Psalm 104:30 kjv
Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
Psalm 104:30 nkjv
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.
Psalm 104:30 niv
When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 104:30 esv
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 104:30 nlt
When you give them your breath, life is created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
Psalm 104 30 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:2 | "and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." | Spirit active in initial creation. |
| Gen 2:7 | "then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground... and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." | God gives life through breath/Spirit. |
| Job 33:4 | "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." | Spirit as the source of individual life. |
| Psa 33:6 | "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host." | God creates through His breath/Spirit. |
| Psa 104:29 | "When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust." | Contrasts death by withdrawal of Spirit. |
| Psa 147:8 | "He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth..." | God's control over natural cycles. |
| Neh 9:6 | "You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven... and you preserve all of them." | God as Creator and Sustainer. |
| Isa 40:26 | "Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number..." | God's power in creation and order. |
| Isa 42:5 | "Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out... He gives breath to the people on it..." | God as source of life for humanity. |
| Isa 65:17 | "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered..." | Foreshadows future new creation/renewal. |
| Eze 37:9-10 | "Then he said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man... come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.'" | Spirit brings new life, even from death. |
| Zec 12:1 | "Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him." | God as the origin of human spirit. |
| Rom 8:11 | "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies..." | Spirit gives spiritual and future physical life. |
| Rom 8:19-22 | "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God... subjected to futility... because of the hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay..." | Creation's longing for ultimate renewal. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." | Spiritual new creation in Christ. |
| Eph 4:24 | "and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." | Moral/spiritual renewal by God's design. |
| Col 1:16-17 | "For by him all things were created... and in him all things hold together." | Christ as the sustainer of all creation. |
| Acts 17:28 | "for in him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.'" | God as the source and sustainer of all life. |
| Rev 21:1 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away..." | Ultimate new creation by God. |
| Jn 3:5-8 | "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God... So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." | Spirit's role in spiritual rebirth. |
| Heb 1:3 | "He is the radiance of the glory of God... upholding the universe by the word of his power." | Christ's ongoing sustenance of creation. |
| 1 Tim 6:13 | "I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things..." | God is the source of all life. |
Psalm 104 verses
Psalm 104 30 Meaning
Psalm 104:30 declares God's continuous active role as the giver and sustainer of life on Earth. Through the sending forth of His Spirit, God continuously creates new life and replenishes existing forms, thereby refreshing and restoring the "face of the earth," which includes its inhabitants, flora, and fauna. This verse emphasizes divine providence and ongoing creative activity.
Psalm 104 30 Context
Psalm 104 is a majestic hymn celebrating God as the benevolent and powerful Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos. It closely echoes the creative acts described in Genesis 1, detailing how God established the earth, seas, lights, weather, and a diverse array of living creatures, all subject to His intricate design and provision. This specific verse (104:30) concludes a section (verses 27-30) that addresses the dependence of all living creatures on God for their existence. Verse 29 highlights how life ceases when God withdraws His Spirit (breath), leading into verse 30 which powerfully affirms that God actively sends forth His Spirit to create and renew life, thus ensuring the continuity and vibrancy of creation on the "face of the earth." Historically and culturally, the psalm serves as a profound theological statement, asserting the sole sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation, in stark contrast to pagan polytheistic views that attributed control over various aspects of nature to multiple deities.
Psalm 104 30 Word analysis
- You send forth: Implies God's intentional and active projection of His power and presence. It denotes direct divine agency in creation and sustenance.
- Your Spirit: In Hebrew, this is Rûakhǎka (רוּחַךְ), which refers to the Spirit, breath, or wind of God. It signifies the divine life-giving power and animating force of God, echoing its role in Genesis 1:2 hovering over the waters and Genesis 2:7 as the breath of life given to humanity. This emphasizes God's personal involvement in imparting life.
- they are created: The Hebrew word is yibbārᵉ’ûn (יִבָּרֵאוּ), a Niphal (passive) form of bārā’ (בָּרָא), meaning "to create." While bārā’ often refers to an initial, original creation (ex nihilo), in this context, immediately following the cessation of life (Ps 104:29), it conveys the constant bringing forth of new life, replenishing the earth's creatures. It signifies a continuous or repeated act of divine creativity, filling the void left by death.
- and You renew: The Hebrew verb is təkhaddēsh (תְּחַדֵּשׁ), from khādash (חָדַשׁ), meaning "to make new, repair, restore." This indicates an ongoing process, a continuous restoration, refreshment, and revitalization of the earthly environment and its life. It is not merely a single act of creation but a perpetual cycle of renewal orchestrated by God.
- the face of the earth: The Hebrew phrase is pᵉnê hā’āreṣ (פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ), literally "the face of the ground/land/earth." This refers to the visible surface of the earth, its ecosystems, all its diverse inhabitants, and the conditions necessary for their flourishing. It signifies the whole animate creation on land.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "You send forth Your Spirit, they are created": This phrase connects God's active Spirit with the immediate and direct generation of life. It implies that every instance of new life—be it birth, hatching, or regeneration within an ecosystem—is a direct creative act of God's Spirit. This highlights God's role not just as a one-time Creator, but as a continuous Author of life.
- "and You renew the face of the earth": This phrase emphasizes the restorative and sustaining aspect of God's power. It describes how God maintains the vitality and vibrancy of the planet. Even as creatures die and ecosystems shift, God continually orchestrates processes (like nutrient cycling, plant growth, and animal reproduction) to bring freshness and renewed life to the entire earthly surface, preventing its decay and emptiness.
Psalm 104 30 Bonus section
This verse offers a crucial counter-narrative to any deistic worldview that posits God as a distant Creator who set the universe in motion and then withdrew. Instead, it powerfully asserts God's immanence—His active presence and engagement within His creation. The continuous act of "sending forth" His Spirit and "renewing" the earth implies a dynamic and ongoing relationship between the Creator and His handiwork. The Spirit's role in this continuous creation and sustenance can also be seen as prefiguring the Holy Spirit's role in the New Covenant, where the Spirit gives spiritual life and renews individuals (Titus 3:5), just as He physically renews the earth. This highlights a holistic divine engagement: God is not only the origin of physical life but also the source of spiritual regeneration, maintaining both the natural and spiritual realms.
Psalm 104 30 Commentary
Psalm 104:30 provides a profound theological insight into divine providence. It moves beyond simply recognizing God as the initial Creator to proclaiming Him as the continuous Sustainer and Replenisher of all life. The "Spirit" of God is the vital divine agent in this ongoing process, acting as the breath of life that invigorates creation. When God sends forth His Spirit, new life bursts forth, counteracting the effects of death and decay mentioned in the preceding verse. This demonstrates that the cycles of birth, death, and renewal in nature are not merely biological processes but are intimately tied to the direct, continuous, and active work of God. It affirms His dynamic involvement in maintaining the created order, ensuring that the world remains teeming with life, a vibrant testament to His never-ceasing creative power and love.