Read & explore together
Praise cannot exhaust the Creator’s greatness
Sirach 43:27–33 says that human praise cannot fully match the Lord’s greatness. This wisdom passage urges people to glorify him strongly, while admitting that his greatness and works go beyond what people can completely say or see.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
These verses reflect on the Lord himself, not on a story event. The passage moves from the failure of many words, to the call to glorify the Lord with full strength, to the confession that much remains hidden. It closes by naming him as maker of all things and giver of wisdom.
Sirach 43:27–33Main takeaway
This passage teaches that people should glorify the Lord as much as they can, while humbly recognising that his greatness surpasses human words and sight.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Many words are still not enoughThe passage opens by saying people may say many things and still not say enough. Its summary, “He is everything!”, presses the reader toward the Lord’s unmatched greatness.
Explanation
The passage opens by saying people may say many things and still not say enough. Its summary, “He is everything!”, presses the reader toward the Lord’s unmatched greatness. The focus is not on perfect explanation, but on admitting that human speech cannot exhaust who he is.
02The Lord is greater than his worksSirach asks how people could have strength to glorify the Lord, because he is greater than all his works.
Explanation
Sirach asks how people could have strength to glorify the Lord, because he is greater than all his works. What he has made is wonderful, yet he is greater still. The next line states this plainly: the Lord is awesome, exceedingly great, and his power is marvellous.
03Glorify him as much as you canThe reader is told to glorify and exalt the Lord as much as possible, summoning full strength.
Explanation
The reader is told to glorify and exalt the Lord as much as possible, summoning full strength. Even then, he will surpass that praise. So the command is both active and humble: keep exalting the Lord, and do not grow weary, because praise can never fully reach his greatness.
04Only a few works have been seenThe passage asks who has seen the Lord well enough to describe him as he is. It then says many greater things are hidden and that people have seen only a few of his works.
Explanation
The passage asks who has seen the Lord well enough to describe him as he is. It then says many greater things are hidden and that people have seen only a few of his works. The conclusion gives firm ground for praise: the Lord made all things and gives wisdom to the godly.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does “He is everything!” do in this passage?
Read Sirach 43:27 closely: it comes after saying many words are still not enough, so it works as a summary of God’s surpassing greatness.
02Why should people not grow weary in praising the Lord?
Sirach 43:30 says to use full strength because even then the Lord will still surpass that praise.
03How do the last verses show both humility and certainty?
Sirach 43:31–33 admits that much is hidden and only a few works are seen, yet clearly says the Lord made all things and gives wisdom to the godly.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 43:27–33
27We may say many things, but couldn’t say enough. The summary of our words is, “He is everything!”
28How could we have strength to glorify him? For he is himself the greater than all his works.
29The Lord is awesome and exceedingly great! His power is marvelous!
30Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can! For even yet, he will surpass that. When you exalt him, summon your full strength. Don’t be weary, because you can’t praise him enough.
31Who has seen him, that he may describe him? Who can magnify him as he is?
32Many things greater than these are hidden, for we have seen just a few of his works.
33For the Lord made all things. He gave wisdom to the godly.