Psalm 104:21 kjv
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
Psalm 104:21 nkjv
The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God.
Psalm 104:21 niv
The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
Psalm 104:21 esv
The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
Psalm 104:21 nlt
Then the young lions roar for their prey,
stalking the food provided by God.
Psalm 104 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 38:39-41 | "Can you hunt prey for the lion...? When they crouch... they look for food..." | God's provision for wild lions. |
| Ps 147:9 | "He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry." | God provides food to all creatures. |
| Matt 6:26 | "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap... your heavenly Father feeds them." | God's daily provision for nature. |
| Luke 12:24 | "Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap... and God feeds them." | Divine provision even for scavengers. |
| Ps 145:15 | "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season." | Universal expectation of divine provision. |
| Ps 145:16 | "You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing." | God's abundant and fulfilling provision. |
| Ps 104:27-28 | "These all look to you, to give them their food... When you give it, they gather it." | All creation depends on God's timing and gifts. |
| Job 4:10-11 | "The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion... is silenced." | The transient nature of the lion's power. |
| Ps 36:6 | "You save both man and beast, O LORD." | God's preservation of all life. |
| Gen 1:29-30 | "And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant...' to every beast..." | God's original provision of food for creation. |
| Deut 8:3 | "...man does not live by bread alone, but by every word..." | Beyond physical food, dependence on God's word. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches..." | God's promise of abundant provision for His people. |
| Acts 14:17 | "...He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains and fruitful seasons..." | God's continuous testimony through provision. |
| Amos 3:4 | "Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?" | Connecting the roar to the need for prey. |
| Ps 23:1 | "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." | God as ultimate provider and fulfiller of needs. |
| Hos 13:8 | "I will fall upon them like a bear... and tear open their chest; like a lion there I will devour them." | God's power exemplified by a lion's strength. |
| Isa 31:4 | "For as a lion or a young lion growls over its prey..." | God's powerful nature likened to a roaring lion. |
| Prov 30:14 | "There is a generation whose teeth are like swords... to devour the poor..." | Metaphorical use of 'lions' as predators. |
| 1 Tim 6:17 | "God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy." | God's generosity as a provider. |
| Jonah 4:11 | "...And should not I pity Nineveh... and also much cattle?" | God's compassionate care extends to animals. |
| Ps 50:10-11 | "For every beast of the forest is mine... I know all the birds of the hills..." | God's absolute ownership and knowledge of all creatures. |
| Rom 11:36 | "For from him and through him and to him are all things." | God as the ultimate source of all existence and provision. |
| Job 39:1-8 | Describes the wild goat and wild donkey's self-sufficiency yet inherent dependence on nature from God. | Illustrates God's care for untamed creatures. |
| Gen 9:3 | "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you..." | God's decree for animal consumption by humans. |
Psalm 104 verses
Psalm 104 21 Meaning
Psalm 104:21 vividly portrays a segment of the divinely ordered natural world: young lions actively hunting for their sustenance in the night. The verse asserts that despite their formidable appearance and natural instincts, their very ability to secure food is not independent but comes ultimately from God. It highlights God's constant and comprehensive provision, extending even to the wild and predatory creatures, demonstrating His universal dominion and sustaining care over all creation.
Psalm 104 21 Context
Psalm 104 is a magnificent hymn of praise to God as the glorious Creator and Sustainer of the universe, closely paralleling the creation narrative in Genesis 1. It details God's ongoing activity in maintaining the natural order He established. The psalm moves from cosmic elements (light, sky, water) to specific geographical features (mountains, springs), then to vegetation and the animals that inhabit these environments. Verse 21 is part of a section (verses 19-23) that describes the rhythm of day and night set by God, delineating times for human work and animal activity. In this divine order, fierce predators like young lions, which hunt at night, are not random or chaotic elements but operate within God's sovereign design. Historically and culturally, this psalm would have stood in contrast to contemporary polytheistic beliefs, where various gods controlled different aspects of nature, sometimes erratically or capriciously. Psalm 104 emphatically presents YHWH as the sole, omnipotent, and benevolent architect and caretaker of all creation, implying a direct polemic against chaotic or indifferent divine forces by showcasing a meticulous, providential divine oversight.
Psalm 104 21 Word analysis
- The young lions (כְּפִירִים - kĕphîrîm): Refers specifically to vigorous, strong, often roaring young lions. This choice highlights their power and natural prowess. Despite their inherent strength, the verse emphasizes their complete dependence on a higher power for survival.
- roar (יִשְׁאַגוּ - yish’agû): An onomatopoeic word capturing the powerful, distinct sound made by lions, especially when hunting or seeking territory. It signifies an innate, instinctual action linked directly to their need for sustenance and territorial declaration. It's a primal expression of hunger and drive.
- after their prey (לַטֶּרֶף - laṭṭerep̄): "Prey" (טֶרֶף - ṭerep̄) signifies what is torn or captured. This phrase denotes the direct object of their powerful hunt, indicating their natural carnivorous diet. Their instinctual actions are aimed at securing specific sustenance.
- and seek (וַיְבַקְשׁוּ - wayĕvaqqĕshû): "Seek" (בָּקַשׁ - baqash) implies an active, diligent search or pursuit, not a passive waiting. The lions are not given their food effortlessly; they exert effort and pursue it actively. This reflects the dynamic interaction between creature and environment within God's provision.
- their food (אָכְלָם - ʼoḵlām): Literally "their eating" or "their food." This is the essential sustenance necessary for their survival. It encapsulates everything required for their living.
- from God (מֵאֵל - mēʼēl): The preposition "from" (מִן - min) emphasizes the source. "God" (ʼĒl) is a general, ancient term for God, often associated with power and might. Its usage here signifies that the ultimate origin and supply of food for these wild, fearsome creatures is not luck, fate, or their own power, but solely the Almighty Creator. This asserts divine sovereignty over even the untamed and fierce elements of creation.
Psalm 104 21 Bonus section
This verse subtly showcases the incredible detail and specificity of God's care. He doesn't just sustain "animals" in general; He feeds "young lions" in their specific predatory mode. This intimate knowledge and active provision for creatures so often associated with wildness and danger demonstrate God's boundless power and His deep engagement with His creation. It provides a foundational truth that if such creatures operate entirely within His provision, humanity, made in His image and subject to His moral law, must certainly also depend solely on Him. The roaring of the lions, often a sound of terror in human experience, is here reframed as a cry to their Maker, implicitly acknowledged and answered by Him. This perspective elevates a commonplace natural phenomenon into a profound theological statement about God's omnipresent care and infinite resources.
Psalm 104 21 Commentary
Psalm 104:21 offers a profound glimpse into God's sovereign rule over creation, asserting that His meticulous care extends even to the fiercest of creatures. The powerful young lions, roaring and actively pursuing their prey under the cloak of night, are depicted not as independent entities operating by raw instinct alone, but as creatures fundamentally dependent on their Creator for their very sustenance. Their formidable power and natural drive are acknowledged, yet it is critically highlighted that the outcome of their hunt—their "food"—originates "from God." This underscores an important theological principle: divine providence is exhaustive and inclusive, leaving no part of the created order outside of God's active sustainment. It teaches humanity to recognize that if God so faithfully provides for wild beasts, how much more will He provide for His human children, fostering trust and acknowledging His role as the ultimate Giver of all good things. The verse exemplifies God's orderly provision, demonstrating that even what appears chaotic in nature is orchestrated and sustained by His design.