Psalms 86:10
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
Psalms 86:10
“For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.” This verse names God’s greatness and unique divinity. It serves as a doctrinal hinge in the psalm: praise arises from recognizing God’s matchless power and sovereignty. The phrase “doest wondrous things” points to acts of redemption, creation, and mercy—things that only God can accomplish. The parallel “thou art God alone” asserts monotheism and exclusivity of divine agency. In the context of lament and petition, this declaration grounds trust: if God is uniquely powerful and good, then prayers addressed to him are well-founded. The contrast with idols is implicit: human-made substitutes cannot perform works like God’s.
Theologically, the verse reaffirms God’s nature as sovereign, creator, and redeemer. It anchors worship in the truth about God’s unique identity, which has practical implications for ethics, hope, and liturgy. It also foreshadows a biblical pattern: acknowledging God’s greatness leads to confident trust and obedient living. For Christians, it resonates with Jesus’s declared oneness with the Father and the claim that God alone is worthy of worship and glory. The verse invites believers to measure life by God’s actions rather than by human achievement or conventional wisdom.
When faced with competing claims about greatness (career success, wealth, status), return to this confession: God alone is great and does wondrous things. Let that reality reorient your priorities. Practical steps: keep a gratitude list of God’s “wondrous things” you’ve witnessed—answered prayers, protections, restored relationships—and use it to fuel faith during trials. Center decisions around God’s purposes rather than worldly gain. In worship, resist the impulse to perform or impress; instead, echo the psalmist’s devotion: praise with honesty about God’s surpassing greatness. This posture cultivates humility, generosity, and steadfast faith.
Cross-References: Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 40:25-31; Psalm 104:24; Isaiah 46:9; Romans 11:33-36