Psalm 104:8 kjv
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
Psalm 104:8 nkjv
They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them.
Psalm 104:8 niv
they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.
Psalm 104:8 esv
The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.
Psalm 104:8 nlt
Mountains rose and valleys sank
to the levels you decreed.
Psalm 104 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:9-10 | And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered... and let the dry land appear."...God called the dry land Earth, and the waters... Seas. | God gathers waters, dry land appears. |
| Job 38:8-11 | "Or who shut in the sea with doors... and prescribed limits for it... saying, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther'?" | God sets boundaries for the sea. |
| Prov 8:29 | when he assigned to the sea its limit... | Wisdom present when God limited the sea. |
| Jer 5:22 | Do you not fear me?... who placed the sand as the bound for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass? | God's power in setting sea's boundaries. |
| Isa 40:12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand... and weighed the mountains in a balance...? | God's omnipotence in creation's design. |
| Psa 33:7 | He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he lays up the deep in storehouses. | God collects and stores the waters. |
| Psa 65:6 | who by his strength established the mountains... | God establishes mountains by His power. |
| Psa 74:15 | You split open springs and torrents; you dried up ever-flowing rivers. | God controls waters and dry land. |
| Psa 90:2 | Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world... you are God. | God existed before creation of earth and mountains. |
| Psa 105:22 | He established all the earth's foundations. | God established earth's foundations. |
| Psa 148:6 | He established them forever and ever; he gave a decree that will not pass away. | God's decrees for creation are eternal. |
| Gen 7:11 | all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. | Waters previously covered earth in Flood. |
| Amos 9:6 | he who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth... | God builds and founds all things. |
| Zec 12:1 | ...who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth... | God lays earth's foundation. |
| 2 Pet 3:5 | by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water... | Earth formed from water by God's Word. |
| John 1:3 | All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. | Christ's role in creation. |
| Col 1:16 | For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth... | All creation through Christ. |
| Heb 1:2 | ...through whom also he created the world. | God created worlds through His Son. |
| Rev 10:6 | ...who created heaven and the things in it, the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it... | God is the creator of heaven, earth, and sea. |
| Neh 9:6 | You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens... the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them... | God alone created everything. |
| Psa 8:6 | You make him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet... | Man given dominion over creation. |
Psalm 104 verses
Psalm 104 8 Meaning
Psalm 104:8 describes a pivotal act of divine creation, where God orchestrates the separation of dry land from water, making the earth habitable. Following a global covering of water (v. 6), this verse depicts the dramatic recession of these waters. The waters are shown to actively recede: "they" (referring to the waters) ascend from what become the mountains, revealing high ground, and descend into the valleys, forming the permanent basins for oceans, seas, and rivers. This entire process occurs precisely "to the place that You appointed for them," highlighting God's sovereign design, order, and precise establishment of geographical features as permanent boundaries for the waters.
Psalm 104 8 Context
Psalm 104 is a magnificent hymn of praise to God, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire cosmos. It systematically unfolds a poetic recounting of creation, paralleling the account in Genesis 1. This particular verse (v. 8) fits into the segment describing the third day of creation, where the dry land appears. Verses 1-4 describe God's dwelling in light and stretching out the heavens. Verses 5-9 focus on the establishment of the earth itself and the separation of land from the primordial waters, ensuring the earth's stability and habitability. Psalm 104:8 specifically details the divine ordering of geographical features—mountains and valleys—as the final resting places and boundaries for the massive quantities of water that had previously covered the earth (v. 6-7). This arrangement ensures that the waters remain confined, allowing for dry ground to flourish and sustain life, as the subsequent verses depict. Historically, this Psalm stands in contrast to ancient Near Eastern myths which depicted chaotic, violent divine struggles for creation. Here, God effortlessly commands order by His word.
Psalm 104 8 Word analysis
- יַעֲלוּ (ya'alu) / "they went up" (KJV, NIV) or "the mountains rose" (ESV, NASB): From the root עלה ('alah), meaning "to ascend" or "go up." The subject of this verb is commonly understood to be "the waters" (הַמַּיִם, hamayim) from the preceding verses (104:6-7), not the mountains themselves. Therefore, "the waters ascended from the mountains" means the waters receded, revealing the mountains. This denotes an active movement of the vast expanse of water as commanded by God.
- הָרִים (harim) / "mountains": Plural of הַר (har), signifying elevated landforms. In this context, they represent the newly emerging dry land from which the waters withdrew. Mountains symbolize permanence and strength throughout the Bible (e.g., Psa 30:7).
- יֵרְדוּ (yer'du) / "they went down" (KJV, NIV) or "the valleys sank down" (ESV, NASB): From the root ירד (yarad), meaning "to descend" or "go down." Again, the subject is the "waters." This signifies the waters flowing into the lower regions, filling them to become seas, lakes, and rivers. This imagery presents a dynamic process of hydrological ordering.
- בְקָעוֹת (beqa'ot) / "valleys": Plural of בִּקְעָה (biq'ah), meaning a broad valley or plain. These low-lying areas become the basins and beds for the collected waters. They complement the mountains, showing the full range of terrestrial features.
- מָקוֹם (maqom) / "the place": Refers to a fixed, designated spot or location. It implies intentionality and precision in God's creation. Not random, but purposeful.
- יָסַדְתָּ (yasad'ta) / "that You appointed/founded for them": From the root יסד (yasad), meaning "to lay a foundation," "establish," or "settle." This powerful verb underscores God as the architect and master builder who not only formed the earth but also precisely established the eternal boundaries for the waters. The use of the second person "You" (תָּ, ta) directly addresses God, emphasizing His personal and authoritative action. "Them" refers to the waters, meaning the fixed place for the waters was specifically founded by God.
Psalm 104 8 Bonus section
The active verbs "went up" and "went down" describing the waters' movement, rather than the land's, highlight a crucial aspect of God's dominion: the once-dominant, formless waters are forced into submission and precise channels at His command. This implies not only creation but also control over chaos. The parallelism between "mountains" and "valleys" demonstrates the complete topological diversity established by God, each serving a purpose in managing the earth's hydrological system. This verse also serves as a strong refutation of polytheistic cosmologies prevalent in the ancient Near East, which often depicted creation as a result of cosmic conflict. Here, a singular, supreme God effortlessly brings order and stability by divine decree, establishing the very structure of the physical world. This fixed structure testifies to God's enduring faithfulness to His creation.
Psalm 104 8 Commentary
Psalm 104:8 profoundly portrays God's majestic power and meticulous design in shaping the earth. It is not a depiction of gradual geological processes but a poetic declaration of a singular, divine act of ordering. Following God's "rebuke" (v. 7), the tumultuous primordial waters are described as responding to His command, literally "going up" from what would become mountains and "going down" into what would become valleys and ocean beds. This act creates a defined, stable, and habitable dry land (Genesis 1:9-10). The emphasis is on God's sovereignty and His ability to establish fixed boundaries (Job 38:8-11, Jer 5:22), ensuring the chaotic deep remains confined and subservient to His will. This divinely appointed order reveals a purposeful universe, contrasting with any worldview suggesting random or accidental formation. The "place You appointed for them" signifies an unchangeable decree, showcasing God's foundational work as eternal and wise. This foundational act underpins all subsequent life-sustaining provisions described in the rest of the Psalm.