Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "Holy is he!" at the end isn't just a statement, but a powerful outburst of worship, emphasizing that God's holiness is the reason for His great and awesome name. It's a reminder that His perfect purity is precisely what commands such profound awe and reverence from all creation.
Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm begins by declaring God's sovereign reign, calling for nations to tremble and the earth to be moved, while emphasizing His presence among His people. This leads to a declaration of His greatness in Zion and His supremacy over all nations. The verse in question then directly instructs people to acknowledge God's awesome and fearsome name, underscoring the reason for this reverence: God Himself is holy.
When we talk about God, we often focus on His love. But this verse uses a word that might make us pause. What does it mean for God's name to be 'great and terrible'?
The psalm calls for praise of God's "great and terrible name." The word translated "terrible" here doesn't mean scary or evil in the way we might think. Instead, it points to something that inspires awe, reverence, and even a healthy fear – the kind of fear that recognizes God's immense power and majesty.
Think of it like standing at the edge of a vast canyon or witnessing a powerful storm. You feel small, humbled, and aware of a force far beyond your own. That's the awe God's "greatness and terribleness" is meant to evoke. It’s about acknowledging His supreme authority and the sheer magnitude of who He is, especially in contrast to us.
This greatness isn't just about power; it's tied to His character and His actions in history. His name represents all His perfections, including His justice and His might. Praising this name means confessing His supreme worth and acknowledging that He is worthy of all reverence.
The psalm concludes the call to praise with a simple, profound declaration: 'Holy is he!' Why is God's holiness the ultimate reason for our praise?
The verse powerfully connects the awe inspired by God's 'great and terrible name' directly to His holiness. The phrase 'Holy is He!' isn't just a descriptive statement; it's the very reason why His name is great and worthy of fear and praise.
God's holiness speaks to His absolute purity, His perfect moral character, and His complete separation from sin. It means He is utterly other, set apart from His creation. This perfect, unblemished nature is the bedrock of His authority and majesty.
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Because God is holy, He is righteous, just, and true. His power isn't exercised capriciously but in accordance with His perfect nature. This immutability and purity are what make His name truly great and demand our reverence. Our praise isn't just for His actions, but for His unchanging, holy character, which is the source of all His glorious attributes.
Understand the original words
qadosh · Hebrew Adjective
A term used to describe the character of God, representing His unapproachable majesty, moral perfection, and absolute distinctness from all creation. It demands reverence, awe, and separation from sin.
shem · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, a name represents the person's character, authority, and reputation. Praising God's name is to honor His manifest attributes and His very nature.
This passage describes God's majestic power and holiness in the context of the Exodus, mirroring the 'great and awesome' nature of God mentioned in Psalms 99:3 and highlighting His glorious might.
Deuteronomy 7:21It speaks of God as 'great and awesome,' emphasizing that He alone is God and is mighty to save and to execute judgment, reinforcing the awe-inspiring attributes praised in Psalms 99:3.
Isaiah 6:3This verse directly echoes the holiness of God ('Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts') which is the core attribute being praised in Psalms 99:3, showing a consistent theme of God's absolute purity.
Revelation 4:8Similar to Isaiah 6:3, the living creatures around God's throne ceaselessly declare 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' underscoring the eternal and universal recognition of God's holiness as the highest praise.
pulpitPsalms 99:3: "Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy."
Verse 3. - Let them praise thy great and terrible Name. Even the Gentiles, after conversion, will praise the Lord, sing of him, and bless his Name. (On the "greatness" and "terribleness" of God, see Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 7:21; Deuteronomy 10:17; Nehemiah 1:5; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalm 68:35, etc.) For it is holy; rather, holy is he. This may be a suggestion to those about to praise God - a putting of words into their mou…
clarkePsalms 99:3: "Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy."
Let them praise thy great and terrible name - Let them confess thee to be great and terrible: let them tremble before thee. For it is holy - קדוש הוא kadosh hu. As this not only ends this verse but the fifth also, and in effect the ninth, it seems to be a species of chorus which was sung in a very solemn manner at the conclusion of each of these parts. His holiness - the immaculate purity of his nature, was the reason…
The phrase "Holy is he!" at the end isn't just a statement, but a powerful outburst of worship, emphasizing that God's holiness is the reason for His great and awesome name. It's a reminder that His perfect purity is precisely what commands such profound awe and reverence from all creation.
The psalm begins by declaring God's sovereign reign, calling for nations to tremble and the earth to be moved, while emphasizing His presence among His people. This leads to a declaration of His greatness in Zion and His supremacy over all nations. The verse in question then directly instructs people to acknowledge God's awesome and fearsome name, underscoring the reason for this reverence: God Himself is holy.
The psalm begins by declaring God's sovereign reign, calling for nations to tremble and the earth to be moved, while emphasizing His presence among His people. This leads to a declaration of His greatness in Zion and His supremacy over all nations. The verse in question then directly instructs people to acknowledge God's awesome and fearsome name, underscoring the reason for this reverence: God Himself is holy.
"Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!" — The phrase "Holy is he!" at the end isn't just a statement, but a powerful outburst of worship, emphasizing that God's holiness is the reason for His great and awesome name. It's a reminder that Hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026