Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

PSALMS 118:25KJV
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Psalms 118:25 (KJV)

What does Psalms 118:25 mean?

Psalms 118:25 is a heartfelt prayer asking God to save and bring success or well-being. The speaker urgently calls out to the LORD, pleading for rescue and for prosperity to come quickly.

In this verse, the psalmist is addressing God directly, using repetition for emphasis. The setting is one of public worship or celebration, likely during a festival in ancient Israel. The request for salvation and prosperity reflects both a need for deliverance from trouble and a hope for God’s blessing on the people’s future.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 118:25

  • "Save" (יָשַׁע, yashaʿ): This word means to rescue or deliver, often used in the sense of God saving people from danger or distress. Here, it is a direct plea for God’s intervention.
  • "Beseech" (אָנָּא, ʾanna): This is a strong, urgent request, expressing deep need or desperation. The repetition in the verse highlights the intensity of the prayer.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the special name for God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing a personal relationship and covenant with Israel.
  • "Prosperity" (צָלַח, tsalach): This word means success, progress, or well-being. The psalmist is not just asking for rescue from trouble, but also for positive outcomes and flourishing.

Why Psalms 118:25 matters

  • This verse is the source of the word "Hosanna," a term used in later Jewish and Christian traditions as a cry for help and praise.
  • The verse connects personal and communal needs, showing that prayers for salvation and prosperity were part of public worship.
  • By repeating both the plea and God’s name, the verse emphasizes urgency and dependence on God alone for rescue and blessing.

Where else these words appear

“beseech” Hebrew H577 · used in 12 verses

  • Genesis 50:17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
  • Nehemiah 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
  • Isaiah 38:3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

“prosperity” Hebrew H6743 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
  • 1 Kings 22:15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
  • Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.