Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "mountains of God" isn't just about immense height; it points to God as the divine Creator of these grand structures, highlighting that His righteousness, like these peaks, is an eternal, foundational aspect of His very being. Similarly, "great deep" doesn't just mean mysterious, but refers to the vast, unfathomable waters of creation, underscoring how God's justice operates with a scope and wisdom far beyond human grasp.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist begins by lamenting the pervasive wickedness and deceit of humanity, describing the ungodly as self-deceived and brazen in their sin. Against this backdrop of human corruption, this verse pivots dramatically, magnifying God's unwavering righteousness and profound, inscrutable judgments. Following this declaration of God's character, the psalm shifts to the security and abundance found in trusting in Him, contrasting it with the ultimate downfall of the wicked.
The world can feel chaotic, with things shifting like sand. But God's character stands firm, like something ancient and powerful.
The verse compares God's righteousness to "the mountains of God." This isn't just any mountain; it signifies the highest, most majestic peaks. Think of them as God's personal, ultimate mountains.
Sometimes God's actions or His plans seem impossible to understand, like staring into an endless ocean.
The Psalmist then turns to God's judgments, comparing them to "the great deep." This isn't just any body of water; it evokes the vast, mysterious ocean or the primeval deep, something utterly beyond human comprehension.
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Beyond His grand attributes, there's a beautiful, consistent action of God that touches every living thing.
The verse concludes with a powerful statement: "man and beast you save, O LORD." This highlights God's pervasive care and salvation that extends to all His creation.
Understand the original words
tzedakah · Hebrew Noun
God's attribute of moral perfection and conformity to His own standard of holiness and justice. It refers to His faithfulness to His covenant and His righteous acts in history.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The formal, authoritative decisions of God as Judge. In Scripture, it signifies His governance, divine justice, and the administration of His law over the world.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenant-keeping name of God, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His eternal existence and His relational faithfulness to His people.
This passage reflects the 'great deep' imagery of God's judgments, highlighting their unfathomable nature and the mystery of His ways in salvation, echoing the Psalmist's awe.
Matthew 6:26This verse directly parallels the idea that God preserves both man and beast, reminding us that His care extends to all creatures, a testament to His abundant providence.
Job 38:4-11Here, God Himself challenges Job with questions about His creation of the seas and mountains, emphasizing the immense scale and power of His works, which resonates with the imagery of God's righteousness as mountains and His judgments as the deep.
Psalm 147:9This verse speaks of God providing for the young lions and the young ravens, directly illustrating the preservation of man and beast mentioned in the Psalm, showing God's providential care for all living things.
calvinPsalms 36:5-9: "Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds."
- O Jehovah! thy mercy is unto the heavens, and thy truth even unto the clouds. 6. Thy righteousness is as the mountains of God; [4] thy judgments are a great deep: [5] O Jehovah! thou preservest man and beast. 7. O God! how excellent [6] is thy loving-kindness! therefore, the children of men shall trust in the shadow of thy wings. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy…
cambridgePsalms 36:6: "Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast."
6 . Jehovah’s righteousness—His faithfulness to His character and covenant ( Psalm 5:8 ), manifested alike in mercy and in judgement—is like the mountains of God ( El ), immovably firm ( Psalm 111:3 ), eternally unchanged, majestically conspicuous. God’s works proclaim their Author, and reflect His attributes. Cp. Psalm 104:16 ; Psalm 65:9 ; Psalm 80:10 . The grea…
The phrase "mountains of God" isn't just about immense height; it points to God as the divine Creator of these grand structures, highlighting that His righteousness, like these peaks, is an eternal, foundational aspect of His very being. Similarly, "great deep" doesn't just mean mysterious, but refers to the vast, unfathomable waters of creation, underscoring how God's justice operates with a scope and wisdom far beyond human grasp.
The Psalmist begins by lamenting the pervasive wickedness and deceit of humanity, describing the ungodly as self-deceived and brazen in their sin. Against this backdrop of human corruption, this verse pivots dramatically, magnifying God's unwavering righteousness and profound, inscrutable judgments. Following this declaration of God's character, the psalm shifts to the security and abundance found in trusting in Him, contrasting it with the ultimate downfall of the wicked.
The Psalmist begins by lamenting the pervasive wickedness and deceit of humanity, describing the ungodly as self-deceived and brazen in their sin. Against this backdrop of human corruption, this verse pivots dramatically, magnifying God's unwavering righteousness and profound, inscrutable judgments. Following this declaration of God's character, the psalm shifts to the security and abundance found in trusting in Him, contrasting it with the ultimate downfall of the wicked.
"Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD." — The phrase "mountains of God" isn't just about immense height; it points to God as the divine Creator of these grand structures, highlighting that His righteousness, like these peaks, is an eternal,…
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Last reviewed October 2026