Psalm 65 6

Psalm 65:6 kjv

Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

Psalm 65:6 nkjv

Who established the mountains by His strength, Being clothed with power;

Psalm 65:6 niv

who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,

Psalm 65:6 esv

the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

Psalm 65:6 nlt

You formed the mountains by your power
and armed yourself with mighty strength.

Psalm 65 verses

Psalm 65 6 Meaning

Psalm 65:6 declares the absolute and enduring power of God as the foundation for the cosmos's stability. It asserts that even the massive and seemingly immovable mountains owe their steadfastness and fixed positions to His unparalleled strength. The verse portrays God as perpetually "girded with power," an image signifying His active, ever-ready, and inherent omnipotence in sustaining and governing all of creation.

Psalm 65 6 Context

Psalm 65 is a beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving, likely associated with a harvest festival, celebrating God's goodness in both spiritual provision and natural blessing. The psalm begins by acknowledging God as the Hearer of prayer and the forgiver of sins (vv. 1-4), drawing the worshipers into His courts. It then transitions in verse 5 to extol God as "the God of our salvation," connecting His salvific work for His people with His awesome power demonstrated across the whole earth. Verse 6, a focal point, vividly illustrates this cosmic power by showing His mastery over the most formidable natural features – the mountains. This description of divine sovereignty over creation (vv. 6-8) then provides the logical basis for the psalmist's subsequent praise of God's provision of rain and fertility, which brings bounty to the land (vv. 9-13). This verse serves to affirm God's absolute authority and reliability, positioning Him as uniquely capable of orchestrating both cosmic order and agricultural prosperity, effectively establishing Him as supreme above any false deities associated with natural phenomena.

Psalm 65 6 Word analysis

• Who: This pronoun refers to Yahweh, the Lord God, explicitly named as the "God of our salvation" in the preceding verse (Psalm 65:5). It points to the one true God who performs these mighty deeds.
• by his strength: (Hebrew: בְּכֹחוֹ, b'khoḥo) - This phrase highlights the divine origin of the power. Koach denotes inherent vigor, force, or capability. It is not an external force God wields, but His very own, self-existent, and boundless might that fuels His actions.
• establishes: (Hebrew: מֵכִין, mekhin) - Derived from the verb kun, meaning "to make firm," "to prepare," or "to set up in an enduring way." This is an active participle, suggesting an ongoing, continuous act of sustentation, not merely a past creative event. It signifies that God actively holds the mountains in their place, imparting stability and steadfastness.
• the mountains: (Hebrew: הָרִים, harim) - Mountains are profound symbols of antiquity, unyielding power, and permanence in the human experience. In ancient cultures, they were often considered to be unmovable and eternal. By asserting that God "establishes" them, the psalmist emphasizes that even these grandest and most formidable natural structures are entirely dependent on God's power for their existence and stability.
• being girded: (Hebrew: נֶאְזָר, ne'zar) - A passive participle from azar, "to gird." In biblical times, "girding the loins" involved drawing up loose garments and fastening them with a belt for physical exertion, battle, or strenuous labor. This powerful anthropomorphic imagery conveys God's active state of readiness, dynamic potency, and a perpetually manifested display of inherent strength, indicating His constant preparedness for decisive action.
• with power: (Hebrew: בִּגְבוּרָה, big'vurah) - This noun, gevurah, refers to strength, might, valor, or heroic prowess. While koach refers to inherent strength, gevurah often describes its active manifestation and forceful exertion. Its use here reinforces and amplifies koach, signifying that God's strength is not static, but continually active, effective, and powerfully displayed in maintaining creation.

Words-group Analysis

• "Who by his strength establishes the mountains": This clause attributes the monumental stability of the earth's greatest features directly and solely to God's inherent might. It establishes God as the supreme architect and ongoing sustainer of the cosmos, highlighting that even seemingly immutable elements of nature are wholly dependent on His unparalleled koach for their very existence and fixedness. This challenges any notion of natural features having autonomous power or arising from chaotic forces.
• "being girded with power": This phrase functions as a dynamic expansion and emphatic confirmation of God's active role. The imagery of being "girded" powerfully conveys that God is intrinsically arrayed in, surrounded by, and poised for action with His gevurah. This signifies not merely potential strength, but an ever-present, active, and fundamental attribute of His being that dynamically sustains and governs all creation. It portrays God as sovereign, capable, and continually engaged.

Psalm 65 6 Bonus section

The deliberate parallelism and intensification in Psalm 65:6, using both koach ("strength," "inherent ability") and gevurah ("power," "might demonstrated in action"), enrich its theological depth. This is not mere repetition but a layered affirmation that God not only possesses immense strength intrinsically but actively manifests and applies that strength throughout His creation. The phrase serves as a foundational declaration of Yahweh's universal lordship, contrasting sharply with any ancient Near Eastern polytheistic belief that attributed dominion over specific natural phenomena (like mountains or storms) to lesser, limited deities. This verse firmly asserts that the same God who deals with humanity's sin and offers salvation is also the ultimate, incomparable authority over the physical cosmos, ensuring stability, order, and sustenance by His very being and active will.

Psalm 65 6 Commentary

Psalm 65:6 offers a succinct yet profound declaration of God's sovereign power over the physical universe. After acknowledging His grace in forgiving sins and answering prayer, the psalmist turns to God's awesome work in creation, laying the theological groundwork for His ability to bless the earth. By stating that God "establishes the mountains by His strength," the psalmist conveys that the most monumental and seemingly permanent features of the natural world are entirely reliant upon God's constant, sustaining power. Mountains, often seen as symbols of immutability by humans, are shown to be dependent creations. The subsequent phrase, "being girded with power," uses vivid imagery from the ancient world. Just as a warrior or laborer prepares for action by girding their garments, God is depicted as eternally poised and intrinsically clothed with mighty gevurah. This portrays Him not as a passive Creator, but as an ever-active Sovereign, perpetually upholding and controlling all things through His limitless strength. This verse assures believers that the God who forgives and blesses is the very same God whose active omnipotence governs the cosmos, making Him absolutely trustworthy in every dimension of existence. It inspires worship, trust, and a deep reverence for the One whose inherent power keeps the world firmly in place.