The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

PSALMS 132:11KJV
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Psalms 132:11 (KJV)

What does Psalms 132:11 mean?

Psalms 132:11 says that the LORD made a truthful and unbreakable promise to David, declaring that one of David’s own descendants would be placed on his royal throne. This verse highlights God’s commitment to David’s family line and the certainty of His promise.

In this psalm, the speaker is recalling God’s oath to King David, Israel’s second king, about the future of his dynasty. The verse is part of a prayer or song remembering how God swore “in truth” that David’s offspring would rule, which was a central hope for Israel’s future. The context is one of trust in God’s faithfulness to keep promises made to David, especially about kingship and leadership.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 132:11

  • LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing that the promise comes from Israel’s covenant God, not just a generic deity.
  • sworn (נִשְׁבַּע, nishba): This word means to make a solemn oath, showing that God’s promise to David is as binding as it gets in the ancient world.
  • truth (אֱמֶת, emet): This word is often understood as “firmness” or “faithfulness,” stressing that God’s oath is reliable and will not fail.
  • fruit (פְּרִי, peri) and body (בֶּטֶן, beten): Together, these words literally mean “the fruit of your womb/body,” making it clear that the promise is about a physical descendant, not just a spiritual successor.

Why Psalms 132:11 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that God’s promise to David was vague or conditional; the language stresses that it is both truthful and unchangeable.
  • The focus on a descendant “of your body” emphasizes the physical line of David, which is important for understanding later hopes for a future king from David’s family.
  • In the wider psalm, this verse anchors Israel’s hope in God’s faithfulness to past promises, especially in times when the monarchy or nation felt uncertain.

Where else these words appear

“body” Hebrew H990 · used in 72 verses

  • Genesis 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
  • Job 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
  • Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

“set” Hebrew H7896 · used in 80 verses

  • Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
  • Job 10:20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
  • Psalms 88:6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

“fruit” Hebrew H6529 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Nehemiah 10:35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
  • Isaiah 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

“throne” Hebrew H3678 · used in 124 verses

  • Genesis 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
  • 1 Kings 22:19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
  • Psalms 103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.