Psalms 104:25
Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Hebrew phrase translated as "great and wide" for the sea also carries a sense of being "broad of hands," suggesting its vastness reaches out like embracing arms. This imagery highlights the sea not just as immense, but as an active, encompassing force.
The psalm is in awe of God's creation, moving from the heavens to the earth and now to the vast sea. The psalmist points to the immense ocean, teeming with an countless array of life, both tiny and mighty, as another testament to the Creator's wisdom and power. This observation leads directly into a contemplation of the "ships" and the great sea creatures, further highlighting the scope of God's dominion over all realms.
Have you ever looked at the ocean and felt overwhelmed by its sheer size? This verse captures that feeling, but with an added layer of divine artistry.
The psalmist uses vivid imagery to describe the sea not just as large, but as something that actively reaches out. The Hebrew phrase translated as 'wide of hands' suggests the sea's immense expanse, its waters stretching out like arms to encompass the continents. This isn't just a passive body of water; it's a dynamic creation that plays a crucial role in God's design for the planet.
Think about it: the sea connects lands, influences weather, and supports ecosystems across the globe. Its vastness isn't chaotic; it's intentionally designed to be expansive and life-sustaining.
The verse mentions 'creatures innumerable,' both small and great. What does this abundance tell us about the Creator?
The sheer number and variety of life in the sea is staggering. The psalmist emphasizes that the waters 'teem with creatures innumerable, both small and great.' This isn't just a poetic flourish; it reflects the reality that scientists are still discovering new species in the ocean's depths.
This incredible biodiversity points to God's immense creativity and His provision. He didn't just create a few types of creatures; He filled the seas with a breathtaking array of life, from the microscopic to the magnificent.
It reminds us that God cares for every single one of His creations, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Each creature, from the tiniest plankton to the largest whale, has its place and purpose in His grand design.
Understand the original words
yam · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term often associated with the expanse of the ocean or the chaotic waters that God, in His sovereignty, has contained and ordered as part of His creation.
This psalm reflects a deeply personal encounter with God's creation, likely inspired by a direct view of the Mediterranean Sea, emphasizing that even the vast and seemingly uncontrollable ocean, teeming with life, is a testament to God's wisdom and power.
c. 1000 BC - 500 BC
Composition of Psalms
The Book of Psalms, a collection of Hebrew poems and songs, was composed over centuries, with many psalms likely originating during the period of the Israelite monarchy and the subsequent Babylonian exile.
c. 9th - 5th century BC— this verse
Psalmist's likely view of the Mediterranean
The psalmist likely had the Mediterranean Sea in view, a vast body of water bordering the land of Israel, known for its diverse marine life and importance for trade and travel.
c. 500 BC
Inclusion in Hebrew Canon
The Psalms were compiled and recognized as sacred scripture by the Jewish community, likely during or shortly after the Babylonian exile.
This passage describes God's creation of sea creatures, echoing the psalm's wonder at the vast and diverse life within the sea, from the great whales to all the living creatures that move.
Job 38:8-11Here, God challenges Job by describing His power over the sea, setting boundaries for its vastness and controlling its powerful waves, reinforcing the idea of God's supreme authority over the immense and untamable ocean.
Isaiah 43:16This verse speaks of God making a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, highlighting His sovereignty and ability to traverse even the most formidable parts of His creation.
Matthew 4:18-19Jesus calls his first disciples, who are fishermen, to follow Him, transforming their livelihood connected to the sea's bounty into a new mission to 'catch people', showing how God's purposes extend even to those who work with the sea.
pulpitPsalms 104:25: "So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts."
Verse 25. - So is this great and wide sea; rather, yonder sea too (is thy work), so great and wide stretching. Wherein are things creeping (rather, moving things) innumerable. The abundant life of the sea, even in its depths, is the admiration of all naturalists. Tens of thousands of microscopic shells have been brought to light by the dredger's labours almost everywhere. Both s…
clarkePsalms 104:25: "So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts."
This great and wide sea - The original is very emphatic: זה הים גדול ורחב ידים zeh haiyam gadol urechab yadayim, "This very sea, great and extensive of hands." Its waters, like arms, encompassing all the terrene parts of the globe. I suppose the psalmist was within sight of the Mediterranean when he wrote these words.
The Hebrew phrase translated as "great and wide" for the sea also carries a sense of being "broad of hands," suggesting its vastness reaches out like embracing arms. This imagery highlights the sea not just as immense, but as an active, encompassing force.
The psalm is in awe of God's creation, moving from the heavens to the earth and now to the vast sea. The psalmist points to the immense ocean, teeming with an countless array of life, both tiny and mighty, as another testament to the Creator's wisdom and power. This observation leads directly into a contemplation of the "ships" and the great sea creatures, further highlighting the scope of God's dominion over all realms.
The psalm is in awe of God's creation, moving from the heavens to the earth and now to the vast sea. The psalmist points to the immense ocean, teeming with an countless array of life, both tiny and mighty, as another testament to the Creator's wisdom and power. This observation leads directly into a contemplation of the "ships" and the great sea creatures, further highlighting the scope of God's dominion over all realms.
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"Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great." — The Hebrew phrase translated as "great and wide" for the sea also carries a sense of being "broad of hands," suggesting its vastness reaches out like embracing arms. This imagery highlights the sea n…
