clear: God redeemed Israel from Egypt by His own power, and the verse is intended to encourage hope by remembering that redemption.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of 'the sons of Jacob and Joseph' | All major traditions agree that this refers to the people of Israel delivered from Egypt. | Some interpret Joseph as a reference to the northern kingdom (Ephraim/Manasseh), while others see it as honoring Joseph's personal role in preserving the nation. |
| The arm of God | Christians across traditions agree that 'arm' symbolizes God's power in redemption, often linked to Exodus 6:6. | Some restrict the arm to the historical Exodus; others see it as typological of Christ's redemptive work (Gill). |
| The psalm's original setting | The psalm is a lament that turns to thanksgiving, and verse 15 is in the section of remembering God's wonders. | The exact historical circumstance (Babylonian exile, Assyrian threat, or a general liturgy) is not specified in the text; commentators vary on the occasion. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 77 is a lament that turns into a celebration of God's mighty acts. The superscription attributes it to Asaph and sets it to the tune of Jeduthun. The first half (vv.1-9) is a raw complaint: the psalmist cries out, cannot sleep, and questions whether God's love has ended. Then comes a pivot. In vv.11-20, the psalmist deliberately remembers Yah's wonders. Verse 15 stands at the centre of this remembrance, naming the defining event of Israel's identity: the Exodus.
The 'arm of the Lord' was a familiar image for divine rescue. God had promised to redeem Israel 'with an outstretched arm and with great judgments' (Exodus 6:6). Deuteronomy 9:26 and 29 recall that same redemption. For the original hearers, this verse would have evoked the Passover night, the crossing of the sea, and the liberation from slavery.
Why does the psalmist mention Joseph alongside Jacob? Several factors are at work. Joseph was the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, the tribes that dominated the northern kingdom. After the division of the monarchy, the name 'Joseph' often stood for the northern tribes (Amos 5:6,15; Obadiah 1:18). By naming both Jacob (all Israel) and Joseph (the north), the psalmist may be addressing the whole nation, perhaps during a time when the northern kingdom was threatened or exiled. Clarke suggests the psalmist 'uses this as an argument to excite the expectation of the captives' in Babylon. The mention of Joseph thus unifies the people under God's redemptive history.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 77:15. The verse is stable across all major manuscript traditions. The only minor difference is the placement of the word 'Selah' after the verse, which appears consistently as a marker for a pause or musical interlude.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, as reflected in the Targum, interpreted the mention of Joseph as highlighting that Joseph nourished the sons Jacob begot (Clarke). In Christian exegesis, Calvin saw this psalm as a common form of prayer for the Church in affliction, and verse 15 as a testimony of God's everlasting grace. Matthew Henry used it to illustrate the importance of meditating on God's works to strengthen faith. Baptist commentator Gill read the verse as typical of redemption by Christ. The verse has been sung in hymns of deliverance, and the phrase 'redeemed with an arm' remains a powerful image of God's sovereign salvation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Redemption by God's power alone. The 'arm' is a metaphor for strength that no human agency can match. God saves by His own might, not by Israel's merit.
- Redemption covers all God's people. Naming Jacob and Joseph includes every tribe and region, north and south, patriarchs and the sons preserved through Joseph.
- Redemption becomes a foundation for present hope. The psalmist recalls past deliverance to quiet his fears. Memory fuels faith in a crisis.
Five-point outline
- The arm of God, a symbol of irresistible power; the Exodus as the supreme example.
- Redeemed your people, God acts for a community, not only individuals.
- Sons of Jacob, the patriarch of the twelve tribes, keeper of the covenant.
- Sons of Joseph, honour for the one who saved his family; also a reference to the northern kingdom (Cambridge).
- Selah, a pause to reflect on this reality.
Illustration hooks
- A parent's strong arm: A child in danger, caught up by a parent’s arm. The rescue is immediate, personal, powerful, much like God’s redemption.
- A family tree with lost branches: When a family reunion includes members from estranged sides, it changes the whole atmosphere. Jacob and Joseph together show God reunites His people.
- A photo from a better time: In a hospital waiting room, a family member pulls out an old picture of a happy moment. That memory becomes an anchor for hope. The psalmist does the same with the Exodus.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I remember God's past faithfulness when I'm in the middle of pain or doubt?
- Why does it matter that Joseph is named separately? Does that affect how we see the northern tribes today?
- If God redeemed Israel with such power, why does He allow us to suffer now?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 77 moves from deep distress to confident hope. Verse 15 is a key turning point where the psalmist recalls God's redemption in the Exodus. Why does he mention both Jacob and Joseph? What does this tell us about God's faithfulness?
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the verse say God did? How does the phrase 'with your arm' describe the manner of redemption?
- Observation: Compare this verse with Exodus 6:6 and Deuteronomy 9:26. What words and ideas keep recurring?
- Interpretation: Why might the psalmist name Joseph as well as Jacob? What did Joseph represent for Israel?
- Interpretation: In the context of Psalm 77 as a whole (read vv.1-9 and vv.11-20), how does verse 15 function in the argument? What shift does it mark?
- Application: When have you had to intentionally remember God's past faithfulness to strengthen your present faith?
- Application: How can we, as a community, keep the story of God's redemption alive so that it becomes a resource for future generations?
- Application: What 'arm of God' deliverance do you need to trust God for today?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 48:3 | Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, |
| Genesis 48:20 | He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. |
| Exodus 6:6 | Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. |
| Deuteronomy 9:26 | I prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Lord Yahweh, don’t destroy your people and your inheritance that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. |
| Deuteronomy 9:29 | Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.” |
| Psalms 74:2 | Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance: Mount Zion, in which you have lived. |
| Psalms 136:11 | and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever; |
| Psalms 136:12 | with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever; |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Chaldee paraphrase that calls the people sons begotten by Jacob and nourished by Joseph. His distinctive point is that this family connection to both patriarchs becomes the psalmist's grounds for hope: the same God who delivered Israel from Egypt can deliver them from Babylon, and His power has not weakened.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights why the verse names both Jacob and Joseph. Jacob represents the ancestor of the twelve tribes, while Joseph is singled out for his prominent role in Egypt, the land from which Israel was redeemed. This double naming ties the deliverance to the nation's heritage and its history.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that this psalm is not a private complaint but a prayer the Spirit gave the whole church for times of persecution. He reads the opening as expressing either present distress or a deliberate memory of God's willingness to answer, not surprise at being ignored. The point is to strengthen faith, not to question God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that naming "the sons of Jacob and Joseph" likely refers to the Northern Kingdom tribes descended from Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The mention of Joseph alongside Jacob is not about Joseph as a second father to the nation, but a way of including the powerful northern tribes in the people God redeemed from Egypt.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators see the verse tying redemption directly to God’s own power—His “arm” acting decisively. They stress that this rescue belongs specifically to the covenant line, naming Jacob and Joseph to mark the people as God’s chosen, not just any nation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this verse as pointing to Israel's rescue from Egypt, a historical event he views as a type of Christ's greater redemption. He pays special attention to the naming of Joseph, noting his honor in sustaining Jacob's family and his distinct faith in their coming deliverance from Egypt.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the poet's affliction is "years of the right hand of the Most High" — a measured, limited time assigned by God's mighty hand. This reading transforms the complaint into hope: suffering has an appointed duration and will not last forever.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Psalm 77 as moving through three strophes of deepening distress into three of growing calm. The turning point comes when the psalmist calls his own anguish an infirmity and humbly submits to God's hand, recognizing that this very wound, inflicted by God, leads to hope. From there he shifts focus from personal suffering to God's past acts of redemption and unch
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes the psalmist's deliberate persistence in recalling God's wonders, even when that effort initially failed to bring comfort. For Henry this proves that believers must keep meditating on and speaking of God's past works, trusting that such discipline will eventually strengthen faith even if the effect is not immediate.