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Translation
King James Version
There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
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KJV (with Strong's)
There go H1980 the ships H591: there is that leviathan H3882, whom thou hast made H3335 to play H7832 therein.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The ships are there, sailing to and fro; Livyatan, which you formed to play there.
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Berean Standard Bible
There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.
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American Standard Version
There go the ships; There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play therein.
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World English Bible Messianic
There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
There goe the shippes, yea, that Liuiathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
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Young's Literal Translation
There do ships go: leviathan, That Thou hast formed to play in it.
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 104:26 offers a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, specifically highlighting His dominion over the vast and mysterious oceans. It vividly portrays both human endeavors, symbolized by ships navigating the seas, and the most formidable and enigmatic creatures of the deep, personified by Leviathan, as existing entirely within the bounds of His design and even for His divine pleasure. This verse encapsulates the psalmist's awe at a Creator who not only brought the cosmos into being but intimately sustains and orchestrates every detail, from the mundane to the magnificent, demonstrating His unchallenged power and delightful engagement with His handiwork.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalms 104 is a magnificent hymn of praise, often considered a poetic retelling of the creation account in Genesis 1, emphasizing God as the glorious Creator and sustainer of all life. The psalm systematically recounts God's creative acts, moving from the heavens (vv. 1-4), to the earth's foundations and waters (vv. 5-9), then to the provision for flora and fauna (vv. 10-18), and the celestial bodies (vv. 19-23). Verse 26 falls within the section describing the sea (vv. 24-26), emphasizing its immense size and the teeming life within it. It directly follows the declaration in Psalms 104:25, which marvels at the "great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts," setting the stage for the specific mention of ships and Leviathan as prime examples of life and activity under God's sovereign gaze within this vast domain.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, the sea was often viewed with a mixture of awe and fear, representing both a source of life and a realm of unpredictable chaos. Maritime travel, though essential for trade and communication, was perilous, making ships symbols of human daring and vulnerability. The concept of a primordial sea monster, often associated with chaos or rebellious forces, was prevalent in various mythologies. For the Israelites, while they were not primarily a seafaring nation, the Mediterranean Sea was a significant geographical feature. The mention of "Leviathan" taps into this cultural understanding of powerful, untamable sea creatures, but recontextualizes it within a monotheistic framework where even such formidable beings are entirely subject to the one true God. This verse, therefore, serves to dismantle any lingering fear of chaotic forces by asserting God's playful dominion over them, a stark contrast to the pagan myths where deities struggled against such monsters.
  • Key Themes: The overarching theme of Psalms 104 is God's sovereignty and providential care over His creation. This verse specifically contributes to the theme of divine dominion over the untamable, showcasing that even the most formidable aspects of nature—the vast, unpredictable sea, and its most fearsome inhabitant—are not beyond God's control but are, in fact, integral to His design and purpose. It underscores the harmony and order God has established, where even potential symbols of chaos like Leviathan are made to "play" within His cosmic theater. This reinforces the idea that God's power is not merely about creation, but about the ongoing sustenance and delight He takes in His handiwork, echoing the goodness declared in Genesis 1:31 and the wisdom of God in creation as highlighted in Psalms 104:24.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Ship (Hebrew, ʼŏnîyâh', H591): This Hebrew noun (H591), referring to a vessel for sea travel, appears in the plural ("ships") in the verse. In the context of Psalms 104:26, "ships" represent human enterprise, commerce, and exploration. Their presence in the vast ocean, alongside the formidable Leviathan, highlights that both human activity and the wildness of nature are encompassed within God's sovereign domain. It signifies that even where humanity exerts its will and skill, it does so within the boundaries and under the watchful eye of the Creator, demonstrating God's comprehensive oversight.
  • Leviathan (Hebrew, livyâthân', H3882): This is a creature of immense power and size (H3882), appearing in other biblical texts (e.g., Job 41:1, Psalms 74:14, Isaiah 27:1). While its exact zoological identity is debated (possibly a large whale, crocodile, or even a mythical composite creature), its primary function in this verse is symbolic. It represents the most powerful, untamable, and potentially chaotic forces of the deep. The psalmist's inclusion of Leviathan emphasizes God's unchallenged authority over even the most fearsome elements of His creation, transforming a potential symbol of chaos into an obedient part of the divine order, serving to demonstrate God's might rather than oppose it.
  • Play (Hebrew, sâchaq', H7832): This Hebrew verb (H7832) means to laugh (in pleasure or detraction), mock, jest, or by implication, to play or make sport. When applied to Leviathan, it dramatically shifts the creature from a terrifying monster to a being that God has made "to play therein." This implies not only God's complete control but also His delight and perhaps even amusement in His creation. The fearsome Leviathan is not a threat to God's order but rather a creature fulfilling its purpose, perhaps even frolicking, under the Creator's benevolent gaze. It underscores the idea that God's dominion is not merely forceful but also harmonious, joyful, and effortless.

Verse Breakdown

  • "There go the ships:" This clause introduces the human element within the vast sea. It acknowledges the reality of human navigation and commerce, indicating that the psalmist's view of creation is comprehensive, encompassing both the natural world and humanity's interaction with it. It subtly suggests that even human endeavors are part of the larger divine tapestry, occurring within the bounds of God's created order and under His watchful eye, demonstrating His oversight of both the wild and the cultivated.
  • "there is that leviathan," This introduces the formidable sea creature, Leviathan, as another inhabitant of the great sea. By placing ships and Leviathan in the same verse, the psalmist contrasts human activity with the raw, untamed power of nature. The use of "that" (Hebrew: זֶה, zeh) gives it a sense of familiarity, as if it is a well-known, albeit awe-inspiring, entity. This juxtaposition highlights the breadth of God's dominion, encompassing both the known and the mysterious, the human and the wild.
  • "whom thou hast made to play therein." This is the climactic and most profound part of the verse. It directly attributes Leviathan's existence and activity ("to play") to God's creative act and ongoing will. The phrase "to play" (לְשַׂחֶק בּוֹ, l'sachaq bo) transforms a potentially terrifying creature into one that is not only subdued but also perhaps engaging in joyful activity under God's command. This powerfully conveys God's absolute sovereignty and His delightful engagement with even the most formidable aspects of His creation, demonstrating that nothing is outside His control or purpose, and that His power is exercised with ease and even joy.

Literary Devices

Psalms 104:26 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of divine sovereignty. Imagery is central, painting a vivid picture of the vast sea teeming with both human vessels and the colossal Leviathan. This visual contrast between the man-made and the wild, both existing within God's domain, underscores His expansive control. Symbolism is evident in the figure of Leviathan, which traditionally represents the untamable, chaotic forces of nature or even primordial evil. However, the psalmist subverts this traditional symbolism by presenting Leviathan not as a threat, but as a creature made by God "to play." This transforms a potential symbol of chaos into a testament to divine order and even delight, demonstrating God's effortless mastery. Furthermore, there is a subtle anthropomorphism in the idea of God making Leviathan "play," suggesting a personal, almost playful, interaction between the Creator and His most formidable creature, emphasizing His intimate and joyful dominion over all things. The verse's concise yet impactful phrasing also demonstrates the power of juxtaposition, placing human ships alongside the mythical Leviathan to highlight the breadth and depth of God's dominion.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalms 104:26 powerfully articulates the theological truth of God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, from the mundane to the magnificent, and even over what might appear chaotic or untamable. It echoes the Genesis account of creation, where God speaks all things into being and declares them "good," establishing order from formlessness. This verse specifically emphasizes that God's dominion extends not only to the initial act of creation but also to the ongoing sustenance and governance of every creature and every human endeavor within His created order. The "play" of Leviathan under God's hand serves as a profound metaphor for God's effortless and joyful control over forces that would otherwise overwhelm humanity, assuring believers that no power, natural or spiritual, can thwart His divine will or escape His benevolent oversight. This truth provides immense comfort, knowing that the Creator of the cosmos orchestrates even the most fearsome elements for His purposes and delight.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

This verse invites us to expand our understanding of God's power beyond mere creation to His active, joyful, and comprehensive governance of the universe. If God can make the fearsome Leviathan "play" in the vast deep, then surely He has sovereign control over every aspect of our lives, no matter how chaotic or overwhelming they may seem. This truth offers immense comfort and security, reminding us that our anxieties, our challenges, and the unpredictable forces of life are all within the scope of His omnipotent and benevolent care. It calls us to a deeper trust, recognizing that the God who delights in His creation, even its most formidable parts, is deeply invested in our well-being and orchestrates all things for His purposes. Our response should be one of profound awe and worship, acknowledging that there is no force, no circumstance, and no creature beyond the loving and powerful hand of our Creator. This perspective transforms fear into reverence, and anxiety into peace, as we rest in His unfailing dominion.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the idea of God making Leviathan "play" challenge or expand your understanding of God's sovereignty?
  • What "uncontrollable" or "fearsome" aspects of your life or the world do you need to surrender to God's playful dominion?
  • How does this verse encourage you to trust God more deeply in situations where you feel powerless or overwhelmed?

FAQ

What exactly is Leviathan, and is it a real creature?

Answer: The exact identity of Leviathan (לִוְיָתָן, livyâthân') has been a subject of much discussion. In ancient Near Eastern mythology, it often referred to a primordial sea monster, a symbol of chaos that a deity would subdue. In the Bible, particularly in Job 41, it is described in great detail as an incredibly powerful, fire-breathing, and unconquerable aquatic creature. While some scholars suggest it could be a large crocodile, whale, or even a dinosaur-like creature, its description often transcends any single known animal, suggesting it functions more as a symbolic representation of the most formidable and untamable forces of nature. In Psalms 104:26, its primary purpose is to illustrate God's absolute and delightful dominion over even the most terrifying and powerful elements of His creation, whether it is a literal creature or a symbol of chaos. The theological point is not its zoological classification but God's unchallenged authority over all that is wild and powerful.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalms 104:26, with its declaration of God's sovereign control over the sea and its most formidable creature, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The God who made Leviathan "play" is the same God who, in the person of Jesus, demonstrated absolute authority over the natural world. We see this vividly in the Gospels when Jesus calms the storm with a mere word, rebuking the wind and the waves, causing a great calm (Mark 4:39). This act not only reveals His divine power over creation but also His authority over chaos, echoing the Creator's original ordering of the world. Furthermore, Leviathan, as a symbol of untamed power or even evil, foreshadows the spiritual forces of chaos and darkness that Jesus came to conquer. He cast out demons (Luke 4:36), healed diseases, and ultimately triumphed over sin and death through His crucifixion and resurrection, thereby disarming the principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15). Just as God makes Leviathan play, Christ, by His redemptive work, brings all things under His feet, establishing a new creation where the ultimate "chaos" of sin and death is overcome, and all creation awaits its final liberation in Him (Romans 8:21). In Christ, God's delightful dominion over all things, even the most fearsome, is perfectly revealed and eternally secured.

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Commentary on Psalms 104 verses 19–30

We are here taught to praise and magnify God,

I. For the constant revolutions and succession of day and night, and the dominion of sun and moon over them. The heathen were so affected with the light and influence of the sun and moon, and their serviceableness to the earth, that they worshipped them as deities; and therefore the scripture takes all occasions to show that the gods they worshipped are the creatures and servants of the true God (Psa 104:19): He appointed the moon for seasons, for the measuring of the months, the directing of the seasons for the business of the husbandman, and the governing of the tides. The full and change, the increase and decrease, of the moon, exactly observe the appointment of the Creator; so does the sun, for he keeps as punctually to the time and place of his going down as if he were an intellectual being and knew what he did. God herein consults the comfort of man. 1. The shadows of the evening befriend the repose of the night (Psa 104:20): Thou makes darkness and it is night, which, though black, contributes to the beauty of nature, and is as a foil to the light of the day; and under the protection of the night all the beasts of the forest creep forth to feed, which they are afraid to do in the day, God having put the fear and dread of man upon every beast of the earth (Gen 9:2), which contributes as much to man's safety as to his honour. See how nearly allied those are to the disposition of the wild beasts who wait for the twilight (Job 24:15) and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; and compare to this the danger of ignorance and melancholy, which are both as darkness to the soul; when, in either of those ways, it is night, then all the beasts of the forest creep forth. Satan's temptations then assault us and have advantage against us. Then the young lions roar after their prey; and, as naturalists tell us, their roaring terrifies the timorous beasts so that they have not strength nor spirit to escape from them, which otherwise they might do, and so they become an easy prey to them. They are said to seek their meat from God, because it is not prepared for them by the care and forecast of man, but more immediately by the providence of God. The roaring of the young lions, like the crying of the young ravens, is interpreted asking their meat of God. Does God put this construction upon the language of mere nature, even in venomous creatures? and shall he not much more interpret favourably the language of grace in his own people, though it be weak and broken, groanings which cannot be uttered? 2. The light of the morning befriends the business of the day (Psa 104:22, Psa 104:23): The sun arises (for, as he knows his going down, so, thanks be to God, he knows his rising again), and then the wild beasts betake themselves to their rest; even they have some society among them, for they gather themselves together and lay down in their dens, which is a great mercy to the children of men, that while they are abroad, as becomes honest travellers, between sun and sun, care is taken that they shall not be set upon by wild beasts, for they are then drawn out of the field, and the sluggard shall have no ground to excuse himself from the business of the day with this, That there is a lion in the way. Therefore then man goes forth to his work and to his labour. The beasts of prey creep forth with fear; man goes forth with boldness, as one that has dominion. The beasts creep forth to spoil and do mischief; man goes forth to work and do good. There is the work of every day, which is to be done in its day, which man must apply to every morning (for the lights are set up for us to work by, not to play by) and which he must stick to till evening; it will be time enough to rest when the night comes, in which no man can work.

II. For the replenishing of the ocean (Psa 104:25, Psa 104:26): As the earth is full of God's riches, well stocked with animals, and those well provided for, so that it is seldom that any creature dies merely for want of food, so is this great and wide sea which seems a useless part of the globe, at least not to answer the room it takes up; yet God has appointed it its place and made it serviceable to man both for navigation (there go the ships, in which goods are conveyed, to countries vastly distant, speedily and much more cheaply than by land-carriage) and also to be his storehouse for fish. God made not the sea in vain, any more than the earth; he made it to be inherited, for there are things swimming innumerable, both small and great animals, which serve for man's dainty food. The whale is particularly mentioned in the history of the creation (Gen 1:21) and is here called the leviathan, as Job 41:1. He is made to play in the sea; he has nothing to do, as man has, who goes forth to his work; he has nothing to fear, as the beasts have, that lie down in their dens; and therefore he plays with the waters. It is a pity that any of the children of men, who have nobler powers and were made for nobler purposes, should live as if they were sent into the world, like leviathan into the waters, to play therein, spending all their time in pastime. The leviathan is said to play in the waters, because he is so well armed against all assaults that he sets them at defiance and laughs at the shaking of a spear, Job 41:29.

III. For the seasonable and plentiful provision which is made for all the creatures, Psa 104:27, Psa 104:28. 1. God is a bountiful benefactor to them: He gives them their meat; he opens his hand and they are filled with good. He supports the armies both of heaven and earth. Even the meanest creatures are not below his cognizance. He is open-handed in the gifts of his bounty, and is a great and good housekeeper that provides for so large a family. 2. They are patient expectants from him: They all wait upon him. They seek their food, according to the natural instinct God has put into them and in the proper season for it, and affect not any other food, or at any other time, than nature has ordained. They do their part for the obtaining of it: what God gives them they gather, and expect not that Providence should put it into their mouths; and what they gather they are satisfied with - they are filled with good. They desire no more than what God sees fit for them, which may shame our murmurings, and discontent, and dissatisfaction with our lot.

IV. For the absolute power and sovereign dominion which he has over all the creatures, by which every species is still continued, though the individuals of each are daily dying and dropping off. See here, 1. All the creatures perishing (Psa 104:29): Thou hidest thy face, withdrawest thy supporting power, thy supplying bounty, and they are troubled immediately. Every creature has as necessary a dependence upon God's favours as every saint is sensible he has and therefore says with David (Psa 30:7), Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled. God's displeasure against this lower world for the sin of man is the cause of all the vanity and burden which the whole creation groans under. Thou takest away their breath, which is in thy hand, and then, and not till then, they die and return to their dust, to their first principles. The spirit of the beast, which goes downward, is at God's command, as well as the spirit of a man, which goes upward. The death of cattle was one of the plagues of Egypt, and is particularly taken notice of in the drowning of the world. 2. All preserved notwithstanding, in a succession (Psa 104:30): Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created. The same spirit (that is, the same divine will and power) by which they were all created at first still preserves the several sorts of creatures in their being, and place, and usefulness; so that, though one generation of them passes away, another comes, and from time to time they are created; new ones rise up instead of the old ones, and this is a continual creation. Thus the face of the earth is renewed from day to day by the light of the sun (which beautifies it anew every morning), from year to year by the products of it, which enrich it anew every spring and put quite another face upon it from what it had all winter. The world is as full of creatures as if none died, for the place of those that die is filled up. This (the Jews say) is to be applied to the resurrection, which every spring is an emblem of, when a new world rises out of the ashes of the old one.

In the midst of this discourse the psalmist breaks out into wonder at the works of God (Psa 104:24): O Lord! how manifold are thy works! They are numerous, they are various, of many kinds, and many of every kind; and yet in wisdom hast thou made them all. When men undertake many works, and of different kinds, commonly some of them are neglected and not done with due care; but God's works, though many and of very different kinds, are all made in wisdom and with the greatest exactness; there is not the least flaw nor defect in them. The works of art, the more closely they are looked upon with the help of microscopes, the more rough they appear; the works of nature through these glasses appear more fine and exact. They are all made in wisdom, for they are all made to answer the end they were designed to serve, the good of the universe, in order to the glory of the universal Monarch.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–30. Public domain.
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Athanasius of AlexandriaAD 373
Discourses Against the Arians 1.6.19
But their doctrine is false. Truth witnesses that God is the eternal fountain of his proper wisdom; and, if the Fountain is eternal, the Wisdom also has to be eternal. For in it were all things made, as David says in the psalm, “In wisdom you have made them all”; and Solomon says, “The Lord by wisdom has formed the earth, by understanding he has established the heavens.” And this Wisdom is the Word, and by him, as John says, “all things were made,” and “without him not one thing was made.”
Athanasius of AlexandriaAD 373
DEFENSE OF THE NICENE DEFINITION 4:17
Doubtless the things that came to be through the Word, these are “founded in wisdom” and what are “founded in wisdom,” these are all made by the Hand and came to be through the Son. And we have proof of this, not from external sources, but from the Scriptures; for God says by Isaiah the prophet, “My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spanned the heavens.” And again, “And I will cover you in the shadow of my hand, by which I planted the heaven, and laid the foundations of the earth.” And David, who was taught this and knew that the Lord’s hand was nothing else than wisdom, says in the psalm, “In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creation.”
Athanasius of AlexandriaAD 373
FESTAL LETTERS 19:7
Let us, therefore, in the faith of the disciples, converse frequently with our Master. For the world is like the sea to us, my brothers, of which it is written, “This is the great and wide sea, there go the ships; the Leviathan, which you have created to play therein.” We float on this sea, as with the wind, through our own free will, for everyone directs his course according to his will, and either, under the pilotage of the Word, he enters into rest, or, laid hold on by pleasure, he suffers shipwreck and is in peril by storm. For as in the ocean there are storms and waves, so in the world there are many afflictions and trials.
Cyril of JerusalemAD 386
Catechetical Lecture 9:11
“This great and wide sea, in it there are creeping things without number.” Who can describe the beauty of the fishes therein? Who can describe the greatness of the whales and the nature of the amphibious animals, how they live on the dry land and in the waters? Who can describe the depth and breadth of the sea or the shock of its tumultuous waves? The sea stays within its confines because of him who said, “This far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!” It clearly reveals the decree imposed on it, when running out it leaves on the sands a distinct line marked by its waves, as though to signify to those who see it that it has not transgressed its appointed bounds.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
The Six Days of Creation 1:5.17
This world is an example of the workings of God, because, while we observe the work, the Worker is brought before us. The arts may be considered in various aspects. There are those that are practical. These relate to the movement of the body or to the sound of the voice. When the movement or the sound has passed away, there is nothing that survives or remains for the spectators or the hearers. Other arts are theoretical. These display the vigor of the mind. There are other arts of such a nature that, even when the processes of operation cease, the handiwork remains visible. As an example of this we have buildings or woven material that, even when the craftsman is silent, still exhibit his skill, so that testimony is presented of the craftsman’s own work. In a similar way, this work is a distinctive mark of divine majesty from which the wisdom of God is made manifest. On beholding this, raising the eyes of his mind at the same time to the things invisible, the psalmist says, “How great are your works, O Lord; you have made all things in wisdom.”
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
LETTER 51
Consider that the sun, the moon and the stars, the lights of the sky which, though they shine with brilliant splendor, are yet creatures, and, whether they rise or fall in their daily performance of duty, they serve the will of the eternal Creator, bringing forth the beauty with which they are clothed and shining by day and by night. How often is the sun covered by clouds or taken from the gaze of the earth when the ray of its light is dispelled in the sky or an eclipse occurs, and as Scripture says: “The moon knows its going down.” It knows when it should shine in full light or weakened light. The stars, which are engaged in service to this world’s advantage, disappear when they are covered by clouds, not willingly, surely, but in hope, because they hope for gratitude for their labor from him who made them subject [to him]. Thus, they persevere for his sake, that is, for his will.
John ChrysostomAD 407
AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 7:59
Then, even if anger boils up, it is easily cooled. If passion flares forth, the flames are readily quenched. If envy consumes us, it is not difficult to drive it away. The same thing happens that the prophet says happens when the sun rises. What did he say? “You made the darkness, and it was night. In it all the wild beasts of the forest will go forth, even young lions roaring for prey and to seek meat for themselves from God. The sun arose, and they were gathered together and shall lie down in their dens.” At sunrise, then, every wild beast is driven off and slinks away to its lair. So, too, when a prayer, like a ray of the sun, arises from our tongue and comes forth from our mouth, our mind is enlightened, all the savage passions that destroy our reason slink away and flee to their own lairs, if only our prayer is diligent, if only it comes from a watchful soul and sober mind. Should the devil be on hand when we pray, he is driven off; should a demon be there, he slinks away.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 104
"There shall go the ships" [Psalm 104:26]. Lo, ships float upon that which alarmed you, and sink not. By ships we understand churches; they go among the storms, among the tempests of temptations, among the waves of the world, among the beasts, both small and great. Christ on the wood of His cross is the Pilot. "There shall go the ships." Let not the ships fear, let them not much mind where they float, but by Whom they are steered. "There shall go the ships." What voyage do they find tedious, when they feel that Christ is their Pilot? They will sail safely, let them sail diligently, they will reach their promised haven, they will be led to the land of rest.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 11.15
There is a passage, too, in the Book of Job, of which the devil is the subject: "This is the beginning of the creation of God, which he made to be a sport to his angels," which agrees with the psalm, where it is said, "There is that dragon which Thou hast made to be a sport therein." But these passages are not to lead us to suppose that the devil was originally created to be the sport of the angels, but that he was doomed to this punishment after his sin. His beginning, then, is the handiwork of God; for there is no nature, even among the least, and lowest, and last of the beasts, which was not the work of Him from whom has proceeded all measure, all form, all order, without which nothing can be planned or conceived. How much more, then, is this angelic nature, which surpasses in dignity all else that he has made, the handiwork of the Most High!
Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 11.17
And because God, when he created him, was certainly not ignorant of his future malignity, and foresaw the good which he Himself would bring out of his evil, therefore says the psalm, "This leviathan whom Thou hast made to be a sport therein," that we may see that, even while God in his goodness created him good, he yet had already foreseen and arranged how he would make use of him when he became wicked.
John CassianAD 435
Conference 10:11
And so by the illumination of God himself he mounts to that manifold knowledge of him and begins to be nourished on more sublime and still more sacred mysteries, in accordance with these words of the prophet: “The high hills are a refuge for the stags, the rocks for the hedgehogs,” which is fairly applied in the sense we have given, because whoever continues in simplicity and innocence is not harmful or offensive to any one, but being content with his own simple condition endeavors simply to defend himself from being harmed by his foes and becomes a sort of spiritual hedgehog, protected by the continual shield of that rock of the gospel. That is, while he is sheltered by the recollection of the Lord’s passion and by ceaseless meditation on the verse given above, he escapes the snares of his enemies. And of these spiritual hedgehogs we read in Proverbs as follows: “And the hedgehogs are a feeble folk, who have made their homes in the rocks.”
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 136:2-3
As you know, that psalm [104 (103 LXX)] contains the words “The sun knows the hour of its setting. You bring darkness, and it is night.” What person, though unlettered, does not understand and know that when the sun reaches its setting, immediately night and darkness appear? Why, then, was it necessary for the prophet to say what is evidently understood by everyone? Likewise what follows: “Then all the beasts of the forest roam about. Young lions roar for the prey and seek their food from God.” Can there be found anyone who does not know this? Truly, it is known to everyone that when night comes all the beasts roam about everywhere. Since, as you see, we ought not receive this according to the letter, listen attentively, as is your custom, to their spiritual significance.Now what the psalmist said, “The sun knows the hour of its setting,” is not to be taken concerning the sun but with regard to him of whom the prophet says, “For those who fear your name there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” Of him we read in Solomon that the wicked will say, “The sun did not rise for us.” Therefore, Christ is the true sun of justice. He knew his setting when he yielded to his passion for our salvation; for when he was crucified, night and darkness took hold of the souls of his disciples. Truly, brothers, how was there not darkness in those who did not believe Christ was risen from the dead? Finally, when the women reported that they had seen the Lord, “this talk seemed to the apostles to be nonsense, and they did not believe the women.” Moreover, on another occasion the two disciples spoke thus to the Lord who was talking to them: “But we were hoping that it was he who should redeem Israel.” When the apostles spoke these words, then was fulfilled those others: “The sun knows the hour of its setting. You bring darkness, and it is night.”
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 136:6
After this the prophet added the words “The sea also, great and wide, in which are schools without number of living things.” The sea is understood as the world, which is full of storms and dangerous waves, even full of bitterness and saltiness. It also has quite large fish that do not cease to devour the smaller ones. There are numberless creeping things, so-called because they creep over the earth. For this reason carnal people and those who are too fond of the world, because they think only of the present life and continuously apply themselves to its pursuits out of love for it, are not unfittingly called creeping things. Furthermore, the words “The sea also, great and wide, where ships move about” are not to be understood relative to the ships of wood that are carried over the sea by the force of the wind but to the catholic church. While the latter desires to reach the port of paradise by holy, just works, it is beaten by many waves of tribulation and the winds of various storms. Moreover, although it is tossed by the violent beating of the winds, it is so well directed by the oars of holy discipline, so well driven by the breath of the Holy Spirit, that it is carried to eternal life by the Festal very adversities that oppose it. In this sea there is also that dragon of which it is written: “This sea dragon that you formed to make sport of it.” That dragon is understood as the devil. He is apt to play in the wicked in such a way that not only does he persuade them to sin but, using them as his ministers, he does not cease to persecute even those who are holy and just. This dragon was made a good angel by God, but since he exalted himself against God by pride and fell from that happy angelic state, deceiving himself by pride, through God’s hidden but just judgment he is permitted to deceive with his cunning careless people.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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