These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse suggests that creatures don't just "wait" for food in a passive sense; they actively "look to" God as the source, like domestic animals anticipating their master's provision. This highlights a profound, almost instinctual trust and dependence on God's consistent care, revealing the universe as a vast, divinely managed household.
These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage continues to describe God's intricate provision for all living things, extending the thought from the previous verses about the seas and land. The psalmist emphasizes that every creature, from the smallest fish to the largest whale and even land animals, is completely dependent on God for their daily sustenance. This ongoing cycle of provision and dependence is then contrasted with what happens when God withholds His presence and life-giving breath.
Have you ever watched an animal in the wild and wondered how it finds its next meal? It's easy to overlook, but the Bible shows us a profound truth about that daily search for food.
Nature's Unspoken Trust
The verse says, "These all look to you, to give them their food in due season." This isn't just about animals finding food; it's about their complete reliance on God. It doesn't mean the creatures are consciously praying or thinking about God's plan. Instead, their very existence, their instincts, their ability to find sustenance when it's available – it all points to God's constant, underlying provision.
Think of it like a master of a household providing for everyone. The wild animals, the fish in the sea, they are all part of God's vast family. They can't plan for tomorrow or store up food for months in advance. Their lives are a day-by-day testament to God's faithfulness, waiting for Him to open His hand and provide what they need, precisely when they need it.
The phrase 'in due season' is more than just a time marker; it speaks to the perfect orchestration of God's care for His creation.
The Rhythm of God's Giving
When the psalm mentions "in due season," it highlights God's incredible timing. He doesn't just provide food; He provides it at the exact right time – the time that is natural and necessary for each creature. This speaks to God's wisdom and His intimate knowledge of every living thing's needs.
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It means that the specific conditions, the availability of food, the very cycle of nature – all are managed by God to ensure His creatures are sustained. This isn't haphazard; it's a deliberate and intentional act of providence, ensuring that life continues to thrive according to His perfect plan. This also serves as a reminder for us: God's timing in our own lives, for our needs and blessings, is always perfect, even when we don't understand it.
Understand the original words
'eth · Hebrew Noun
Refers to God's wise and sovereign timing, indicating that He provides sustenance and maintains His creation according to His perfect plan and purpose.
Jesus uses the same imagery of God providing for birds, directly connecting it to His provision for human needs, emphasizing our value to Him.
Luke 12:24This passage reiterates Jesus' teaching about God's care for the ravens, reinforcing the idea that His sustenance is constant and reliable.
Job 38:41This verse poses a rhetorical question about who provides food for the raven, directly attributing this act to God and highlighting His power over creation.
Psalm 145:15-16This passage echoes the theme of all creation looking to God for sustenance, stating that He opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living thing.
Genesis 9:15While focused on a covenant with humanity, this verse speaks of God remembering His covenant concerning the earth's provisions, showing a sustained divine commitment to the created order's sustenance.
bensonPsalms 104:27: "These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season."
Psalm 104:27-30 . These all — Both beasts and fishes, wait upon thee — Expect supplies from thy providence: which is spoken of them figuratively, and with an allusion to the manner of tame beasts and fowls, which commonly look after and wait upon those persons who bring their food to them. That thou mayest give them their meat, &c. — When it is necessary or convenient for them. That thou givest them…
clarkePsalms 104:27: "These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season."
These wait all upon thee - The innumerable fry of the smaller aquatic animals, as well as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and sharks, all have their meat from God. He has in his gracious providence furnished that sort of food which is suitable to all. And this provision is various; not only for every kind of fish does God provide food, but a different kind of aliment for each in its different periods of…
The verse suggests that creatures don't just "wait" for food in a passive sense; they actively "look to" God as the source, like domestic animals anticipating their master's provision. This highlights a profound, almost instinctual trust and dependence on God's consistent care, revealing the universe as a vast, divinely managed household.
This passage continues to describe God's intricate provision for all living things, extending the thought from the previous verses about the seas and land. The psalmist emphasizes that every creature, from the smallest fish to the largest whale and even land animals, is completely dependent on God for their daily sustenance. This ongoing cycle of provision and dependence is then contrasted with what happens when God withholds His presence and life-giving breath.
This passage continues to describe God's intricate provision for all living things, extending the thought from the previous verses about the seas and land. The psalmist emphasizes that every creature, from the smallest fish to the largest whale and even land animals, is completely dependent on God for their daily sustenance. This ongoing cycle of provision and dependence is then contrasted with what happens when God withholds His presence and life-giving breath.
"These all look to you, to give them their food in due season." — The verse suggests that creatures don't just "wait" for food in a passive sense; they actively "look to" God as the source, like domestic animals anticipating their master's provision. This highlight…
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Last reviewed October 2026