Psalms 66:3
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
Original Language Analysis
לֵ֭אלֹהִים
unto God
H430
לֵ֭אלֹהִים
unto God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
2 of 10
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
מַה
H4100
מַה
Strong's:
H4100
Word #:
3 of 10
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
נּוֹרָ֣א
How terrible
H3372
נּוֹרָ֣א
How terrible
Strong's:
H3372
Word #:
4 of 10
to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten
מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ
art thou in thy works
H4639
מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ
art thou in thy works
Strong's:
H4639
Word #:
5 of 10
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
עֻ֝זְּךָ֗
of thy power
H5797
עֻ֝זְּךָ֗
of thy power
Strong's:
H5797
Word #:
7 of 10
strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise)
Cross References
Psalms 18:44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.Psalms 65:5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:Psalms 81:15The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.Psalms 47:2For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.Isaiah 2:19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.Jeremiah 10:10But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Historical Context
Psalm 66 is a communal hymn of praise likely sung after a significant deliverance, possibly from exile. The congregation recounts God's mighty acts in Israel's history as evidence of His continued faithfulness.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recognizing God's terrible power in creation lead you to worship rather than fear?
- In what ways have you seen God's power cause even His enemies to submit, whether willingly or unwillingly?
- How does the assurance of God's sovereign power over all opposition strengthen your faith in difficult times?
Analysis & Commentary
The psalmist calls all creation to acknowledge God's terrifying power in His works. The Hebrew 'nora' (terrible) conveys awesome reverence rather than fear, emphasizing God's majestic sovereignty. This divine power is so overwhelming that even enemies, in grudging submission, must acknowledge His supremacy—a foretaste of Philippians 2:10-11 where every knee bows to Christ.