How Great Thou Art

Maria and I are fortunate to have a view of some beautiful scenery from our living-room window. The mountains, the trees, and the verdure are uplifting to look at and often cause us to thank and praise the Lord for the beauty of His creation. When looking at God’s creation, I’m in awe at what God has done and can do. The power to create our world and the whole universe and all that it contains, out of nothing, is beyond any power human beings can even fathom. The brilliance, creativity, precision, the sheer awesomeness and power of God is overwhelming, and when one meditates on it, the proper response can only be praise and worship.

Throughout Scripture, God is referred to as God Almighty, or the Almighty. In Hebrew, “God Almighty” is written as El Shaddai, meaning the All-Powerful One or The Mighty One. His unlimited power is expressed in both the Old and New Testaments: He is the Creator of heaven and earth,¹ the builder of all things,² God who makes everything,³ the one who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,⁴ who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number,⁵ who does all that he pleases.⁶

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God.⁷

I love that the one we love and worship is so awesome and powerful that He is able to do anything that is consistent with who He is. He of course can’t do certain things, such as act immorally or sin. He cannot deny himself⁸ or be tempted with evil,⁹ as those things are inconsistent with His nature and being; doing them would deny His own nature. But He can do anything compatible with His nature and who He is—and no one can stand against Him.

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.¹⁰

He is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does.¹¹

Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.¹²

The LORD Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.” … For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?¹³

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.¹⁴

Our Heavenly Father is so powerful that no one can stop, withstand, or defeat Him.

From ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?¹⁵

He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”¹⁶

O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.¹⁷

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.¹⁸

God is so powerful that nothing is too hard for Him.

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.¹⁹

Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.²⁰

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?²¹

For nothing will be impossible with God.²²

[Jesus] said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.”²³

So what is the right response to our God who is great and abundant in power,²⁴ who is exalted in power,²⁵ who made the earth by his power?²⁶ The right response to our Father is worship, praise, and thanksgiving. Like the writers of both the Old Testament and the New, we should Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power.”²⁷

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.²⁸

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.²⁹

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.³⁰

Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!³¹

As Scripture tells us, The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God.³² We are blessed and privileged to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. Remembering and meditating on His power, awesomeness, and love is something which should cause us to frequently praise and worship Him.

For Holy and awesome is his name!³³

Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!³⁴