Psalms 66:3

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Say to God:“How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אִמְר֣וּ לֵ֭אלֹהִים מַה־נּוֹרָ֣א מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ בְּרֹ֥ב עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ יְֽכַחֲשׁ֖וּ לְךָ֣ אֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃

Transliteration

ʾimrû to ʾĕlōhîm how-nôrāʾ maʿăśeykā in rōb ʿuzzəkā yəkaḥăšû to you ʾōyəbeykā

Grammar Details

• *ʾimrû*: verb qal imperative masculine plural - say/tell/command
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: noun masculine plural - God (despite plural form, treated as singular)
• *nôrāʾ*: verb niphal participle masculine singular - awesome/terrible/fearful
• *maʿăśeykā*: noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your works
• *rōb*: noun masculine singular construct - greatness/abundance of
• *ʿuzzəkā*: noun masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your strength
• *yəkaḥăšû*: verb piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - submit feigned obedience/cringe/cower
• *ʾōyəbeykā*: verb qal participle masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your enemies

Word Meanings

• *ʾimrû*: say/speak/tell/command
• *nôrāʾ*: awesome/terrible/fearful/dreadful/inspiring awe
• *maʿăśeykā*: your works/deeds/actions
• *rōb*: abundance/greatness/multitude
• *ʿuzzəkā*: your strength/might/power
• *yəkaḥăšû*: cringe/submit feigned obedience/yield feigned homage/deceive/lie/deny
• *ʾōyəbeykā*: your enemies/adversaries/foes

Referenced Verses

• Ps 65:5 : 5 You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance, O God, our savior. All the ends of the earth trust in you, as well as those living across the wide seas.
• Ps 18:44 : 44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me;
• Ps 47:2 : 2 For the LORD Most High is awe-inspiring; he is the great king who rules the whole earth!
• Ps 81:15 : 15 (May those who hate the LORD cower in fear before him! May they be permanently humiliated!)
• Judg 5:2-4 : 2 “When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war– Praise the LORD! 3 Hear, O kings! Pay attention, O rulers! I will sing to the LORD! I will sing to the LORD God of Israel! 4 O LORD, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain.
• Judg 5:20-22 : 20 From the sky the stars fought, from their paths in the heavens they fought against Sisera. 21 The Kishon River carried them off; the river confronted them– the Kishon River. Step on the necks of the strong! 22 The horses’ hooves pounded the ground; the stallions galloped madly.
• Exod 15:1-9 : 1 The Song of Triumph Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD. They said,“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is his name. 4 The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The depths have covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone. 6 Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power, your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy. 7 In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble. 8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy said,‘I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’ 10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you?– majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders? 12 You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them. 13 By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed; you will guide them by your strength to your holy dwelling place. 14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified, trembling will seize the leaders of Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake. 16 Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, O LORD, until the people whom you have bought pass by.
• Ps 68:30 : 30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds, and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls! They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute. God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
• Ps 76:12 : 12 He humbles princes; the kings of the earth regard him as awesome.
• Ps 78:35-36 : 35 They remembered that God was their protector, and that God Most High was their deliverer. 36 But they deceived him with their words, and lied to him.
• Isa 2:19 : 19 They will go into caves in the rocky cliffs and into holes in the ground, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the LORD and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.
• Isa 64:3 : 3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
• Jer 10:10 : 10 The LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King. When he shows his anger the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand up to his fury.
• Ps 22:28-29 : 28 For the LORD is king and rules over the nations. 29 All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship; all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him, including those who cannot preserve their lives.
• Exod 15:21 : 21 Miriam sang in response to them,“Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.”