Psalms 68:35 · Bible study
Psalms 68:35 Commentary: God’s Awesome Holiness and Empowering Gift
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of Psalm 68:35 exploring how God’s awe-inspiring presence in His sanctuary connects with His gracious giving of strength and power to His people.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God’s awe-inspiring holiness displayed from His sanctuary is the source of strength for His people, inviting praise.
- Key Words: ‘Awesome/terrible’ (reverent fear), ‘sanctuaries/holy places’ (God’s dwelling), ‘strength and power’ (gifts of enablement).
- Main Debate: Whether ‘sanctuaries’ refers primarily to the earthly Temple, to heaven, or to both, and how the ‘terrible’ aspect relates to God’s grace.
- Theological Theme: The union of divine transcendence and immanence: the holy God who dwells in unapproachable light draws near to empower His covenant people.
- Best Use: A doxology for worship services or a personal meditation for those needing reassurance of God’s power on their behalf.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
WEB World English Bible 2000
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!
KJV King James Version 1769
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed is God!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Terrible art thou, OGod, out of thy sanctuaries, — the God of Israel! He it is that giveth strength and might unto the people. Blessed be God!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Terrible eres, oh Dios, desde tus santuarios: el Dios de Israel, él da fortaleza y vigor á su pueblo. Bendito Dios.
Deus, tu és temível desde teus santuários; o Deus de Israel é o que dá força e poder ao povo. Bendito seja Deus!
Rendez gloire à Dieu!
Gott ist wundersam in seinem Heiligtum. Er ist Gott Israels; er wird dem Volk Macht und Kraft geben. Gelobt sei Gott!
Geeft Gode sterkte! Zijn hoogheid is over Israel, en Zijn sterkte in de bovenste wolken. O God! Gij zijt vreselijk uit Uw heiligdommen; de God Israels, Die geeft den volke sterkte en krachten. Geloofd zij God!
O Dio, tu sei tremendo dai tuoi santuari! L’Iddio d’Israele è quel che dà forza e potenza al suo popolo. Benedetto sia Iddio!
Przyznajcie moc Bogu, nad Izraelem dostojność jego, a wielmożność jego na obłokach. Strasznyś jest, o Boże! z świętych przybytków twoich; Bóg Izraelski sam daje moc i siły ludowi swemu. Niechajże będzie Bóg błogosławiony.
Да восхвалят Его небеса и земля, моря и все движущееся в них;
神啊，你從聖所 顯為可畏；以色列的 神 是那 將力量 權能 賜 給他百姓的。 神 是應當稱頌的！
O God, you are to be feared in your holy place: the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this closing verse captures two essential truths about God. First, He is ‘awesome’ or ‘terrible’, the Hebrew word carries the sense of inspiring reverent fear, especially as He reveals Himself from His sanctuary (the singular ‘holy place’ with an idiomatic plural of extension, as the Cambridge Bible notes). Second, He is the God who gives strength and power to His people. Barnes emphasizes that He is able to protect them, and they never trust Him in vain. Matthew Henry sees this as an invitation to the kingdoms of the earth to join in praise. Gill adds that this strength is a pure gift of unmerited favor. The verse ends with a call to praise, which Barnes calls the proper response to any right contemplation of God’s character. The holiness that makes God fearsome is the same holiness that secures and strengthens His people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God is both worthy of reverent awe in His sanctuary and the generous giver of strength and power to His people, which invites a response of praise.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of ‘awesome/terrible’ | It denotes reverent fear and awe before God’s majestic holiness, not modern ‘terror’. | Some (e.g., Gill, older commentators) emphasize God’s judgments and coming vengeance, while others (Barnes, Matthew Henry) focus on the worshipful awe that leads to praise. |
| Identification of ‘sanctuaries’ | Refers to God’s dwelling place, where He manifests His presence. | Adam Clarke sees both the earthly sanctuary and heaven as sources of God’s awesome displays; Cambridge favors the Temple with a plural of extension; others read it as exclusively heavenly (cf. Poole). |
| Recipients of strength and power | The primary referent is the people of Israel, God’s covenant nation. | Some traditions (Gill, Matthew Henry) apply this to the church, all believers as spiritual Israel. The extent to which the promise includes temporal versus spiritual strength is also discussed. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 68 is one of the most difficult yet majestic hymns in the Psalter, often described as a ‘Titan’ (Lange) and ‘the most glowing hymn of the collection’ (Hupfeld). Its historical setting is debated but centers on a triumphal procession either of the ark to Mount Zion or after a great victory (Calvin notes both views). The psalm traces God’s march from Sinai through the wilderness to His sanctuary in Jerusalem.
Verse 35 uses plural ‘holy places’ (or ‘sanctuaries’) as an idiom of extension, referring to the one sanctuary and its courts (Cambridge). Adam Clarke observes that from the sanctuary God ‘had often shone forth with consuming splendor’ (e.g., the rebellion of Korah) and from heaven He had appeared in storms and lightning. The surrounding verses (Psalm 68:32, 34) call the kingdoms of the earth to ascribe strength to God, recognizing His rule over the heavens. Verse 35 can be read as either the nations’ response or the psalmist’s own conclusion. Matthew Henry sees it as an invitation to the converted Gentiles to join Israel in praising God for both His awesome majesty and His sustaining care. The ark and tabernacle, which were figures of Christ (Calvin), underscore that the God who dwells in awesome holiness also empowers His covenant people.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God’s Awesome Holiness: His sanctuary is the place where His majestic, fearsome presence is displayed, evoking reverent worship, not terror.
- God’s Gracious Provision: The same God gives strength and power to His people as a gift, not a wage.
- The Only Fitting Response: ‘Praise be to God!’, the natural conclusion of seeing both His holiness and His kindness.
Five-Point Outline
- The Sanctuary Reveals God’s Majesty: ‘Your holy places’, the Temple, and ultimately heaven, as the place of His manifest presence.
- God’s Power Is Both Terrible and Comforting: The same strength that shakes the nations secures His own.
- The God of Israel Is Personally Engaged: He is not a distant deity but the covenant God who gives to His people.
- Strength and Power Are Gifts, Not Earned: ‘He gives’, underscoring grace, as Gill notes this is a pure unmerited favor.
- Praise Is the End of All Contemplation: Barnes: every right view of God leads the heart to say, ‘Blessed be such a God.’
Illustration Hooks
- The child who both respects and trusts a strong father, knowing his strength is for protection, not harm.
- A master musician who demands excellence yet gives the student both the skill and the instrument to learn.
- A hospital delivery room where the awe of new life mingles with the comfort of skilled care.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does the idea of God being ‘terrible’ make me want to run from Him or run to Him?
- How can I experience God’s strength and power in my daily weaknesses?
- What keeps me from ending my prayers with genuine, joyful praise?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 68:35 wraps up a grand hymn with two truths that seem almost contradictory: God is awe-inspiring in His holiness, yet He gives strength and power to His people. This verse invites us to hold both together in worship.
Discussion Questions
- Observation: What does this verse tell us about God? What actions does it attribute to Him?
- Interpretation: The word ‘awesome’ (or ‘terrible’ in older translations) means inspiring reverent fear. How is that different from being afraid of God?
- Interpretation: Why does the verse mention ‘your sanctuaries’ (or ‘holy places’)? What does that location add to the meaning?
- Interpretation: The God of Israel gives strength and power. Does that seem to be one gift or two? What might each include?
- Connection: The first half of the verse speaks of God’s transcendent majesty; the second half speaks of His immanent care. How do you see these two aspects of God relating to each other?
- Application: If you truly believed that God’s holiness and power are for you, not against you, how would your daily life change?
- Prayer: Spend a few moments writing your own ‘Blessed be God’ for something specific you have experienced this week.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:1 | Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea. |
| Deuteronomy 33:25 | Your bars will be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be. |
| Nehemiah 1:5 | and said, “I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments, |
| Psalms 29:11 | Yahweh will give strength to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace. |
| Psalms 45:4 | In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds. |
| Psalms 47:2 | For Yahweh Most High is awesome. He is a great King over all the earth. |
| Psalms 65:5 | By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us, God of our salvation. You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth, of those who are far away on the sea. |
| Psalms 66:5 | Come, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that God reveals His awesome majesty from both the earthly sanctuary and heaven, appearing with consuming splendor and
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that God being "terrible out of thy holy places" points to the awe that comes when He reveals Himself from His dwelling. This same God actively gives strength and power to His people, proving He is not weak but fully able to protect them. The proper response to contemplating such a God is heartfelt praise.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees this psalm as celebrating a specific military victory, not the general translation of the ark to Mount Zion. He connects it to David's triumph over the Ammonites and Syrians, when the ark returned in procession. This reading grounds the psalm in a concrete historical moment of deliverance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary argues that the verse should read "Terrible is God out of thy sanctuary," directly addressing Israel. The plural "holy places" is an idiomatic amplification for the single sanctuary. On this reading, the nations are the speakers, responding to the preceding call by acknowledging God's awesome power displayed from His sanctuary among His people.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note draws attention to the striking contrast between God's terrifying majesty issuing from His holy sanctuary and His generous gift of strength and power to His people. The same God who inspires awe is the one who empowers, and this calls forth praise.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights two distinct ways God is to be feared: in terrible judgments against antichrist and as the reverend God worshipped by saints in heaven and in the churches. He also emphasizes that God freely gives strength to his weak covenant people as an unearned gift.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch interpret this passage as a prophetic vision of Gentile nations bowing to Israel's God. Egypt, pictured as the "beast of the reed," represents proud worldly power. The prayer asks God to establish His work, then shifts to a prediction: once warlike peoples are scattered, Egypt's dignitaries and Ethiopia will bring tribute to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that this psalm is not a direct prophecy of Christ but a festival hymn celebrating God's victorious march into His sanctuary on Zion. Its Messianic meaning lies not in predicting Christ's ascension but in proclaiming how God spreads His kingdom among the nations through His historical deeds of power.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights how the psalmist calls the nations to join Israel in praising God, inviting them in after prophesying their conversion. He grounds this call on God's sovereign rule from the highest heavens, His terrifying majesty displayed in thunder, and His power that grants strength to His people.