Psalms 50:11
in Psalms 50I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I know all the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine.
KJV
I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
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This verse in Psalms 50
Commentary
12 notes on this verseI know all the fowls of the mountains,.... God not only knows them, but takes care of them; not a sparrow fails to the ground without his knowledge, and all the fowls of the air are fed by him, Mat 10:29; and therefore needed not their turtledoves and young pigeons, which were the only fowls used in sacrifice; and the wild beasts of the field are mine; which are mentioned in opposition to domestic ones, such as they had in their houses or folds, Psa 50:9.
This site's exposition
no need for a bull
on Psalms 50:9-13
No need for a bull from the stall, since every beast of the forest is His. The cattle on a thousand hills and every bird in the mountains are His already, and He asks whether He eats the flesh of bulls. The world is His, and the fullness of it.
This site's exposition
every bird in the mountains
To know every bird is to care for each one, in Gill's reading. He noted that turtledoves and young pigeons were the only birds offered in sacrifice. Barnes took creatures to mean anything that moves in the field.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
All created things are under the providence of God. Does not even one sparrow fall without the Father who is in heaven knowing?
"I know all the winged creatures of heaven" [Psalm 50:11]. How does He know? He has weighed them, has counted. Which of us knows all the winged creatures of heaven? But even though to some man God give knowledge of all the winged creatures of heaven, He does not Himself know in the same manner as He gives man to know. One thing is God's knowledge, another man's: in like manner as there is one possession of God's, another of man's: that is, God's possessing is one thing, man's another. For what you possess you have not wholly in your power, or else your ox, so long as it lives, is in your power; so as that it either die not, or be not to be fed. With whom there is the highest power, there is highest and most secret cognition. Let us ascribe this to God, while praising God. Let us not dare to say, How knows God? Do not, I pray you, brethren, of me expect this, that I should unfold to you, how God does know: this only I say, He does not so know as a man, He does not so know as an Angel: and how He knows I dare not say, because also I cannot ken. One thing, nevertheless, I ken, that even before all the winged creatures of heaven were, God knew that which He was to create. What is that knowledge? O man, you begin to see, after that you had been formed, after that you had received sense of seeing. These fowls sprung of the water at the word of God, saying, "Let the waters bring forth fowls." [Genesis 1:20] Whereby did God know the things which He commanded the water to bear forth? Now surely He knew what He had created, and before He created He knew. So great then is the knowledge of God, so that with Himself they were in a certain ineffable manner before they were created: and of you does He expect to receive what He had, before He created? "I know all the winged creatures of heaven," which thou to Me canst not give. […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
With respect to the second he says, "I know all the birds of heaven," that is, these are subject to my providence. By these birds the holy Angels are understood, who are a likeness. With respect to the third he says, "And the beauty of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
God's infinite self-sufficiency proves our utter insufficiency to add any thing to him. (2.) That he could not be benefited by their sacrifices. Their goodness, of this kind, could not possibly extend to him, nor, if they were in this matter righteous, was he the better (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The address which follows is directed to the professed people of God. It is clearly, in the first place, meant for Israel; but is equally applicable to the visible church of God in every age. It declares the futility of external worship when spiritual faith is absent, and the mere outward ceremonial is rested in.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Reproving them for such foolish and blasphemous notions, He teaches them to offer, or literally, "sacrifice," thanksgiving, and pay, or perform, their vows--that is, to bring, with the external symbolical service, the homage of the heart, and faith, penitence, and love. To this is added an invitation to seek, and a promise to afford, all needed help in trouble.
I know all the fowls of the mountain. All the winged creatures are under my inspection and near my hand; what then can be the value of your pairs of turtledoves, and your two young pigeons? The great Lord not only feeds all his creatures, but is well acquainted with each one; how wondrous is this knowledge! And the wild beasts of the fields are mine. The whole population moving over the plain belongs to me; why then should I seek you beeves and rams? In me all things live and move; how mad are you to suppose that I desire your living things! A spiritual God demands other life than that which is seen in animals; he looks for spiritual sacrifice; for the love, the trust, the praise, the life of your hearts.
I know all the fowls of the mountain. All the winged creatures are under my inspection and near my hand; what then can be the value of your pairs of turtledoves, and your two young pigeons? The great Lord not only feeds all his creatures, but is well acquainted with each one; how wondrous is this knowledge! And the wild beasts of the fields are mine. The whole population moving over the plain belongs to me; why then should I seek you beeves and rams?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I know all the fowls of the mountains - That is, I am fully acquainted with their numbers; their nature; their habits; their residence. I have such a knowledge of them that I could appropriate them to my own use if I were in need of them. I am not, therefore, dependent on people to offer them, for I can use them as I please. And the wild beasts of the field are mine - Margin, “with me.” That is, they are before me. They are never out of my presence. At any time, therefore, I could use them as I might need them. The word rendered “wild beasts” - זיז zı̂yz - means any moving thing; and the idea here is, whatever moves in the field, or roams abroad. Everything is his - whether on the mountains, in the forest, or in the cultivated field.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
the behemoth of the thousand mountains That is (the bull) destined for the future feast [of the righteous], which grazes on a thousand mountains daily, and every day they grow back.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָ֭דַעְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| ע֣וֹף | of | bird of | H5775 → | 71 times |
| הָרִ֑ים | harim | [the] mountains | H2022 → | 546 times |
| וְזִ֥יז | veziz | and moving creature[s] of | H2123 → | |
| שָׂ֝דַ֗י | sadai | [the] field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| עִמָּדִֽי׃ | ʾimadi | [are] with me | H5978 → | 42 times |
יָ֭דַעְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
ע֣וֹףbird of
ofH5775 →71 times
הָרִ֑ים[the] mountains
harimH2022 →546 times
וְזִ֥יזand moving creature[s] of
vezizH2123 →
שָׂ֝דַ֗י[the] field
sadaiH7704 →334 times
עִמָּדִֽי׃[are] with me
ʾimadiH5978 →42 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 6:26Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
it leads to
- Psalms 147:9
He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Job 38:41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 145:15–16
The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 10:29–31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
- Luke 12:24–32
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
- Psalms 147:9
Through
Luke 12:24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
it leads to
- Luke 12:7
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Matthew 10:31
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Luke 12:7
Through
Psalms 104:12The birds of the air nest beside the springs; they sing among the branches.
it leads to
- Psalms 148:10
wild animals and all cattle, crawling creatures and flying birds,
- Psalms 148:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 50; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Evagrius Ponticus, NOTES ON THE PSALMS 49[50].10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.