Psalm 136:6 kjv
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:6 nkjv
To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever;
Psalm 136:6 niv
who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:6 esv
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136:6 nlt
Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
? His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:9-10 | And God said, “Let the waters...be gathered...and let the dry land appear.” And it was so...called the dry land Earth. | Creation of dry land from water |
| Psa 24:2 | For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. | Earth founded on seas |
| Job 26:7 | He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. | God's power in cosmic order |
| Prov 8:27-29 | When He established the heavens...when He drew a circle on the face of the deep...when He assigned to the sea its limit. | Wisdom at creation; limiting waters |
| Jer 10:12 | It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens. | God's power in creation, incl. stretching |
| Isa 42:5 | Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth... | God as Creator, stretching out earth |
| Isa 44:24 | I am the LORD, who made all things...who stretched out the heavens alone, who spread out the earth--who was with Me? | Sole Creator, spreading earth |
| Isa 45:12 | I made the earth and created man upon it; My hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. | God's hands in creation, stretching heavens |
| Job 38:4-8 | “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?...Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?" | God's sovereignty over creation, incl. sea |
| Psa 104:5-9 | He set the earth on its foundations...The deep covered it like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains...at Your rebuke they fled. | Establishing earth, waters receding |
| Amos 9:6 | He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds His vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea... | God's cosmic architectural power |
| Rev 10:6 | ...swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it... | God as Creator of all |
| Heb 11:3 | By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. | Creation by divine word |
| John 1:3 | All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. | Christ's role in creation |
| Col 1:16 | For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...all things were created through Him and for Him. | Christ as agent of creation |
| Acts 14:15 | ...the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. | God as Creator of heaven, earth, sea |
| Acts 17:24 | The God who made the world and everything in it... | God as Maker of the world |
| Neh 9:6 | You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them. | Sole Creator of heavens, earth, seas |
| Zech 12:1 | ...Thus declares the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth and formed the spirit of man within him. | God stretching heavens & founding earth |
| Psa 146:6 | ...who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them... | God as universal Creator |
| Psa 74:13 | You divided the sea by Your might; You broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. | God's power over waters/chaos |
Psalm 136 verses
Psalm 136 6 Meaning
Psalm 136:6 proclaims that the LORD is the One who, by His powerful agency, expanded and set the dry land into being, separating it and elevating it above the vast, formless waters. This foundational act of creation is attributed to Him alone, demonstrating His omnipotence and ordering sovereignty over chaos. The verse, like every other in this Psalm, concludes by affirming that this mighty act of creation is an manifestation of His eternal lovingkindness.
Psalm 136 6 Context
Psalm 136 is a liturgical hymn of thanksgiving, part of the "Great Hallel" sung by Israel during major festivals like Passover. It is characterized by its responsorial structure, where the refrain "for His steadfast love endures forever" (Hebrew: ki lə‘olam ḥasdo) is repeated after each statement of God's mighty works. The psalm systematically recounts God's benevolence, beginning with His majestic acts of creation (vv. 4-9), then His deliverance of Israel from Egypt and their journey through the wilderness (vv. 10-22), and concluding with His continued provision (vv. 23-26). Verse 6 specifically refers to the creation event as described in Genesis 1:9-10, where God causes dry land to emerge from the primeval waters, thereby establishing an ordered, habitable world. This served as a powerful declaration of YHWH's absolute sovereignty, directly contrasting the polytheistic cosmogonies of surrounding nations which often elevated personified waters or chaotic entities as primal forces, or described gods emerging from the waters rather than establishing over them.
Psalm 136 6 Word analysis
- Him who spread out: The Hebrew verb is רוֹקַע (roqa‘), an active participle meaning "He who spreads out" or "He who has spread out." It signifies a deliberate, powerful action of flattening, extending, or stamping out, like beating metal into a thin plate or expanding fabric. In the creation context, it depicts God making the earth vast and stable. This imagery also appears in Job 37:18 concerning the firmament.
- the earth: The Hebrew word is אֶרֶץ (’erets), which can mean the whole earth, a country, or the dry ground. In this context, juxtaposed with "the waters," it clearly refers to the dry land that emerged from the liquid chaos. It is the solid, stable platform for life.
- above the waters: The Hebrew phrase is עַל־הַמָּיִם (‘al-hammāyim). The preposition עַל (‘al) implies "upon," "over," or "above." This is crucial as it signifies God's complete mastery and positioning of the land over the formless, chaotic depths (תְהוֹם - tehom), not emerging from a primordial water-god or being subject to water. It points to order brought out of disorder by divine command. The "waters" (מָּיִם - mayim) here signify the unformed, chaotic deep that existed before the establishment of dry land (Gen 1:2, 6-7, 9-10).
- for His steadfast love endures forever: The refrain, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ (ki lə‘olam ḥasdo).
- for: ki, meaning "because" or "indeed." It explains why God performs these acts.
- His steadfast love: חֶסֶד (chesed), a profound theological term that goes beyond simple love, encompassing loyal love, covenant faithfulness, kindness, mercy, and goodness. It's an active, persistent love, especially within a covenant relationship.
- endures forever: לְעוֹלָם (lə‘olam), signifying "to eternity" or "forever." This asserts the unending, unwavering nature of God's chesed.
Words-group analysis:
- "Him who spread out the earth": This phrase emphasizes God as the sole architect and executor of terrestrial creation. The act of "spreading out" implies a shaping and designing process that renders the earth habitable and orderly. It's a statement of active creation and cosmic craftsmanship.
- "above the waters": This specific directional preposition highlights the divine triumph over potential chaos. In ancient Near Eastern cosmologies, water often represented chaos or primeval deities. Here, YHWH is not limited by these waters but sovereignly places His creation above them, demonstrating His unmatched power to impose order and stability on the primeval state. This also alludes to the pre-existence of a vast water mass upon which God founded the earth, as indicated in other scriptures like Psa 24:2.
- "for His steadfast love endures forever": This omnipresent refrain across the entire Psalm links every act of God—from cosmic creation to Israel's deliverance and provision—to His unwavering covenant love. It transforms these powerful acts from mere displays of strength into demonstrations of benevolent concern and commitment to His creation and His people. It reveals that the ordering of the cosmos is not arbitrary but flows from His inherent goodness and faithfulness.
Psalm 136 6 Bonus section
The act of "spreading out" implies that the earth, though established above the waters, is not merely a rigid, static structure. Rather, it suggests a continuous expansion and ordering, which reflects God's dynamic presence in maintaining His creation. This idea resonates with how the heavens are also "stretched out" (Isa 40:22). This Psalm's consistent emphasis on the divine "chesed" following each creative act suggests that God's power is fundamentally driven by His character of loyal, enduring love, transforming raw creation into an act of profound relational significance, preparing a habitation for mankind.
Psalm 136 6 Commentary
Psalm 136:6 vividly portrays God as the supreme Creator, an act underpinned by His unchanging steadfast love. This verse recalls the very foundations of the cosmos as described in Genesis, where the dry land emerges at God's command from the water-covered earth. The imagery of "spreading out" evokes a meticulous, powerful shaping, similar to unfurling a scroll or beating out metal, demonstrating deliberate artistry and grand scale. The crucial element of the earth being "above the waters" signifies God's definitive establishment of order over chaos. Unlike pagan deities, who were often products of primordial chaos, the God of Israel is distinct from and sovereign over these chaotic elements, subduing them for His purposes. Each act, particularly such a monumental one as shaping the earth, is framed by the declaration of God's unending chesed, reminding the worshiper that His power is always intertwined with His faithful love, making creation itself an act of benevolence and divine care.