# "May you go from strength to strength": Jewish expression? Biblical?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 3, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149 "2015-03-03T23:56:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/1 "2015-03-03T23:56:07Z")

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see subject.

I wrote it the other day to praise someone on a significant event; I don’t think I ever used it before, but it seemed just right when a “congratulations” or “glad you made it/it finally happened” isn’t up to the task.

I recall it from synagogue, I think.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/2 "2015-03-04T00:59:00Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> see subject.
> 
> I wrote it the other day to praise someone on a significant event; I don’t think I ever used it before, but it seemed just right when a “congratulations” or “glad you made it/it finally happened” isn’t up to the task.
> 
> I recall it from synagogue, I think.

Jewish saying derived from [Psalms 84:7](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2084): “They go from strength to strength…”

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/3 "2015-03-04T01:16:24Z")

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Not exclusively Jewish. P.G. Wodehouse used it regularly. His writings are peppered with quotes and paraphrases from the Bible.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/4 "2015-03-04T12:24:35Z")

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Thanks.

Bertie won first prize in a Bible quiz, as you know.

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**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/5 "2015-03-04T12:34:08Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> see subject.
> 
> I wrote it the other day to praise someone on a significant event; I don’t think I ever used it before, but it seemed just right when a “congratulations” or “glad you made it/it finally happened” isn’t up to the task.
> 
> I recall it from synagogue, I think.

I have never heard this phrase spoken directly to me but I think it expresses sentiments we can all appreciate. Good choice.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-go-from-strength-to-strength-jewish-expression-biblical/714149/6 "2015-03-04T19:12:23Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Thanks.
> 
> Bertie won first prize in a Bible quiz, as you know.

“… conceive my emotion when it was announced that the subject on which he had clicked was Scripture knowledge. One of us, I mean to say.”