Psalms 89:25

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

Complete Jewish Bible:

I will put his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.

Berean Standard Bible:

I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand upon the rivers.

American Standard Version:

I will set his hand also on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

I will set^{H7760}{H8804)} his hand^{H3027} also in the sea^{H3220}, and his right hand^{H3225} in the rivers^{H5104}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Psalms 89:25

Psalm 89:25 is part of a larger psalm attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, which is a prayerful reflection on God's covenant with King David and the Davidic dynasty. This particular verse is rich in metaphorical language, drawing on the imagery of ancient Near Eastern royal and divine symbolism.

In the historical context, the verse speaks to the sovereignty and dominion that God bestows upon the Davidic king. The phrase "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers" symbolizes the king's power extending to the furthest reaches of the earth, as the sea and rivers were often seen as the boundaries of the known world. The "hand" represents the king's strength and authority. By setting the king's hand in these bodies of water, God is depicted as granting the king vast dominion and control over the natural world, indicating that his reign is divinely ordained and protected.

Themes in this verse include divine authority, the extent of the king's power, and the fulfillment of God's promises to David, as outlined in the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7). It reflects the expectation that the Davidic king would have dominion over his enemies and that his kingdom would be prosperous and expansive. The verse also echoes the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty over all creation, with the divine "I" emphasizing that it is God who establishes and sustains the king's rule.

In summary, Psalm 89:25 is a declaration of the divine empowerment of the Davidic king, promising expansive rule and authority as a sign of God's faithfulness to His covenant. It uses the imagery of dominion over the sea and rivers to convey the extent of this God-given power, emphasizing the intertwined nature of divine and earthly rule in the theology of ancient Israel.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7760
   There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שׂוּם
   Transliteration: sûwm
   Pronunciation: soom
   Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3220
   There are 339 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָם
   Transliteration: yâm
   Pronunciation: yawm
   Description: from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south; sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).
   
4. Strong's Number: H3225
   There are 133 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָמִין
   Transliteration: yâmîyn
   Pronunciation: yaw-meen'
   Description: from יָמַן; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south; [phrase] left-handed, right (hand, side), south.
   
5. Strong's Number: H5104
   There are 109 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָהָר
   Transliteration: nâhâr
   Pronunciation: naw-hawr'
   Description: from נָהַר; a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity; flood, river.