Psalm 89:11 kjv
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
Psalm 89:11 nkjv
The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
Psalm 89:11 niv
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
Psalm 89:11 esv
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
Psalm 89:11 nlt
The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours ? you created it all.
Psalm 89 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:1 | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. | God as sole Creator. |
| Exod 9:29 | ...the earth is the Lord’s. | Lord's ownership of earth. |
| Deut 10:14 | Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it. | All belongs to God. |
| 1 Chr 29:11 | Yours, O Lord, is the greatness... for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. | God's universal ownership and exaltation. |
| Ps 24:1 | The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it. | Lord owns the earth and its inhabitants. |
| Ps 50:12 | If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness. | God's self-sufficiency and ownership. |
| Ps 102:25 | Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. | God as founder of heaven and earth. |
| Ps 104:5 | You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever. | God established the earth. |
| Ps 115:16 | The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, But the earth He has given to the children of men. | Distinction: Heavens for God, earth for man (still owned by God). |
| Ps 148:1-6 | Praise the Lord from the heavens; ...Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created. | God as Creator of all things in heavens and earth. |
| Prov 3:19 | The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. | God founded creation by wisdom. |
| Isa 40:28 | The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth... | God as everlasting Creator of all. |
| Isa 42:5 | Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it... | God as active Creator. |
| Isa 44:24 | Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer... "I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;" | God alone created everything. |
| Isa 48:13 | Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; | God's power in founding creation. |
| Jer 10:10 | But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King... He has made the earth by His power... | God's power in creating the earth. |
| Zech 12:1 | Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth... | God as sustainer of heavens and earth. |
| John 1:3 | All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. | Christ's role in creation. |
| Col 1:16 | For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth... all things were created through Him and for Him. | Christ's universal creative power. |
| Heb 1:2 | His Son... through whom He also made the worlds; | God created the universe through Christ. |
| Heb 1:10 | And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands;" | Affirmation of Christ as the Creator. |
| Rev 4:11 | "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” | God is worthy because He created all. |
| 1 Cor 10:26 | For "the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness." | New Testament affirmation of God's ownership (quoting Ps 24:1). |
Psalm 89 verses
Psalm 89 11 Meaning
Psalm 89:11 declares God's absolute and universal sovereignty, stating that the heavens, the earth, and everything within the world are exclusively His possession. It emphasizes that God did not merely inherit or acquire creation but actively founded and established it, underscoring His ultimate power, ownership, and authority over all cosmic and terrestrial realms, including all life and resources within them. This foundational truth about God's dominion underpins His covenant faithfulness and ability to sustain His promises.
Psalm 89 11 Context
Psalm 89 is a Maskil, a didactic psalm, of Ethan the Ezrahite. It serves as both a hymn of praise and a lament, praising God's faithfulness and covenant with David, yet also expressing a deep crisis and national distress, seemingly calling into question God's promises. Verse 11, strategically placed early in the psalm (before the lament section begins), lays a foundational truth about God's unmatched power and dominion. It declares God's universal ownership and creative authority, establishing the unchallengeable premise that if God commands and owns the cosmos, He certainly has the power to maintain His covenant with David, regardless of current circumstances. This truth is pivotal, as it anchors the psalm's initial praise of God's greatness and acts as a powerful reminder for the lamenter, affirming that the same God who founded the heavens and earth can surely deliver on His covenantal vows.
Psalm 89 11 Word analysis
- The heavens (שָׁמַיִם - shamayim): This Hebrew term refers to the sky, the atmosphere, and the celestial dwelling place of God. Its use signifies the spiritual and visible celestial realm, from the highest heavens to the clouds. It points to God's dominion over everything above the earth. In ancient Near Eastern cosmologies, various deities were often associated with specific celestial bodies or domains, but here, shamayim being "Yours" to the God of Israel proclaims exclusive, universal divine sovereignty.
- are Yours (לְךָ - lə·ḵā): This emphatic personal pronoun "Yours" signifies direct possession and ultimate ownership. It is absolute; there is no shared or delegated ownership. This polemically asserts Yahweh's unique claim against any polytheistic notions of multiple deities ruling different cosmic parts.
- the earth (וָאָרֶץ - wā·’ā·reṣ): This Hebrew term refers to the ground, land, and the entire terrestrial globe. Coupled with "heavens," it forms a merism, indicating the entirety of creation from top to bottom.
- also is Yours: The repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God's ownership, extending from the celestial to the terrestrial.
- The world (תֵּבֵל - tê·ḇêl): Distinct from 'erets (earth as a physical landmass), tevel specifically denotes the inhabited earth, the cultivable or habitable world. It implies not just the physical globe but the sphere of human activity and habitation, indicating God's dominion over humanity and the very stage upon which life unfolds.
- and all its fullness (וּמְלֹאָהּ - ū·mə·lō·’āh): Melo'ah means that which fills something, its contents, its plenitude, or abundance. This encompasses everything within the heavens and earth – all living creatures (animals, plants, humans), all natural resources, all matter, and all systems. This phrase asserts that God owns not just the container but everything contained within it, emphasizing complete, detailed, and unreserved ownership of the entire created order. It combats any idea of an independent, self-sustaining world.
- You have founded them (אַתָּה יְסַדְתָּם - ’at·tāh yə·sad·tām): "You" (אַתָּה) is emphatic, reiterating God's personal agency. "Founded" (יָסַד - yāsadh) means to lay a foundation, to establish, to ordain, or to bring into existence with stability and order. It highlights God as the original architect and builder of the universe. This is not passive ownership but active, intentional creation. It implies not just creating something from nothing, but also ordering and establishing it with purpose and wisdom. This creative act demonstrates His power and His sovereign right to rule over what He has made.
Psalm 89 11 Bonus section
This verse reflects a recurring theme in the Old Testament, where God's creative power is presented as irrefutable evidence of His unparalleled authority and reliability. The phrase "the heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours" functions as a parallel construction (merism) to emphasize the totality of God's ownership. The idea of God 'founding' them implies stability and order embedded into creation, not merely its initial existence. This theological foundation provides assurance during times of distress, reminding believers that the God who ordered the cosmos is faithful to His promises and powerful enough to intervene in human affairs.
Psalm 89 11 Commentary
Psalm 89:11 is a potent declaration of God's universal sovereignty, establishing that He is the sole owner and active Creator of all that exists. It succinctly asserts God's complete dominion over both the spiritual and material realms, from the vast heavens to the habitable earth and every living thing and resource within it. This truth serves as a foundational premise: if God possesses such comprehensive power and authority as the originator of all creation, His capacity to uphold His covenants and act on behalf of His people is beyond question. The verse contrasts the singular, absolute power of Yahweh with the fragmented dominion of pagan deities, unequivocally affirming Him as the one true sovereign Lord over a perfectly established and entirely owned cosmos.