to him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever:
Parallel Translations
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to him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever:
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To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
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To Him that spread forth the earth above the waters, for His mercy endureth for ever.
Cross-references (11)
Passages linked to Psalms 136:6 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 24:2 For he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods.
- Genesis 1:9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so.
- Jeremiah 10:12 God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.
- Job 26:7 He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.
- Psalms 104:2-3 He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain. He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind.
- Isaiah 42:5 God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it, says:
- Isaiah 44:24 Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;
- Zechariah 12:1 A revelation, Yahweh’s word concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says:
- 2 Peter 3:5-7 For this they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God, by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Job 37:18 Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror?
- Isaiah 40:22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain This was a common kind of thanksgiving, which the…
This was a common kind of thanksgiving, which the whole people used, when they had received any benefit of God, as 2 Chron. 7:6 and 20:21, meaning, that God was not only merciful to their fathers, but also continued the same to their posterity.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 136:6 To him that stretched out the earth…
Psa 136:6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
Ver. 6. To him that stretched out the earth, &c.] A perpetual mercy to all earthly creatures, as is elsewhere set forth, Gen 1:9 Psa 24:2.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Stretched out the earth above the waters; of which…
Stretched out the earth above the waters; of which See Poole "Gen 1:9"; See Poole "Psa 24:2".
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain To him that stretcheth out the earth above the…
To him that stretcheth out the earth above the waters,.... Or, "besides the waters" (t), close by them, and yet secures the earth from being covered with them; see Psa 24:2;
for his mercy endureth for ever; it was in mercy he caused the waters to go off the earth which first covered it; that trees, plants, and herbs, might spring up out of it, and that it might be a fit habitation for man; and though for the sins of the old world these waters were let in upon it, which drowned it, and destroyed man and beast upon it, except a few that were in mercy preserved; yet the Lord has promised and swore to it, that these waters shall no more go over the earth to destroy it; he has set a bound for the sea that it cannot pass, by a decree of his; even the sand on the shore, which, as weak as it may seem to be, is a bound unpassable; though they may toss and rage and roar, they shall not prevail, nor pass over it, which is a perpetual miracle of mercy, Jer 5:22.
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(t) "juxta aquas", Tirinus, Gejerus, Michaelis.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 6. Stretched out the earth above the waters]…
Verse 6. Stretched out the earth above the waters] Or, upon the waters. This seems to refer to a central abyss of waters, the existence of which has not been yet disproved.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain To him that stretched out the earth above the…
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters - Gen 1:1, Gen 1:9; see the notes at Psa 24:2.
For his mercy ... - As an illustration of his benignity and kindness in preparing an abode for man, and for other creatures in the world. Whatever there is of life or happiness, on the continents and islands, has resulted from that act of God when “he made the dry land appear.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 6. Stretched out the earth above the waters—Another instance…
6. Stretched out the earth above the waters—Another instance wherein external nature is described, not scientifically, but popularly, as it appears to the senses. So the scriptures speak of the sun’s rising and going down; and so philosophers themselves still speak, despite the philosophical absurdity of the expression. Psa_136:6-9 follow the record of Gen_1:8.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 6. O give thanks unto him that gathereth the…
6. O give thanks unto him that gathereth the outcasts of Israel (Psa_147:2 b; cp. Isa_11:12; Isa_56:8), for &c.
6. that spread forth the earth upon the waters] Cp. Psa_135:6, note; Isa_42:5; Isa_44:24; Psa_24:2.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (6) While this section in many points recalls the…
(6) While this section in many points recalls the account of creation in Genesis, it employs terms from other parts of Scripture.
Stretched out.—A word and idea peculiar to Isaiah and this psalm (Isa_42:5; Isa_44:24); properly to beat out with the feet, then to overlay with a plate of metal (Isa_40:12). The earth is regarded as a flat plate that has been beaten out and spread on the face of the waters, whereas in Genesis it is pictured as emerging out of the waters.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain To him that stretched out the earth above the…
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters. (comp. Isa_42:5 Isa_44:24 Psa_24:2) For his mercy, etc.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 6. To him that stretched out the earth…
Ver. 6. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters. Lifting it up from the mingled mass, the dank morass, the bottomless bog, of mixed land and sea; and so fitting it to be the abode of man. Who but the Lord could have wrought this marvel? Few even think of the divine wisdom and power which performed all this of old; yet, if a continent can be proved to have risen or fallen an inch within historic memory, the fact is recorded in the "transactions" of learned societies, and discussed at every gathering of philosophers.
For his mercy endureth for ever, as is seen in the original upheaval and perpetual upstanding of the habitable land, so that no deluge drowns the race. By his strength he sets fast the mountains and consolidates the land upon which we sojourn.
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From the flood he lifts the land:
Firm his mercies ever stand.
Ver. 6. Stretched out the earth above the waters. The waters of the great deep (Ge 7:11) are meant; above which the crust of the earth is outspread. In Pr 8:27 the great deep encircles the earth. Speaker's Commentary.
Psalms 136:7*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 spread out the earth above the waters
spread out the earth above the waters
The ancient Israelites thought that the earth's dry land was on top of the sea. AT: "placed the earth over the waters"
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for his covenant faithfulness endures forever
The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be translated with an adjective. See how you translated this in Psalms 136:1. AT: "because he remains faithful to his covenant forever" (See: Abstract Nouns)
great lights
This is a reference to the sources of light for the earth, especially the sun and the moon. AT: "the sun and the moon and the stars"
translationWords
earth
water
light
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.