Psalms 86:10 · Bible study
Psalms 86:10 Commentary: God Alone Is Great and Does Wonders
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
David declares God alone is great and does wonders, grounding his prayer for deliverance and pointing to nations worshiping.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God’s unique greatness and power are the basis for prayer and the certainty that all nations will worship him.
- Key words: Great (gadol), wondrous things (niphla’oth, miraculous deeds), God alone (Elohim levad, exclusive deity).
- Main debate: Does “God alone” exclude the Son and Spirit? Christians affirm the Trinity in unity; Jewish interpretation holds strict monotheism.
- Theological theme: Monotheism as the foundation of hope, God’s power assures deliverance and his universal lordship promises global worship.
- Best use: A confession of trust in trouble and a doxology to be recited when feeling overwhelmed.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.
KJV King James Version 1769
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For great art Thou, and doing wonders, Thou art God Thyself alone.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God, thou alone.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Porque tú eres grande, y hacedor de maravillas: tú solo eres Dios.
Pois tu és grande, e fazes maravilhas; somente tu és Deus.
Car tu es grand, et tu opères des prodiges;
daß du so groß bist und Wunder tust und allein Gott bist.
Want Gij zijt groot, en doet wonderwerken; Gij alleen zijt God.
Poiché tu sei grande e fai maraviglie; tu solo sei Dio.
Boś ty jest wielki, a czynisz cuda; tyś sam jest Bogiem.
因 你 為大，且行 奇妙的事；惟獨 你是 神。
For you are great, and do great works of wonder; you only are God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 86:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse is a concentrated confession of God's uniqueness and power. Adam Clarke calls it an acknowledgment that God is “Almighty, infinite, eternal” and the worker of miracles. Barnes notes that God's wondrous deeds prove “there is nothing within the limits of possibility which he cannot perform”, a reason to appeal to him in weakness. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the verse is a doxological formula already in use, combined with the prospect of the nations recognizing the incomparable God. Gill expands “God alone” to include the entire Trinity, but all agree that Israel's God is without rival. The unifying claim: because God alone is great and does wonders, prayer is solidly grounded and the hope of universal worship is certain.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God’s greatness, his wondrous acts, and his exclusive divinity are clearly stated, with universal agreement that this verse affirms the uniqueness of Israel's God as the foundation for prayer and the hope of global worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Monotheism and God's uniqueness | All traditions affirm the verse teaches that Israel's God is the only true God. | Christians read the verse as consistent with Trinitarian faith; Jewish interpreters see it as excluding any plurality within the Godhead. |
| Universal worship of nations | The verse points to a future time when all nations will worship God. | Some see this as already happening through the gospel; others as an eschatological event in the new creation. |
| Grounding of personal prayer | The declaration of God's power and uniqueness provides confidence in prayer. | None significant, this is a consistent application across traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 86 is a prayer of David set in a season of personal distress. Verses 1-7 record urgent pleas for mercy and deliverance. Verses 8-10, where our verse sits, shift the tone: David contrasts the Lord with the so-called gods of surrounding nations, Baal, Chemosh, Dagon, whose impotence and non-existence made their cults a deadly snare for Israel. In calling the Lord “great” and the doer of “wondrous things” (נִפְלָאוֹת, niphla’oth), David draws directly on the exodus tradition (Exodus 15:11). That older song had proclaimed that among the gods none is like Yahweh, who does wonders. For a king like David, hemmed in by enemies, recalling that same power was both an act of faith and a declaration of war against every lesser claim.
The Hebrew word gadol (“great”) here speaks not only of size but of rank and authority. And niphla’oth, from the root pala, means acts that are extraordinary, beyond human or creaturely capacity. The semantic range includes what is “difficult to do” or “hard to understand.” So David is saying: what I need is beyond me, but it is exactly what God does. The claim that “You alone are God” (אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים לְבַדֶּךָ) is the logical and theological capstone. The word levad sets the poles, separation, apartness, aloneness. This is not a god among many; this is the one from whom all other so-called gods borrow their existence at best and their false claims at worst.
The surrounding context (vv. 8-9) widens the lens. David anticipates a day when “all nations you have made will come and worship before you.” This is remarkable for a man whose immediate need is personal safety. The historical context of the founding of the Davidic monarchy, a tiny kingdom among empires, makes this universal statement a stunning act of theological imagination, one later echoed in prophets like Isaiah. The verse, then, does double work: it shores up David’s own petition (the God who does wonders can deliver one man) and opens a door onto the future hope of a world reconciled to its Creator.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable, and ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Targum) reflect the same reading. Adam Clarke mentions the Septuagint reading of “the only, The Great God,” which amplifies but does not alter the sense.
Reception History
This verse has been woven into the worship life of both Jewish and Christian communities. It echoes the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:11), serving as a concise confession of God's uniqueness. Early fathers like Augustine used it in arguing for divine power. In later liturgy, it appears in prayers that praise God for his mighty acts, and it has been a touchstone for missionary theology, the God alone who does wonders is also the God who longs to be known by all nations. The verse is set to music in many hymns, and its pairing with Revelation 15:4 (as noted by Keil and Delitzsch) continues to inspire hope for the final ingathering of the nations.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Greatness of God: “For you are great”, not merely in size but in nature, authority, and character. David begins where all prayer should begin: with a clear sight of who God is.
- The Works of God: “And do wondrous things”, the evidence of greatness. God’s past actions (creation, exodus, personal deliverance) become the promise for present help.
- The Exclusivity of God: “You are God alone”, the confession that leaves no room for rival trusts. In polytheistic culture or a distracted heart, this is the foundation of wholehearted devotion.
Five-point outline
- Ground of prayer: David appeals to God’s greatness because it is the only sufficient basis for help (v. 1-7).
- Deed of deliverance: Wondrous things, the exodus pattern, show what God can do again.
- Confession of monotheism: “You alone are God” eliminates all lesser refuges and focuses hope on one source.
- Promise to nations: God’s uniqueness is for all people; the verse looks toward global worship (v. 9).
- Response of worship: The psalmist responds not with anxiety but with intention to praise (v. 12).
Illustration hooks
- Everyday wonder: A parent watching a child recover from serious illness, that sense of “only God could do this” mirrors David’s confession.
- Technology limits: Even the most advanced AI or medical equipment has boundaries. God’s wonders have none.
- Party loyalty vs. single allegiance: In a world full of competing claims (nationalism, career, identity), David names God as the only one worthy of final trust.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God alone is God, what does that say about the other things I run to for security?
- How do I hold on to hope when my situation feels too big for God to care about?
- Why does the Bible connect God’s greatness to the worship of all nations, and how does that affect my daily life?
Leading a Discussion
Verse 10 is the summit of a prayer that begins in desperation and ends with praise. David takes his eyes off his enemies long enough to see that the God he serves is not just bigger than his problems, he is the only God, the one who does wonders. This study invites your group to ask: Do I pray that way? Do I trust that way? Use the questions below to explore the verse and let it reshape your prayers.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 86:8-10. What do you notice about how David contrasts the Lord with other gods?
- The word “wondrous things” in Hebrew (niphla’oth) means acts that are extraordinary or beyond normal power. Which wonders of God come to mind when you hear that term?
- Why does David connect the statement “You are great and do wondrous things” with “You are God alone”? What is the logical link?
- The immediate context is personal trouble (enemies, danger). How does confessing God’s uniqueness and power help someone who is afraid?
- Verse 9 anticipates that “all nations” will worship God. Does this universal hope change how you pray for people outside the faith? Explain.
- If “God alone” is the truth, what “gods”, money, reputation, control, do you most need to let go of this week?
- How can this verse be used as a short prayer when you feel overwhelmed?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:11 | Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? |
| Deuteronomy 6:3 | Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. |
| Deuteronomy 6:4 | Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one. |
| Deuteronomy 32:39 | “See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. |
| Job 11:7 | “Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty? |
| Psalms 72:18 | Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. |
| Psalms 77:13 | Your way, God, is in the sanctuary. What god is great like God? |
| Psalms 77:15 | You have redeemed your people with your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). 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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that God's past acts of wonder prove He can do anything possible, making Him the one we should turn to in our weakness. Salvation in particular requires the unique power that belongs to God alone, so our appeal for it must be to Him only.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The psalmist's confidence in being heard rests not on his own merit but on the nature of God himself. Because the Lord alone is the true God, the psalmist is certain of an answer, and he looks ahead to the day when all nations will acknowledge this.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that God's unmatched power and miraculous acts prove He alone is God. His greatness displayed in wondrous deeds sets Him apart from every false god, leaving no room for rivals.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the verse as a Trinitarian declaration. The greatness and wondrous works belong to the Father, Son, and Spirit together. When the psalmist says God alone is God, Gill insists this does not exclude the Son and Spirit but affirms they share the one divine nature with the Father.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observe that this psalm borrows its language from earlier Scriptures, yet they find its distinctive value in the unallegorical prediction that all nations will one day recognize the incomparable Lord. They also note the petition in verse 11 asks God to concentrate the heart wholly on one thing, not merely keep it near.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this psalm as a late composite work, built from familiar phrases found in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets, yet displaying some original treatment. He argues that the claim to be holy refers to the covenant relationship, not personal piety, and that the prayer for an undivided heart asks God to unite all the psalmist's powers toward one goal.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights how David, even while making requests, first stops to ascribe glory to God as a being of unmatched perfection. He notes the argument from God's works: no one else does such deeds, which proves that no one else compares.