Romans 4:6 (KJV)

What does Romans 4:6 mean?

Romans 4:6 describes the happiness of a person whom God counts as righteous, or in the right before him, without treating that person’s works as the basis for that standing. Paul introduces David’s words to show that this blessing was spoken of in Israel’s earlier writings.

Paul has just discussed Abraham’s faith in verse 5. He now brings David into the discussion, preparing to quote him in the next two verses. The word “imputeth” pictures something being credited to a person’s account.

The Greek behind Romans 4:6

• “blessedness” — μακαρισμός (makarismos): This word carries the sense of declaring someone fortunate or happy. Here Paul presents David’s words as a description of a person’s fortunate condition.
• “imputeth” — λογίζομαι (logizomai): The Greek carries the sense of counting or crediting something to someone. The word helps show why Paul can speak of righteousness as something God credits to a person.

Why Romans 4:6 matters

• Paul connects his discussion of Abraham with words attributed to David. By saying “David also describeth,” Paul presents David’s words as another witness to his point.
• The blessing includes forgiveness. In the words quoted in verses 7–8, David calls people blessed whose wrongs are forgiven and whose sins God does not count against them. That quotation gives the reader a fuller picture of the person Paul describes in verse 6.
• God is the one who does the counting. The phrase “God imputeth righteousness” identifies him as the one who credits righteousness, rather than describing a judgment people make about themselves.