Limitless Word
For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
Psalms 33:9 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB For he spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm.
  • KJV For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
  • BSB For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
  • NASB For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood firm.
  • NLT For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

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

God spoke and it was done; he commanded and it stood firm, showing the absolute power of his word.

Overview

Echoing Genesis, the psalmist marvels that creation came into being and holds together solely by God's command. His word accomplishes instantly and establishes permanently. The same powerful word now creates new life in those who hear the gospel and are made new in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Gen 1:3God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
  • Ps 33:6By Yahweh’s word, the heavens were made; all their army by the breath of his mouth.
  • Ps 148:5–6Let them praise Yahweh’s name, For he commanded, and they were created.
  • Rev 4:11“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
  • Col 1:16–17For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
  • Heb 11:3By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.
  • Heb 1:3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
  • Ps 119:90–91Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have established the earth, and it remains.
  • Ps 93:5Your statutes stand firm. Holiness adorns your house, Yahweh, forever more.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 33:9YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 33:9 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.