You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.
Parallel translations
- KJV Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
- BSB You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them.
- NKJV You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.
- NASB You rule the surging of the sea; When its waves rise, You calm them.
- NLT You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God rules the raging sea and calms its rising waves. He holds sovereign power over the forces of chaos.
Overview
The verse celebrates God's dominion over the sea, an ancient symbol of chaos and threat. His mastery shows His unrivaled power over creation. This same authority is displayed by Christ, who stilled the storm and the sea, revealing Himself as the LORD of creation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 65:7who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.
- Ps 107:25–29For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.
- Mark 4:41They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
- Matt 8:24–27Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.
- Mark 4:39He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
- Ps 93:3–4The floods have lifted up, Yahweh, the floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves.
- Job 38:8–11“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
- Ps 29:10Yahweh sat enthroned at the Flood. Yes, Yahweh sits as King forever.
- Nah 1:4He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan languishes, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languishes.
- Matt 14:32When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
- Ps 66:5–6Come, and see God’s deeds — awesome work on behalf of the children of men.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 89:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.