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Commentary on Psalms 104 verses 1–9
When we are addressing ourselves to any religious service we must stir up ourselves to take hold on God in it (Isa 64:7); so David does here. "Come, my soul, where art thou? What art thou thinking of? Here is work to be done, good work, angels' work; set about it in good earnest; let all the powers and faculties be engaged and employed in it: Bless the Lord, O my soul!" In these verses,
I. The psalmist looks up to the divine glory shining in the upper world, of which, though it is one of the things not seen, faith is the evidence. With what reverence and holy awe does he begin his meditation with that acknowledgment: O Lord my God! thou art very great! It is the joy of the saints that he who is their God is a great God. The grandeur of the prince is the pride and pleasure of all his good subjects. The majesty of God is here set forth by various instances, alluding to the figure which great princes in their public appearances covet to make. Their equipage, compared with his (even of the eastern kings, who most affected pomp), is but as the light of a glow-worm compared with that of the sun, when he goes forth in his strength. Princes appear great, 1. In their robes; and what are God's robes? Thou art clothed with honour and majesty, Psa 104:1. God is seen in his works, and these proclaim him infinitely wise and good, and all that is great. Thou coverest thyself with light as with a garment, Psa 104:2. God is light (Jo1 1:5), the Father of lights (Jam 1:17); he dwells in light (Ti1 6:16); he clothes himself with it. The residence of his glory is in the highest heaven, that light which was created the first day, Gen 1:3. Of all visible beings light comes nearest to the nature of a spirit, and therefore with that God is pleased to cover himself, that is, to reveal himself under that similitude, as men are seen in the clothes with which they cover themselves; and so only, for his face cannot be seen. 2. In their palaces or pavilions, when they take the field; and what is God's palace and his pavilion? He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, Psa 104:2. So he did at first, when he made the firmament, which in the Hebrew has its name from its being expanded, or stretched out, Gen 1:7. He made it to divide the waters as a curtain divides between two apartments. So he does still: he now stretches out the heavens like a curtain, keeps them upon the stretch, and they continue to this day according to his ordinance. The regions of the air are stretched out about the earth, like a curtain about a bed, to keep it warm, and drawn between us and the upper world, to break its dazzling light; for, though God covers himself with light, yet, in compassion to us, he makes darkness his pavilion. Thick clouds are a covering to him. The vastness of this pavilion may lead us to consider how great, how very great, he is that fills heaven and earth. He has his chambers, his upper rooms (so the word signifies), the beams whereof he lays in the waters, the waters that are above the firmament (Psa 104:3), as he has founded the earth upon the seas and floods, the waters beneath the firmament. Though air and water are fluid bodies, yet, by the divine power, they are kept as tight and as firm in the place assigned them as a chamber is with beams and rafters. How great a God is he whose presence-chamber is thus reared, thus fixed! 3. In their coaches of state, with their stately horses, which add much to the magnificence of their entries; but God makes the clouds his chariots, in which he rides strongly, swiftly, and far above out of the reach of opposition, when at any time he will act by uncommon providences in the government of this world. He descended in a cloud, as in a chariot, to Mount Sinai, to give the law, and to Mount Tabor, to proclaim the gospel (Mat 17:5), and he walks (a gentle pace indeed, yet stately) upon the wings of the wind. See Psa 18:10, Psa 18:11. He commands the winds, directs them as he pleases, and serves his own purposes by them. 4. In their retinue or train of attendants; and here also God is very great, for (Psa 104:4) he makes his angels spirits. This is quoted by the apostle (Heb 1:7) to prove the pre-eminence of Christ above the angels. The angels are here said to be his angels and his ministers, for they are under his dominion and at his disposal; they are winds, and a flame of fire, that is, they appeared in wind and fire (so some), or they are as swift as winds, and pure as flames; or he makes them spirits, so the apostle quotes it. They are spiritual beings; and, whatever vehicles they may have proper to their nature, it is certain they have not bodies as we have. Being spirits, they are so much the further removed from the encumbrances of the human nature and so much the nearer allied to the glories of the divine nature. And they are bright, and quick, and ascending, as fire, as a flame of fire. In Ezekiel's vision they ran and returned like a flash of lightning, Eze 1:14. Thence they are called seraphim - burners. Whatever they are, they are what God made them, what he still makes them; they derive their being from him, having the being he gave them, are held in being by him, and he makes what use he pleases of them.
II. He looks down, and looks about, to the power of God shining in this lower world. He is not so taken up with the glories of his court as to neglect even the remotest of his territories; no, not the sea and dry land.
1.He has founded the earth, Psa 104:5. Though he has hung it upon nothing (Job 26:2), ponderibus librata suis - balanced by its own weight, yet it is as immovable as if it had been laid upon the surest foundations. He has built the earth upon her basis, so that though it has received a dangerous shock by the sin of man, and the malice of hell strikes at it, yet it shall not be removed for ever, that is, not till the end of time, when it must give way to the new earth. Dr. Hammond's paraphrase of this is worth noting: "God has fixed so strange a place for the earth, that, being a heavy body, one would think it should fall every minute; and yet, which way soever we would imagine it to stir, it must, contrary to the nature of such a body, fall upwards, and so can have no possible ruin but by tumbling into heaven."
2.He has set bounds to the sea; for that also is his. (1.) He brought it within bounds in the creation. At first the earth, which, being the more ponderous body, would subside of course, was covered with the deep (Psa 104:6): The waters were above the mountains; and so it was unfit to be, as it was designed, a habitation for man; and therefore, on the third day, God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered to one place, and let the dry land appear, Gen 1:9. This command of God is here called his rebuke, as if he gave it because he was displeased that the earth was thus covered with water and not fit for man to dwell on. Power went along with this word, and therefore it is also called here the voice of his thunder, which is a mighty voice and produces strange effects, Psa 104:7. At thy rebuke, as if they were made sensible that they were out of their place, they fled; they hasted away (they called, and not in vain, to the rocks and mountains to cover them), as it is said on another occasion (Psa 77:16), The waters saw thee, O God! the waters saw thee; they were afraid. Even those fluid bodies received the impression of God's terror. But was the Lord displeased against the rivers? No; it was for the salvation of his people, Hab 3:8, Hab 3:13. So here; God rebuked the waters for man's sake, to prepare room for him; for men must not be made as the fishes of the sea (Hab 1:14); they must have air to breathe in. Immediately therefore, with all speed, the waters retired, Psa 104:8. They go over hill and dale (as we say), go up by the mountains and down by the valleys; they will neither stop at the former nor lodge in the latter, but make the best of their way to the place which thou hast founded for them, and there they make their bed. Let the obsequiousness even of the unstable waters teach us obedience to the word and will of God; for shall man alone of all the creatures be obstinate? Let their retiring to and resting in the place assigned them teach us to acquiesce in the disposals of that wise providence which appoints us the bounds of our habitation. (2.) He keeps it within bounds, Psa 104:9. The waters are forbidden to pass over the limits set them; they may not, and therefore they do not, turn again to cover the earth. Once they did, in Noah's flood, because God bade them, but never since, because he forbids them, having promised not to drown the world again. God himself glorifies in this instance of his power (Job 38:8, etc.) and uses it as an argument with us to fear him, Jer 5:22. This, if duly considered, would keep the world in awe of the Lord and his goodness, That the waters of the sea would soon cover the earth if God did not restrain them.
"From Your rebuke they shall fly" [Psalm 104:7]. And this was done, brethren; from God's rebuke the waters did fly; that is, they went back from pressing on the mountains. Now the mountains themselves stand forth, Peter and Paul: how do they tower! They who before were pressed down by persecutors, now are venerated by emperors. For the waters are fled from the rebuke of God; because "the heart of kings is in the hand of God, He has bent it whither He would;" [Proverbs 21:1] He commanded peace to be given by them to the Christians; the authority of the Apostles sprang up and towered high....The waters fled from the rebuke of God. "From the voice of Your thunder they shall be afraid." Now who is there that would not be afraid, from the voice of God through the Apostles, the voice of God through the Scriptures, through His clouds? The sea is quieted, the waters have been made afraid, the mountains have been laid bare, the emperor has given the order. But who would have given the order, unless God had thundered? Because God willed, they commanded, and it was done. Therefore let no one of men arrogate anything to himself.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 104:7 powerfully depicts the absolute sovereignty of God over the primeval waters during creation. It portrays the chaotic deep retreating in immediate and complete obedience at God's authoritative command, likened to a forceful rebuke and the overwhelming voice of thunder. This verse is a poetic celebration of God's infinite wisdom and irresistible power in bringing order to the cosmos, establishing the precise boundaries of the seas and dry land as described in the foundational Genesis creation account.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 104:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey God's majestic power and the responsiveness of creation. Personification is prominently featured, as the waters are described as "fleeing" and "hasting away," as if they are sentient beings responding with fear and urgency to a divine command. This imbues the inanimate elements with a sense of agency and will, making God's control over them all the more striking and absolute. Anthropomorphism is also present in the references to God's "rebuke" and "voice of thy thunder," which attribute human-like actions and vocalizations to God to describe His powerful and decisive intervention in creation. This helps the human reader grasp the tangible impact and overwhelming nature of divine action. Furthermore, the verse utilizes synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first clause ("At thy rebuke they fled"). This repetition serves to emphasize the overwhelming and undeniable power of God's command, reinforcing the central message of His absolute sovereignty over chaos. The vivid imagery of the chaotic waters retreating in disarray at the sound of God's voice creates a powerful mental picture of divine authority and cosmic order being established.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 104:7 stands as a profound testament to God's absolute and effortless sovereignty over creation. It underscores the biblical truth that the cosmos is not the result of random chance or a chaotic struggle, but the intentional, ordered product of a powerful, speaking God. This verse reminds us that the same divine voice that commanded the primeval waters into their bounds continues to sustain and govern all things, demonstrating an ongoing, active relationship with His creation. It speaks to God's ability to bring order out of chaos, not just in the macrocosm of creation, but also in the microcosm of human lives and circumstances. This foundational truth instills confidence and encourages worship, knowing that the Creator of the universe is actively involved, supremely powerful, and perfectly capable of managing every aspect of existence.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 104:7 offers a profound source of spiritual nourishment for believers today. In a world often characterized by uncertainty, chaos, and overwhelming challenges, this verse serves as a powerful anchor, reminding us that the same God who effortlessly commanded the vast, unruly oceans into their appointed places is still utterly sovereign over all things. His voice, His word, carries irresistible authority and brings immediate order. This truth invites us to trust Him with the "chaotic waters" of our own lives—our anxieties, our fears, our seemingly insurmountable problems, and the disorder that can arise from sin or circumstances. It encourages us to surrender control, knowing that the Creator who brought order out of cosmic chaos is more than capable of bringing peace, purpose, and divine order to our personal storms. Ultimately, this verse calls us to a deeper sense of awe and reverence for our Creator and Sustainer, whose power is boundless, whose commands are always effective, and whose presence can transform any chaos into cosmos.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "rebuke" referring to in this verse?
Answer: The "rebuke" refers to God's powerful, authoritative, and decisive command issued to the primeval, chaotic waters during the creation process. It signifies His absolute will and irresistible power that compelled the waters to recede, separate, and settle into their designated boundaries, allowing dry land to appear, as described in Genesis 1:9-10. It's not a gentle request but a divine decree that demands immediate and complete obedience from the elements of creation.
How does this verse relate to the Genesis creation account?
Answer: Psalms 104:7 is a poetic and celebratory re-narration of events described in Genesis 1, particularly those of the second and third days of creation. It vividly portrays God's act of separating the waters above and below the expanse, and then gathering the waters on the earth into seas, allowing the dry land to emerge (Genesis 1:6-10). The psalmist uses evocative language to highlight the immediate and complete obedience of creation to God's powerful word, emphasizing His effortless control.
Does "voice of thy thunder" mean God literally thunders?
Answer: While God can certainly manifest Himself with literal thunder (as seen in Exodus 19:16), in Psalms 104:7, "voice of thy thunder" is primarily a powerful metaphor. It signifies the awe-inspiring, majestic, and irresistible nature of God's voice and presence. It emphasizes that God's command is not merely spoken but carries with it the overwhelming force and authority of a divine manifestation, compelling all creation to obey instantly and without question. It evokes a sense of His absolute power and sovereignty, similar to how a king's decree carries the weight of his entire kingdom.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 104:7, with its depiction of God's irresistible power over primeval chaos, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the Creator's "rebuke" and "voice of thunder" brought order to the formless deep, so too does Christ manifest divine authority over all forms of chaos, both physical and spiritual. He is the very Word through whom all things were created, and in Him "all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17). The New Testament vividly portrays Jesus exercising this same creative and ordering power: He rebukes the wind and the waves, and they obey Him instantly, causing His disciples to marvel, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:39-41). Beyond the physical realm, Christ's authority extends to the spiritual chaos of sin, disease, and death. His voice, the ultimate "rebuke" to the forces of darkness, casts out demons (Mark 1:27) and even raises the dead (John 11:43). Through His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, Jesus brings ultimate order out of the chaos of humanity's rebellion, creating a new creation in those who believe (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is the one who will ultimately usher in a new heaven and a new earth, where all chaos and disorder are finally banished by His sovereign, thunderous rule (Revelation 21:1).