God’s Word Translation
Psalms 9:20
20Strike them with terror, O Lord. Let the nations know that they are ⌞only⌟ mortal. Selah
Psalms 9:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.
- New International Version (NIV)Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah
- New King James Version (NKJV)Put them in fear, O Lord, That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah
Context of Psalms 9:20
18Needy people will not always be forgotten. Nor will the hope of oppressed people be lost forever. 19Arise, O Lord. Do not let mortals gain any power. Let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, O Lord. Let the nations know that they are ⌞only⌟ mortal. Selah
Read all of Psalms 9Psalms 9:20 word by word
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 9:20
- Psalms 76:12He cuts short the lives of influential people. He terrifies the kings of the earth.
- Exodus 15:16Terror and dread will fall on them. Because of the power of your arm, they will be petrified until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people you purchased pass by.
- Exodus 23:27“I will send my terror ahead of you and throw any nation you meet into a panic. I will make all your enemies flee from you.
- Deuteronomy 2:25Today I will start to make all the people under heaven terrified of you. When they hear about you, they will tremble and shake because of you.”
- Jeremiah 32:40I will make an eternal promise to them that I will never stop blessing them. I will make them fear me so that they will never turn away from me.
- Ezekiel 30:13“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will destroy the statues and put an end to the idols in Memphis. A prince will never rise again in Egypt. I will spread fear throughout Egypt.
- Psalms 82:6I said, “You are gods. You are all sons of the Most High.
- Isaiah 31:3The Egyptians are humans, not gods. Their horses are flesh and blood, not spirit. When the Lord uses his powerful hand, the one who gives help will stumble, and the one who receives help will fall. Both will die together.
- Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: In your arrogance you say, “I’m a god. I sit on God’s throne in the sea.” But you’re only human and not a god, although you think you are a god.
- Acts 12:22The people started shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
Commentaries on Psalms 9:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Put them in fear - להם מורה יהוה שיתה shithah Yehovah morah lahem, "O Lord, place a teacher among them," that they may know they also are accountable creatures, grow wise unto salvation, and be prepared for a state of blessedness. Several MSS. read מורא morre, fear; but teacher or legislator is the reading of all the versions except the Chaldee. Coverdale has hit the sense, translating thus: O Lorde, set a Scholemaster over them; and the old Psalter, Sett…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Put them in fear, O Lord - From this it is evident that the enemies of the psalmist were bold, daring, confident in their own strength, and in the belief that they would succeed. He prays, therefore, that these bold and daring invaders of the rights of others might be made to stand in awe, and to tremble before the great and terrible majesty of God; that they might thus have just views of themselves, and see how weak and feeble they were as compared with…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-20Verses 11-20 Those who believe that God is greatly to be praised, not only desire to praise him better themselves, but desire that others may join with them. There is a day coming, when it will appear that he has not forgotten the cry of the humble; neither the cry of their blood, or the cry of their prayers. We are never brought so low, so near to death, but God can raise us up. If he has saved us from spiritual and eternal death, we may thence hope…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20The psalmist concludes his lament by asking God to act on his behalf. He prays for the Lord’s intervention against those who do wrong. This includes a request for divine vengeance (God’s just punishment of evildoers). The psalmist trusts that only God can bring true justice. but men: People who gain power and honor can become oppressive and assume glory for themselves (see Psalm 8:4; 10:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. By their effectual subjection, make them to realize their frail nature (Psa 8:4), and deter them from all conceit and future rebellion.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 9:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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