Psalm 24 2

Psalm 24:2 kjv

For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Psalm 24:2 nkjv

For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.

Psalm 24:2 niv

for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

Psalm 24:2 esv

for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 24:2 nlt

For he laid the earth's foundation on the seas
and built it on the ocean depths.

Psalm 24 verses

Psalm 24 2 Meaning

Psalm 24:2 declares God's unique power and absolute authority as the sovereign Creator of the earth. It states that the Lord, by His own divine will and effortless might, meticulously founded and firmly established the dry land, setting it securely in place amidst or upon the vast and potentially chaotic waters of the primeval seas and subterranean floods. This verse emphasizes the earth's stable foundation and its very existence as a direct result of God's supreme creative act and His continued dominion over all creation.

Psalm 24 2 Context

Psalm 24 commences with a forceful declaration of God's absolute ownership over creation: "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps 24:1). Verse 2 then provides the foundational reason for this claim – it is the Lord who, by His inherent power, established the earth. This psalm is commonly interpreted as a liturgical psalm, potentially used in a processional ceremony such as the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem or to Mount Zion (as referenced in 2 Sam 6). The subsequent rhetorical question, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Ps 24:3), logically transitions from the awe of God as Creator to the standards required for His worshipers. The historical and cultural context is crucial: in an ancient Near Eastern world steeped in pagan creation myths that often depicted violent struggles between gods and primordial water deities, this psalm directly counteracts such narratives. It portrays Yahweh as effortlessly, uniquely, and completely supreme over the waters, simply establishing the earth by His command without any divine struggle.

Psalm 24 2 Word analysis

• For he: This phrase introduces the foundational reason (the 'for') for the declaration of God's ownership in Psalm 24:1. The "he" unequivocally refers to the LORD (Yahweh), emphasizing His singular role and active agency in the act of creation and establishment.
• hath founded: The Hebrew word is yāsaḏ (יָסַד), which carries the meaning "to lay a foundation," "to establish," "to settle," "to ordain," or "to appoint." It conveys a deliberate, intentional act of setting something firmly and permanently in place, highlighting the structured and stable nature God bestowed upon the earth through His divine design and power.
• it: This pronoun directly references "the earth" from Psalm 24:1, ensuring continuity of the subject of God's creative work across the verses.
• upon the seas: The Hebrew is ʿal-yammîm (עַל־יַמִּים). "Upon" (ʿal) can denote position (above, on), or relationship (in connection with, over). "Seas" (yammîm) refers to large bodies of water, often symbolizing the vast, deep, and potentially chaotic primordial waters or the "deep" (tehom) in ancient cosmologies. This imagery underscores God's absolute sovereignty, implying that He did not struggle with or succumb to these powerful watery elements but effortlessly established and secured the dry land over or in relation to them, asserting His complete mastery.
• and established: The Hebrew word is kônēn (כּוֹנֵן), a Piel form of the root kûn (כּוּן). This root means "to be firm, secure, stable," while the Piel form intensifies the action, meaning "to make firm," "to prepare," "to establish," or "to make ready." This term serves as a powerful poetic parallelism to "hath founded," reinforcing the notion of God's deliberate, effective, and lasting stabilization of the earth. It emphasizes the enduring permanence and unwavering solidity divinely imparted to creation.
• it: Once again, this refers to "the earth," serving as a grammatical link that reaffirms the subject of God's establishing act.
• upon the floods: The Hebrew is ʿal-nəhārōt (עַל־נְהָרוֹת). "Floods" (nəhārōt) refers to rivers, streams, or large flowing bodies of water, which could also include subterranean water sources or the waters from which the great biblical flood originated. Paired with "seas," this constitutes a poetic parallelism, broadly encompassing all the world's watery elements, both surface and deep. It further underscores God's comprehensive dominion over every aspect of water, regardless of its form or source, even those perceived as chaotic or overwhelming.

Psalm 24 2 Bonus section

The imagery of the earth being "founded upon the seas" and "established upon the floods" does not intend to offer a literal geological description of a floating earth, as that would contradict a scientific understanding of a landmass. Instead, this language is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern cosmological worldview where primordial watery chaos was understood as the original state before creation. The act of creation, in this context, was God's masterful separation of land from water (Gen 1:9-10) and His subsequent establishment of fixed boundaries for the waters (Job 38:8-11; Prov 8:29), ensuring the dry land's emergence and stability. This verse, therefore, highlights God's triumph over chaos, effortlessly imposing order on what was once formless and void, and making the earth a habitable dwelling. The emphasis is on His sovereignty and ability to command and control the most formidable elements, thus demonstrating His unquestionable ownership and enduring power over every aspect of His creation.

Psalm 24 2 Commentary

Psalm 24:2 serves as a pivotal theological declaration, providing the divine rationale for the assertion in Psalm 24:1 that the earth belongs to God. It magnificently articulates God's unique and absolute power as the effortless Creator who not only conceived the earth but firmly laid its foundations, securing it precisely where He willed, often envisioned as amidst or above the chaotic primeval waters. This portrayal is a stark and direct theological challenge to common ancient Near Eastern creation myths, which typically depicted divine beings struggling in cosmic battles against personified water deities to achieve order. In contrast, the biblical narrative through this verse asserts that Yahweh established the earth simply through His divine decree and unchallengeable might, showcasing His singular and undisputed supremacy over all natural forces, particularly the powerful and unruly waters. The verse thereby highlights the inherent stability and order of the cosmos, not as a random geological occurrence, but as a deliberate, enduring work of God's omnipotent hand, sustaining creation and providing a steadfast stage for His divine purposes. Practically, it affirms God's constant providential care for the physical world He created, ensuring its consistent existence and stability, upon which all life and human endeavor depend. For example, the reliable return of day and night or the consistent pull of gravity are quiet testimonies to the continuous, unyielding power of the Creator God who established and upholds all things.