Bible Strands
2 Samuel 7:22
How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David addresses Yahweh in a prayer of thanksgiving, responding to God's promise to establish his dynasty (vv. 12–16). This verse is the hinge between David's acknowledgment of what God has done (v. 21) and his praise of Israel's uniqueness (v. 23).
The words — 'al-ken (עַל־כֵּן) is a causal conjunction, "therefore," binding this confession directly to the preceding action. ga.Dal.ta (גְּדַלְתָּ) is 2nd masc. sing. perfect of gadal (H1431), "you are great" — a declaration of magnitude, not merely size.
The thread — The same claim of divine uniqueness appears in Exodus 15:11 ("Who among the gods is like You?") and Psalms 86:10 ("You alone are God"), both grounded in God's wonders.
Why it lands — David anchors his confession in "everything we have heard with our own ears" (v. 22b), tying God's greatness to witnessed events rather than abstract theology. It asks the reader to check whether their own confession is grounded in something concrete they have encountered, or whether it is merely inherited language.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Cross-references
- Psalms 86:10 For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
- Exodus 15:11 Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Psalms 86:8 O Lord, there is none like You among the gods, nor any works like Yours.
- 1 Chronicles 16:25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Micah 7:18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
- Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me,
- Deuteronomy 3:24 “O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours?
- 1 Samuel 2:2 There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
- Psalms 89:6 For who in the skies can compare with the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?
- Psalms 89:8 O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You? O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.