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10 Here comes with power
    the Lord God,
    who rules by his strong arm;
Here is his reward with him,
    his recompense before him.
11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
    in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
    leading the ewes with care.(A)

Power of God and the Vanity of Idols

12 Who has measured with his palm the waters,
    marked off the heavens with a span,
    held in his fingers the dust of the earth,
    weighed the mountains in scales
    and the hills in a balance?[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 40:12 The implicit answer is “the hand of the Lord” (v. 2). Waters…heavens…earth: together form the universe; cf. Gn 1:1–2. Span: the distance between the extended little finger and the thumb. Fingers: lit., “three fingers” (i.e., thumb, index, and middle).

10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(A) with power,(B)
    and he rules(C) with a mighty arm.(D)
See, his reward(E) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(F)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms(G)
and carries them close to his heart;(H)
    he gently leads(I) those that have young.(J)

12 Who has measured the waters(K) in the hollow of his hand,(L)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?(M)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?(N)

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