Psalm 62:11
New International Version
One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God,

New Living Translation
God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you;

English Standard Version
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

Berean Standard Bible
God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God,

King James Bible
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

New King James Version
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.

New American Standard Bible
God has spoken once; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;

NASB 1995
Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;

NASB 1977
Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;

Legacy Standard Bible
Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That strength belongs to God;

Amplified Bible
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.

Christian Standard Bible
God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: strength belongs to God,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: strength belongs to God,

American Standard Version
God hath spoken once, Twice have I heard this, That power belongeth unto God.

Contemporary English Version
I heard God say two things: "I am powerful,

English Revised Version
God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God has spoken once. I have heard it [said] twice: "Power belongs to God.

Good News Translation
More than once I have heard God say that power belongs to him

International Standard Version
God spoke once, but I heard it twice, "Power belongs to God."

Majority Standard Bible
God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God,

NET Bible
God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,

New Heart English Bible
God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.

Webster's Bible Translation
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth to God.

World English Bible
God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Once has God spoken, twice I heard this, "" That “strength [is] with God.”

Young's Literal Translation
Once hath God spoken, twice I heard this, That 'strength is with God.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Once God spake; twice I heard this; that strength is to God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
God hath spoken once, these two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God,

Catholic Public Domain Version
God has spoken once. I have heard two things: that power belongs to God,

New American Bible
One thing God has said; two things I have heard: Strength belongs to God;

New Revised Standard Version
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
God has said this once; twice have I heard this; that power belongs unto God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For God said this once, and twice I have heard these things: "For strength is of God."
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
God hath spoken once, Twice have I heard this: That strength belongeth unto God;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
God has spoken once, and I have heard these two things, that power is of God;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Waiting on God
10Place no trust in extortion, or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. 11God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God, 12and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.…

Cross References
Job 33:14
For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.

Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.

Matthew 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. / Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.

Daniel 2:20-21
and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. / He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Ephesians 1:19-21
and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, / which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, / far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Jeremiah 32:17
“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Revelation 19:6
And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

John 19:11
Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

1 Timothy 6:15-16
which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time. / He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

Colossians 1:16-17
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. / He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.


Treasury of Scripture

God has spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongs to God.

spoken

Job 33:14
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

Job 40:5
Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

power.

Psalm 68:34,35
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds…

Isaiah 26:4
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

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Psalm 62
1. David, professing his confidence in God, discourages his enemies
5. In the same confidence he encourages the godly
9. No trust is to be put in worldly things
11. Power and mercy belong to God














God has spoken once;
This phrase emphasizes the authority and finality of God's word. In biblical context, when God speaks, it is definitive and requires no repetition for validation. This reflects the creation narrative in Genesis, where God speaks the world into existence with authority. The singularity of God's speech underscores His sovereignty and the sufficiency of His revelation. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the word of a king or deity was considered powerful and binding, and this is magnified in the case of the God of Israel, whose word is ultimate truth.

I have heard this twice:
The repetition here signifies certainty and importance. In Hebrew literature, repetition is a common device to emphasize a point. This mirrors the practice in the wisdom literature, such as Proverbs, where repetition is used to ensure understanding and retention. The phrase suggests that the psalmist has internalized the message, indicating a deep, personal conviction. It also reflects the Jewish tradition of oral transmission, where hearing and repeating were key to learning and preserving God's word.

that power belongs to God,
This declaration affirms God's omnipotence, a central theme throughout Scripture. It connects to other biblical passages such as Job 12:13 and Isaiah 40:29, which speak of God's unmatched strength and ability to accomplish His purposes. In the historical context, Israel often faced powerful enemies, and this truth served as a reminder of God's ultimate control over all nations and events. Theologically, it points to God's role as the ultimate ruler and judge, a theme that culminates in the New Testament with the authority of Jesus Christ, who is described as having all power in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). This phrase reassures believers of God's ability to protect and deliver, reinforcing trust in His divine plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 62, David was the second king of Israel, known for his deep relationship with God and his psalms of worship and lament.

2. God
The central figure in this verse, emphasizing His sovereignty and omnipotence.

3. Israel
The nation to whom the Psalms were originally addressed, often facing challenges that required reliance on God's power.
Teaching Points
The Unchanging Nature of God's Power
God's power is constant and unchanging, a truth that provides stability and assurance in a world of uncertainty.

The Importance of Listening to God
The repetition in the verse ("God has spoken once; I have heard this twice") highlights the importance of attentively listening to God's voice and recognizing His authority.

Reliance on Divine Strength
Believers are encouraged to rely on God's power rather than their own strength, especially in times of trouble or weakness.

God's Sovereignty in Our Lives
Understanding that power belongs to God helps us to trust in His plans and purposes, even when they are beyond our understanding.

The Call to Worship and Reverence
Recognizing God's power should lead us to worship Him with reverence and awe, acknowledging His supreme authority over all creation.(11) Once; twice.--The usual Hebrew mode of emphasising a numerical statement, and one growing naturally out of the structure of the verse, which loves a climax. (Comp. Proverbs 6:16-19.) The union of power and love is proved to the poet by the fairness and justice mentioned in the last clause.

Verse 11. - God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this (comp. Job 33:14). When a thing is spoken twice, then assurance is made doubly sure. That power belongeth unto God. God, i.e., is the only ultimate Source of all power.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
God
אֱלֹהִ֗ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

has spoken
דִּבֶּ֬ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

once;
אַחַ֤ת ׀ (’a·ḥaṯ)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

I have heard
שָׁמָ֑עְתִּי (šā·mā·‘ə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

this
ז֥וּ (zū)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 2098: This, which, who

twice:
שְׁתַּֽיִם־ (šə·ta·yim-)
Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

that power
עֹ֝֗ז (‘ōz)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5797: Strength, might

belongs to God,
לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (lê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT Poetry: Psalm 62:11 God has spoken once (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 62:10
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