The Meaning of Psalms 105:9 Explained

Psalms 105:9

KJV: Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

YLT: That He hath made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,

Darby: Which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;

ASV: The covenant which he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which [covenant] he made  with Abraham,  and his oath  unto Isaac; 

What does Psalms 105:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 105:1-15 - The Lord's Covenant With Israel
This psalm and the next are a pair, probably composed during the Exile in Babylon. They are evidently derived in part from the old Tabernacle service, in which is found the beginning of this psalm and the end of the next, 1 Chronicles 16:1-43. Here we have the story of Jehovah's faithfulness to his Covenant and of Israel's ingratitude.
It is right to make known God's doings. Nothing touches men more quickly, or excites faith and hope more certainly, than to hear what others have experienced of God's saving health. Let us talk more often of His marvelous works. If God has forgiven you, even to ten thousand talents, confess it. If you have learned more of Christ's patience in His bearing with your sins and failures, tell it out. The salient points which stand out in our record of the past may be summarized under the same general headings as those of the psalmist. God has been mindful of His Covenant, ratified by the blood of his Son. He has shown his independence of human standards in choosing us, though we are absolutely unworthy to inherit His Kingdom. How often He has interposed in our behalf even when we have deserved the worst, saying, Touch not mine anointed! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 105

1  An exhortation to praise God, and to seek out his works
7  The story of God's providence over Abraham
16  Over Joseph
23  Over Jacob in Egypt
26  Over Moses delivering the Israelites
37  Over the Israelites brought out of Egypt, fed in the desert, and planted in Canaan

What do the individual words in Psalms 105:9 mean?

[The covenant] which He made with Abraham and His oath to Isaac
אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּ֭רַת אֶת־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ לְיִשְׂחָֽק

אֲשֶׁ֣ר  [The  covenant]  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
כָּ֭רַת  He  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אַבְרָהָ֑ם  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ  and  His  oath 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: oath, curse.
לְיִשְׂחָֽק  to  Isaac 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.