Read
Psalm 9:20
Put them in fear, LORD. Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.
Notice
“Put them in fear” can be a hard prayer to read: the plea for the poor ends by asking God to humble nations.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What makes the request to put nations in fear hard or fitting for you to pray?
Write on thisWhich nation comes to mind when you read “Let the nations know that they are only men”?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the …The psalm asks nations to know they are human; Ezekiel confronts the prince of Tyre with that truth despite his claim to deity.
Isaiah 31:3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble, and he …Both texts insist on human limits before God: the nations are men, and Egypt’s strength cannot withstand the LORD’s hand.
Jeremiah 32:40I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they …Both speak of God putting fear in people, though Jeremiah connects that fear with covenant faithfulness and the psalm with judgment.
Psalm 82:6–7I said, “You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High.The shared thread is limited: both concern status before God, though one calls its hearers gods and the other stresses human limits.
Psalm 62:9Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.Both expose the limits of human greatness: nations are human, and people of high degree weigh less than a breath.
Numbers 22:31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on …The psalm seeks a humbling encounter with God; Balaam bows to the ground when the LORD reveals the angel’s drawn sword.
Psalm 76:12He will cut off the spirit of princes. He is feared by the kings of the earth.Both connect fear of God with earthly power: nations must learn their limits, and kings fear the one who cuts off princes.
Acts 12:22–23The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”Both turn on the distinction between human and divine: the psalm asks nations to recognize it, while the crowd’s shout erases it.
Deuteronomy 2:25Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole sky, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble …Both speak of God bringing fear upon peoples, though Deuteronomy specifies dread of Israel and the psalm asks nations to recognize human limits.
Ezekiel 28:9Will you yet say before him who kills you, ‘I am God’? But you are man, and not God, in the hand of him who wounds you.Both confront claims to greatness with human limits: nations must know they are men, and Ezekiel’s hearer remains human when facing death.
Exodus 23:27I will send my terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.Both describe fear as something God can bring upon peoples; Exodus specifies terror that sends Israel’s enemies into retreat.
Ezekiel 30:13“‘The Lord GOD says: “I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis. There will be no more a prince from the land of Egypt. …Both connect divine judgment with fear among nations; Ezekiel names Egypt as the land where God will put fear.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. fear for the future.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Nations may wield great force, and the poor may still wait for justice. That power does not make nations gods; they remain human before YHWH.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).