The Identity of "Those Who Fear YHWH" in Ps. 118:4

Back to Psalm 118

Introduction

In Ps. 118 a leader of Israel gathers near the temple gates, accompanied by a crowd of his people, to give thanks to YHWH in response to YHWH's salvation from distress. The thanksgiving celebration begins in vv. 1-4 with an opening antiphonal (call-and-response) thanksgiving hymn. The traditional Hebrew text is as follows:

הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃	__1__	Give thanks to YHWH, because he is good,	because his loyalty is forever.
יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃	__2__	Let Israel say,	"because his loyalty is forever."
יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֥א בֵֽית־אַהֲרֹ֑ן כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃	__3__	Let the house of Aaron say,	"because his loyalty is forever."
יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֭א יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃	__4__	Let those who fear YHWH say,	"because his loyalty is forever."

In v. 1 a leader calls out to all present, "Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!". Following this opening there are three call-and-response exchanges in vv. 2-4, first with 'Israel', then 'the house of Aaron', then 'those who fear YHWH'. Most interpreters agree that 'Israel' here refers to the Israelite laity (i.e. all non-priests), and 'the house of Aaron' refers to the priests (possibly along with the Levites). However, interpreters are divided with regards to the third group, יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH). There are two main options:

1. יִרְאֵי יהוה refers to all Israel (laity + priesthood).

(Allen, Dahood, Delitzsch, Goldingay, HALOT, Hengstenberg, Johnson, Lake)

2. יִרְאֵי יהוה refers specifically to Gentile proselytes.

(Alter, Briggs, Elmer, Gunkel, Hossfeld and Zenger, Ibn Ezra, Kraus)

Resolving this question has an important impact on how one reads the psalm as a whole, insofar as it establishes the main character groups present for the thanksgiving ceremony described throughout the psalm. According to the first interpretation, the call to יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) merely draws together the laity (cf. v. 2) and the priests (cf. v. 3) into one voice, and all present declare together "because his loyalty is forever!" However, according to the second interpretation, one must imagine a third, identifiable, group of proselyte Gentiles present and active throughout the rest of the psalm.

It should be noted from the outset that the first interpretation does not necessarily exclude any presence of Gentile proselytes, for it is well known that they were present to varying extents throughout Israelite history. However, if present, they are probably just an integrated part of the Israelite laity.

The following argument maps will deal with each of these interpretations in turn, examining the arguments for and against.

Argument Map(s)

1. יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) = Israel (Laity + Priests Together):

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[All Present (Laity + Priests)]: The phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) does not refer specifically to Gentile proselytes but to all present (including both Israelite laity and priests). 
 + <Historical/Covenantal Context>: Fearing YHWH was a foundational expectation of Israel in the context of their covenant with YHWH. To be a faithful Israelite was to fear YHWH (cf. Dt. 10:12-13) (NIDOTTE 1997:529 :D:)
  + <Inseparable from Obedience>: Fearing YHWH is often inseparable from keeping the Israel-specific commandments in the Mosaic covenant.
   + [E.g. Ps. 119:63]: חָבֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי לְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְרֵא֑וּךָ וּ֝לְשֹׁמְרֵ֗י פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃ (See also Dt. 14:23, 17:19). 
 + <Hebrew Usage>: There are at least 4 other places where the phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) (or a very close variation) probably refers specifically to Israelites. 
  + <Ps. 115:9-13>: In Ps. 115:9-13 there is a closely paralleled interaction with the same labels of יִשְרָאֵל (Israel), then בֵּית אַהֲרֹן (house of Aaron), then יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH). The most plausible reading of יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) there is not in reference to proselytes, but to all the nation of Israel together.
   + [Ps. 115:9-13]: 9 יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בְּטַ֣ח בַּיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃ 10 בֵּ֣ית אַ֭הֲרֹן בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃ 11 יִרְאֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃ 12 יְהוָה֮ זְכָרָ֪נוּ יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ יְ֭בָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אַהֲרֹֽן׃ 13 יְ֭בָרֵךְ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃
   + <v.13>: In Ps. 115:13 the phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) is in apposition with the phrase הַקְּטַנִּים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִים (the small with the great), possibly referring to the great/significant (priests) and the small/less significant (laity) (Hengstenberg 1863-64:364-65 :C:, cf. Allen 2002:149 :C:). 
    <_ <Ambiguous>: As a general expression of inclusion, nothing in the phrase "the small with the great" explicitly excludes Gentile proselytes. #dispreferred
   + <Context of Ps. 115>: The wider context of Ps. 115 is about Israel's devoted worship to YHWH in contrast to the nations' worship of their idols (cf. esp. 115:3-11, 18), with specific contrastive reference to "the nations" in v.2).   
  + <Ps. 135:20>: In Ps. 135:19-20 there is also a closely paralleled interaction with the same labels of יִשְרָאֵל (Israel), then בֵּית אַהֲרֹן (house of Aaron), then יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH), with the addition of בֵּית הַלֵּוִי (house of Levi). The most plausible reading of יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) there is not in reference to proselytes, but to all the nation of Israel together. 
   + [Ps. 135:19-20]:  19 בֵּ֣ית יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה בֵּ֥ית אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן בָּרֲכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ 20 בֵּ֣ית הַ֭לֵּוִי בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה יִֽרְאֵ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה בָּרֲכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
   + <Context of Ps. 135>: The psalm focuses on YHWH's unique relationship with Israel, whom he has chosen for himself (v. 4), whom he judges/vindicates (v. 14), in contrast to his opposition to the nations and their gods (v. 5, 8-12). 
  + <Ps. 22:24>: יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) is most plausibly understood in Ps. 22:24 with reference to all ethnic Israelites.
   + [Ps. 22:24]: יִרְאֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ כָּל־זֶ֣רַע יַעֲקֹ֣ב כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ וְג֥וּרוּ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ כָּל־זֶ֥רַע יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
   + <Parallelism>: The phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) seems to occur in close synonymous parallelism with זֶרַע יַעֲקֹב (offspring of Jacob) and זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל (offspring of Israel), terms that do not refer to proselytes. 
  + <Ex. 18:21>: The very similar phrase יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים (those who fear God (instead of YHWH)) is most plausibly understood in Ex. 18:21 with reference to ethnic Israelites, referring to Israelite men who would be chosen for leadership responsibilities over the nation. 
   + [Ex. 18:21]: וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃
  + [Other Passages]: See also Ps. 22:26, 25:14, Ps. 119:79.
 + <Literary Context>: Nothing in the rest of Ps. 118 indicates the presence of Gentile proselytes as distinct participants in the psalm. 

2. יִרְאֵי יהוה(those who fear YHWH) = Gentile Proselytes:

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[Gentile Proselytes]: The phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) refers primarily to Gentile proselytes who have joined Israel. #dispreferred
 + <Proselytes in Hebrew Bible>: Proselytes seem to be present in the midst of Israel to varying extents all throughout its history (NIDNTTE 2014:147-149 :D:), and were thus likely present for the thanksgiving ceremony described in Ps. 118. #dispreferred  
 + <Proselytes = God-fearers>: יִרְאֵי יהוה (god-fearers) is a technical label that specifically describes Gentile proselytes. #dispreferred
  + <Hebrew Usage>: In a number of places throughout the psalms and the rest of the Hebrew Bible Gentiles from other nations are described as coming to fear YHWH. #dispreferred
   + <Ps. 67:8>: A central theme of Ps. 67 is the nations worshipping YHWH, climaxing in the final verse with a declaration that "all the ends of the earth will fear YHWH". #dispreferred
    + [Ps. 67:8]: יְבָרְכֵ֥נוּ אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְיִֽירְא֥וּ אֹ֝ת֗וֹ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ #dispreferred
   + <Ps 33:8>: In Ps. 33:8 there is a petition for all the earth to fear YHWH. #dispreferred
    + [Ps. 33:8]: יִֽירְא֣וּ מֵ֭יְהוָה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמֶּ֥נּוּ יָ֝ג֗וּרוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י תֵבֵֽל׃ #dispreferred
   + [Other Passages]: See also Ps. 66:4; 102:16; Jonah 1:16. #dispreferred  
   - <Always Verbal>: Although Gentiles are often described as "fearing YHWH", the actual nominal phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) is never used explicitly throughout the Hebrew Bible in reference to proselytes. Meanwhile, it is explicitly used for ethnic Israel.
    + [יִרְאֵי יהוה = Israelites]: For examples where יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) refers to Israelites (not proselytes) see argument map 1 above.
  + <Usage in New Testament and Related Literature>: The phrase "Those who fear YHWH" (φοβούμενοι/σεβόμενοι τὸν κύριον) occurs frequently in the NT and associated literature with explicit reference to Gentile proselytes who are devoted to the God of Israel (Kraus 1993:381 :C:). #dispreferred
   + [Cf. Acts 10:2, 22; 13:16, 26; 16:14; 18:7] #dispreferred
   <_ <Anachronism>: This phrase only takes on this specific meaning in later (post-Biblical) second temple literature (Lake 1933:82 :M:). 
 <_ <Literary Context>: Nothing else in the psalm even hints at the presence of Gentile proselytes. The only reference to Gentiles/other nations is as enemies (e.g. vv. 10-12). 

Conclusion

There is no evidence regarding Gentile proselytes, that they either were or were not present at the thanksgiving ceremony. It is possible that some were present. However, there is no evidence that the phrase יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) in biblical literature and history refers here specifically to Gentile proselytes as a distinct group. 'God-fearers' only appears as a technical label for Gentile proselytes in late second temple literature, as attested for example in the NT. Nowhere does it explicitly have this technical meaning in the Hebrew Bible. Lake's critique thus seems fair: "eisegesis has often been substituted for exegesis in treating the phrase in the Old Testament." Furthermore, there is not even a single hint of the presence of Gentile proselytes in the remainder of Ps. 118.

Therefore, it is more plausible to understand יִרְאֵי יהוה (those who fear YHWH) here as referring simply to all worshippers of YHWH in their ideal state - fearing him. The chorus leader thus opens in v. 1 with an initial call to praise using the well-known thanksgiving hymn.

"Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!"

He then turns to the crowd of Israelite laity assembled and calls out,

"Let Israel say!",

and the crowd responds with a resounding,

"Because his loyalty is forever!"

He then turns to the crowd of priests and calls out,

"Let the house of Aaron say!",

and they responds with a resounding,

"Because his loyalty is forever!"

Having thus called all present, in turn, to joyfully give thanks to YHWH, the chorus leader then draws all present together as one (including any proselytes present) by reminding them of their true identity and calling as those who fear YHWH:

"Let those who fear YHWH say!"

"Because his loyalty is forever!"

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: εἰπάτωσαν δὴ πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον...
  • Do let all those who fear the Lord say... (NETS)
• Syr.: ܢܐܡܪܘܢ ܕܚ̈ܠܘܗܝ ܕܡܪܝܐ
  • Let those who fear the Lord say... (Antioch Bible, Richard A. Taylor (trans.) 2020).
• Tg.: ...יימרון כדון דחליא דיהוה
  • Let those who fear the LORD now say... (Targums English 2015 Oaktree Software)
• Jer.: dicant qui timent Dominum...
  • Let them that fear the Lord now say... (Douay-Rheims)

Modern

Note: Other than very minor variations in wording, there is unanimous agreement in the translation of this verse.

• Let those who fear the LORD say... (ESV, NIV, NRSV, REB, CSB)
• Oh let those who fear the LORD say... (NASB)
• Let the loyal followers of the LORD say... (NET)
• Let all who fear the LORD repeat... (NLT)
• Let them now that fear the LORD say... (JPS1917)

Secondary Literature

Lexicons

• HALOT

יָרֵא: I ‏ירא‎, also pl. Bauer-L. Heb. 318p; MHeb.: cs. ‏יְרֵא‎, ‏יְרֵאִים‎, ‏יִרְאֵי‎, ‏יְרֵאָיו‎, fem. ‏יִרְאַת‎, Or. ‏יְרֵאַת (Kahle Text 73, 597g):

1. in fear of: a) with אֵת and acc. i) of people Gn 3212 Da 110; ii) of God: אֱלֹהִים (THAT 1:776) Gn 2212 4218 Ex 1821 Ps 6616 Job 11.8 23 Qoh 718 812 Neh 72; of י׳ (THAT 1:774) 1K 183.12 2K 41 1732 Jr 2619 Jon 19 Ps 348.10 1121, cj. Ps 9011 (rd. ‏תֹךְ‎ [‏רֹאֶה‎] ‏וּמִי יָרֵא‎); b) with genitive: ‏יְרֵא י׳ Is 5010 Ps 2512 1281.4 Pr 142; pl. יִרְאֵי י׳ (MHeb. יִרְאֵי שָׁמַיִם; NT σεβόμενοι/ φοβούμενοι θεόν, Schürer 3:174; not yet proselytes in OT, Johnson, Sacral Kingship 1243; THAT 1:774f) Mal 316 Ps 154 2224 11511.13 1184 13520; אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת י׳ Pr 3130 (for orig. נְבוֹנָה, Rüger WdO 5:96ff); with sf. Ps 2226 2514 3120 3318 606 8510 10311.13.17 1115 cj. 11938 (rd. לִירֵאֶיךָ). 74.79 14519 14711; with שֵׁם sf. Mal 320 Ps 616, with דְּבַר י׳ Ex 920, ‏מִצְוָה Pr 1313; c) with מִן Dt 719 Jr 4211.16; —2. fearful Dt 208 Ju 73 1S 233. †

Monographs

• Aubrey Johnson, Sacral Kingship in Ancient Israel, 1955:114: Even if the phrase might be allowed this meaning, the order in which the groups are mentioned in the case before us should be enough to make one question the validity of this view; but the fact is that it reads into a simple description of the devout Israelite a highly specialized meaning for which there is no real warrant.
• K Lake, Note VIII 'Proselytes and God-fearers' in The Beginnings of Christianity. Part I: Acts of the Apostles, vol. 5, 1933:82: (iv.) Jere Shamaim.—Another phrase important in this problem is jere shamaim (יראי שמים), ‘fearers of Heaven,’ which was used to describe a Gentile who had accepted the truth of the Jewish religion but had not joined it by being circumcised. This use can be traced back as far as the Midrash Rabbah on Deuteronomy (cf. Mekilia on Exod. xxii. 20) in connexion with a story referred to the time of Gamaliel III. (circa a.p. 90). There does not appear to be any clear evidence of this use in earlier literature, but in the later Midrashim it is fairly often used, and the writers explain that the phrase jere adonai (for which jere shamaim is of course merely a substitute with the usual shamaim by metonymy for adonai), which is so common in the Old Testament, has this peculiar meaning, which modern writers generally represent by the very dubious phrase ‘ half- proselyte.’ It is, however, extremely doubtful whether there is really any passage in the Old Testament where the phrase has this meaning, and in an overwhelming majority of instances it is merely used to indicate the exemplary nature of the Israelite to whom it refers. It is perhaps desirable to point out that eisegesis has often been substituted for exegesis in treating the phrase in the Old Testament. For instance, 2 Chron. v. 6 is sometimes quoted as an example of a reference to ‘half-proselytes ’ as jere shamaim or φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν, but, apart from the fact that there is nothing in the Hebrew to represent of φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν, it is tolerably clear that the real meaning is ‘the whole house of Israel ’—the pious and the proselytes.

Commentaries

Note: Because of the identical three-fold arrangement in Ps. 115:9-11, most commentators base their interpretation of Ps. 118:2-4 on their interpretation of Ps. 115:9-11. Therefore most of the relevant discussions are found in the commentary on Ps. 115.

• Allen WBC 2002:165-166 - Commentary on Ps. 118:1-4: A call for communal praise (118:1–4). A priest opens the proceedings with a call to praise. He challenges in turn two groups in the procession, first the laity and then his fellow priests, to testify to Yahweh’s abiding faithfulness, and finally he invites a resounding shout from one and all....For the groups of vv 2–4 and the role of יראי יהוה, “those who revere Yahweh,” as a comprehensive designation for the religious community, see Ps 115:9–13 and Comment.
• Allen WBC 2002:149 - Commentary on Ps. 115:11: In v 11 some scholars, such as Kraus ([1989] 381), Seybold (451), and Beyerlin (Traditionen, 85–91), consider the phrase יראי יהוה, “you who revere Yahweh,” to refer to proselytes, and so the community as a whole is meant by ישׂראל, “Israel,” rather than by this phrase. It is much more likely that the whole community is described in a comprehensive summary in this final phrase, as the reference to הקטנים עם־הגדלים, “young and old” (v 13), suggests (see J. Becker’s full discussion in Gottesfurcht im AT, 155–60). One may compare Pss 22:24 (23); 66:16.
• Alter 2007:409 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: Beginning at this point, the psalm provides a series of indications of its liturgical nature. Different groups of celebrants in the temple rite are enjoined to trust in the LORD: the general community ("Israel"), the priests and Levites ("the house of Aaron"), and what may be a distinct third group ("those who fear the LORD)-the early rabbis identified these as proselytes, a possibility not to be excluded in the Second Temple period.
• Briggs 1908:395 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: "ye that fear YHWH"], the proselytes from other nations than Israel, for thus we must interpret it here as additional to "the house of Israel, and not in the usual sense of the "pious" in Israel as distinguished from the ungodly.
• Dahood 2008:155 - Commentary on Ps. 118:1-4: In vss. 1–4 a singer calls for thanksgiving from the companies of the laity, of the priests, and of all together (cf. Ps 115:9–11).
• deClaissé-Walford 2014:867 - Commentary on Ps. 118:1-4: 1–4 In vv. 1–4, worshippers are called together to give thanks to the LORD because of the Lord’s goodness and hesed. The words of v. 1 are typical gathering words, used in many calls to worship in the Hebrew Bible (see Pss. 106:1; 107:1; 136:1; 1 Chr. 16:34; 2 Chr. 5:13; 7:3; 20:21). In vv. 2–4, three groups of people are called to celebrate the Lord’s hesed: Israel, the house of Aaron, and the ones who fear the LORD—the same three groups who are called upon to “trust in the LORD” in Ps. 115:9–11. Whatever the identities of the groups may be, we can conclude along with Psalm 115 that the text indicates that “all” are called on to celebrate the Lord’s hesed. After v. 4 the word hesed does not appear again in the psalm until its closing verse, v. 29.
• Delitzsch 1877:212 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: Those who fear Jahve, who also stand in the last passage, are probably the proselytes (in the Acts of the Apostles σεβόμενοι τὸν Θεόν, or merely σεβόμενοι); at any rate these are included even if Israel in ver. 9 is meant to signify the laity, for the notion of " those who fear Jahve " extends beyond Israel.
• Elmer 1949: 113 - Commentary on Ps. 118:2-4: The leader summons each of the classes of participants in the processional in turn to praise the Lord: the Israelite laity, “House of Israel”; the priests, “House of Aaron”; and the proselytes, “those who fear the Lord.” Each of these classes, who stood together in the worship,99 in turn responds in the same way, raising the beloved cultic cry.
• Goldingay 2008 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: Three groups are addressed, the entire people, the priests, and the people who *revere Yhwh (cf. 118:2–4; 135:19 adds “household of Levi”). The last usually describes Israel as whole (cf. 22:23 [24]), in which case it repeats v. 9, or brings together both laypeople (v. 9) and priests (v. 10). In due course, “people who revere Yhwh” is a term for Gentiles who associate themselves with the worship of Yhwh without quite becoming Jews (see Acts 10:2, 22, 35). The OT does assume that Gentiles can come to commit themselves to Yhwh, but it does not elsewhere describe them as “people who revere Yhwh.”
• Gunkel 1926:497-498 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: die "Jahve-fürchtenden" d.h. die proseInten. Ähnliche Zusammenstellungen 12f 1182-4 13519f 1503-5 331-3. Die Anrede gerade an solche Gruppen stammt ursprünglich wohl aus dem Hymnus (W 1182ff 13519f 150sff) und wird sich daraus erklären, daß diese Klassen im Gottesdienst zusammen standen.
• Hossfeld and Zenger 2011:237 - Commentary on Ps. 118:2-4: While the first two addresses designate the hierarchical arrangement of "people-priesthood"..., the group of "those who fear YHWH" is here not, as has been variously suggested, a "theological" characteristic of the two groups just named; rather, it applies to the people from among the world's nations who no logner trust in their gods but only in YHWH (cf. Pss 115:11; 118:8-9) and worship him as the only God (cf. Ps 118:28).
• Hengstenberg 1863-64:364-365 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: By "those who fear the Lord," ver. 1 1, we cannot, either here or in the parallel passages, Ps. cxviii, 4, cxxxv. 20, understand either the 'proselytes, unsuitably referring to the φοβούμενοι τὸν θεὸν of the New Testament, or the laity, but only the whole people. This is evident from ver. 13, where by the great are manifestly meant, by way of pre-eminence, the priests; these, therefore, must be included among the fearers of God. The expression also is used with reference to the whole of Israel in Ps. cxii. 1; comp. Ps. xxii. 23, where "the fearers of God" stand parallel to "the seed of Jacob." The particular is thus enclosed on both sides by the general. The peculiarity, however, of our verse in connection with the 9th, lies in the term employed to designate the general; in which there is indirectly contained a basis for the exhortation to trust in the Lord. This trust is intimately connected with child-like fear of God, reverential awe before him. The man, therefore, who has a right to bear the name of a fearer of the Lord, who does not wish to excommunicate himself from the people of the Lord, must yield obedience to the exhortation of the Psalmist.
• Ibn Ezra - Commentary on Ps. 118:4: יֹאמְרוּ....יִרְאֵי ה׳ - בכל עם ועם ("Let those who fear YHWH say" - in every nation and nation.
• Kraus 1993:381 - Commentary on Ps. 115:9-11: Three groups are addressed in vv. 9–11*: the “house of Israel” (the postexilic community as a whole, which has emerged from the federation of the twelve tribes), the “house of Aaron” (the privileged priesthood of the postexilic temple), and the יראי יהוה (Gk: φοβούμενοι), among whom are the “proselytes” (cf. Acts 10:2*, 22*; 13:16*, 26*; 16:14*; 18:7*). The second half-verse in vv. 9–11* was probably repeated responsively like a refrain. This is a confession of Yahweh’s salvific and protective power, a promise that lays the foundation for trust.
• Casuto 1990:250 - Commentary on Ps. 115:11: ״ליראי ה׳" - אפשר שכונת בטוי זה, כאן ובמקומות אחרים, היא לבני ישראל השלמים באמונתם, או לבני עמים אחרים המכירים את ה׳. (Translation: "to those who fear YHWH" - It is possible that the meaning of this expression, here and in other places, refers to the children of Israel 'complete in their faith', or to children of other nations who know YHWH).

Dictionaries

• NIDOTTE 1997:531 - Fear in the Psalms: There are a group of individuals in the Psalms who are designated literally as “the fearers of Yahweh,” יִרְאֵי יְהוָה (Ps 15:4; 25:12, 14; 103:11, 13; 118:4). Several variations of this designation exist, such as לִירֵאֶיךָ, to those who fear you (31:19 [20]), לִירֵאָיו, to those who fear him (Ps 34:7 [8]), יִרְאֵי שְׁמֶךָ, those who fear your name (61:5 [6]), and יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים, those who fear God (Ps 66:16). In one passage, this group is called בְּקָהָל רָב, a great congregation (22:25 [26]). It is difficult to determine if these designations make reference to an official body of specialized worshipers or if this is simply a term for the faithful worshipers of Yahweh. It is, however, clear from the cultic context of the Psalms that this use of fear is more closely associated with worship than terror. It is recorded of this group that they praise, glorify, and stand in awe of Yahweh (22:23 [24]); that Yahweh’s covenant is made known to them (25:14); that they will be blessed (115:13; 128:1); that their desires will be fulfilled, their cries for help heard (145:19); that they walk in the ways of God (128:1); and that to them salvation is near (85:9 [10]). This group declares the work of God and ponders what he has done (64:9 [10]). Their object of trust is Yahweh, who is their help and shield (115:11).
• NIDNTTE 2014:147-149 προσήλυτος:

JL (Jewish Literature): 1 This noun (from προσελήλυθα, pf. of προσέρχομαι G4665, “to go to, approach”) means lit., “one who has come to [a place].” Its first occurrence in all Gk. lit. is in Exod 12:48, where the Heb. reads, “And if a sojourner [גֵּר H1731] sojourns [גּוּר I H1591] with you,” rendered by the LXX, ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος (NETS, “But if any guest should draw near to you”; cf. also v. 49). The term occurs c. 85× in the LXX, with almost 65 of the occurrences being found in the Pentateuch (9× in Exodus, 2× in Leviticus, 11× in Numbers, 22× in Deuteronomy); subsequently it appears almost exclusively in Jewish and Christian writers. (Note also the vb. προσηλυτεύω for גּוּר, only in Ezek 14:7.)

There is little doubt that this Gk. word must have been coined—whether by the Gk.-speaking Jewish community in Alexandria or by the LXX translators themselves—to represent the Heb. noun גֵּר H1731, “stranger, sojourner.” As such, προσήλυτος indicates “someone who has arrived [in the nation of Israel as a foreigner].” But why would there be a need to coin a new word? After all, other Gk. terms were available to represent גֵּר (indeed, this Heb. word is rendered with πάροικος G4230 in about a dozen passages, e.g., Deut 14:21; 2 Sam 1:13).

Presumably, גֵּר was regarded as a specialized term that needed to be clearly distinguished from others of sim. meaning. Some argue, e.g., that it referred to a non-Israelite settled in the land, as opp. to נָכְרִי H5799, which denoted a foreigner who lived among the Israelites only for a temporary period; and indeed the LXX usually renders this latter term with ἀλλότριος G259 (see ἄλλος G257), sometimes with ξένος G3828, but never with προσήλυτος (in many passages, however, it is difficult to draw clear semantic distinctions among the various Heb. terms; in addition to גֵּר and נָכְרִי, note תּוֹשָׁב H9369 and זָר H2424).

In any case, the גֵּר was usually subject to an Israelite master (head of a house, tribe, or locality) as a citizen without full rights, unable to own or acquire landed property; but in contrast to the slave he had his personal freedom. Thus גֵּר at the first reflected a sociological concept. Those who belonged to this category, however, stood not only under the protection of Israel (Exod 22:21–24 [MT/LXX 22:20–23]; cf. 23:9) but also to a certain extent under the nation’s jurisdiction. Thus they were required, e.g., to keep the Sabbath with Israel acc. to the directions of the Book of the Covenant (23:12; 20:10). With respect to offerings, festivals, and other customs in the life of the nation, they and the Israelites were “the same before the LORD” (Num 15:15; cf. the broader context, 15:14–30; Deut 16:10–14). Note also that in the first occurrence of προσήλυτος, the context is that of a foreigner who wishes to celebrate the Passover and thus is willing to submit to circumcision (Exod 12:48–49).

It would seem, therefore, that the translator(s) of Exodus (or the Gk.-Jewish culture from which the LXX arose) chose to create a new term as a way of referring specifically to non-Israelites who had integrated fully (or nearly so) into Heb. society. If so, it is likely that προσήλυτος implied an acceptance of Israelite religion, though it would be going too far to say that in the LXX the term already meant “convert,” or what we mean by proselyte (cf. T. Muraoka, “Towards a Septuagint Lexicon,” in VI Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Jerusalem 1986, ed. C. E. Cox [1987], 255–76, esp. 260–61).

2 Already during the time when the Gk. Pentateuch was produced the term προσήλυτος may have acquired its characteristic religious meaning. The new contacts between Jews and Gentiles in the Diaspora exposed the latter to the attractive concept of the transcendent God who is invisible and incapable of representation by an image. Many who were attracted to Jud., however, stumbled—at least in part out of fear of anti-Semitism—at the prospect of circumcision as an act of complete adherence (cf. K. G. Kuhn in TDNT 6:731). Only those pagans who took that ultimate step and identified themselves with the Jews by circumcision were regarded as προσήλυτοι. Thus Philo, without mentioning circumcision explicitly, says that those who have altered their lives are called “proselytes, from the fact of their having come over [προσεληλυθέναι] to a new and God-fearing constitution, learning to disregard the fabulous inventions of other nations, and clinging to unalloyed truth” (Spec. 1.51).

In the Qumran texts the term גֵּר is not freq., but it usually seems to have the sense “proselyte” (e.g., they are listed last after priests, Levites, and “the children of Israel,” CD XIV, 4, 6). In rabb. lit. the term consistently refers to pagan converts who have submitted to circumcision, along with performing other ceremonies (cf. SB 1:353ff.). Although attitudes toward proselytes varied from place to place (and from time to time), in general they were considered Jewish newborn children, so that their former pagan lives were no longer significant (see details in TDNT 6:736–42). They were carefully distinguished from those non-Jews who, while taking part in synagogue worship and keeping the law to differing degrees, came short of conversion to Jud. through the acceptance of circumcision. The latter were required only to keep the Sabbath and food laws, together with the moral code, and to acknowledge the one God (cf. the so-called Noachian Commandments).

NT The term προσήλυτος occurs only 4× in the NT. According to Matt 23:15, Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert [ἕνα προσήλυτον], and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” Jesus, of course, is not attacking missionary zeal as such, but the fact that these Jewish leaders, who themselves resist the message of the kingdom, prevent their converts from responding to the gospel with faith (on the topic of rabb. proselytism more generally, note S. McKnight, A Light among the Gentiles: Jewish Missionary Activity in the Second Temple Period [1991], and on this verse, see esp. pp. 106–8).

All the other occurrences of the term are in the book of Acts. In Acts 2:11 the phrase Ἰουδαῖοί τε καὶ προσήλυτοι (i.e., both Jews by birth and Jews by conversion) is used in summary fashion to describe visitors from the Diaspora who had come together for the Feast of Pentecost. In 6:5 Nicolaus, one of the Seven, is identified as a proselyte from Antioch of Syria; in contrast to the others, who were born Jews, he was born a Gentile. And in 13:43 the author of Acts uses a description not found anywhere else with ref. to those who had listened to Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia: πολλοὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν σεβομένων προσηλύτων, “many of the Jews and of the devout converts.” Because elsewhere Luke uses the term σεβόμενοι with ref. to God-fearers, i.e., non-Jews who took part in the synagogue worship, some argue that here we have an inexactitude on the part of Luke or an old gloss (cf. E. Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles [1971], 413). But the ptc. in this verse is clearly used not as a subst. but as an adj. that modifies (and, one might say, intensifies) the term προσηλύτων; Luke prob. added the ptc. to emphasize the devoutness of these converts.

References

118:4