What does Psalm 104:26 mean?
ESV: There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
NIV: There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
NASB: The ships move along there, And Leviathan, which You have formed to have fun in it.
CSB: There the ships move about, and Leviathan, which you formed to play there.
NLT: See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.
KJV: There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
NKJV: There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 104:5–30 celebrates God's greatness as demonstrated in creation. All animals, all resources, all climates, and all environments are part of His design. So, too, are the sun and moon which are used to divide time. The Lord established every aspect of these natural elements. Without Him, nothing could exist. Only He creates and controls life. This is a more extensive description than other psalms which touch on creation (Psalm 8; 19; 24; 65; 95; 102; 121; 147).
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist praises the Lord for His creation. God is credited with establishing the earth, setting boundaries for bodies of water, and providing water and food for animals and human beings. What God has made includes proper living spaces for all sorts of life. He set the motions of the sun and moon. All creation owes its existence to God's Spirit. The psalmist resolves to continue praising the Lord while hoping that the wicked will be removed from earth.
Chapter Context:
Psalms 103 and 104 begin with the same phrase but have different themes. The prior text emphasized God's loyal love for His people. Psalm 104 focuses on the Lord as Creator. This psalm echoes ideas also seen in Genesis 1—2 but does not follow the creation account directly. Of the psalms, this is the most detailed and overt in discussing God's work in creation. Other psalms discuss the subject briefly (Psalm 8; 19; 24; 65; 95; 102; 121; 147).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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