Step 2: Go deeper with the original languages
Both passages use the Hebrew word zākar, meaning “to remember.” In Psalm 77:11, the word appears twice.
With Bible Gateway Plus, you can explore the meaning of words in the Bible's original languages—even if you don't know Hebrew.
Step 3: Explore the meaning
In Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, we discover that remembering involves more than recalling information. It can shape how we respond.
Mounce explains:
“Memory of God’s greatness and past assistance helps to quell fear in the believer’s heart.”
The dictionary specifically references Psalm 77:11, helping us see how recalling God's past works can encourage us in times of uncertainty.
It also offers another insight:
“The call for human beings to remember can be a call to action.”
When we remember how God has cared for us, gratitude becomes more than a response to today's circumstances. It becomes a way of recognizing His faithfulness over time.
Step 4: Pause and Reflect
- What past experience of God's faithfulness do I need to remember today?
- How might remembering God's past faithfulness shape the way I give thanks today?
Try this in your next Bible study. Choose a word that catches your attention, explore its meaning in a trusted dictionary, and see how Scripture uses it in different passages.
Read the full entry on zākar with Bible Gateway Plus →
