Where Does the Bible Say "God is Great"?

“Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

Scripture repeatedly tells us that God is great! When the Bible speaks of God’s greatness, it is all-encompassing. In the passage above, great is translated into an original Hebrew word that means: large (in magnitude and extent); in number; in intensity; loud (in sound); older (in age); in importance; great things.

“I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!” Deuteronomy 32:3

The greatness of God manifested in Jesus Christ, is greater than any other angelic beings, demons, and the devil himself. He is the greatest. “The Bible describes God as the greatest of gods; his greatness is unsearchable,” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology explains, “God by nature is great.” Luke wrote, “And they were amazed at the greatness of God” (Luke 9:43). This verse describes the reaction of Jesus removing a demonic spirit from a young boy (Luke 9:37-43). The NIV Study Bible describes the type of spirit Luke recorded: "This evil spirit was causing seizures and a speechless condition. Evil spirits were responsible for many kinds of affliction.” Here, greatness in the original Greek is defined as “greatness, magnificence: of the majesty of God; of the visible splendor of the divine majesty as it appeared in the transfiguration of Christ.”

Jesus glorified the Father. Everything we do is meant to glorify God and His greatness. The Matthew Henry Commentary states, “When Moses would set forth the greatness of God, he does it not by explaining his eternity and immensity, or describing the brightness so this glory in the upper world, but by showing the faithfulness of his word, the perfection of his works, and the wisdom and equity of all the administrations of his government; for in these his glory shines most clearly to us, and these are the things revealed wondering him, which belong to us and our children. (Deut 32:4).”

What Does it Mean That God Is Great?

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

God is great means God is above every other spiritual being and creature on earth and the spiritual realm. He is omnipotent (all-knowing) reigning sovereign over all. “Christ is the glory of God in the fullness of its radiance;” the NIV Study Bible notes explain, “his is the eternal and unfading glory, which he had with the Father ‘before the world began.” Jesus, the Living Word of God, was with God in the beginning. John writes in his Gospel account, “through Him all things were made” (John 1:1-9). The apostle John wrote, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).

God’s plan for us is greater than the world’s plots and ploys. The enemy has been given the world where he can run rampant, and we shouldn’t be shocked by the many things that vie for our attention and the promises that attempt to distract us. God is greater. His purposes are greater. Paul wrote to the Romans, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). “Whenever I get discouraged in the ministry,” Pastor John Piper preached, “I turn to a passage like this and remind myself- preach to myself - that I am on God’s side and God cannot lose.”

15 Verses in the Bible about God's Greatness

Deuteronomy 10:17: “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.”

Psalm 145:3: “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

Psalm 150:2: “Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.”

Psalm 66:3: “Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.’”

Ephesians 1:18-19: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Isaiah 40:26: “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

Exodus 15:7: “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.”

Deuteronomy 5:24: "And you said, 'The LORD our God has shown us his glory and majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.'"

Psalm 145:6: "They tell of the power of your awesome works- and I will proclaim your great deeds."

Deuteronomy 3:24 “Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?

Deuteronomy 11:2 “Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God; his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm;”

Luke 9:43-44 “And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ‘Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’”

Deuteronomy 9:26 “I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘Sovereign LORD, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.’”

Numbers 14:19 “In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

Nehemiah 13:22 “Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.”

Is God Good All the Time?

“And we know that in all tings God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. A popular church response, this exact phrase isn’t a Bible verse. However, its prose is inspired by the biblical truth about who God is. God is good. Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “For I know the plans I have for you …plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God is unchanging. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever.”

God does not change. James wrote, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) He is good all of the time because good is part of His character, and He is unchanging. This comforts and encourages us as we walk on through the days of our lives here on earth. This is not our eternal home, heaven with God is! For all those in Christ, our hope is not in the things of this world, but in the eternal promises of God! He has never failed to keep a promise. He is good! He never changes. The same compassionate love which sent His one and only Son to the cross for us waits for us, home in heaven. God is great, and to be reverently feared. He is our Father, Abba, Yahweh, and His goodness and greatness are who He is.

Further Reading

Bible Verses About God Is Great

What Does it Mean That God Is Great?

8 Ways God is Great When Life Hurts

Meg Bucher Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.