I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
Parallel translations
- WEB I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.
- BSB I will enter in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will proclaim Your righteousness—Yours alone.
- NKJV I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
- NASB I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.
- NLT I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.
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
The psalmist comes relying on the Lord's own mighty deeds and boasts only in God's righteousness, not his own.
Overview
He approaches God in the strength of what the Sovereign Lord has done, not in personal merit. By making mention of God's righteousness 'alone,' he disowns any self-righteousness, a posture central to biblical faith. This points forward to the gospel, in which sinners are accepted not by their own works but by the righteousness of God given through Christ (Philippians 3:9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- Phil 3:9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
- Zech 10:12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.
- Ps 29:11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
- Matt 6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Ps 51:14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
- Ps 71:2Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
- Ps 71:24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
- Eph 3:16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
- Eph 6:10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- Ps 71:15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
- Isa 63:7I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
- 2 Th 1:6Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
- Isa 40:31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
- Deut 33:25Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
- Rom 1:17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- Isa 45:24–25Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
- 2 Tim 2:1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- Ps 71:19Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
- Ps 106:2Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?
- Rom 10:3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
- Isa 26:13O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
- Rom 3:21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
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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 71:16 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.