Psalms 86:8
in Psalms 86O Lord, there is none like You among the gods, nor any works like Yours.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
There is none like unto thee among the gods, O Lord; Neither are there any works like unto thy works.
KJV
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
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This verse in Psalms 86
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAmong the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord. There are gods by delegated office, such as kings and magistrates, but they are as nothing in the presence of Jehovah; there are also gods by the nomination of superstition, but these are vanity itself, and cannot be compared with the living and true God. Even if the heathen idols were gods, none of them in power or even in character, could be likened unto the self existent, all creating God of Israel.
This site's exposition
there is none like You among the gods
on Psalms 86:8-10
Moses sang the same question at the sea, who among the gods is like You, O LORD, at Exodus 15:11. Verse 9 widens the psalm past Israel to all the nations God made, coming to bow and glorify His name. Verse 10 closes on one claim: You alone are God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Among the gods there is none like unto Thee, O Lord" (ver. 8). What did he say? "Among the gods," etc. Let the Pagans make for themselves what gods they will; let them bring workmen in silver and in gold, furbishers, sculptors; let them make gods. What kind of gods? Having eyes, and seeing not; and the other things which the Psalm mentions in what follows. But we do not worship these, he says; we do not worship them, these are symbols. What then do ye worship? Something else that is worse: for the gods of the gentiles are devils. What then? Neither, say they, do we worship devils. Ye have certainly nothing else in your temples, nothing else inspires your prophets than a devil. But what do ye say? We worship Angels, we have Angels as gods. Ye know not altogether what Angels are. Angels worship the one God, and favour not men who wish to worship Angels and not God. For we find Angels of high rank forbidding men to adore them, and commanding them to adore the true God. But when they say Angels, suppose they mean men, since it is said, "I have said, Ye are Gods, and all the children of the Most Highest." Whatever man thinks to the contrary, that which was made is not like Him who made it. Except God, whatever else there is in the universe was made by God. What a difference there is between Him who made, and that which was made, who can worthily imagine? Therefore this man said, "there is none like unto Thee, O Lord: there is not one that can do as thou doest." But how much God is unlike them he said not, because it cannot be said. Let your Charity attend: God is ineffable: we more easily say what He is not than what He is. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord. There are gods by delegated office, such as kings and magistrates, but they are as nothing in the presence of Jehovah; there are also gods by the nomination of superstition, but these are vanity itself, and cannot be compared with the living and true God. Even if the heathen idols were gods, none of them in power or even in character, could be likened unto the self existent, all creating God of Israel. If every imaginary deity could start into actual existence, and become really divine, yet would we choose Jehovah to be our God, and reject all others. Neither are there any works like unto thy works. What have the false gods ever made or unmade? What miracles have they wrought? When did they divide a sea, or march through a wilderness scattering bread from the skies? O Jehovah, in thy person and in thy works, thou art as far above all gods as the heavens are above the nethermost abyss.
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord - None that trusted in an idol ever had help in time of need; none that prayed to any of them ever had an answer to his petitions. Thou savest; they cannot; thou upholdest; they must be upheld by their foolish worshippers. Thou art my Director, אדני Adonai; but they cannot direct nor teach; they have mouths, but they speak not.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord - Among all those which are worshipped as gods there is no one that can hear and save. The psalmist, in respect to prayer, and to help to be obtained by prayer, compares his own condition with that of those who worshipped false gods. He had a God who could hear; they had none. A true child of God now in trouble may properly compare his condition in this respect with that of those who make no profession of religion; who do not profess to worship God, or to have a God. To him there is a throne of grace which is always accessible; to them there is none. There is One to whom he may always pray; they profess to have no one on whom they can call. Neither are there any works like unto thy works - That is, as done by those “gods.” There is nothing they have done which can be a ground of confidence that can be compared with what thou hast done. The allusion is to the power, the wisdom, and the skill evinced in the works of creation, and in the merciful interpositions of Providence. From these the psalmist derives a proof that God is able to save. There is no such argument to which the worshippers of false gods can appeal in the time of trouble.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| כָּמ֖וֹךָ | kamokha | [is] like you | H3644 → | 143 times |
| בָאֱלֹהִ֥ים׀ | vaelohim | among the gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֗י | ʾadonai | O Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| וְאֵ֣ין | veein | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ | kemaaseikha | [are] like works your | H4639 → | 236 times |
אֵין־there not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
כָּמ֖וֹךָ[is] like you
kamokhaH3644 →143 times
בָאֱלֹהִ֥ים׀among the gods
vaelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲדֹנָ֗יO Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
וְאֵ֣יןand there not
veeinH369 →789 times
כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃[are] like works your
kemaaseikhaH4639 →236 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
Exodus 15:11Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 7:22
How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 8:23
and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with…
- Psalms 89:5–8
The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD— Your faithfulness as well— in the assembly of the holy ones.
- 1 Samuel 2:2
There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
- Revelation 4:8
And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty,…
- 2 Samuel 7:22
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?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 71:19
Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 15:11
Through
Isaiah 40:25“To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:18
To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
- Isaiah 40:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms

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 86; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).
