Psalm 93:4 kjv
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Psalm 93:4 nkjv
The LORD on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea.
Psalm 93:4 niv
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea? the LORD on high is mighty.
Psalm 93:4 esv
Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!
Psalm 93:4 nlt
But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore ?
the LORD above is mightier than these!
Psalm 93 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 29:3-4 | The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters… The voice of the LORD is powerful… | God's voice controls waters and thunder. |
| Ps 65:7 | who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves… | God exercises power over the seas. |
| Ps 89:9 | You rule the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. | God calms and controls the sea's surges. |
| Ps 104:6-9 | You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains… | God established the bounds for the waters. |
| Job 38:8-11 | Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb… and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’? | God controls and limits the sea's expansion. |
| Gen 1:9-10 | And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. | God's creative act of separating and controlling waters. |
| Ex 14:21-28 | Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land… | God's powerful deliverance by dividing the Red Sea. |
| Neh 9:11 | You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground… | Recalling God's division of the Red Sea for passage. |
| Isa 50:2 | ...Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert… | God's power to dry up vast waters. |
| Jer 5:22 | Do you not fear me? declares the LORD; Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail… | God's fixed, unbreachable boundary for the sea. |
| Ps 46:1-3 | God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam… | God's steadfastness amidst chaotic, roaring waters. |
| Ps 97:1-5 | The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice… The mountains melt like wax before the LORD… | God's reign and overwhelming power melt mountains. |
| Ps 29:10 | The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as King forever. | God's eternal kingship over chaotic waters (the flood). |
| Ps 103:19 | The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. | God's universal and supreme rule from His heavenly throne. |
| Mt 8:23-27 | And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him… he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled… | Jesus, God Incarnate, displays direct control over nature. |
| Mk 4:35-41 | (Similar to Matthew) | Jesus stills the storm. |
| Lk 8:22-25 | (Similar to Matthew) | Jesus calms the sea. |
| Rev 1:15 | ...his voice was like the roar of many waters. | God's voice described with the powerful sound of many waters. |
| Rev 4:6 | …and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. | The "sea of chaos" now subdued into stillness before God's throne. |
| Rev 19:6 | Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!" | The roar of worship reflects the might of the reigning God. |
| 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. | The ultimate new creation where the tumultuous "sea" is absent. |
| Dan 4:34-35 | …his dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation… He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?" | God's unchallengeable and everlasting dominion over all creation. |
Psalm 93 verses
Psalm 93 4 Meaning
Psalm 93:4 proclaims the unchallengeable power and supreme majesty of God, declaring His absolute dominion over the most formidable and chaotic elements of creation. It illustrates that He is far superior to even the loudest and most overwhelming forces of nature, such as the roaring of vast waters and the powerful, breaking waves of the sea. This signifies His eternal and stable reign, untouched and unaffected by any earthly or cosmic upheaval.
Psalm 93 4 Context
Psalm 93 is part of the "Yahweh is King" psalms (Psalms 93-99), a series celebrating God's kingship and eternal reign. The chapter begins by declaring the LORD's immediate enthronement, describing Him as clothed with majesty, strength, and as the one who established the world on an immovable foundation. Verse 4 elaborates on the nature of this kingship by presenting a vivid comparison: the LORD’s might utterly surpasses even the most formidable forces known to humanity—the destructive power of tumultuous waters. In the ancient Near Eastern cultural context, "many waters" and "waves of the sea" frequently symbolized chaotic primeval forces, threatening floods, or even hostile pagan deities and nations, thereby positioning the God of Israel as incomparably superior to all perceived threats.
Psalm 93 4 Word analysis
- The LORD: Hebrew YHWH (יהוה), the covenant name of God, signifies His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness in covenant relationships. This name emphasizes His unique sovereignty as the God of Israel.
- on high: Signifies God’s exalted, transcendent position. It denotes supreme authority and elevated dwelling, emphasizing His control from above all earthly or cosmic elements.
- is mightier: Hebrew אדיר (addir), meaning "majestic," "powerful," "noble." This word asserts an unparalleled greatness and inherent strength. The grammatical form used is an active participle, stressing an ongoing state of inherent, effortless power, not merely a momentary display.
- than the noise: Hebrew קֹלוֹת (qoloth), literally "voices" or "sounds." In this context, it refers to the deep, thunderous roar and tumult generated by massive water bodies. It conveys the awesome, terrifying sound that would inspire dread.
- of many waters: Hebrew מַיִם רַבִּים (mayim rabbim). Refers to vast, surging expanses of water like great oceans, powerful rivers, or floods. To ancient audiences, these represented untamable, potentially destructive forces, often used as metaphors for chaos, disorder, or hostile human multitudes.
- than the mighty waves: Hebrew מִשְׁבְּרֵי (mishb'rei), referring to "breakers" or "billows"—the powerful, crashing surges of the sea.
- of the sea: Hebrew יָם (yam), referring to the ocean. In some ancient Near Eastern mythologies, "Yam" was a personified god of the chaotic sea who battled against the chief deities. The Psalm directly contrasts these narratives by portraying YHWH as inherently, effortlessly, and undeniably superior to "the sea" and its might.
Words-group analysis
- The LORD on high: This phrase immediately establishes God's absolute transcendence and elevated dominion. It positions Him not just as powerful, but as sovereignly reigning from a position far above any earthly challenge, setting the stage for the powerful comparison that follows.
- mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea: This construction uses a superlative comparison to emphasize YHWH's overwhelming superiority. The "noise of many waters" and "mighty waves of the sea" evoke terrifying, seemingly uncontrollable natural forces that cause awe and fear in humanity. By placing God as incomparably "mightier," the verse proclaims His effortless and complete control over these chaotic elements. It stands as a theological polemic against any pagan notion of struggling deities by asserting YHWH's intrinsic, supreme dominion over primordial chaos.
Psalm 93 4 Bonus section
The vivid auditory and visual imagery ("noise of many waters," "mighty waves") makes God's superiority tangible to the human experience of overwhelming natural forces. This Psalm serves as a reminder of God's unfailing reign, offering comfort and assurance that even when life's circumstances resemble a raging sea, there is a King enthroned above it all who is incomparably mightier. This provides an eternal perspective where chaos has no final dominion.
Psalm 93 4 Commentary
Psalm 93:4 offers a profound declaration of God's unmatched sovereignty over creation. The potent imagery of "the noise of many waters" and "the mighty waves of the sea" symbolizes the greatest sources of chaos, power, and fear in the natural world. Yet, the psalmist asserts that the LORD, enthroned on high, transcends and inherently overwhelms these forces. His might is not achieved through struggle, but is an intrinsic state of being, rendering Him "mightier." This inherent dominion ensures cosmic order and security for those who trust in Him. Just as God established boundaries for the raging seas at creation, He effortlessly contains and controls all forms of chaos, whether literal or metaphorical (e.g., global turmoil, personal struggles). The New Testament manifestation of this truth is seen in Jesus, as God incarnate, simply rebuking the wind and sea into calm, directly fulfilling the divine authority declared in this ancient psalm.