The LORD in the Cloud: Set Apart from the Set Apart

When reading Psalm 89:6, a curious phrase stands out:

“For who in the cloud can be set in array with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the sons of gods?” (my literal translation)

This verse paints a picture of the sacred realm—a “cloud” that’s not simply weather but symbolic of the divine presence. It evokes the incense-laden atmosphere of the tabernacle and temple, the smoke on Mount Sinai, and the heavenly throne room where prayer and glory fill the space like mist.

This “cloud” is a sacred space permeated with prayer, inhabited by many beings, the “sons of gods.” But even here—among these glorious, set-apart beings—there is one who cannot be compared, who cannot be arrayed beside the rest. There is only one LORD.

A Divine Assembly—and a Divine Distinction

The Scriptures speak of heavenly councils (Psalm 82, Job 1–2, 1 Kings 22), where divine beings—sometimes called “sons of God”—appear before the Most High. Psalm 89 seems to be echoing this imagery. But there’s a twist: the LORD is not merely the highest-ranking member of the council. He is of a completely different kind.

While other divine beings may be “arrayed” together, none can be arrayed with the LORD. They might belong to the same “order” or category; they might form “teams” or assemblies—but He is in a genus of His own.

He is set apart, even from those who are set apart.

The LORD: Son of El Elyon?

Deuteronomy 32:8 (in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint) says:

“When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance… He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.”

And verse 9 continues:

“But the LORD’s portion is His people.”

This has led many to suggest a two-tiered divine hierarchy: El Elyon, the Most High, apportions the nations to His sons—but YHWH (the LORD) receives none. Instead, Israel is His own inheritance. It’s as if He is not one of the many sons, but the true heir, the unique Son of the Most High.

This idea resonates powerfully with Luke 1:32, where Jesus is called:

“the Son of the Most High.”

He is the heir, the firstborn, the progenitor of all realms. He is the Word through whom all things were made (John 1:3), and the radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3). He is not one “god” among many—He is the LORD, and His nature sets Him apart even from the divine council.

A Team in a League of Its Own

The LORD refers to Himself as the Elohim of Abraham when speaking to Moses (Exodus 3:6). Elohim is a plural form, yet it refers to a singular God. This may reflect the majesty and mystery of divine unity—a kind of “team” or congregation within Himself.

Perhaps the “sons of gods” are like divine teams, but the LORD is the team that is in a league of its own—unmatched, ungrouped, unrelatable in kind. This aligns with Christian theology: the triune God is relational within Himself, yet utterly one, and utterly unique.

Conclusion: No One Like the LORD

Psalm 89 invites us into the sacred cloud, to behold the beings that dwell in heaven’s court. Yet its message is clear: no one in the cloud, no one among the “sons of gods,” can compare to the LORD.

He is the heir, the firstborn, the creator, and the only one worthy of being called the LORD. Divine beings may be arrayed together—but He alone is holy in a way that transcends all others.

He is set apart from the set apart. He is the LORD, Son of El Elyon. He is in a genus of His own.