Psalms 90:11 - Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Psalms 90:11" mean?
Psalm 90:11 is a profound and somewhat unsettling verse that explores the relationship between God's anger and humanity's understanding of it. Let's break it down:
"Who knows the power of your anger..."
"Who knows..." This is a rhetorical question, suggesting that very few people, if any, truly comprehend the full extent of God's anger. It highlights the vast difference between human anger and divine wrath. We tend to project our own limited, often flawed, understanding of anger onto God.
"The power of your anger..." God's anger isn't a petty outburst. It's connected to His power and justice. The power inherent in God's anger is tied to His ability to judge sin and uphold righteousness. Think of the power it takes to create, and the power it takes to undo, or to discipline in a way that corrects.
"...your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?"
"Your wrath..." "Wrath" is a more intense and sustained form of anger, suggesting a settled and righteous indignation against sin.
"According to the fear that is due to you..." This is the most debated part of the verse. It can be interpreted in a few ways:
Understanding through Reverence: It means that our understanding of God's wrath is directly proportional to the respect and awe we hold for Him. The more we truly fear and revere God (not a cowering fear, but a deep respect for His holiness and power), the better we can grasp the reasons behind His anger and its severity. We only understand His wrath when we understand how holy and righteous He is.
Appropriate Response to Wrath: It means that we should be scared by God's anger. The "fear" is referring to the appropriate fear we should have because we have sinned. We don't understand the wrath unless we have a healthy fear (respect/awe) of God.
Measuring Wrath by Fear: This is a less common interpretation, but it suggests that God's wrath is somehow measured or influenced by the level of reverence or fear He receives from people. However, this interpretation doesn't quite align with God's character, as His justice is not dependent on human emotions.
In essence, the verse is saying:
Humans have a limited understanding of God's anger and wrath.
A deeper comprehension of God's anger requires a greater understanding of His holiness, justice, and power, which inspires a healthy respect and awe ("fear") of Him.
God's wrath is not arbitrary or capricious; it is connected to His righteousness and is a response to sin.
Therefore, the verse serves as a warning and an invitation:
Warning: Don't underestimate the seriousness of sin or God's response to it.
Invitation: Draw closer to God, seek to understand His character, and develop a healthy reverence for Him. This will lead to a greater understanding of His wrath and a motivation to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
In short, the verse emphasizes the vast difference between human and divine anger, suggesting that understanding God's wrath requires a deep reverence for His holiness and justice. It's a reminder that sin has serious consequences and that we should strive to understand God's character in its fullness.
Psalms 90:11 - Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
What does "Psalms 90:11" mean?
Psalm 90:11 is a profound and somewhat unsettling verse that explores the relationship between God's anger and humanity's understanding of it. Let's break it down:
"Who knows the power of your anger..."
"Who knows..." This is a rhetorical question, suggesting that very few people, if any, truly comprehend the full extent of God's anger. It highlights the vast difference between human anger and divine wrath. We tend to project our own limited, often flawed, understanding of anger onto God.
"The power of your anger..." God's anger isn't a petty outburst. It's connected to His power and justice. The power inherent in God's anger is tied to His ability to judge sin and uphold righteousness. Think of the power it takes to create, and the power it takes to undo, or to discipline in a way that corrects.
"...your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?"
"Your wrath..." "Wrath" is a more intense and sustained form of anger, suggesting a settled and righteous indignation against sin.
"According to the fear that is due to you..." This is the most debated part of the verse. It can be interpreted in a few ways:
Understanding through Reverence: It means that our understanding of God's wrath is directly proportional to the respect and awe we hold for Him. The more we truly fear and revere God (not a cowering fear, but a deep respect for His holiness and power), the better we can grasp the reasons behind His anger and its severity. We only understand His wrath when we understand how holy and righteous He is.
Appropriate Response to Wrath: It means that we should be scared by God's anger. The "fear" is referring to the appropriate fear we should have because we have sinned. We don't understand the wrath unless we have a healthy fear (respect/awe) of God.
Measuring Wrath by Fear: This is a less common interpretation, but it suggests that God's wrath is somehow measured or influenced by the level of reverence or fear He receives from people. However, this interpretation doesn't quite align with God's character, as His justice is not dependent on human emotions.
In essence, the verse is saying:
Humans have a limited understanding of God's anger and wrath.
A deeper comprehension of God's anger requires a greater understanding of His holiness, justice, and power, which inspires a healthy respect and awe ("fear") of Him.
God's wrath is not arbitrary or capricious; it is connected to His righteousness and is a response to sin.
Therefore, the verse serves as a warning and an invitation:
Warning: Don't underestimate the seriousness of sin or God's response to it.
Invitation: Draw closer to God, seek to understand His character, and develop a healthy reverence for Him. This will lead to a greater understanding of His wrath and a motivation to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
In short, the verse emphasizes the vast difference between human and divine anger, suggesting that understanding God's wrath requires a deep reverence for His holiness and justice. It's a reminder that sin has serious consequences and that we should strive to understand God's character in its fullness.