Psalm 33:7 kjv
He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
Psalm 33:7 nkjv
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.
Psalm 33:7 niv
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.
Psalm 33:7 esv
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
Psalm 33:7 nlt
He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
Psalm 33 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:9-10 | And God said, “Let the waters...be gathered together...and let the dry land appear.” And it was so... | God separates and gathers waters in creation. |
| Job 38:8-11 | Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb... “Thus far shall you come, and no farther... | God sets boundaries for the mighty sea. |
| Prov 8:27-29 | when He marked out the foundations of the earth; then I was beside Him, like a master craftsman. | God's wisdom in creating and setting boundaries for waters. |
| Is 40:12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand...? | God's immeasurable power over the oceans. |
| Ps 104:5-9 | You set the earth on its foundations... You set a boundary that they may not pass over... | God sustains creation, waters do not return to cover the earth. |
| Jer 5:22 | Do you not fear me, declares the LORD? Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the bound for the sea... | God's fear-inducing power over the sea. |
| Ps 89:9 | You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. | God calms tumultuous waters by His command. |
| Ps 74:13 | You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. | God's power over chaotic forces, including seas. |
| Exod 15:8 | At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. | Red Sea miracle as a literal heap of waters. |
| Nahum 1:4 | He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers. | God's absolute dominion over water bodies. |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. | God's ultimate authority over all creation, even removing the sea. |
| Matt 8:27 | The men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?” | Jesus demonstrates divine power over nature. |
| Ps 24:1-2 | The earth is the LORD’s... For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. | God is the Creator and sustainer of the earth and its waters. |
| Job 26:10 | He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. | God imposes order and boundaries. |
| Job 38:25 | Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder...? | God's control extends to all forms of water in creation. |
| Amos 9:6 | He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds His arches upon the earth; He who calls for the waters of the sea... | God, the sovereign Creator, calls the waters of the sea. |
| Hab 3:10 | The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice... | Even creation trembles before God's majesty and power. |
| Ps 148:4-6 | Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!... He commanded and they were created. | God's command established waters at creation. |
| Ps 65:5-7 | You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas... who stills the roaring of the seas... | God's power is recognized even in distant seas. |
| Eccl 1:7 | All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. | Natural cycles of water are within God's ordered design. |
Psalm 33 verses
Psalm 33 7 Meaning
Psalm 33:7 proclaims God's unparalleled power over the vast waters of creation. It asserts that He supernaturally gathers the immense oceans as if they were a collected pile and securely stores the subterranean deeps as one would store treasures in a confined place. This declaration highlights His sovereign control, wisdom, and might in bringing order to the natural world.
Psalm 33 7 Context
Psalm 33 is a hymn of praise, exhorting the righteous to joyfully sing to the LORD. It celebrates God's sovereignty over creation, His faithfulness, His just rule, and His power in guiding nations and individuals. The psalm positions God as the unique, all-powerful Creator and Ruler, contrasting His dependable wisdom and counsel with the futility of human plans and national strengths. Verse 7 specifically draws on imagery from the foundational acts of creation (Gen 1:9-10) and potentially alludes to historical events like the parting of the Red Sea (Exod 15:8), to underscore the profound depth and unwavering nature of God's dominion over the elements. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the sea was often viewed as a chaotic, unpredictable, or even deified force. The psalmist's declaration serves as a direct polemic against such pagan beliefs, affirming that the God of Israel alone commands and contains the waters, transforming chaos into order.
Psalm 33 7 Word analysis
- He gathers (Hebrew: konēs, כֹּנֵס): This verb implies intentional, decisive action of collecting or bringing together. It suggests an active, deliberate agency, not a natural phenomenon, but a supernatural command that overrides typical physical properties. This highlights God's sovereignty and His immediate control over vast and powerful elements.
- the waters of the sea (Hebrew: mayim hayyam, מַיִם הַיָּם): Refers to the immense, boundless oceans and seas. In ancient thought, these vast bodies were often perceived as untameable, mysterious, and chaotic, symbolizing powerful forces beyond human control. The use of "the sea" emphasizes its overwhelming magnitude.
- as a heap (Hebrew: kanned, כַּנֵּד): The Hebrew word ned signifies a mound or pile. The comparison to a "heap" implies an unnatural collection or standing still of what is naturally fluid and sprawling. This metaphor directly recalls the parting of the Red Sea where the waters stood up like "heaps" (Exod 15:8). It demonstrates God's power to suspend or reverse natural laws, displaying His supreme authority.
- He lays up (Hebrew: nothen, נֹתֵן - here a participle form, literally "He is putting/giving"): This verb denotes placing, storing, or entrusting. It conveys an act of careful preservation and intentional organization. Rather than chaotic randomness, there is divine purpose in the arrangement of the deeps.
- the deeps (Hebrew: təhōmôt, תְּהֹמוֹת): This term, often used in plural, refers to the subterranean oceans or primeval abyss, the vast reservoirs of water within the earth (Gen 7:11). In ancient cosmology, tehom was the deep, unformed waters of chaos from which God brought forth order (Gen 1:2). The plural form often refers to all these vast, primal water sources. Here, it denotes God's comprehensive control over not only surface waters but also the hidden, foundational waters of the earth.
- in storehouses (Hebrew: bə’ōṣārôt, בְּאוֹצָרוֹת): This noun refers to treasuries, armories, or places of storage for valuable things. Comparing the deeps to "storehouses" signifies that God treats these vast and vital resources not as untamed chaos but as ordered, purposeful reserves. It indicates God's wisdom in managing earth's resources and implies that these waters are reserved for His sovereign purposes, whether for judgment or blessing (Job 38:22, Ps 135:7).
Words-Group Analysis:
- "He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap": This phrase dramatically portrays God's absolute control over the earth's most formidable natural element. It depicts a divine action that defies the laws of nature, demonstrating power beyond human comprehension or scientific explanation. It directly speaks to God's creative might in ordering the initial waters and His continued power to intervene supernaturally.
- "He lays up the deeps in storehouses": This conveys God's deliberate and provident arrangement of hidden, foundational water sources. It speaks to divine wisdom and foresight, implying that these vast subterranean waters are not uncontrolled but are managed by God for His purposes, emphasizing His role as a meticulous architect and steward of creation.
Psalm 33 7 Bonus section
The imagery of God "gathering waters as a heap" and "laying up the deeps in storehouses" directly challenges ancient polytheistic cosmologies which often attributed the seas and their tumultuous nature to various unruly deities or chaotic, self-existent forces. The psalmist here offers a profound monotheistic corrective: only the LORD, the God of Israel, possesses the unique authority to contain and control the waters, demonstrating His incomparable status as the one true Creator. This not only signifies His omnipotence but also His bringing order (kosmos) out of initial formlessness and potential chaos (tohu va'vohu). This verse further implies God's continued involvement in upholding the cosmic order, not merely as a passive creator but as an active sustainer of the world He has made.
Psalm 33 7 Commentary
Psalm 33:7 magnificently illustrates God's sovereign mastery over the natural world, specifically His control of water, which was often a symbol of untamed power and chaos in antiquity. By depicting Him gathering oceans as if they were a collected "heap" and storing the abyssal "deeps" like valuables in "storehouses," the psalmist declares God as the ultimate Creator who is neither constrained by nor beholden to the elemental forces. This control speaks to His ability to establish boundaries for the seas (Job 38:8-11, Prov 8:29) and His power to act beyond natural laws, as seen at the Red Sea (Exod 15:8). It assures believers of His complete dominion, meaning that no force, however vast or chaotic, is outside His ordered and purposeful design. This understanding reinforces the psalm's larger theme of trust in God's powerful word and righteous counsel, offering deep assurance to those who hope in His steadfast love. For example, understanding God's control over oceans can encourage believers during metaphorical storms of life, knowing He can calm any raging force.