Psalms 118:23This is Yahweh's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.
The setting
Temple courtyard, Jerusalem, Israel. Worshipers gathered in festival celebration, pointing and gesturing in wonder at God's impossible reversals...
The emotion here: breathless wonder at witnessing God's impossible intervention
The original word
pala' (פָּלָא) — to be extraordinary, beyond human ability to understand or accomplish
Why it matters
This phrase became a liturgical response in Jewish worship - the congregation would shout it together
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 118:23
'In our eyes' emphasizes human perspective - what looks impossible to us is normal for God
Common misconceptionPeople think this means everything God does should amaze us. It specifically refers to His habit of using rejected things for His greatest purposes - that's what's marvelous.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 118:23
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 118:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 118:23 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine action, wonder, worship. Notable phrases: Yahweh's doing; marvelous in our eyes.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Psalms 118:23 mean to you, today?
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