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.

Say {H559}{H8798)} unto God {H430}, How terrible {H3372}{H8737)} art thou in thy works {H4639}! through the greatness {H7230} of thy power {H5797} shall thine enemies {H341}{H8802)} submit {H3584}{H8762)} themselves unto thee.

Tell God, "How awesome are your deeds! At your great power, your enemies cringe.

Say to God, β€œHow awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.

Say unto God, How terrible are thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

Commentary

Psalm 66:3 is a powerful declaration of God's awe-inspiring majesty and irresistible power, serving as an invitation to all the earth to behold His deeds. It emphasizes both the wonder of His creative and redemptive acts and the certainty of His ultimate triumph over all opposition.

Context

Psalm 66 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise, likely sung after a significant national deliverance or as a general celebration of God's mighty acts throughout history. The psalm begins by inviting "all the earth" to make a joyful noise to God, setting a universal tone for the praise that follows. Verses 1-7 focus on God's past works, particularly His miraculous interventions for His people, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21) and His overarching control over creation. This verse, Psalm 66:3, serves as a direct address to God, acknowledging His fearsome greatness as revealed in these works.

Key Themes

  • God's Awe-Inspiring Majesty: The verse calls for an acknowledgment of God's "terrible" works, emphasizing His profound and overwhelming greatness.
  • Irresistible Power: It highlights the "greatness of thy power," asserting that God's strength is unmatched and irresistible.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Ultimate Submission: The core message is that all enemies, regardless of their might, will ultimately be compelled to submit to God's supreme authority. This submission can be voluntary reverence or forced subjugation.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version's use of the word "terrible" might sound negative to modern ears, but in 17th-century English, and reflecting the original Hebrew word yare (ירא), it conveyed a sense of "awe-inspiring," "dreadful" in a majestic way, or "reverential fear." It describes something so grand and powerful that it instills a sense of profound respect and astonishment, emphasizing God's immense power and holiness.

Related Scriptures

The concept of God's power causing submission is echoed throughout Scripture. For instance, Philippians 2:10 declares that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow," whether willingly or by divine compulsion. Similarly, the psalmist often exalts God's mighty deeds, as seen in Psalm 145:4, which speaks of one generation declaring God's works to another. This verse also foreshadows the ultimate triumph of God over all opposing forces, a theme prevalent in prophetic books like Isaiah and Revelation.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalm 66:3 offers profound encouragement and a call to worship. Recognizing the "terrible" (awe-inspiring) nature of God's works helps us to cultivate a deeper sense of reverence and trust in His sovereignty. In a world filled with challenges and apparent opposition, this verse reminds us that God's power is supreme, and His purposes will ultimately prevail. It assures us that no enemy, no circumstance, can ultimately stand against His will. This truth should inspire confidence in His protection and an unwavering commitment to worship Him, knowing that He is in control and will bring all things to submission under His mighty hand.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 18:44

    As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

  • Psalms 65:5

    [By] 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 81:15

    The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

  • Psalms 47:2

    For the LORD most high [is] terrible; [he is] a great King over all the earth.

  • Isaiah 2:19

    And 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.

  • Psalms 22:28

    For the kingdom [is] the LORD'S: and he [is] the governor among the nations.

  • Psalms 22:29

    All [they that be] fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
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