Psalm 104 24

Psalm 104:24 kjv

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Psalm 104:24 nkjv

O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions?

Psalm 104:24 niv

How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 104:24 esv

O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 104:24 nlt

O LORD, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 104 verses

Psalm 104 24 Meaning

Psalm 104:24 is a profound exclamation of awe and adoration, celebrating the limitless creative power and divine wisdom of God. It declares that God's "works"—meaning all of creation—are not only incredibly numerous and diverse but are also intricately and purposefully designed. The verse concludes by stating that the earth is abundantly filled with these creations, emphasizing God's complete ownership and mastery over everything He has brought into existence, especially the vast variety of living beings.

Psalm 104 24 Context

Psalm 104 is a hymn of praise to God as the glorious Creator and benevolent Sustainer of the cosmos. It paints a magnificent picture of God's majestic work, describing the creation in terms reminiscent of the Genesis account, detailing God's work in establishing the heavens, laying the earth's foundations, appointing the waters, mountains, and valleys, providing for vegetation and a diverse array of animal life, and finally, supplying sustenance for humanity. Verse 24 serves as a summary, moving from specific details of creation to a general declaration of wonder and admiration. It stands as a pivotal point, offering a synthesis of the psalmist's comprehensive awe at the totality of God's craftsmanship. Within its ancient historical and cultural setting, the psalm implicitly refutes polytheistic beliefs and nature worship, boldly proclaiming Yahweh as the one and only Creator and absolute Master of all phenomena that ancient peoples might have attributed to various deities. The entire created order testifies to His singular power, intelligence, and purposeful design, dispelling notions of a chaotic, impersonal, or deified universe.

Psalm 104 24 Word analysis

• O LORD (YHWH/Adonai): This address refers to God by His covenant name (YHWH), translated as "LORD" in reverence. It emphasizes God's personal nature, self-existence, eternal being, and His covenant faithfulness to His people. This personal relationship underscores the psalmist's intimate posture of adoration toward the sovereign Creator.
• how manifold (מַה רַבּוּ, mah rabbu): "Mah" expresses intense astonishment or an exclamatory "how great!" "Rabbu" signifies "great," "many," "abundant," or "diverse." Combined, this phrase conveys the boundless immensity, intricate variety, astonishing complexity, and overwhelming greatness of God's creative activities. It speaks to the countless forms, shapes, colors, and behaviors evident in His world.
• are Your works (מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, maʿăśêkā): Refers specifically to God's deeds or productions, encompassing everything He has brought into existence. This includes all elements of creation, from the vast cosmic structures to the smallest biological entities, highlighting the divine action and the results of God's immense power.
• In wisdom (בְּחָכְמָה, bəḥokmâ): This highlights a fundamental attribute of God. Hebrew "chokmah" signifies not just intellectual knowledge but also skill, understanding, purposeful design, and ingenious ordering. It reveals that God's creation is not random or by chance but is the result of meticulously planned, intelligent, and perfectly executed design. This wisdom is inherent to God Himself.
• You have made (עָשִׂיתָ, ʿāśîṯā): This verb indicates a direct, intentional, and personal act of creation by God. It emphasizes His agency as the primary and sole cause of all existence.
• them all (כֻּלָּם, kullām): This comprehensive term underscores the totality and universality of God's creative work. Every single part of creation, without exception or omission, is attributed to His direct making and carries the imprint of His wisdom.
• the earth (הָאָרֶץ, hāʾāreṣ): Specifically refers to the physical world, the dry ground contrasted with the waters (as per Gen 1), and more broadly, the habitat that God prepared and filled for living creatures. It denotes the physical realm that manifests God's detailed care.
• is full (מָלְאָה, mālʾâ): Conveys the idea of abundance, plenitude, and an overflowing measure. It suggests that the earth is not sparse or empty but is richly supplied with diverse life and resources, testifying to God's bountiful provision.
• of Your possessions / creatures (קִנְיָנֶךָ, qinyānæḵā): This pivotal term (qinyan comes from qanah, meaning "to acquire" or "to create"). In the context of Psalm 104's focus on the living and non-living elements of nature, it signifies all that God has created and thus rightfully "owns." It encompasses the multitude of creatures and elements that populate the earth, acknowledging them as His own produce, property, and subjects. Many modern translations render this "creatures" to highlight the focus on the vibrant life within the earth, all belonging to the Creator.

Words-group analysis:

• "O LORD, how manifold are Your works!": This opening acclamation serves as a passionate expression of profound astonishment and worship. It communicates the sheer scope, immense variety, and stunning complexity of God's creative acts, setting a tone of deep reverence and adoration for the divine Architect.
• "In wisdom You have made them all": This central declaration highlights God's intelligent design and purposeful arrangement within creation. It moves beyond simply acknowledging power to emphasize that everything in the cosmos, without exception, is intricately planned and executed with divine skill and perfect discernment, ensuring order and functionality.
• "the earth is full of Your possessions / creatures": This phrase accentuates the palpable evidence of God's creative abundance on Earth. "Full" underscores the lavish and teeming presence of life and resources, while "Your possessions/creatures" establishes God's absolute proprietorship over all that exists, emphasizing that everything stems from His bounty and is subject to His benevolent rule. It conveys the concept of the immanent God filling and sustaining His creation.

Psalm 104 24 Bonus section

The profound declaration "In wisdom You have made them all" carries significant theological weight, particularly in its echoes of biblical wisdom literature (like Proverbs 8), where hokmah (wisdom) is personified as present with God before and during the act of creation. This prefigures the New Testament revelation that Christ Himself is the "wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24) and the very agent through whom "all things were created, in heaven and on earth" (Col 1:16, Jn 1:3). Thus, this verse implicitly points to the divine wisdom inherently expressed in creation through the Son. Furthermore, the psalmist's comprehensive outlook, embracing all facets of the physical and living world, emphasizes a robust theological framework for understanding humanity's relationship with creation – recognizing it as God's treasured possession and a continuous testament to His glory, implying a call for stewardship and respect.

Psalm 104 24 Commentary

Psalm 104:24 offers a pinnacle of praise in a psalm devoted to creation. It encapsulates the preceding verses' detailed account of God's handiwork by declaring God's creative actions as "manifold" – immensely diverse, innumerable, and awe-inspiring in their complexity and beauty. This richness is not accidental; the verse asserts that God has accomplished "them all" purposefully and meticulously "in wisdom." This attribute of divine wisdom denotes not just abstract knowledge, but skillful execution, precise design, and an inherent ordering principle that ensures harmony and sustainability throughout the cosmos. From the celestial bodies to the minutiae of biological life, everything bears the stamp of a supremely intelligent Creator. The final affirmation, "the earth is full of Your possessions/creatures," underscores God's generous provision and His absolute ownership over all creation. It reveals a God who not only creates but intimately fills His world with a plenitude of life, resources, and wonders, all testifying to His glory and majesty. This verse thus invites profound reflection on the intricate design and overflowing generosity evident in the created world, calling humanity to worship the divine source of all things.

• Examples: The delicate structure of a bird's feather for flight; the self-regulating cycles of the water and carbon in the ecosystem; the intricate DNA coding within every living cell; the rhythmic precision of planetary movements—all reveal God's manifold works made in wisdom.