Psalm 104 27

Psalm 104:27 kjv

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

Psalm 104:27 nkjv

These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season.

Psalm 104:27 niv

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.

Psalm 104:27 esv

These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.

Psalm 104:27 nlt

They all depend on you
to give them food as they need it.

Psalm 104 verses

Psalm 104 27 Meaning

Psalm 104:27 speaks to the universal dependence of all living creatures upon the Creator. It highlights that all beings, from the mighty sea creatures to the wild animals, instinctively look to God as their singular source of sustenance. God, in His faithful providence, provides for them precisely "in due season," demonstrating His perfect timing and ordered sustenance throughout the natural cycles He established. This verse underscores God's active role as the constant and consistent Provider for every form of life on Earth.

Psalm 104 27 Context

Psalm 104 is a magnificent hymn praising God as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos. It follows a poetic description that parallels, yet deepens, the Genesis account of creation. The psalm describes God arrayed in splendor, laying the foundations of the earth, controlling waters, raising mountains, appointing limits to the seas, and making springs flow. It details how God provides for various creatures in different habitats—from wild donkeys and birds to trees and marine life. Verse 27, therefore, is nestled within this grand narrative of divine cosmic administration, focusing specifically on how God supplies the most fundamental need: food, for all the living beings He has fashioned and maintains. This sets it apart from creation accounts that solely focus on the initial act of creation, emphasizing God's continuous, active role in preserving His creation moment by moment, year by year. Historically and culturally, this psalm offers a monotheistic alternative to contemporary polytheistic beliefs (such as those in Egypt or Canaan) where multiple deities might be credited for different aspects of nature's provision. It asserts Yahweh as the one comprehensive source of all life and sustenance.

Psalm 104 27 Word analysis

• These all (כּוּלָּם - kullam): This plural pronoun "all of them" encompasses the wide array of creatures mentioned in the preceding verses, including land animals (wild goats, rock badgers, wild donkeys, lions) and particularly those in the vast sea, whose diverse populations are detailed in verse 25 and 26. It highlights the universality and inclusiveness of God's provision—no creature is overlooked. The Hebrew term implies completeness, signifying that every single living being, without exception, is under divine care.
• wait for You (עֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּן - 'eleyka yesabberun):
  • Yissaberun (from the root sabar): This Piel imperfect verb suggests an active, hopeful, and persistent expectation. It’s not a passive waiting in idleness, but an earnest looking forward with confident trust. The animals "hope" or "look expectantly" to God. This signifies a fundamental, innate dependency embedded within creation itself. Their very existence is predicated on divine provision, demonstrating a primal, natural faith or trust.
  • 'Eleyka (upon You): The preposition "upon" or "to" strongly indicates the direct object of their focus. The creatures do not wait upon chaotic chance or anonymous natural processes, but directly "upon You," addressing God as the personal, intentional source. This highlights God's sovereign and relational engagement with His creation.
• to give them (לָתֵת לָהֶם - latet lahem): The infinitive form "to give" ("to cause to be given") emphasizes God's proactive role as the Giver. He is the active agent in providing. This is not about creatures scrounging for scarce resources, but about receiving a benevolent bestowal from their Creator. It underlines God's intentionality and generosity.
• their food (אָכְלָם - 'oklam): This word directly translates to "their eating" or "their food." It represents everything necessary for life and sustenance. This highlights the basic, fundamental need that God continually meets for His creation. The singular nature of "food" for all points to the unified, systematic nature of God's supply chain for His entire creation.
• in due season (בְּעִתּוֹ - b'itto): Literally "in its time" or "at its appointed time." This phrase signifies God's perfect timing, wisdom, and order in provision. It’s not always immediate or instant, but always at the most appropriate and beneficial moment. This emphasizes God's careful orchestration of the natural cycles (day/night, seasons) that bring forth resources and make them available to His creatures. It suggests a regular, rhythmic, and dependable pattern of supply, reflective of divine foresight and consistent care.

Words-group Analysis:

• "These all wait for You": This phrase paints a picture of creation itself in a posture of reliant expectation before its Maker. It attributes an implicit recognition of God's sovereignty even to the non-human creatures, showing a profound interconnectedness between Creator and creation. This "waiting" is an essential characteristic of their created design and existence.
• "to give them their food in due season": This phrase defines the specific outcome and the manner of God's provision. It's a statement of assured supply (He "gives") delivered with perfect precision ("in due season"), ensuring that the fundamental need of all life (food) is met continuously according to divine wisdom and schedule. This speaks volumes about God's consistent faithfulness and order.

Psalm 104 27 Bonus section

• The emphasis on "all" creatures waiting underscores the grand scale of God's administration. His provision is not limited to humanity or specific types of creatures but extends to the whole biological world He created, affirming His holistic sovereignty over life itself.
• The parallelism often drawn between Psalm 104 and the Aton hymn from ancient Egypt highlights a polemical stance. While Aton (the sun disc) provides life by its warmth and light, Psalm 104 declares that Yahweh is the active, personal "giver" who supplies "food" through intentional actions, distinguishing Himself from an impersonal force or phenomenon.
• The psalm implies a wisdom inherent in creation's design: the creatures are instinctively oriented toward their Provider, rather than existing independently or seeking provision from false sources. This intrinsic design points back to the wise hand of the Creator.
• This verse can serve as a strong antidote to human anxiety and worry over material needs. If God so reliably provides for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field without their striving, how much more will He provide for His image-bearers, who are of much greater value (cf. Matthew 6:26)? It fosters trust and reliance on divine providence.

Psalm 104 27 Commentary

Psalm 104:27 provides a profound theological truth encapsulated in simple terms: all life ultimately draws its sustenance directly from God, the Creator and Sustainer. The creatures, depicted in the psalm as moving freely within the diverse habitats God fashioned, naturally assume a posture of hopeful expectation towards their Maker. This "waiting" is not a passive resignation but an active, innate reliance, as if all creation instinctively recognizes its dependency. God, in turn, demonstrates His perfect benevolence by actively "giving" them their food, thereby confirming His ongoing personal involvement in the details of His created order. The crucial phrase "in due season" underscores God's meticulous timing and wisdom, highlighting the rhythmic cycles of nature as expressions of His consistent provision rather than chaotic occurrences. This verse directly counters any notion of a distant, absentee God or a universe left to chance. Instead, it asserts Yahweh's immanent, compassionate care, establishing Him as the trustworthy and indispensable Source of all life's most basic needs. It is a powerful declaration of God's faithfulness, reminding us that if He so diligently provides for the creatures of the earth, He will certainly provide for His people according to His divine wisdom and timing.