Psalm 89:8 kjv
O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
Psalm 89:8 nkjv
O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
Psalm 89:8 niv
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
Psalm 89:8 esv
O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?
Psalm 89:8 nlt
O LORD God of Heaven's Armies!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O LORD?
You are entirely faithful.
Psalm 89 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Incomparability of God | ||
| Is. 40:25 | “To whom then will you compare Me, that I should be equal?” | God asks who can compare to Him. |
| Is. 46:5 | “To whom will you liken Me and make Me equal...?” | Reiterates God's unique singularity. |
| Jer. 10:6 | “There is none like you, O Lord; you are great...” | Confirms the Lord's absolute incomparability. |
| Psa. 86:8-10 | “There is none like you among the gods, O Lord...” | All nations will know God's unique being. |
| Exod. 15:11 | “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?” | Moses' song exalting God's unique power. |
| Deut. 33:26 | “There is none like God, O Jeshurun...” | God's uniqueness and majesty emphasized. |
| 2 Sam. 7:22 | “Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you...” | David's prayer of praise for God's uniqueness. |
| God's Might & Sovereignty (Lord of Hosts) | ||
| Is. 6:3 | "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts..." | Depicts the heavenly declaration of God's holiness and supreme rule. |
| Job 9:4 | "He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has defied him...?" | God's overwhelming power and wisdom. |
| Rom. 1:20 | "...his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived..." | God's invisible attributes, including power, seen in creation. |
| Gen. 17:1 | "...I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless." | Reveals God's attribute of being all-sufficient power. |
| Matt. 28:18 | “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” | Christ's absolute authority, reflective of God's dominion. |
| Phil. 2:9-11 | "...God has highly exalted him...every knee should bow..." | The ultimate universal recognition of God's sovereign authority in Christ. |
| God's Faithfulness | ||
| Lam. 3:23 | "great is your faithfulness." | A profound declaration of God's enduring steadfastness. |
| Deut. 7:9 | "...the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love..." | God's identity is tied to His covenant-keeping nature. |
| 1 Cor. 1:9 | "God is faithful, by whom you were called..." | God's reliability in His call and promises to believers. |
| 2 Tim. 2:13 | "...if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself." | God's faithfulness is an unchangeable aspect of His being. |
| Heb. 10:23 | "...for he who promised is faithful." | Basis for Christian hope, trust in God's reliability. |
| Psa. 36:5 | "Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens..." | Describes the immensity and boundlessness of God's faithfulness. |
| 1 Jn. 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just..." | God's faithfulness guarantees forgiveness and cleansing. |
| 1 Thes. 5:24 | "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." | Assurance that God will complete His work in believers. |
| Phil. 1:6 | "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work... will bring it to completion." | Confidence in God's faithfulness to complete His salvific work. |
| God's Pervasive Presence/Attributes | ||
| Psa. 139:7-12 | "Where shall I go from your Spirit?... you are there!" | Illustrates God's omnipresence, surrounding all. |
| Acts 17:28 | "...in him we live and move and have our being..." | God's sustaining presence is fundamental to existence. |
| Col. 1:17 | "...in him all things hold together." | Christ's preeminence and unifying, upholding power. |
Psalm 89 verses
Psalm 89 8 Meaning
Psalm 89:8 declares the unparalleled majesty and trustworthiness of the Lord God. It asserts through a rhetorical question that there is none who possesses might and unwavering faithfulness comparable to the Most High. The verse portrays God as supremely powerful, commanding all created forces and heavenly hosts, and entirely enveloped by His own truthfulness and reliability, signifying that His nature is defined by His steadfast word and promises.
Psalm 89 8 Context
Psalm 89 is a "Maskil," or wisdom poem, attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite. The first part of the psalm (vv. 1-18) establishes God's unique and incomparable attributes: His steadfast love, His faithfulness, and His might, particularly highlighted in verse 8. This foundation serves to contrast with the subsequent lament (vv. 19-51) concerning the apparent collapse of the Davidic covenant and the suffering of the Davidic king. The psalm expresses the tension between God's magnificent promises (especially those made to David in 2 Samuel 7) and the dire reality of the present circumstances. Verse 8 functions as a robust affirmation of God's intrinsic character before the psalm dives into the depths of questioning and pleading. It declares who God truly is, even when events seem to contradict His revealed nature, implicitly pleading with Him to act consistently with His divine attributes. This verse also contains an indirect polemic against contemporary pagan beliefs; unlike the fickle and limited gods of the surrounding nations, the Lord God of hosts is utterly singular in His power and absolute in His faithfulness, possessing these attributes as an inherent, all-encompassing part of His being.
Psalm 89 8 Word analysis
- O LORD (YHWH - יְהוָה): The sacred, personal, covenant name of God, revealing His self-existence ("I AM WHO I AM," Exod. 3:14), eternal nature, and His covenant relationship with Israel. It emphasizes His unchangeable, ever-present, and active character.
- God (Elohei - אֱלֹהֵי): The plural form of Elohim, denoting divinity and supreme authority, often understood as a plural of majesty, pointing to His singular yet majestic and all-encompassing power.
- of hosts (Tseva'ot - צְבָאוֹת): Implies leadership over immense forces—celestial armies, heavenly beings, natural phenomena, and the entire creation. This title underscores God's sovereignty over all creation, both visible and invisible, reflecting His omnipotence and absolute control.
- who is (Mi - מִי): Introduces a rhetorical question. In biblical literature, such questions serve to highlight an absolute truth, emphasizing that the stated quality is unique to the subject (in this case, God), implying there is no one else like Him.
- a strong / mighty (Chasin - חָסִין): Describes a state of robustness, might, power, and impregnability. It signifies God's absolute power and irresistible strength, highlighting His ability to accomplish all His purposes and to overcome all opposition.
- LORD (Yah - יָהּ): A shortened form of YHWH, often used in poetic and doxological contexts, further affirming His unique personal name and character.
- or / with (ve - וְ): The Hebrew conjunction can mean "and" or "with," here signifying the intrinsic connection between God's might and His faithfulness.
- to thy faithfulness (Emunatekha - אֱמוּנָתְךָ): From the root aman, meaning firm, sure, trustworthy. This signifies God's unwavering loyalty, truthfulness, steadfastness, and reliability. It denotes the absolute dependability of His word and His covenant promises. His character is utterly consistent and true to Himself and His promises.
- round about thee / all around you (sevivoteikha - סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ): Lit. "your surroundings" or "around your circumferences." This emphasizes that faithfulness is not merely one attribute among others but saturates and defines God's very being. It is His enveloping nature, His pervasive characteristic, implying His integrity and constant presence in keeping His word.
Psalm 89 8 Bonus section
The Hebrew word chasin (mighty/strong) used here for God's might is unique to this verse in the Old Testament, underscoring the psalmist's attempt to use strong and definitive language to describe God's absolute power. This contributes to the psalm's initial robust praise of God's character before diving into the existential crisis. The structure of Psalm 89, moving from effusive praise of God's steadfast love and faithfulness to a sharp lament questioning His promises, highlights a critical theological tension: how can an infinitely faithful and mighty God allow such distress and perceived covenant failure? Verse 8 stands as a cornerstone in this struggle, serving as the theological anchor the psalmist returns to, even implicitly, amidst his cries of distress. It posits that God's intrinsic character is the ultimate truth, irrespective of circumstantial appearances.
Psalm 89 8 Commentary
Psalm 89:8 is a profound theological declaration, setting the standard for understanding God's nature. It opens by invoking God's supreme authority and power as the "LORD God of hosts," positioning Him as the absolute ruler over all creation. The rhetorical question, "who is mighty as you, O LORD?" is a direct challenge to any rival claims, forcefully asserting His unrivaled omnipotence. This is not just a statement of physical power, but also of inherent moral strength and unassailable authority. Coupled with His might is the glorious assertion, "and your faithfulness all around you." This is pivotal: God's power is always exercised within the bounds of His faithfulness. His promises are not capricious, but flow from His unchangeable, truthful nature that envelops His very being. This means God does not have faithfulness as a separate trait; He is faithfulness. This declaration grounds trust in Him, assuring His people that despite tumultuous circumstances or apparent contradictions, His character remains consistent, eternally strong, and utterly dependable in upholding His covenant. This foundational truth about God is crucial for the psalmist as he proceeds to lament the perceived breakdown of God's covenant with David, underscoring that even in seasons of doubt or perceived abandonment, God's inherent being as Mighty and Faithful remains immutable.