Psalm 104:32

How Many Are Your Works, O LORD! · Psalm 104:1–35
Read Psalm 104

Translations

Modern
He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
Traditional
He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
Literal
…the One looking on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
Latin
Qui respicit terram, et facit eam tremere; qui tangit montes, et fumigant.

Original

Hebrew
English
He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.

Notes

The trembling earth and the smoking mountains represent the Lord’s coming in judgment against sinners and salvation for his faithful people (see Psalm 18:7–15).

The psalmist moves from describing the known creation to anticipating the new creation, when the Lord will renew the created order into a world without sinners.

This creation hymn (see also Psalms 8, 33, 145) praises God's goodness and greatness. The psalmist thinks about the current world, the original creation, and a future new creation. He views both creations as wonderfully and wisely made (compare Psalm 139:14), as the work of the Lord's Spirit (104:30; Genesis 1:2; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

Theme notes and profiles

David Beauty in Nature Blessing The Creator-King

Glossary

David Music New Creation, New Creature Psalms, Book of

Topics

Blessing: Temporal, from God Earthquakes: Frequently Accompanied by Volcanic Eruptions Earthquakes: General Scriptures Concerning God: Power of God: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Mountains: God: Causes, to Smoke Volcanoes: General Scriptures Concerning