Psalms 89:7
in Psalms 89In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
A God very terrible in the council of the holy ones, And to be feared above all them that are round about him?
KJV
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
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This verse in Psalms 89
Commentary
11 notes on this verseGod is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. The holiest tremble in the presence of the thrice Holy One: their familiarity is seasoned with the profoundest awe. Perfect love casts out the fear which hath torment, and works in lieu thereof that other fear which is akin to joy unutterable. How reverent should our worship be! Where angels veil their faces, men should surely bow in lowliest fashion. Sin is akin to presumptuous boldness, but holiness is sister to holy fear. "And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him."
This site's exposition
The heavens praise Your wonders
on Psalms 89:5-8
The praise here is in the heavens, and the assembly and the council are of the holy ones. Heavenly beings in verse 6 renders bene elim, sons of God, and none of them can be compared with the LORD. Verse 8 names Him God of Hosts, with faithfulness around Him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
..."God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the righteous, and to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him" [Psalm 89:7]. God is everywhere; who therefore are round about Him, who is everywhere? For if He has some round about Him, He is represented as finite on every side. Moreover, if it is truly said to God and of God, "of His greatness there is no end;" who remain, who are round about Him, except because He who is everywhere, chose to be born of the flesh on one spot, to dwell among one nation, in one place to be crucified, from one spot to rise again and ascend into Heaven. Where He did this, the Gentiles are round about Him. If He remained where He did these things, He would not be "great, and be had in dread of all them that are round about Him;" but since He preached when there in such a manner as to send preachers of His own name through all nations over the whole world; by working miracles among His servants, He is become "great, and to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him."
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON REPENTENCE AND ALMSGIVING 7:5 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different means, without himself changing, to keep the righteous in check and forgive the sinner, by usefully dividing his rich goodness. And listen how. If he frightens the sinner who persists in sins, he brings him to desperation and to the exhaustion of hope. If he blesses the righteous, he weakens the intensity of his virtue and makes him neglect his zeal, since he considers himself already blessed. For this reason he is merciful to the sinner and frightens the righteous. "For he is terrible to all who surround him." And, "The Lord is good to the whole world." "He is terrible," David says, "to all who surround him." And who are they but the saints? "For God," David says, "who is glorified in the council of the saints, [is] great and terrible to all who surround him." If he sees someone who has fallen, he extends a loving hand. If he sees someone standing, he brings fear on him. And this reveals righteousness and righteous judgment. He establishes the righteous one with fear, and he raises up the sinner with benevolence.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
This counsel has been confirmed by the twelve Apostles and by the counsels of the Saints. If you want the testimony of the Saints concerning these counsels, seek Anthony, Paphnutius, and Macarius, who all resolved to observe these counsels. Seek the bishops Basil, Augustine, Martin, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In religious assemblies God has promised the presence of his grace, but we must also, in them, have an eye to his glorious presence, that the familiarity we are admitted to may not breed the least contempt; for he is terrible in his holy places, and therefore greatly to be feared.
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. The holiest tremble in the presence of the thrice Holy One: their familiarity is seasoned with the profoundest awe. Perfect love casts out the fear which hath torment, and works in lieu thereof that other fear which is akin to joy unutterable. How reverent should our worship be! Where angels veil their faces, men should surely bow in lowliest fashion. Sin is akin to presumptuous boldness, but holiness is sister to holy fear. "And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." The nearer they are the more they adore. If mere creatures are struck with awe, the courtiers and favourites of heaven must be yet more reverent in the presence of the Great King. God's children are those who most earnestly pray "hallowed be thy name." Irreverence is rebellion. Thoughts of the covenant of grace tend to create a deeper awe of God, they draw us closer to him, and the more his glories are seen by us in that nearer access, the more humbly we prostrate ourselves before his Majesty.
God is greatly to be feared - In all religious assemblies the deepest reverence for God should rest upon the people. Where this does not prevail, there is no true worship. While some come with a proper Scriptural boldness to the throne of grace, there are others who come into the presence of God with a reprehensible, if not sinful, boldness.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
God is greatly to be feared - There is that in him which is suited to fill the mind with solemn feelings, and this is a proper state of mind with which to come before him. Nature teaches us that God should be approached with awe; and all the teachings of revelation confirm this. His power is to be feared; his justice is to be feared; his holiness is to be feared; and there is much also in his goodness, his benevolence, his mercy, to fill the mind with solemn emotions. In the assembly of the saints - The assembly of the holy; the assembly that is convened for his worship. The reference here may be either to worshippers on earth or in heaven. Wherever, and whenever, in this world or in other worlds, creatures are engaged in the worship of God, there should be deep solemnity and reverence. On the word rendered “assembly” here - סוד sôd - a council, or assemblage for counsel, see Psa 25:14, note; Psa 64:2, note; compare Job 15:8. The idea here is founded on what is said in the previous verse, that none can be compared with God. And to be had in reverence - In fear; in awe. Of all them that are about him - That approach him; that are in his presence. The conscious presence of God should fill the mind with awe. When we feel that his eye is upon us, when we know that he sees us, how can we trifle and be thoughtless? How can we then be sinful?
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
Michael S. Heiser"Response to Dr. Thomas Howe's Thoughts on The Unseen Realm" (drmsh.com) (2019)
The same council language found in Psalm 82 appears in Psalm 89 (as I noted in the book), and the latter psalm specifies that the council and its sons of God are "in the skies" (the spiritual realm; Psa 89:5-8, noting v. 6 in particular).
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֣ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| נַ֭עֲרָץ | naarotz | [is] awesome | H6206 → | |
| בְּסוֹד־ | besod- | in [the] council of | H5475 → | 21 times |
| קְדֹשִׁ֣ים | kedoshim | [the] holy [ones] | H6918 → | 116 times |
| רַבָּ֑ה | rabah | much | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְ֝נוֹרָ֗א | venora' | and to be feared | H3372 → | 315 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | above | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| סְבִיבָֽיו׃ | sevivav | [those] around him | H5439 → | 336 times |
אֵ֣לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
נַ֭עֲרָץ[is] awesome
naarotzH6206 →
בְּסוֹד־in [the] council of
besod-H5475 →21 times
קְדֹשִׁ֣ים[the] holy [ones]
kedoshimH6918 →116 times
רַבָּ֑הmuch
rabahH7227 →454 times
וְ֝נוֹרָ֗אand to be feared
venora'H3372 →315 times
עַל־above
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
סְבִיבָֽיו׃[those] around him
sevivavH5439 →336 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
it leads to
- Luke 12:4–5
I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
- Isaiah 8:12–13
“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- James 4:12
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
- Romans 8:35–39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
- Luke 12:4–5
Through
Psalms 47:2How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
it leads to
- Psalms 99:3
Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy!
- Psalms 95:3
For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
- Malachi 1:14
“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the…
- Psalms 99:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 89; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON REPENTENCE AND ALMSGIVING 7:5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Michael S. Heiser, "Response to Dr. Thomas Howe's Thoughts on The Unseen Realm" (drmsh.com).