Psalm 147:5 kjv
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Psalm 147:5 nkjv
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
Psalm 147:5 niv
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
Psalm 147:5 esv
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
Psalm 147:5 nlt
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Psalm 147 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 145:3 | Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness... | God's supreme greatness. |
| Jer 32:17 | Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power... | God's power in creation. |
| Isa 40:28 | ...The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth...His understanding is unsearchable. | God's eternal nature and unsearchable understanding. |
| Job 42:2 | "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." | God's omnipotence and sovereign will. |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments... | God's unfathomable wisdom and knowledge. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." | God's thoughts and ways are vastly superior and beyond human comprehension. |
| 1 Jn 3:20 | ...for God is greater than our heart and knows everything. | God's complete knowledge. |
| Col 2:3 | ...in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. | All wisdom and knowledge found in Christ (who is God). |
| Psa 139:6 | Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. | The incomprehensibility of God's knowledge to humanity. |
| Prov 2:6 | For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. | God is the source of all wisdom and understanding. |
| Dan 2:20-22 | Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might...He gives wisdom to the wise..." | God's wisdom and might as ruler of kingdoms. |
| Eph 1:19-20 | ...and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe... | The immense power of God working for believers. |
| Matt 19:26 | But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." | Affirmation of God's absolute power. |
| 1 Chr 29:11-12 | Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty... | Doxology acknowledging God's attributes. |
| Rev 1:8 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." | God's ultimate power and sovereignty. |
| Psa 96:4 | For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. | God's preeminence over all false deities. |
| Heb 4:13 | And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. | God's omniscience in judgment. |
| 1 Cor 1:25 | For the foolishness of God is wiser than men's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than men's strength. | God's wisdom and power are incomparable to human wisdom and strength. |
| Psa 147:10-11 | His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him... | God's power contrasted with human might, His understanding directs His favor. |
| Jer 10:6 | There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. | Uniqueness and might of God's name. |
Psalm 147 verses
Psalm 147 5 Meaning
Psalm 147:5 declares the boundless and unmatched attributes of God, emphasizing His immense majesty, His limitless strength, and His unfathomable wisdom. It highlights three fundamental aspects of God's character: His supreme greatness in essence and character, His absolute omnipotence reflected in His ability to perform mighty acts, and His infinite omniscience and discernment which is beyond human comprehension or measurement. This verse serves as a foundational statement affirming God's divine supremacy and perfection.
Psalm 147 5 Context
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise, likely composed in the post-exilic period when the Jewish people had returned to Jerusalem and were rebuilding the city and temple (as suggested by verses 2 and 13). The psalm opens with a call to praise the LORD for His goodness. It immediately contrasts God's supreme, cosmic power and wisdom—seen in His counting and naming of the stars (v.4)—with His tender, personal care for the brokenhearted and afflicted among His people (v.3). Verse 5, with its declaration of God's immense attributes, forms the theological bedrock for all the subsequent actions described in the psalm, from His re-gathering of Israel and healing of the broken to His control over the natural world (giving snow and frost, sending wind and water) and His establishment of laws and statutes for Jacob. The greatness, power, and infinite understanding of God are the very reasons He is able to accomplish such grand cosmic acts and yet attend to the minute needs of His creation and people.
Psalm 147 5 Word analysis
Great (גָּדוֹל - gadol): This Hebrew term denotes something vast, magnificent, highly significant, or superior in importance. It encompasses not only physical magnitude but also supreme authority, moral preeminence, and glorious character. When applied to God, it speaks of His unmatched transcendence and majesty, distinguishing Him from all created beings and false deities.
is our Lord (אֲדוֹנֵינוּ - Adoneinu): "Adoneinu" means "our Master" or "our Lord." It's an intimate and possessive term, indicating a relationship where God is recognized as sovereign and deserving of allegiance by His people. The use of "our" emphasizes a covenantal relationship between the great God and His chosen people, affirming that this omnipotent and omniscient being is personally their Lord.
and mighty in power (רַב־כֹּחַ - rav-koach): "Rav" means "abundant" or "great," and "koach" refers to "strength," "power," or "might." Combined, "rav-koach" describes a power that is not merely sufficient but overwhelming and inexhaustible. It signifies God's absolute omnipotence, His ability to accomplish anything He wills, without limitation or weariness. This power is seen in creation, judgment, and redemption.
His understanding (תְּבוּנָה - tevunah): "Tevunah" denotes deep understanding, insight, discernment, and practical wisdom. It's not just passive knowledge but the ability to grasp complex situations, to perceive all relationships and consequences, and to act with perfect judgment. It implies skill, foresight, and comprehensive comprehension.
is infinite (אֵין מִסְפָּר - ein mispar): This phrase literally translates to "without number" or "no number." It is a powerful idiom used to express boundlessness, immeasurability, or countlessness. Applied to God's understanding, it means His knowledge, wisdom, and discernment have no limits, no boundaries, and cannot be quantified or fully grasped by any created being. It underscores His omniscience – knowing all things, past, present, and future, actual and potential, with perfect clarity.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Great is our Lord, and mighty in power": This phrase combines God's essential majesty with His active capacity. His "greatness" is not abstract but demonstrated through "mighty power." This emphasizes God as the ultimate doer, whose actions are consistent with His majestic nature. It sets Him apart from all other beings, proclaiming His supremacy as a foundation for praise.
- "His understanding is infinite": This segment reveals the intellectual depth of God. His power is not raw or uncontrolled but is guided by perfect, limitless wisdom. It reassures the worshiper that God's plans and judgments, even when seemingly mysterious to humans, are founded on exhaustive knowledge and perfect insight. This attributes omniscience to God, meaning He knows everything exhaustively and perfectly, beyond any limitation or enumeration.
Psalm 147 5 Bonus section
The positioning of Psalm 147:5, immediately following verses describing God's care for specific details like counting and naming the stars (v.4) and healing the brokenhearted (v.3), is crucial. It shows that God's abstract attributes (greatness, power, infinite understanding) are not distant theological concepts but the very qualities enabling Him to perform both macro-level cosmic acts and micro-level personal acts of healing and restoration. The infinite understanding allows Him to know every individual need, and His mighty power allows Him to meet those needs effectively. This verse strongly refutes any limited or anthropomorphic views of deity that might have been prevalent, highlighting the LORD's singular and absolute sovereignty, power, and knowledge over all creation and human affairs.
Psalm 147 5 Commentary
Psalm 147:5 succinctly captures the magnificent and incomparable nature of God. It presents Him as simultaneously transcendent and active: "Great" in His essence and "mighty in power" in His execution of purpose. The term "our Lord" underscores that this boundless being is intimately connected to His people, making His cosmic attributes directly relevant to their lives and experiences. His "infinite understanding" assures believers that His immense power is never wielded arbitrarily but always with perfect knowledge and wisdom, providing comfort and instilling trust even amidst challenging circumstances. This perfect blend of omnipotence and omniscience is the very foundation for the care God extends to the brokenhearted, His wisdom in sustaining creation, and His righteous governance over the nations, as described throughout the psalm. The verse invites profound worship and reliance on a God whose every attribute is limitless and flawless.