Hebrews 13:6
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So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
So that we may boldly say - We, in such circumstances, while cleaving to the Lord, may confidently apply to ourselves what God spake to Joshua and to Solomon; and what he spake to David, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do." God is omnipotent, man's power is limited; howsoever strong he may be, he can do nothing against the Almighty.
Open source ↗may--rather as Greek, expressing confidence actually realized, "So that we boldly (confidently) say" (Psa 56:4, Psa 56:11; Psa 118:6). Punctuate as both the Hebrew and the Greek require, "And (so) I will not fear: what (then) shall man do unto me?"
Open source ↗So that we may boldly say,.... Or confidently assert; for nothing is more true than this, the Lord is my helper; he is able to help, and does help, when none else can; he has promised to be the helper of his people; he has laid help for them on Christ, who is mighty; and he has helped him as man, that he might help them; he has set up a throne of grace for them to come to, where they may find help; and experience confirms the truth of this assertion; every believer can set up an Ebenezer, and say, hitherto hath the Lord helped me: the people of God are of themselves helpless ones; there is no help for them in man; their help is only in the Lord; who helps them out of the pit of sin and misery; out of the hands of all their enemies; out of all their afflictions, and "out" of all the dangers they are exposed unto by Satan and his temptations, by reason of a body of sin and death, and no account of the world, and the men of it: he helps them "in" the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty; in bearing the cross; in fighting the Lord's battles; and in their journeying through the wilderness: he helps them "to" temporal blessings, and spiritual ones; to spiritual food and raiment, and to all needful supplies of grace, and, at last, to eternal glory and happiness: and the help he now affords is quick and present, suitable and seasonable, and is what is sufficient; and is sometimes with, and sometimes without means. And I will not fear what man shall do unto me. There is a becoming fear and reverence which is due to men that are our superiors, whether in civil or religious affairs; but men are not to be feared, when opposed to God; not a single man only is not to be feared, but even all men; and not they only, but all that they can do; the utmost of which is to kill th…
Open source ↗The apostle, having treated largely of Christ, and faith, and free grace, and gospel privileges, and warned the Hebrews against apostasy, now, in the close of all, recommends several excellent duties to them, as the proper fruits of faith (v. 1-17); he then bespeaks their prayers for him, and offers up his prayers to God for them, gives them some hope of seeing himself and Timothy, and ends with the general salutation and benediction (Heb 13:18 to the end).
Open source ↗13:6 This quotation from Ps 118:6 offers the response of faith: The Lord is my helper, so we can have no fear of what people might do.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Surely God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
Unless the LORD had been my helper, I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.