Psalms 150:2
in Psalms 150Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him for His excellent greatness.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
KJV
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
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This verse in Psalms 150
Commentary
9 notes on this versePraise him for his mighty acts. Here is a reason for praise. In these deeds of power we see himself. These doings of his omnipotence are always on behalf of truth and righteousness. His works of creation, providence, and redemption, all call for praise; they are his acts, and his acts of might, therefore let him be praised for them. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. His being is unlimited, and his praise should correspond therewith. He possesses a multitude or a plenitude of greatness, and therefore he should be greatly praised.
This site's exposition
Praise God in His sanctuary
on Psalms 150:1-2
Two places are named for the praise, the sanctuary and the mighty heavens. Charles Spurgeon notes that the name changes here to El, the strong one, and the Hebrew of the second clause reads firmament of His strength. The reasons come first, God's mighty acts and His excellent greatness.
This site's exposition
praise Him for His excellent greatness
Matthew Henry gives the word for mighty acts as mightinesses, every instance of God's power in creation, government and redemption. Albert Barnes gives the second clause as the multitude of His greatness, and asks for praise to match it. So every instrument follows in verses 3 to 5.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Praise Him in His deeds of strength;" or, as others have explained it, "in His deeds of power: praise Him according to the multitude of His greatness" [Psalm 150:2]. Why should not they also be called "the works of" God's "strength," which He has done in them: yea rather, they themselves are the works of His strength; just as it is said, "We are the righteousness of God in Him." For what more powerful than that He should reign for ever, with all His enemies put under His feet? Why should not they also be "the multitude of His greatness"? Not that whereby He is great, but whereby He has made them great, many as they are, that is, thousands of thousands. Just as righteousness too is understood in two ways, that whereby He is righteous, and that which He works in us, so as to make us His righteousness. These same saints are signified by all the musical instruments in succession, to praise God in. For what the Psalmist began with, saying, "Praise the Lord in His saints," that he carries out, signifying in various ways these same saints of His.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): Praise him for his mighty acts; for his mightinesses (so the word is), for all the instances of his might, the power of his providence, the power of his grace, what he has done in the creation, government, and redemption of the world, for the children of men in general, for his own church and children in particular.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Praise him for his mighty acts,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Praise him for his mighty acts. Here is a reason for praise. In these deeds of power we see himself. These doings of his omnipotence are always on behalf of truth and righteousness. His works of creation, providence, and redemption, all call for praise; they are his acts, and his acts of might, therefore let him be praised for them. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. His being is unlimited, and his praise should correspond therewith. He possesses a multitude or a plenitude of greatness, and therefore he should be greatly praised. There is nothing little about God, and there is nothing great apart from him. If we were always careful to make our worship fit and appropriate for our great Lord how much better should we sing! How much more reverently should we adore! Such excellent deeds should have excellent praise.
For his mighty acts - Whether manifested in creation, government, mercy or justice. His excellent greatness - כרב גדלו kerob gudlo, according to the multitude of his magnitude, or of his majesty. After the manyfoldness of his mickleness - Anglo-Saxon. After the mykelnes of his greathede - Old Psalter. Let the praise be such as is becoming so great, so holy, and so glorious a Being.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Praise him for his mighty acts - See the notes at Psa 145:4: “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” The Hebrew word is the same. The reference is to that which displays the power of God; the things which manifest his omnipotence. Praise him according to his excellent greatness - Hebrew, the multitude of his greatness. Let the praise in elevation correspond with this; let it be such as shall properly express this; let all be employed that will contribute to make this known, or that will be appropriate to this. Hence, the psalmist proceeds to call on all to make use of everything, by instrument and voice, that would in any manner set forth the praise of God.
The words behind it
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ | haluhu | praise him | H1984 → | 165 times |
| בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו | vigvurotav | for mighty deeds his | H1369 → | 61 times |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ | haluhu | praise him | H1984 → | 165 times |
| כְּרֹ֣ב | kero | according to [the] greatness of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃ | gudlo | greatness his | H1433 → |
הַֽלְל֥וּהוּpraise him
haluhuH1984 →165 times
בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יוfor mighty deeds his
vigvurotavH1369 →61 times
הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּpraise him
haluhuH1984 →165 times
כְּרֹ֣בaccording to [the] greatness of
keroH7230 →149 times
גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃greatness his
gudloH1433 →
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
Psalms 145:3Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.
it leads to
- Psalms 147:5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
- Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Job 5:9
the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
- Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching…
- Psalms 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
- Psalms 147:5
Through
Deuteronomy 3:24“O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours?
it leads to
- Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Psalms 71:19
Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?
- Deuteronomy 11:2
Know this day that it is not your children who have known and seen the discipline of the LORD your God: His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm;
- Exodus 15:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 150; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
