Psalms 145:6 — Word Study
WLCוֶעֱז֣וּז נוֹרְאֹתֶ֣יךָ יֹאמֵ֑רוּ וּגְדוּלָּתְךָ֥ אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃
BSAThey will proclaimʼâmar▸ the powerʻĕzûwz [strength, might] of Your awesome deedsyârêʼ [fearful, terrible] and I will declareçâphar▸ [speak of, recount] Your greatnessgᵉdûwlâh [dignity, majesty]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וֶעֱז֣וּז | and [the] might of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| נוֹרְאֹתֶ֣יךָ | awesome [deeds] your | Verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural common, suffix |
| יֹאמֵ֑רוּ | they will tell | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וּגְדוּלָּתְךָ֥ | and greatness your | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃ | I will recount it | Verb piel imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness. |
| KJV | And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. |
| ASV | And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; And I will declare thy greatness. |
| YLT | And the strength of Thy fearful acts they tell, And Thy greatness I recount. |
| WEB | Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness. |
| BBE | Men will be talking of the power and fear of your acts; I will give word of your glory. |
All translations agree on the rendering of וֶעֱז֣וּז.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, emphasizing both communal and personal expressions of praise.





6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 145:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Praise for God's Mighty Actsgenerated
Psalm 145:6 is part of a larger hymn celebrating God's greatness and His wondrous works. The psalmist calls on others to join in proclaiming God's power and to reflect on His majesty. This passage emphasizes the importance of both communal and individual expressions of worship, as seen in the surrounding verses that encourage meditation on God's splendor and goodness.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 22:22–23 | I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly. |
| 2 | Psalm 98:2–3 | The LORD has proclaimed His salvation and revealed His righteousness to the nations. |
| 3 | Psalm 113:3 | From where the sun rises to where it sets, the name of the LORD is praised. |
| 4 | Psalm 126:2–3 | Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” |
| 5 | Joshua 2:9–11 | and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וֶעֱז֣וּז, ve.'e.Zuzgenerated
The word עֱזוּז (ezuz) refers to strength or might, emphasizing physical power or intensity. It is used here to describe the strength of God's deeds, highlighting their impact and significance.
As a noun in the construct state, it connects directly to the following noun, indicating that the strength being proclaimed is specifically that of God's awesome deeds.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the rendering of וֶעֱז֣וּז as 'power' or 'might', with the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE using similar terms to convey the strength of God's deeds.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses, with the finite verbs יֹאמֵ֑רוּ (they will tell) and אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה (I will recount) governing the statements about God's deeds and greatness. The structure emphasizes a communal proclamation followed by a personal declaration.
The first clause focuses on the collective action of proclaiming God's power, while the second clause shifts to the individual perspective of recounting His greatness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew וֶעֱז֣וּז is rendered as καὶ (and), which maintains the conjunction but does not convey the specific meaning of 'might' or 'strength'. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the text.
The Greek translation emphasizes the act of proclaiming without retaining the full nuance of the original Hebrew term, possibly indicating a more general understanding of God's deeds.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 145:6 expresses a commitment to proclaim God's power and to declare His greatness. The psalmist invites others to join in this act of worship, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and celebrating God's awesome deeds.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To proclaim God's awesome deeds means to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the powerful actions He has taken, reflecting on their significance and impact.
Declaring God's greatness is important as it fosters a sense of reverence and gratitude, encouraging both personal and communal worship.
You can participate by sharing testimonies of God's works in your life, engaging in worship, and encouraging others to recognize His deeds.
Examples include creation, deliverance from oppression, miracles, and the provision of grace and mercy throughout history.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's awesome deeds in my life?
- How can I better proclaim God's power to those around me?
- What does it mean to me personally to declare God's greatness?
- How can I encourage others to recognize and celebrate God's mighty acts?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, emphasizing the proclamation of God's might and the declaration of His greatness.
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 145 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 145:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd [men] shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts,.... The terrible things of Christ, which his right hand has taught him, and his mighty power has performed; such as the destruction of a
Read John Gill on Psalms 145 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 145 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 145:6 And [men] shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.Ver. 6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts] Those that will not talk of thy bounty shall be made to say, Oh the severity of God!
Read John Trapp on Psalms 145 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Thy greatness.—Or, according to the written text, greatnesses. So Aquila and Jerome. The parallelism is decidedly in favour of the plural.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 145 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. Jehovah, Who is “the great, mighty, and terrible God” (Deuteronomy 10:17), manifests Himself not only in ‘mighty acts’ of deliverance (Psalms 145:4), but in ‘terrible acts’ of judgement, which inspire His enemies with terror, and His people with reverence. Cp. Psalms 65:5. Might is a different word from that in Psalms 145:4; Psalms 145:12, and may be rendered strength, to bring out the connexion of the two words with the epithets strong and mighty in Psalms 24:8. thy greatness] So the Q’rç, as in Psalms 145:3. But the K’thibh, ‘great deeds,’ suits the parallelism better. Cp. 1 Chronicles 17:19; 1 Chronicles 17:11 (R.V.).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 145 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts - The force, the power of those things done by thee which are suited to inspire fear or reverence.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 145 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness.
Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.
They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness.
They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts! I will declare your great deeds!
Tyndale line
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; And I will declare thy greatness.
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.
And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
And they shall speake of the power of thy fearefull actes, and I will declare thy greatnes.
Strictly literal
And they shall tell of the might of thy terrible acts; and thy great deeds will I declare.
And the strength of Thy fearful acts they tell, And Thy greatness I recount.
And they tell of the strength of Your fearful acts, || And I recount Your greatness.
And of the might of thy terrible acts shall men converse: and thy greatness will I relate.
They will speak of the power of your awesome works, and I will declare your greatness.
From the Latin
Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.
Simplified
They will speak of the power of your awesome actions, and I will say how wonderful you are.
Men will be talking of the power and fear of your acts; I will give word of your glory.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, though one word is partly restored and another is supplied by an editor, indicating some textual preservation despite damage.
וֶעֱז֣וּז נוֹרְאֹתֶ֣יךָ יֹאמֵ֑רוּ וּגְדוּלָּתְךָ֥ אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ועזוז נוראותי׳כה יואמרו וגדולותי׳כה אספר ברוך יהוה [וברוך] שמ׳ו לעולם ועד
9 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 145:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עֱזוּז (ezuwz) refers to strength, might, and fierceness. It is derived from a root related to forcibleness, emphasizing physical power or intensity. The entries consistently highlight these aspects without significant disagreement.
עֱזוּז n.[m.] strength, might, fierceness
base
H5807 עֱזוּז strength, might, fierceness
5807 `ezuwz ez-ooz'
from 5810; forcibleness:--might, strength.
see HEBREW for 05810
עֱזוּז (e.zuz) — strength.
strength, fierceness, might
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יָרֵא (yare') is a Hebrew verb meaning to fear or be afraid, encompassing a range of meanings from reverence and honor to causing terror. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to fear), Niphal (to be fearful), and Piel (to terrify). The entries highlight its moral and emotional dimensions, emphasizing awe and respect, particularly in relation to the divine.
יָרֵא vb. fear
Qal
fear, be afraid
stand in awe of
fear, reverence, honour
Niph.
be fearful, dreadful
cause astonishment and awe
inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe
Piel. make afraid, terrify
base
H3372 יָרֵא fear .. fear, be afraid
. stand in awe of
. fear, reverence, honour
. . be fearful, dreadful
. cause astonishment and awe
. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe
. make afraid, terrify
3372 yare' yaw-ray'
a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to
frighten:--affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in)
fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see,
terrible (act, -ness, thing).
יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear.
: frightening(DANGER)
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear: revere.
: awesome(god)
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
Also means: ya.re (יָרֵא ": frightening" H3372)
V-Niphal | Suff — Verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural common · suffixHVNrfpc/Sp2ms
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
See TALE.
גְּדוּלָּה (gduwlah) refers to greatness, encompassing both the greatness of man and the attribute of God's greatness. It is derived from the word for 'great' and can denote mighty acts or dignity. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to majesty and significant deeds.
גְּדוּלָּה n.f. greatness
base
H1420 גְּדוּלָּה, גְּדוּלָה, גְּדֻלָּה, גְּדוּלָּה
1420 gduwlah ghed-oo-law'
or (shortened) gdullah {ghed-ool-law'}; or (less accurately)
gduwllah {ghed-ool-law'}; feminine of 1419; greatness;
(concretely) mighty acts:--dignity, great things(-ness),
majesty.
see HEBREW for 01419
גְּדוּלָּה (ge.du.lah) — greatness.
1) greatness
1a) of man
1b) of God's greatness (as an attribute)
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
סָפַר (safar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to count or recount, with various forms indicating actions like declaring or rehearsing. The noun form סֹפֵר (sofer) refers to a scribe or secretary. The entries highlight its use in contexts of enumeration and record-keeping, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate
Qal 27
count things, to learn their number
number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
Niph. be counted, numbered
Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare
Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed
base
סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
base
H5608a סָפַר count, Pi. recount, relate .. count things, to learn their number
. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
. be counted, numbered
. recount, rehearse, declare
. be recounted, related, rehearsed
H5608b סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
5608 caphar saw-far'
a primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally
or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to
enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune,
(ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew
forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
סָפַר (sa.phar) — to recount.
v
1) to count, recount, relate
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to count (things)
1a2) to number, take account of, reckon
1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered
1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare
1c1) to recount (something), rehearse
1c2) to talk
1c3) to count exactly or accurately
1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related
סֹפֵר (so.pher) — secretary.
1) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
1a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary
1b) learned man, scribe
Aramaic equivalent: sa.pher (סָפִר "scribe" H5613)
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb piel imperfect first person common singular · suffixHVpi1cs/Sp3fs
