Psalms 136:6
in Psalms 136He spread out the earth upon the waters. His loving devotion endures forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
To him that spread forth the earth above the waters; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever:
KJV
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
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This verse in Psalms 136
Commentary
9 notes on this verseTo him that stretched out the earth above the waters. Lifting it up from the mingled mass, the dank morass, the bottomless bog, of mixed land and sea; and so fitting it to be the abode of man. Who but the Lord could have wrought this marvel? Few even think of the divine wisdom and power which performed all this of old; yet, if a continent can be proved to have risen or fallen an inch within historic memory, the fact is recorded in the "transactions" of learned societies, and discussed at every gathering of philosophers.
This site's exposition
He alone does great wonders
on Psalms 136:4-9
The recital starts at creation, the heavens made by His insight and the earth spread out upon the waters. The sun and moon are given dominion, memshalah, the same noun Genesis 1:16 uses of the day and the night. Henry reads the wonders as God's work with no helper.
This site's exposition
He spread out the earth
Spread out renders raqa, to beat out thin, and from it comes raqia, the expanse God made on the second day in Genesis 1:6. Genesis 1:9 gathers the waters so the dry land appears. Psalm 24:2 also founds the earth on the seas.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But what means, "who alone does great wonders"? Is it because many wonderful things He has done by means of angels and men? Some wonderful things there are which God does alone, and these he enumerates, saying, "who by His wisdom made the heavens" [Psalm 136:5], "who stretched out the earth above the waters" [Psalm 136:6], "who alone made great lights" [Psalm 136:7]. For this reason did he add "alone" in this verse also, because the other wonders which he is about to tell of, God did by means of man. For having said, "who alone made great lights," he goes on to explain what these are, "the sun to rule the day" [Psalm 136:8], "the moon and stars to govern the night" [Psalm 136:9]; then he begins to tell the wonders which He did by means of angels and men: "who smote Egypt with their first-born" [Psalm 136:10], and the rest. The whole creation then God manifestly made, not by means of any creature, but "alone;" and of this creation he has mentioned certain more eminent parts, that they might make us think on the whole; the heavens we can understand, and the earth we see. And as there are visible heavens too, by mentioning the lights in them, he has bid us look on the whole body of the heavens as made by Him.
Who established the earth upon the waters. Although the earth is said to hang upon the waters, that is, to hang in the sea, yet he founded and established our earth in baptism. He did not say, "he lifted up," or "he exalted," or "he made it ascend into the heavens." For baptism forgives sins, and frees us as if from prison: but it cannot grant the kingdoms of heaven. For unless someone enters through works and faith, he cannot be secure.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
To him that stretcheth out the earth above the waters,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters. Lifting it up from the mingled mass, the dank morass, the bottomless bog, of mixed land and sea; and so fitting it to be the abode of man. Who but the Lord could have wrought this marvel? Few even think of the divine wisdom and power which performed all this of old; yet, if a continent can be proved to have risen or fallen an inch within historic memory, the fact is recorded in the "transactions" of learned societies, and discussed at every gathering of philosophers. For his mercy endureth for ever, as is seen in the original upheaval and perpetual upstanding of the habitable land, so that no deluge drowns the race. By his strength he sets fast the mountains and consolidates the land upon which we sojourn.
Stretched out the earth above the waters - Or, upon the waters. This seems to refer to a central abyss of waters, the existence of which has not been yet disproved.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters - Gen 1:1, Gen 1:9; see the notes at Psa 24:2. For his mercy ... - As an illustration of his benignity and kindness in preparing an abode for man, and for other creatures in the world. Whatever there is of life or happiness, on the continents and islands, has resulted from that act of God when “he made the dry land appear.”
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְרֹקַ֣ע | leroka' | to [one who] spread out | H7554 → | |
| הָ֭אָרֶץ | haaretz | <of> the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמָּ֑יִם | hamayim | the waters | H4325 → | 581 times |
| כִּ֖י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | leolam | [is] for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
לְרֹקַ֣עto [one who] spread out
leroka'H7554 →
הָ֭אָרֶץ<of> the earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמָּ֑יִםthe waters
hamayimH4325 →581 times
כִּ֖יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְעוֹלָ֣ם[is] for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃covenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 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
Isaiah 42:5This is what God the LORD says—He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to…
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 45:12
It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 10:12
The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
- Zechariah 12:1
This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man…
- Isaiah 48:13
Surely My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they stand up together.
- Isaiah 40:22
Through
Psalms 24:2For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 5:22
Do you not fear Me?” declares the LORD. “Do you not tremble before Me, the One who set the sand as the boundary for the sea, an enduring barrier it cannot cross? The waves…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 5:22
Through
Isaiah 44:24Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
it leads to
- Isaiah 42:5
This is what God the LORD says—He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to…
- Isaiah 42:5
Through
Genesis 1:9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:5
But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
- 2 Peter 3:5
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 136; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 47, on Psalm 135; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.