Psalm 95:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

NIV: The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

NASB: The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land.

CSB: The sea is his; he made it. His hands formed the dry land.

NLT: The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.

KJV: The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

NKJV: The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land.

People should praise the Lord (Psalm 95:2) because His infinite power is evident in nature (Romans 1:20). He created everything which exists (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1–2). The highest mountains and lowest valleys are His (Psalm 95:4). So are all the oceans and their borders (Genesis 1:9).

The psalmist has already stated that God is "above" all other deities (Psalm 95:3). None of the false gods worshipped in other cultures could do what the Lord did. He alone is the Creator of all things. Further, God creates simply by expression: by "speaking" them into being (Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3).

Pagan nations around Israel had many false gods, often assigned to a part of nature. There were gods and goddesses of the sun, the moon, the stars, the land, the rivers, the mountains, etc. However, there is only one true God, and He created everything. Many of the miracles God performed during the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3:20) demonstrated His superiority over Egyptian idols.

Psalm 95:1–5 opens with a call for grateful worship of God. Everything that exists is part of His creation—so His people ought to respond with their praise. The next section transitions to a warning about Israel's stubborn disobedience after the exodus from Egypt (Psalm 95:6–7).

The psalm begins with a call to worship, gratitude, and celebration of the Lord. God is great and a great King above all gods. He rules over the oceans and lands, which He created. The psalmist then turns to a warning about a time when Israel resisted the Lord's leadership. That entire generation was denied God's "rest," including being barred from entering the Promised Land.

"Enthronement" psalms make up this portion of Scripture. Because they speak of God's rule, they are also labelled "theocratic." Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96—99 have similar themes. These songs anticipate the Lord God ruling over the entire world. This perspective often aims at the future when the Messiah Jesus will personally oversee earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). The last portion of the song is quoted in the New Testament book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15, 4:3–7).

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.

Accessed 12/18/2024 12:48:05 PM