TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 104:1–9. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Now, according to a Hebrew figure of speech, it is said of God in the eighteenth psalm that “he made darkness his secret place,” to signify that those notions that should be worthily entertained of God are invisible and unknowable, because God conceals himself in darkness, as it were, from those who cannot endure the splendors of his knowledge or are incapable of looking at them, partly owing to the pollution of their understanding, which is clothed with the body of mortal lowliness, and partly owing to its feebler power of comprehending God. And in order that it may appear that the knowledge of God has rarely been vouchsafed to people and has been found in very few individuals, Moses is related to have entered into the darkness where God was. And again, with regard to Moses it is said, “Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but the rest shall not come near.” And again, that the prophet may show the depth of the doctrines that relate to God and that are unattainable by those who do not possess the “Spirit that searches all things, even the deep things of God,” he added, “The abyss like a garment is his covering.” No, our Lord and Savior, the Logos of God, manifesting that the greatness of the knowledge of the Father, is appropriately comprehended and known preeminently by him alone, and in the second place by those whose minds are enlightened by the Logos and God, declares, “No one knows the Son but the Father; neither does any one know the Father but the Son, and he to whoever the Son will reveal him.” For no one can worthily know the “uncreated” and firstborn of all created nature like the Father who begat him, nor any one the Father like the living Logos, and his Wisdom and Truth. By sharing in him who takes away from the Father what is called “darkness,” which he “made his secret place,” and “the abyss,” which is called his “covering,” and by unveiling the Father in this way, every one knows the Father who is capable of knowing him.
"The deep, like a garment, is its clothing" [Psalm 104:6]. Whose? Is it perchance God's? But he had already said of His clothing, "Clothed with light as with a garment." I hear of God clothed in light, and that light, if we will, are we. What is, if we will? If we are no longer darkness. Therefore if God is clothed with light, whose clothing, again, is the deep? For an immense mass of waters is called the deep. All water, all the moist nature, and the substance everywhere shed abroad through the seas, and rivers, and hidden caves, is all together called by one name, the Deep. Therefore we understand the earth, of which he said, "He has founded the earth." Of it I believe he said, "The deep, like a garment is its clothing." For the water is as it were the clothing of the earth, surrounding it and covering it....
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Summary
Psalms 104:6 offers a profound poetic portrayal of the earth's primordial state during creation, illustrating God's absolute sovereignty and effortless control over the vast, unformed waters. It vividly depicts the "deep" as a garment with which God clothed the nascent earth, emphasizing His intimate and complete dominion over the unformed cosmos before the emergence of dry land and the establishment of boundaries for the seas. This verse powerfully contributes to the psalm's overarching theme of God as the magnificent Creator and Sustainer of all things.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 104 is a majestic hymn of praise, often considered a "creation psalm" due to its striking thematic and structural parallels with the creation account in Genesis 1. The psalm unfolds chronologically, beginning with God's glorious self-revelation and majesty (verses 1-2), then moving to the formation of the heavens (verses 3-4), and subsequently the earth and its waters (verses 5-9). Verse 6 specifically harks back to the initial, pre-formed state of the earth, where it was entirely submerged under the primordial waters. This sets the stage for God's subsequent acts of ordering and separating the elements in the verses that follow, leading to the emergence of dry land and the establishment of natural boundaries for the seas, as described in Psalms 104:7-9.
Historical & Cultural Context
The ancient Near Eastern worldview often grappled with the concept of primordial chaos, frequently personified as a watery abyss or monstrous entities. Many creation myths of surrounding cultures depicted a struggle between deities and these chaotic forces to bring order. In stark contrast, the biblical narrative, and Psalms 104 in particular, presents a God who effortlessly and sovereignly "covers" and controls the "deep" (Hebrew: tehom), not through a violent struggle, but with the ease of putting on a garment. This highlights Israel's unique understanding of Yahweh as the supreme, unchallenged Creator, distinct from the polytheistic and often violent creation narratives of their neighbors. The imagery asserts God's inherent power over all elements, even those considered chaotic or threatening in other cosmologies.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully underscores several foundational themes within Psalms 104 and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost is God's Sovereign Power, depicting Him as the unchallenged master over the raw, unformed elements of creation, effortlessly bringing order out of potential chaos. It highlights the concept of Order from Chaos, a recurring motif in Scripture, where God's creative act is not merely formation but also the imposition of divine order upon an initially formless and void state, as seen in Genesis 1:2. Furthermore, the imagery of the Primordial Waters as a "garment" emphasizes God's intimate control and dominion over what might otherwise be perceived as an unruly or threatening force, foreshadowing His control over the seas throughout salvation history, such as the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14 and the calming of the storm by Jesus in Mark 4:39.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy)." In this context, it denotes God's active and complete enveloping of the earth with the "deep." It's not a passive state but an intentional act of divine agency, implying absolute control and ownership. The imagery suggests a deliberate act of clothing or shrouding, emphasizing God's intimate involvement and mastery over the primordial waters.
This term refers to "an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply)." It is the vast, primeval ocean or abyss, often associated with the unformed, chaotic state of the earth before creation's full ordering. It is notably used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the "face of the deep" over which the Spirit of God hovered. In ancient Near Eastern thought, such primordial waters often represented chaotic, untamed forces. However, in the biblical narrative, tᵉhôwm is entirely subject to God's will, highlighting His unique and unchallenged sovereignty.
This word, derived from the verb "to clothe," refers to "a garment (literally or figuratively)." The metaphor of the "deep as a garment" is profoundly significant. A garment is something one puts on or takes off with ease, something intimately controlled by the wearer. By likening the vast, potentially chaotic tᵉhôwm to a garment, the psalmist powerfully conveys God's effortless dominion and intimate control over the entire watery expanse. It transforms a potentially threatening force into something entirely subservient to the divine will, emphasizing God's majesty and unburdened authority.
Verse Breakdown
"Thou coveredst it with the deep as [with] a garment:"
This clause immediately establishes God's active role as the Creator. The "it" refers to the earth (implied from the preceding verses and the overall context of creation). The image of covering the earth with the "deep" as if it were a "garment" is a powerful metaphor. It suggests a complete inundation of the earth by water, but crucially, it portrays this vast, primordial ocean not as a chaotic, uncontrollable force, but as something entirely submissive to God's will, like an article of clothing. This highlights God's effortless mastery and intimate control over the raw materials of creation.
"the waters stood above the mountains."
This second clause reinforces the imagery of a globally submerged earth. It emphasizes the immense depth of the primordial waters, so vast that even the highest geological features—the mountains—were completely submerged. This is not a description of a local flood but of the earth's initial state before the dry land emerged. It further underscores the magnitude of God's creative power, demonstrating His ability to bring order and boundaries to such an immense and formless expanse.
Literary Devices
Psalms 104:6 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid picture of the earth's primordial state. The central literary device is Metaphor, specifically the comparison of the "deep" to a "garment." This metaphor is highly effective, transforming the potentially terrifying and chaotic image of a boundless ocean into something manageable and subservient to God's will. A garment is worn, controlled, and easily manipulated, thus emphasizing God's effortless dominion over the vast waters. Furthermore, the phrase "the waters stood above the mountains" employs Hyperbole to convey the immense scale and depth of the primordial inundation, emphasizing the totality of the watery covering before God commanded the waters to recede. While literally true for that specific stage of creation, its poetic exaggeration underscores the dramatic nature of God's initial creative acts. The psalm's overall tone also leans into Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like actions (covering with a garment) to God, making His power and control more relatable and awe-inspiring.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 104:6 serves as a profound theological statement on God's absolute sovereignty and His unique status as the unchallengeable Creator. It echoes the foundational truth of Genesis 1 that before any form or order existed, God was already present, actively shaping and controlling the raw elements. The imagery of the "deep" as a "garment" powerfully refutes any notion of a chaotic force independent of God's will, asserting that even the most formidable aspects of creation are utterly subservient to His divine command. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding God not merely as a distant architect, but as an intimately involved and supremely powerful agent who brings cosmos out of chaos, establishing the very conditions for life to flourish. It invites awe and worship for a God whose power is boundless and whose creative acts are effortless.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 104:6 offers a powerful reminder of God's immense and effortless power over all creation. In a world that often feels chaotic, unpredictable, or overwhelming, this verse anchors our hope in a God who, with the ease of putting on a garment, brought order to the primordial deep. It encourages us to cultivate a profound sense of awe and worship for a Creator whose dominion is absolute, extending even to the most formless and vast elements. For our lives today, this means recognizing that the same God who effortlessly organized the cosmos is fully capable of bringing order, purpose, and peace to our personal chaos, anxieties, and seemingly insurmountable challenges. It calls us to trust in His sovereign hand, knowing that He sets boundaries for all things, including our difficulties, and works all things according to His good pleasure. Our response should be one of humble submission and joyful praise to the One who is truly in control of all things, seen and unseen.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "deep" (tehom) in this verse, and how does it relate to Genesis?
The "deep" (Hebrew: tᵉhôwm) refers to the vast, primeval ocean or abyss that covered the earth before the dry land appeared. It is the same term used in Genesis 1:2 where it describes the earth as "without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." In ancient Near Eastern cosmologies, such primordial waters were often associated with chaos or even hostile deities. However, in the biblical narrative, tᵉhôwm is presented as entirely subject to God's control, not a force He struggles against, but one He effortlessly commands and shapes. Psalms 104:6 emphasizes God's sovereign power over this initial, unformed state of creation, highlighting His ability to bring order out of what was initially formless and void.
How does this verse illustrate God's power over chaos?
Psalms 104:6 powerfully illustrates God's power over chaos through the metaphor of covering the "deep" (the chaotic, unformed waters) "as with a garment." This imagery transforms the immense, potentially threatening abyss into something easily managed and controlled by God. Just as one puts on or takes off a garment with ease, so God effortlessly exercises dominion over the vast waters. The subsequent statement that "the waters stood above the mountains" further emphasizes the sheer scale of this watery expanse, yet it was completely subordinate to God's will. This demonstrates that God does not merely tame chaos; He is inherently superior to it, bringing order and boundaries to the most unruly elements of creation without struggle or effort. This divine control is a recurring theme, seen even in Jesus calming the storm, demonstrating His authority over natural forces.
Is this verse describing a global flood, like Noah's flood?
No, Psalms 104:6 is not describing Noah's global flood. Instead, it refers to the initial, primordial state of the earth during the creation process, as depicted in Genesis 1. Before the dry land emerged, the entire earth was covered by water, a state of "formless and void" where the waters stood above even the highest points. Noah's flood, described in Genesis 6-9, was a subsequent act of judgment and re-creation, where existing land was submerged. Psalms 104:6 speaks to the very beginning of the cosmos, when God first began to bring order and form to the raw materials of the universe.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 104:6, with its majestic depiction of God's effortless dominion over the primordial waters, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The same divine power that "coveredst it with the deep as [with] a garment" is fully embodied in the Son. Just as the Father brought order out of cosmic chaos, so Jesus demonstrates His sovereign authority over all creation, famously calming the raging storm with a mere word, commanding the wind and waves, "Peace, be still!" as recorded in Mark 4:39. This act reveals Him as the very Lord of creation, echoing the psalmist's portrayal of God's control over the waters. Furthermore, Christ is not only the agent through whom all things were created—"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible... all things were created by him, and for him" as Colossians 1:16 declares—but He is also the one who brings "new creation" out of the chaos of sin and spiritual death. Through His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, He covers us with His righteousness, transforming our chaotic, fallen nature into a new spiritual reality, making us "new creatures" in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, the creative power over the deep, so vividly portrayed in Psalms 104:6, ultimately points to the comprehensive, redemptive, and re-creative power of Christ, who is both the Creator and the Re-Creator of all things.