But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
Parallel translations
- WEB But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.
- KJV But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
- BSB Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
- NASB But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
- NLT Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.
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
Unlike absent idols, the true God reigns in heaven and does whatever he pleases. It matters because God's sovereignty is the firm answer to the world's scoffing.
Overview
The reply to the nations is God's transcendence and freedom: he is enthroned in heaven and accomplishes all his will. This is a foundational confession of divine sovereignty cherished in the Reformed tradition. Far from being distant, this sovereign God draws near in Christ, who came to do the Father's pleasing will perfectly (John 6:38).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 135:6Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;
- Dan 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stop his hand, or ask him, What are you doing?
- Isa 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
- Eph 1:11in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will;
- Ps 103:19Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
- Rom 9:19You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?”
- Ps 2:4He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.
- Ps 123:1A Song of Ascents. To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.
- Matt 6:9Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
- 1 Chr 16:25For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.
- Ps 68:4Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on the clouds: to Yah, his name! Rejoice before him!
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 115:3 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.