He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
Parallel translations
- WEB He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.
- BSB He rules forever by His power; His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
- NKJV He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
- NASB He rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations; The rebellious shall not exalt themselves! Selah
- NLT For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance. Interlude
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 rules forever by His might, watching the nations, and the rebellious should not exalt themselves. It declares God's eternal, watchful sovereignty.
Overview
The psalmist affirms God's everlasting rule and His eyes that keep watch over the nations, warning the rebellious not to rise up. God's sovereignty is both comforting and sobering, marked again by 'Selah.' His reign is established forever in the kingdom of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Ps 11:4The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
- Matt 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- 2 Chr 16:9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Ps 75:4–5I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
- Ps 33:13The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
- Ps 140:8Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
- Ps 62:11God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
- Job 9:4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
- Dan 5:20–28But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
- Dan 4:35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
- Matt 6:13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
- Isa 10:7–16Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
- Isa 37:28–29But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
- Dan 6:26–27I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
- Ps 52:1–5Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
- Ps 2:10–12Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
- Ps 73:3–12For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Ps 145:13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
- Exod 18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
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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 66:7 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.