Psalm 89:9 - I Will Sing of His Love Forever

Audio Bible

Context

I Will Sing of His Love Forever
…8O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You? O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You. 9You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them. 10You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.…

Cross References

Mark 4:39
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.Matthew 8:26-27
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. / The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”Luke 8:24-25
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”Job 26:12
By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.Isaiah 51:15
For I am the LORD your God who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name.Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:Nahum 1:4
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, / and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.Jonah 1:4
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.Psalm 107:29
He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.Proverbs 8:29
when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.Job 38:8-11
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, / when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, / when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, ...Isaiah 43:16
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,Matthew 14:32
And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down.John 6:18-21
A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated. / When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. / But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” ...

Psalm 29:10
The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

Psalm 65:7
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

Psalm 66:5,6
Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men…

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Psalm 89

You rule the raging sea;
This phrase emphasizes God's sovereignty over creation, particularly the chaotic and untamable sea, which in ancient Near Eastern cultures often symbolized chaos and disorder. In biblical literature, the sea is frequently depicted as a force that only God can control, as seen in Genesis 1:2, where the Spirit of God hovers over the waters. This imagery is also present in Job 38:8-11, where God sets boundaries for the sea. The ruling of the sea can be seen as a metaphor for God's power over all forms of chaos and evil, reflecting His ultimate authority and control.

when its waves mount up,
The mounting waves symbolize turmoil and unrest, both in the natural world and in human experience. In the context of ancient Israel, the sea was often viewed with fear and awe, as it was unpredictable and dangerous. This phrase can also be connected to the story of Jonah, where the sea's turmoil reflects God's displeasure and the need for repentance. The mounting waves can be seen as challenges or trials that believers face, which are ultimately under God's control.

You still them.
This phrase highlights God's ability to bring peace and calm to situations of chaos and distress. It is reminiscent of Jesus calming the storm in the Gospels (Mark 4:39), where He demonstrates His divine authority by commanding the wind and waves to be still. This act serves as a type of Christ, showing His power over nature and His role as the bringer of peace. The calming of the sea is also prophetic of the ultimate peace and order that God will establish in the new creation, as described in Revelation 21:1, where there is no longer any sea, symbolizing the absence of chaos and evil.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Ethan the Ezrahite
The author of Psalm 89, traditionally believed to be a wise man during the time of King Solomon. His psalm reflects on God's covenant with David and His sovereign power.

2. The Raging Sea
Symbolic of chaos and disorder in ancient Near Eastern literature, often representing the forces of nature that are beyond human control.

3. God's Sovereignty
The central theme of this verse, highlighting God's supreme authority over creation, including the chaotic forces of the sea.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty Over Chaos
God is in control of all circumstances, no matter how chaotic they may seem. Trust in His power to bring order and peace.

Faith in God's Power
Just as God stills the raging sea, He can calm the storms in our lives. We are called to have faith in His ability to bring peace.

God's Faithfulness
The same God who ruled the sea in ancient times is faithful to His promises today. We can rely on His unchanging nature.

Jesus as the Fulfillment
Jesus' calming of the storm in the New Testament is a direct fulfillment of God's power over creation, affirming His divinity.

Prayer and Dependence
In times of trouble, we should turn to God in prayer, acknowledging His power and seeking His intervention in our lives.

Verse 9. - Thou rulest the raging of the sea. There is no reason why this should not be understood literally. God's power over the sea is constantly put forward by the sacred writers as very specially indicative of his might and greatness (comp. Job 38:8-11; Psalm 107:29; Proverbs 8:29; Jeremiah 5:22, etc.). When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them (comp. Psalm 65:7; Psalm 107:23-30; Matthew 8:26, 27). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

You
אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

rule
מ֭וֹשֵׁל (mō·wō·šêl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4910: To rule, have dominion, reign

the raging
בְּגֵא֣וּת (bə·ḡê·’ūṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1348: Arrogance, majesty, ornament

sea;
הַיָּ֑ם (hay·yām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

when its waves
גַ֝לָּ֗יו (ḡal·lāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1530: Something rolled, a heap of stone, dung, a spring of water

mount up,
בְּשׂ֥וֹא (bə·śō·w)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7721: A rising

You
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

still them.
תְשַׁבְּחֵֽם׃ (ṯə·šab·bə·ḥêm)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7623: To address in a, loud tone, loud, to pacify

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Psalm 89:9 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 89:9 You rule the pride of the sea (Psalm Ps Psa.)