Heavens, Wonder, and Faithfulness: A Reflection on Psalm 89:5

Psalm 89:5 reads:

“And the heavens will praise Your wonder, O LORD, also Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.”

This single verse carries a rich depth that has captured my attention for days. Its layered meanings and theological weight invite reflection—and perhaps more than one reading at a time. I’d like to share some of the insights that have surfaced through study and meditation.

The Plurality of the Heavens

The Hebrew word for “heavens” (שָׁמַיִם) is always plural in the Old Testament. That alone is significant. It echoes Paul’s mention of the “third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:2 and raises the question: how many heavens are there? Even if the psalmist isn’t laying out a full cosmology, the plural form suggests a layered and transcendent reality—realms that collectively respond in praise to God’s glory.

Mercy Replaced by Wonder

Throughout Psalm 89, the psalmist pairs mercy and faithfulness—two core covenantal attributes of God. But in verse 6, mercy is strikingly replaced by wonder. Why? I believe this is a meaningful substitution. It’s as if the psalmist is inviting us to see mercy not only as a moral quality but as something so magnificent it evokes awe: a wonder.

As a Christian, I can’t help but think of the Gospel—the ultimate expression of God’s mercy. So when the heavens praise God’s “wonder,” I see no theological stretch in thinking that this includes the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. The heavens, after all, would have every reason to marvel at the divine act that reconciles sinners to a holy God.

Wonder as Act, Attribute, and Plurality

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “wonder” here (פִּלְאֲךָ) is singular, even though most English translations render it as “wonders.” I’ve come to believe that this may be intentional and poetic. It could refer to:

• A singular, defining act (perhaps the Gospel itself),

• A divine attribute (God is wondrous),

• Or a collective quality (all of God’s marvelous works).

Perhaps the ambiguity is meant to be embraced. The heavens will praise Your wonders, Your wonder, and Your wondrous nature—all at once. All are worthy of praise.

Faithfulness and Fixedness; Mercy and Movement

Another pattern I’ve noticed is how faithfulness seems to be associated with what is fixed—rooted in space, structure, and reliability. Meanwhile, mercy feels more dynamic, temporal, always unfolding. If God’s faithfulness forms the steady foundation of creation, His mercy fills that foundation with life, development, and relationship. The replacement of “mercy” with “wonder” may signal a poetic overlap: mercy as the active expression of a wondrous nature.

Who Are the Holy Ones?

The verse ends with God’s faithfulness being praised “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The Hebrew term here (קְדֹשִׁים) is ambiguous. It could refer to angels, the faithful of Israel, or other spiritual beings. The psalmist earlier speaks of “generations and generations,” suggesting a human audience—but nothing rules out heavenly beings. I think it’s both: the elect among humanity and the spiritual host praising God together in unified testimony.

Final Thought

Psalm 89:5 opens a window into the cosmic scale of God’s glory—how His character and acts resonate through the heavens and among His people. Whether we see “wonder” as an act, an attribute, or a whole constellation of God’s marvelous works, it draws our attention upward and outward. And when we read this as Christians, it’s only fitting that the ultimate wonder we see is Christ Himself.

The heavens still praise Him. So should we.