Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
Parallel translations
- WEB For I will proclaim Yahweh’s name. Ascribe greatness to our God!
- BSB For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God!
- NKJV For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God.
- NASB “For I proclaim the name of the Lord; Ascribe greatness to our God!
- NLT I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses announces that he will proclaim the LORD's name and calls the people to ascribe greatness to God. It matters because the song's foundation is the worship and praise of God.
Overview
To proclaim the LORD's name is to declare His character and acts, inviting fitting praise. The call to 'ascribe greatness' sets worship as the proper response to who God is. This opening note of praise frames everything that follows, reminding us that the chief end of God's word and works is His glory, supremely revealed in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Jer 10:6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
- Ps 150:2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
- Deut 5:24And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
- Eph 1:19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
- Deut 3:24O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
- 1 Chr 29:11Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
- Matt 1:23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
- John 17:26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
- Jer 23:6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
- Exod 33:19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
- John 17:6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
- Exod 6:3And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
- Exod 3:13–16And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
- Ps 29:1–2Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
- Ps 105:1–5O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
- Ps 89:16–18In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
- 1 Chr 17:19O LORD, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
- Ps 145:1–10I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
- Exod 34:5–7And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
- Exod 20:24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 32:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.