John Gill Commentary Psalms 66:3

"Say unto God, How terrible are thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee." — Psalms 66:3 (ASV)

Say unto God ^F20 , as some; or, "before God", as the Targum; say to him as follows, in psalms and hymns of praise:

how terrible you are in your works ! ^F21 or "reverend"; to be feared and reverenced with a godly fear on account of them; such as the works of nature and providence, which are stupendous and marvellous, fearfully and wonderfully wrought; and especially those of grace and redemption, in which the goodness of Christ is manifest, and for which he is to be feared: unless rather his judgments upon his enemies are here meant; who, though he is a Lamb to his own people, is the Lion of the tribe of Judah to them, whom he will break in pieces as a potter's vessel it may be read, "how terrible", or "tremendous", is everyone of "your works"; so Aben Ezra, and also Jarchi, who interprets the next clause,

through the greatness of your power , thus, "when you show to the world your power, by the pestilence, or sword, or famine, or lightnings:"

shall your enemies submit themselves unto you ? ^F23 in a lying, flattering, and deceitful manner, as the word ^F23 here used signifies; (See Gill on Psalms 18:44); or, as the above interpreters, ``they shall, through the greatness of your fear, confess the lies and transgressions they have committed.'' It will be a forced, and not a free, confession and submission; Christ's enemies, whether they will or not, will be obliged to own that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, (Philippians 2:10Philippians 2:11) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F20: (Myhlal wrma) "dicite de Deo", Campensis apud Gejerum; and some in Michaelis.
• F21: (arwn) "reverendus", Junius & Tremellius.
• F23: (wvxby) "mentientur", V. L. Musculus, Montanus; "mendaciter se dedunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Amama.