Psalms 65:6 — Word Study
WLCמֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃
BSAto fearyârêʼ Righteousnesstsedeq to dwellʻânâh Godʼĕlôhîym salvationyeshaʻ confidencemibṭâch allkôl boundaryqetsev landʼerets Westyâm distantrâchôwq
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מֵכִ֣ין | [who] established | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine singular |
| הָרִ֣ים | mountains | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| בְּכֹח֑וֹ | by strength his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר | [who] is girded | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃ | with might | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might. |
| KJV | Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: |
| ASV | Who by his strength setteth fast the mountains, Being girded about with might; |
| YLT | Establishing mountains by His power, He hath been girded with might, |
| WEB | By your power, you form the mountains, having armed yourself with strength. |
| BBE | The God by whose strength the mountains are fixed; who is robed with power: |
The translations agree on the action of God forming the mountains, focusing on His power and might.
The sentence has one main clause with two phrases that provide additional details about the action and manner of God's creative work.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָרֵא
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 65:6
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 — A Psalm of Praisegenerated
Psalm 65:6 emphasizes God's power in forming the mountains, showcasing His might and strength. This verse is part of a larger context where the psalmist praises God for His awesome deeds and sovereignty over creation, as seen in the surrounding verses that highlight God's responses to the earth and its inhabitants.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 24:2 | For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. |
| 2 | Psalm 119:90 | Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures. |
| 3 | Micah 6:2 | Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel: |
| 4 | Habakkuk 3:6 | He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting. |
| 5 | Psalm 93:1 | The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מֵכִ֣ין, me.Khingenerated
The verb מֵכִ֣ין (me.Khin) is a Hiphil participle meaning 'who established' or 'who prepared'. It conveys the action of setting something up firmly, akin to establishing a foundation or appointing a position, as seen in contexts like Isaiah 7:14.
This word emphasizes God's active role in creation, particularly in forming the mountains, which signifies stability and strength. The use of this verb highlights the intentionality behind God's creative acts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb מֵכִ֣ין governs the sentence, indicating the action of establishing. It is followed by a noun phrase הָרִ֣ים (the mountains), which serves as the object of the verb, and a prepositional phrase בְּכֹח֑וֹ (by His power) that describes how the action is accomplished.
The structure highlights God's sovereignty in creation, with the mountains being a direct result of His might, as indicated by the participial form of the verb.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb מֵכִ֣ין is rendered as θαυμαστὸς, which means 'wonderful' or 'marvelous'. This choice emphasizes the awe-inspiring nature of God's creation.
This translation shows a slight widening of meaning, focusing on the wonder of creation rather than the act of establishing, which may reflect the translators' intent to convey the majesty of God's work.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 65:6 describes how God formed the mountains by His power, showing His might. The verse highlights God's strength in creation, emphasizing that He girded Himself with might, suggesting He is fully equipped to carry out His creative work.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's power and authority in creation, establishing the mountains as a testament to His strength.
Girding oneself suggests preparation and readiness for action, indicating that God is fully equipped with strength to accomplish His creative acts.
Mountains often symbolize stability, strength, and a place of divine encounter, reflecting God's majesty and power.
It emphasizes that God's ability to create and sustain the mountains comes from His inherent strength and might.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see God's power in creation around me?
- How can I recognize God's strength in my own life?
- What does it mean for me to be girded with strength in my daily challenges?
- How can I share the wonders of God's creation with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, like Augustine, reference this verse to discuss God's strength in creation and His sovereign power over the earth.
"Preparing mountains in His strength" [Psalms 65:6]. Not in their strength.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 65 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 65:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhich by his strength setteth fast the mountains,.... In the first creation and formation of them, when they were settled on their basis so firmly that they are rarely removed, and when they are it is something extraordinary.
Read John Gill on Psalms 65 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBy 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: -The manifestations
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 65 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSettest fast the mountains; that they are not overthrown by floods, or winds, or earthquakes, or other natural or violent causes; which stability they have only from God’ s providence, which sustains all persons and all things. Being girded with power; this our God being able to do it, and that with one single word.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 65 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 65:6 Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; [being] girded with power:Ver. 6. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains] Why, then, should it seem incredible that he will do all manner of good to his elect, for whose sake he made all at first, and still upholdeth all by the word of his power? so he doth also states and kingdoms (oft compared to mountains in Scripture; see Jeremiah 51:25 Isaiah 13:2 Zechariah 4:7), that the Lord God might dwell among men, viz. in his Church and chosen people. Being girded with power] With prevailing power, as the word signifieth.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 65 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Girded.—We see the Divine Architect of the world, girt for his labours in the Oriental fashion (see Note, Psalms 18:32), setting the mountains firm on their bases (comp. Psalms 75:3), the poet evidently thinking at the same time how empires, as well as mountains, owe their stability to God.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 65 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. Setteth fast the mountains] It is by thy strength they have been raised, and by thy power they are girded about or preserved. He represents the mountains as being formed and pitched into their proper places by the mighty hand of God; and shows that they are preserved from splitting, falling down, or mouldering away, as it were, by a girdle by which they are surrounded. The image is very fine. They were hooped about by the Divine power.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 65 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. setteth fast the mountains] The mountains poetically represent the strongest and most solid parts of the earth (Psalms 18:7; Psalms 46:2 f). These He has created and sustains. Comp. the appeals of Amos to the phenomena of nature as the evidence of God’s power, Amos 4:13; Amos 5:8; Amos 9:5-6. being girded with power] Girding himself with might. Cp. Psalms 93:1.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 65 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWhich by his strength setteth fast the mountains - Fixing them firm on their foundations.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 65 →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
You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might.
By your power, you form the mountains, having armed yourself with strength.
You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might.
You created the mountains by your power, and demonstrated your strength.
Tyndale line
Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
Who by his strength setteth fast the mountains, Being girded about with might;
Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded about with might:
Who by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
He stablisheth the mountaines by his power: and is girded about with strength.
Strictly literal
Who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with power;
Establishing mountains by His power, He hath been girded with might,
Establishing mountains by His power, || He has been girded with might,
(65:7) Who setteth firmly the mountains by his power, who is girded with might;
For it is you who made the mountains firm, you who are belted with strength.
From the Latin
Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him.
Simplified
You made the mountains by your power, for you have great strength.
The God by whose strength the mountains are fixed; who is robed with power:
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 (MT) of Psalms 65:6 reads, "מֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃" which translates to "You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might." The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in all five words, maintaining the same essential meaning, though the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, confirming the consistency of the text across these ancient witnesses.
מֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃
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.
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 65:6
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.
כּוּן (kuwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to establish or prepare. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to be firm, to fix, to direct, and to be ready, with applications in both literal and figurative contexts. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, such as Niph'al (to be established) and Hiph'il (to establish), but there is a note on a noun form, נָכוֹן (nakhon), meaning 'blow'.
[כּוּן] 218 vb. prob. be firm, only in der. conj.
Niph.
be set up, established, fixed
in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways
prepare, be ready
pass. be prepared, of judgments
Hiph.
establish, set up
fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift
provide for, provide, furnish
direct one's face toward
arrange, order
Hoph.
be established, of throne
be prepared for
Po‛lēl.
set up, establish
constitute, make, a man (in womb)
fix, so as to be ready
direct
Po‛lal. be established
Hithpo‛l. be established
base
נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow Jb 12:5
ref
H3559a כּוּן prob. be firm, only in der. conj. . . be set up, established, fixed
. in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways
. prepare, be ready
. pass. be prepared, of judgments
. . establish, set up
. . fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift
. provide for, provide, furnish
. direct one's face toward
. arrange, order
. . be established, of throne
. be prepared for
. . set up, establish
. constitute, make, a man (in womb)
. fix, so as to be ready
. direct
. be established
. be established
H3559b נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow
3559 kuwn koon
a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand
perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great
variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix,
prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper
or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness,
fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet,
ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self),
provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright,
fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very
deed.
כּוּן (kun) — to establish: prepare.
: prepare/direct
1) to be firm, be stable, be established
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be set up, be established, be fixed
1a1a) to be firmly established
1a1b) to be established, be stable, be secure, be enduring
1a1c) to be fixed, be securely determined
1a2) to be directed aright, be fixed aright, be steadfast (moral sense)
1a3) to prepare, be ready
1a4) to be prepared, be arranged, be settled
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm
1b2) to fix, make ready, prepare, provide, provide for, furnish
1b3) to direct toward (moral sense)
1b4) to arrange, order
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be established, be fastened
1c2) to be prepared, be ready
1d) (Polel)
1d1) to set up, establish
1d2) to constitute, make
1d3) to fix
1d4) to direct
1e) (Pulal) to be established, be prepared
1f) (Hithpolel) to be established, be restored
נָכוֹן (na.khon) — blow.
HVhrmsa — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singularHVhrmsa
הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
2022 har har
a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills
(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X
promotion.
see HEBREW for 02042
הַר (har) — mountain: mount.
: mount/hill
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.
: hill_country
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
Are among the most sublime and impressive of the Creator’s works on earth, and from the noblest and most enduring monuments of great events. Most of the mountains of Scripture thus stand as witnesses for God—every view of their lofty summits, and every recurrence to them in thought reminding us of the sacred facts and truths connected with them. Thus Mount Ararat is a standing memorial of the deluge of man’s sin, God’s justice, and God’s mercy. Mount Sinai asserts the terrors of the divine law. Mount Carmel summons us, like the prophet Elijah of old, not to "halt between two opinions;" but if Jehovah is God, to love and serve him. The mount of the Transfiguration still shines with the glory of the truths there taught, and Mounts Ebal and Gerizim still echo the curses and the blessings once so solemnly pronounced from them. So Mount Hor, Nebo, Lebanon, and Gilboa have been signalized by…
- The elevated parts of the earth
Ge 7:19,20
- GOD
. Formed
. Set fast
. Gives strength to
. Weighs, in a balance
. Waters, from his chambers
כֹּחַ (koach) refers to both a small reptile, likely a type of lizard, and the concepts of strength and power. The entries highlight its use in contexts of human and divine strength, as well as its association with wealth and capacity. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 11:30 regarding unclean animals.
כֹּחַ n.[m.] a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things Lv 11:30; chameleon
ref
כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ n.m. strength, power
base
H3581a כֹּחַ a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things; chameleon H3581b כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ strength, power
3581 koach ko'-akh
or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}; from an unused root meaning
to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense)
or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its
hardiness) a large lizard: -ability, able, chameleon, force,
fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — reptile.
1) a small reptile, probably a kind of lizard, which is unclean
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — strength.
1) strength, power, might
1a) human strength
1b) strength (of angels)
1c) power (of God)
1d) strength (of animals)
1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil)
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
אָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gird, encompass, or equip. It has various forms, including Qal (to gird), Niphal (to be girded), and Piel (to hold close). The word conveys a sense of preparation and strength, often used in contexts related to readiness for action or war.
[אָזַר] vb. gird, encompass, equip
Qal gird, gird on
Niph. girded with might
Pi. gird
Hithp. gird oneself
base
H247 [אָזַר] gird, encompass, equip
247 'azar aw-zar'
a primitive root; to belt:--bind (compass) about, gird (up,
with).
אָזַר (a.zar) — to gird.
1) gird, encompass, equip, clothe
1a) (Qal) to gird, gird on (metaphorical of strength)
1b) (Niphal) be girded
1c)(Piel) hold close, clasp
1d) (Hiphpael) gird oneself (for war)
HVNrmsa — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singularHVNrmsa
גְּבוּרָה (gbuwrah) refers to strength or might, encompassing concepts of valor and bravery. It is derived from a root related to force and power, often used in a figurative sense. The term can denote not only human strength but also the might of God, highlighting its significance in both personal and divine contexts.
גְּבוּרָה 61 n.f. strength, might
strength
might, valour
might of God
base
H1369 גְּבוּרָה strength, might
1369 gbuwrah gheb-oo-raw'
feminine passive participle from the same as 1368; force
(literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory:--
force, mastery, might, mighty (act, power), power, strength.
see HEBREW for 01368
גְּבוּרָה (ge.vu.rah) — might.
1) strength, might
1a) strength
1b) might, valour, bravery
1c) might, mighty deeds (of God)
Aramaic equivalent: ge.vu.rah (גְּבוּרָה "might" H1370)
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa