Psalms 33:6
What does Psalms 33:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Psalms 33:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Psalms 33:6 means
This verse attributes creation directly to Yahweh's spoken word, emphasizing His absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "by Yahweh’s word the heavens were made" highlights the effortless and immediate nature of creation through divine command. "By the breath of his mouth, all their armies" refers to all celestial bodies—stars, planets, and perhaps even angels—being brought into existence by the mere utterance of God. This imagery portrays God as an omnipotent king whose decrees are instantaneously fulfilled, demonstrating His complete authority over the cosmos. It underscores that the entirety of the universe is a product of His will and voice, not a struggle or a lengthy process.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
KJV
King James Version · 1611By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the army of heaven by the breath of his mouth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862By the word of Jehovah The heavens have been made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
Context
Psalm 33 is a hymn of praise, exhorting the righteous to joyfully worship God for His attributes and actions. Prior to verse 6, the psalm encourages worship through singing new songs and playing instruments, citing God's upright word and faithful deeds as reasons for praise. Immediately following, the psalm continues to extol God’s power and purpose, noting that He gathers the waters of the sea and frustrates the plans of nations. Therefore, verse 6 serves as a foundational declaration of God's creative power, establishing His ultimate authority as a basis for the subsequent calls to trust and revere Him. It grounds the entire chapter's praise in God's incomparable ability to create and control all things.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 1:6
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
- Psalms 148:1
Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights.
- Deuteronomy 4:19
and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.
- Job 33:4
The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
- 2 Peter 3:5
For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;
- Genesis 6:7
And Jehovah said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the ground; both man, and beast, and creeping things, and birds of the heavens; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
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