The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about God helping us when we stumble; it's about Him actively upholding those who are already falling, offering support before they completely collapse. It also highlights that He doesn't just lift the fallen, but specifically raises those already bowed down, suggesting a particular tenderness for those crushed by burdens.
The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm is building a powerful crescendo of praise, moving from God's mighty works to His personal care for all creation. This verse directly follows descriptions of God's sovereign rule and comes right before the psalm focuses on how all living things depend on God for sustenance, highlighting His constant, active involvement in the world.
Life can feel like a constant struggle to stay on your feet. When you stumble, or even when you feel yourself about to fall, who is there to catch you?
This verse speaks to God's active role in supporting us when we falter. The Hebrew word for 'falling' can describe those who are literally losing their balance, or more figuratively, those overwhelmed by trouble.
A Prop, Not Just a Hand
Think of a prop that shores up a weak wall. God doesn't just offer a quick grab; He provides foundational support. This means He sustains us through difficult circumstances, preventing us from being completely overcome. It's about His constant presence and strength, not just a one-time rescue.
Sometimes the weight of life doesn't make us fall, but crushes us, leaving us with our heads bowed in despair. What hope is there for those who feel utterly defeated?
This part of the verse addresses those who are not just faltering, but are crushed by burdens. The imagery is of someone bent over, weighed down, perhaps unable to even look up.
From Despair to Dignity
God's action here is not just to support, but to raise up. This signifies restoration, bringing back dignity and hope to those who feel insignificant or broken. It's about His power to lift us out of oppressive circumstances and restore us to a place where we can stand tall again.
Understand the original words
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sāmak · Hebrew Verb
To sustain, support, or keep someone from falling; God’s active role in maintaining the life and stability of His people.
zāqap · Hebrew Verb
The divine act of restoring, elevating, or lifting up those who are oppressed, humbled, or in distress.
This passage echoes the sentiment, stating that though the righteous may stumble, they will not be cast down because God holds their hand. It reinforces the idea of God's steadfast support for those who rely on Him.
Luke 1:52This verse highlights God's action of bringing down the mighty and lifting up the humble. It shows a divine pattern of reversing fortunes, lifting the oppressed and dejected, which aligns with God's heart in Psalm 145:14.
Matthew 11:28Jesus extends a direct invitation to 'all who are weary and burdened' to come to Him for rest. This is a New Testament parallel to God upholding and raising up, showing His personal care for those weighed down by life's struggles.
1 Peter 5:6This verse directly quotes and expands on the humility God desires, stating 'Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.' It connects God's lifting action with our posture of humility before Him.
ellicottPsalms 145:14: "The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down."
(14) The Lord. —Comp. Psalm 37:24 . It marks a grand step in theology when the first instance of majesty of the Divine Being is sought in His condescension to human weakness and pity for frailty and want. The heathen had seen that this was king-like — “Regia (crede mihi) res est succurrere lapsis.” OVID: Ep. de Ponto 11., 9, 11. But they had hardly seen that it was also god-like. For “raiseth” and “b…
pulpitPsalms 145:14: "The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down."
Verse 14. - The Lord upholdeth all that fall. Lifts them up, i.e., and again "upholds" or supports them (comp. Psalm 37:24). And raiseth up all those that be bowed down (comp. Psalm 146:8).
This verse isn't just about God helping us when we stumble; it's about Him actively upholding those who are already falling, offering support before they completely collapse. It also highlights that He doesn't just lift the fallen, but specifically raises those already bowed down, suggesting a particular tenderness for those crushed by burdens.
The psalm is building a powerful crescendo of praise, moving from God's mighty works to His personal care for all creation. This verse directly follows descriptions of God's sovereign rule and comes right before the psalm focuses on how all living things depend on God for sustenance, highlighting His constant, active involvement in the world.
The psalm is building a powerful crescendo of praise, moving from God's mighty works to His personal care for all creation. This verse directly follows descriptions of God's sovereign rule and comes right before the psalm focuses on how all living things depend on God for sustenance, highlighting His constant, active involvement in the world.
"The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down." — This verse isn't just about God helping us when we stumble; it's about Him actively upholding those who are already falling, offering support before they completely collapse. It also highlights tha…
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Last reviewed October 2026