Psalms 76:4 — Word Study
WLCנָ֭אוֹר אַתָּ֥ה אַדִּ֗יר מֵֽהַרְרֵי־ טָֽרֶף׃
BSAthereshâm to breakshâbar flashresheph bowqesheth shieldmâgên swordchereb battlemilchâmâh Selahçelâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נָ֭אוֹר | [are] lighted up | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| אַתָּ֥ה | you | Pronoun |
| אַדִּ֗יר | [are] majestic | |
| מֵֽהַרְרֵי־ | more than mountains of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| טָֽרֶף׃ | prey | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains filled with game. |
| KJV | Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. |
| ASV | Glorious art thou and excellent, From the mountains of prey. |
| YLT | Bright [art] Thou, honourable above hills of prey. |
| WEB | Glorious are you, and excellent, more than mountains of game. |
| BBE | You are shining and full of glory, more than the eternal mountains. |
All translations agree in their rendering of the key themes of light and majesty in this verse.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a comparative phrase, emphasizing God's superiority.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectה
verbשָׁם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 76:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Majesty of Godgenerated
Psalms 76:4 expresses the psalmist's awe at God's radiance and power, contrasting it with the grandeur of mountains filled with game. The surrounding verses describe God's might in battle and His ability to shatter the weapons of the enemy, emphasizing His supreme authority and glory.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 4:7 | A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 19:1–4 | “As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel |
| 3 | Ezekiel 38:12–13 | in order to seize the spoil and carry off the plunder, to turn a hand against the desolate places now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and possessions and who live at the center of the land.’ |
| 4 | Daniel 7:4–8 | The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָ֭אוֹר, Na.'orgenerated
The word נָאוֹר (Na.'or) is a Niphal participle meaning 'lighted up.' It conveys the idea of being illuminated or shining, whether in a physical or spiritual sense. This word emphasizes God's divine radiance, suggesting a brilliance that surpasses all creation.
The parsing as a masculine singular participle indicates that this quality of light is attributed directly to God, making Him the subject of illumination. This word encapsulates the essence of God's glory, which is a central theme throughout the psalm.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered consistently across various translations, including the Berean Standard Bible, KJV, and ASV, all conveying the idea of God's resplendence and majesty.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse consists of a main clause with the finite verb נָאוֹר (are lighted up) followed by the subject אַתָּ֥ה (you) and a predicate describing God's majesty אַדִּ֗יר (majestic). This arrangement places emphasis on God's illuminating presence.
The Hebrew word order highlights the relationship between God and His attributes, creating a powerful statement of His glory.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word נָאוֹר is rendered with the Greek word ἐκεῖ which can imply a sense of presence or location. This choice may reflect an interpretative nuance, emphasizing God's light as a constant and pervasive reality.
The translation choices in the Septuagint suggest a focus on God's enduring presence rather than merely His brilliance, which adds depth to the understanding of His majesty.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 76:4 describes God as shining with light and being more majestic than the highest mountains filled with game. This verse highlights God's unmatched glory and power, illustrating His supremacy over creation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates that God's presence is radiant and glorious, illuminating the world around Him, much like the sun lights up the day.
Mountains are often seen as symbols of strength and permanence, but this verse asserts that God's majesty surpasses even these mighty creations.
The reference to mountains filled with game highlights the abundance and richness of creation, further emphasizing God's greatness in comparison.
The imagery of light and majestic mountains serves to illustrate the awe-inspiring nature of God, encouraging worship and reverence.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's light in my life?
- How can I reflect God's majesty in my actions and words?
- What does it mean to me that God's glory surpasses all creation?
- How can I cultivate a deeper appreciation for the beauty of God's creation?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, often reflecting on God's illuminating nature and the significance of His majesty.
I will remind you again about Illuminations, and that often, and will reckon them up from holy Scripture. For I myself shall be happier for remembering them (for what is sweeter than light to those who have tasted light?).Early Church Fathers on Psalms 76 →
"You enlightening marvellously from the eternal mountains" [Psalms 76:4].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 76 →
“You marvelously illuminate from the eternal mountains.” He comes to the second part, where he explains in sequence the various miracles of the Lord.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 76 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 76:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
Read John Gill on Psalms 76 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 76 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThou, O God; to whom he directeth his speech here, as also . Than the mountains of prey; either, 1. Than the greatest kings and emperors of the earth, which in prophetical writings are oft compared to mountains, as ,3 Isa 41:15 . And they are called mountains of prey, because then they generally were established by tyranny, and maintained by preying upon their own subjects, or other inferior kingdoms. Or, 2. (which amounts to the same thing) Than the most powerful enemies of thy people, upon whom they used and now desired and expected to prey; such persons being oft expressed by the name of mountains, as , &c.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 76 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 76:4 Thou [art] more glorious [and] excellent than the mountains of prey.Ver. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent] Or, more bright and magnificent. Glorious God was before, but now more glorious by this late deliverance, illuminating his people with his marvellous light. Than the mountains of prey] Those vast hosts of Assyrians lying now upon the mountains around Jerusalem, and plundering the country at their pleasure. Thou, Lord, art far more illustrious and admirable than all those Grassatores populi, ac reges quantumvis elati, those mountains of lions and leopards, Son 4:8, the kingdoms of this world, enemies to the Church.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 76 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Thou art . . .—Better, Splendid art thou, glorious one, from the mountains of prey. The construction is somewhat doubtful and favours Hupfeld’s emendation (nora, i.e., to be feared, as in verses 8 and 13, instead of noar, i.e., glorious). Certainly the comparative of the Authorised Version is to be abandoned. The poet’s thought plainly proceeds from the figure of Psa 76:2. The mountains are the mountains of prey of the Lion of Judah. True, a different image, as so frequently in Hebrew poetry, suddenly interrupts and changes the picture. The hero appears from the battle shining in the spoils taken from the foe.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 76 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Than the mountains of prey.] This is an address to Mount Zion. Thou art more illustrious and excellent than all the mountains of prey, i.e., where wild beasts wander, and prey on those that are more helpless than themselves. Zion was the place where GOD dwelt; the other mountains were the abode of wild beasts.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 76 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4–6. The manifestation of God’s majesty in the discomfiture of the enemy.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 76 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou art more glorious and excellent - The word rendered glorious - נאור na'ôr - is from the verb which means “to shine,” to give light, and the word would properly refer to a luminous or “shining”
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 76 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains filled with game.
Glorious are you, and excellent, more than mountains of game.
You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains filled with game.
You shine brightly and reveal your majesty, as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey.
Tyndale line
Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
Glorious art thou and excellent, From the mountains of prey.
Glorious art thou and excellent, from the mountains of prey.
Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
Thou art more bright and puissant, then the mountaines of pray.
Strictly literal
More glorious art thou, more excellent, than the mountains of prey.
Bright [art] Thou, honourable above hills of prey.
You [are] bright, majestic above hills of prey.
(76:5) Thou art more brilliant, more excellent than the mountains [full] of prey.
You shine brightly and reveal your glory, as you descend from the mountains, where you killed your victims.
From the Latin
I remembered God, and was delighted, and was exercised, and my spirit swooned away.
Simplified
You shine with light; you are more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
You are shining and full of glory, more than the eternal mountains.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with four out of five words matching. The Septuagint's rendering may vary in structure but retains the essential meaning of the original Hebrew text.
נָ֭אוֹר אַתָּ֥ה אַדִּ֗יר מֵֽהַרְרֵי־ טָֽרֶף׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 76:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אוֹר (or) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be or become light, covering various contexts such as shining of the sun, illumination by celestial bodies, and lighting lamps. It has different forms: Qal (to shine), Niphal (to be illuminated), and Hiphil (to give light). The entries emphasize both literal and metaphorical uses, including making one's face shine and enlightening the eyes.
[אוֹר] 43 vb. be or become light
Qal;—become light, shine of sun (esp. in early morn.)
Niph.—become lighted up of day-break
Hiph.—
give light, of sun, moon & stars
light up, cause to shine, shine
light a lamp
lighten, of the eyes
make shine, of face of God
base
H215 אוֹר be or become light .—become light, shine of sun (esp. in early morn.)
.—become lighted up of day-break
.— . give light, of sun, moon & stars
. light up, cause to shine, shine
. light a lamp
. lighten, of the eyes
. make shine, of face of God
215 'owr ore
a primitive root; to be (causative, make) luminous (literally
and metaphorically):--X break of day, glorious, kindle, (be,
en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.
אוֹר (or) — to light.
1) to be or become light, shine
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become light (day)
1a2) to shine (of the sun)
1a3) to become bright
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be illuminated
1b2) to become lighted up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give light, shine (of sun, moon, and stars)
1c2) to illumine, light up, cause to shine, shine
1c3) to kindle, light (candle, wood)
1c4) lighten (of the eyes, his law, etc)
1c5) to make shine (of the face)
HVNrmsa — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singularHVNrmsa
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
HPp2ms — PronounHPp2ms
אַדִּיר (addiyr) means majestic and conveys a sense of greatness or power. It can describe large entities like the sea or trees, as well as kings, nations, and noble figures. The word is built from a root meaning wide or large, with a range that includes excellent, glorious, and noble.
אַדִּיר adj. majestic
base
H117 אַדִּיר majestic
117 'addiyr ad-deer'
from 142; wide or (generally) large; figuratively,
powerful:--excellent, famous, gallant, glorious, goodly,
lordly, mighty(- ier one), noble, principal, worthy.
see HEBREW for 0142
אַדִּיר (ad.dir) — great.
1) great, majestic
1a) of waters of sea
1b) of a tree
1c) of kings, nations, gods
2) great one, majestic one
2a) of nobles, chieftains, servants
HAamsa — HAamsa
הַר (har) refers to a mountain or hill, encompassing the concepts of hill-country and mountain-regions. It is derived from an unused root meaning to loom up, indicating elevation. The entries consistently highlight its use in describing elevated landforms.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2042 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
2042 harar haw-rawr'
from an unused root meaning to loom up; a mountain:--hill,
mount(-ain).
הָרָר (ha.rar) — mountain.
mountain, hill, hill country, mount
Another spelling of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)
HR/Ncmpc — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
טֶ֫רֶף (teref) refers to something that is torn, such as prey or food, and can also mean a leaf. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of fragments. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to prey and food, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
טֶ֫רֶף n.m. prey, food; leaf
base
H2964 טֶ֫רֶף prey, food; leaf
2964 tereph teh'-ref
from 2963; something torn, i.e. a fragment, e.g. a fresh
leaf, prey, food:--leaf, meat, prey, spoil.
see HEBREW for 02963
טֶ֫רֶף (te.reph) — prey.
1) prey, food, leaf
1a) prey
1b) food
1c) leaf
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
pra (baz, Tereph, shalal): "Prey" is frequent in the Old Testament, chiefly as the translation of baz, "spoil," "plunder" (Nu 14:3,11; De 1:39; Isa 10:6, etc.); of Tereph, "prey of wild beasts," "torn thing" (Ge 49:9; Nu 23:24; Job 4:11, etc.); of malqoah, "a taking" (Nu 31:11, etc.; Isa 49:24,25); of shalal, "spoil" or "booty" (Jud 5:30 twice; Jud…