Twenty-two verses on the made world, grouped by the part of nature people search for: animals, mountains, water and more.
The psalms look at nature closely. They name wild goats and rock badgers, young ravens, leviathan at play, and rain on the mountain grass. But nature is not the one being praised. The heavens declare the glory of God, the sea is his because he made it, and the mountains and trees are called to praise him. Creation in the psalms points past itself to its maker.
The verses are grouped by God as maker, animals, mountains, water and rain, nature praising God, and storms and harvest. Psalm 104 and Psalm 148 are the two to read whole for the long view. Tick any you want and print them.
Verses that say who made the world and how.
By the LORD’s word, the heavens were made:all their army by the breath of his mouth.
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
By the LORD's word the heavens were made, and all their army by the breath of his mouth. Creation here happens by speaking.
LORD, how many are your works!In wisdom, you have made them all.The earth is full of your riches.
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
How many are your works. In wisdom you have made them all. The psalm stops in the middle of its list of creatures to wonder at the number.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars, which you have ordained,
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers. The night sky leads straight to the next question: what is man, that you think of him.
The heavens declare the glory of God.The expanse shows his handiwork.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
The heavens declare the glory of God. The sky is pictured as speaking, day after day, and verse 4 says its voice goes out through all the earth.
Wild and tame animals, birds and sea creatures, all placed in God's hand.
For every animal of the forest is mine,and the livestock on a thousand hills.
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
Every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. God speaks here and claims the animals, so he needs no one's sacrifice.
He provides food for the livestock,and for the young ravens when they call.
He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call. Even a raven's cry is noticed.
There the ships go,and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there. A great sea creature is made for play.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.Your judgments are like a great deep.LORD, you preserve man and animal.
Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
LORD, you preserve man and animal. Animals are placed beside people in God's care.
Mountains in the psalms are old, high and firm, but always smaller than God.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth.The heights of the mountains are also his.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are also his. The highest and the deepest places are both in one hand.
Before the mountains were born,before you had formed the earth and the world,even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Before the mountains were born, you are God. The oldest thing a person can see is still younger than God.
The high mountains are for the wild goats.The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
The high mountains are for the wild goats, and the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. Each high place has its own creature.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills.Where does my help come from?
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? The next verse answers: from the LORD, who made heaven and earth, not from the hills themselves.
Streams, seas and rain, including the deer that pants for water.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,so my soul pants after you, God.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God. An animal's thirst is used to describe longing for God.
who covers the sky with clouds,who prepares rain for the earth,who makes grass grow on the mountains.
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
He covers the sky with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow on the mountains. Clouds, rain and grass are shown as one chain of care.
Above the voices of many waters,the mighty breakers of the sea,the LORD on high is mighty.
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty. The loudest thing in nature is set below God.
Verses where the made world is called to join in praise.
mountains and all hills,fruit trees and all cedars,
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars. Psalm 148 calls on hills and trees by name to praise the LORD.
Let the rivers clap their hands.Let the mountains sing for joy together.
Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. Water and land are given hands and voices.
Let the field and all that is in it exult!Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Let the field exult, and all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy. The next verse gives the reason: the LORD comes to judge the earth.
Weather and crops in the psalms, from lightning and sea storms to furrows soaked by showers.
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.He makes lightnings with the rain.He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.
He causes the clouds to rise, makes lightnings with the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries. Clouds, lightning, rain and wind are all placed under one maker.
He makes the storm a calm,so that its waves are still.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. It closes a scene of sailors at sea, whose soul melts away in the storm (verse 26).
You drench its furrows.You level its ridges.You soften it with showers.You bless it with a crop.
Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
You drench its furrows, soften it with showers, and bless it with a crop. Rain and harvest are shown as one piece of care for the ground.
The earth has yielded its increase.God, even our own God, will bless us.
Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
The earth has yielded its increase. The same verse goes on, God, even our own God, will bless us, so the harvest is read as coming from God.
Psalm 104 is the fullest. It moves through light and sky, waters, springs, birds, grass, wild goats, the moon and sun, lions, the sea and its creatures, and ends in praise. Psalm 8 looks up at the night sky and asks where people fit. Psalm 148 calls every part of creation to praise. Psalm 19 begins with the sky and moves to the LORD's law.
Psalm 104 is the fullest psalm about creation, and Psalm 8, Psalm 19 and Psalm 148 are shorter ones. Psalm 33:6 says how: by the LORD's word the heavens were made.
Psalm 104 names wild goats, rock badgers, young lions, birds and sea creatures, and Psalm 50:10 says every animal of the forest is God's. Psalm 147:9 mentions young ravens.
Psalm 42:1. The King James Version reads as the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Psalm 121 begins I will lift up my eyes to the hills, and Psalm 90:2 says God was there before the mountains were born. Psalm 104:18 gives the high mountains to the wild goats.
Psalm 147:8 says God prepares rain for the earth, and Psalm 65:10 says he softens the ground with showers. Psalm 72:6 compares a king to rain on the mown grass.
Psalms about BeautyPsalms about LightPsalms of Praise and WorshipPsalms of Thanksgiving and ThankfulnessPsalms about God's LovePsalms of Happiness and Joy