Psalms 90:11 (DBY)

Passage

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? and thy wrath according to the fear of thee?

Nearby Context

Psalms 90:9 For all our days pass away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a [passing] thought.

Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if, by reason of strength, they be fourscore years, yet their pride is labour and vanity, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Psalms 90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? and thy wrath according to the fear of thee?

Psalms 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may acquire a wise heart.

Psalms 90:13 Return, Jehovah: how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knoweth", "power", "thine", "anger", "wrath", "fear", and "thee". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knoweth" and "power", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "The days of our years are threescore..." into verse 12's "So teach us to number our days...", so "knoweth" and "power" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "knoweth" and "power" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.