Psalms 107:25
in Psalms 107For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof.
KJV
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
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This verse in Psalms 107
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
went out to sea in ships
on Psalms 107:23-26
The fourth rescue is sailors at work on the sea. They saw the works of the LORD in the deep, and then He spoke, and a tempest lifted the waves. They rose to the heavens and sank to the depths, and their courage melted.
This site's exposition
He spoke and raised a tempest
Tempest translates the Hebrew for a stormy wind, the phrase of Psalm 148:8, where it fulfills His word. Jonah 1:4 gives the same order of events, the LORD sending a great wind on the sea. Here the storm comes at His word, with no sin named.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
They then who do their business on mighty waters, "they have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep" [Psalm 107:24]. For what is deeper than human hearts? Hence often break forth winds; storms of sedition, and dissensions, disturb the ship. And what is done in them? God, willing that both they who steer, and they who are conveyed, should cry unto Him, "He spoke, and the breath of the storm stood" [Psalm 107:25]. What is, stood? Abode, continued, still disturbs, long tosses; rages, and passes not away. "For He spoke, and the breath of the storm stood." And what did that breath of the storm?
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
[Syncletica] also said, 'We have no security in this world. The Apostle said, "Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). We are sailing on uncharted seas, as the psalmist David said, "Our life is like a sea." Yet …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,.... Winds are not raised by men, nor by devils, nor by angels, but by the Lord himself; who has created them, holds them in his fist, brings them out of his treasures, and sends them forth to do his will; if he speaks the word, gives but the order, a storm arises at once, and executes what he pleases, Psa 148:
These are put for all similar perils, in which those that cry unto God have ever found him a very present help. He specifies the varieties and vicissitudes of events concerning nations and families, in all which God's hand is to be eyed by his own people, with joyful acknowledgments of his goodness,
Then the ships are kicked like tennis-balls on the tops of the waves; they seem to mount up to the heavens, and then they couch again, as if they would go down to the depths,
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Here are set forth the perils of seafaring, futility of man's, and efficiency of God's, help. go . . . sea--alluding to the elevation of the land at the coast.
For he commandeth: his word is enough for anything, he has but to will it and the tempest rages. And raiseth the stormy wiled. It seemed to he asleep before, but it knows its Master's bidding, and is up at once in all its fury. Which lifteth up the waves thereof. The glassy surface of the sea is broken, and myriads of white heads appear and rage and toss themselves to and fro as the wind blows upon them.
For he commandeth: his word is enough for anything, he has but to will it and the tempest rages. And raiseth the stormy wiled. It seemed to he asleep before, but it knows its Master's bidding, and is up at once in all its fury. Which lifteth up the waves thereof. The glassy surface of the sea is broken, and myriads of white heads appear and rage and toss themselves to and fro as the wind blows upon them. Whereas they were lying down in quiet before, the waves rise in their might and leap towards the sky as soon as the howling of the wind awakens them. Thus it needs but a word from God and the soul is in troubled waters, tossed to and fro with a thousand afflictions. Doubts, fears, terrors, anxieties lift their heads like so many angry waves, when once the Lord allows the storm winds to beat upon us.
For he commandeth - And what less than the command of God can raise up such winds as seem to heave old Ocean from his bed?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For he commandeth - Hebrew, “he says;” that is, He speaks the word, and it is done. The mere expression of his will raises up the storm, and throws the sea into commotion. And raiseth the stormy wind - Margin, as in Hebrew, “Maketh to stand.” The “stormy wind” is literally, the wind of the tempest. Which lifteth up the waves thereof - The waves of the ocean. The wind seems to take them up, and lift them on high.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he spoke | H559 → | 5305 times |
| וַֽ֭יַּעֲמֵד | vaiyaamed | and he appointed | H5975 → | 521 times |
| ר֣וּחַ | ruach | a wind of | H7307 → | 378 times |
| סְעָרָ֑ה | searah | a storm | H5591 → | 24 times |
| וַתְּרוֹמֵ֥ם | vateromem | and it lifted up | H7311 → | 190 times |
| גַּלָּֽיו׃ | galav | waves its | H1530 → | 34 times |
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he spoke
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
וַֽ֭יַּעֲמֵדand he appointed
vaiyaamedH5975 →521 times
ר֣וּחַa wind of
ruachH7307 →378 times
סְעָרָ֑הa storm
searahH5591 →24 times
וַתְּרוֹמֵ֥םand it lifted up
vateromemH7311 →190 times
גַּלָּֽיו׃waves its
galavH1530 →34 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 8:24Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
it leads to
- Luke 8:23
As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
- Jonah 1:4–5
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.
- Luke 8:23
Through
Psalms 93:3The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
it leads to
- Psalms 96:11
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea resound, and all that fills it.
- Psalms 69:1–2
Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Psalms 124:3–5
when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,
- Psalms 96:11
Through
Jonah 1:4Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
it leads to
- Psalms 107:23–31
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
- Matthew 8:24–27
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
- Psalms 107:23–31
Through
Psalms 148:8lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word,
it leads to
- Psalms 147:15–18
He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly.
- Psalms 147:15–18
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 107; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.