Psalms 104:32 · Clearspring

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Other translations

WEBBE

He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

BSB

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

KJV

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

ASV

Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.

BBE

At whose look the earth is shaking; at whose touch the mountains send out smoke.

Original Hebrew

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הַמַּבִּיט ha·ma·bit the [one who] looks H5027 לָאָרֶץ la·'a·retz to the earth H776 וַתִּרְעָד va·tir·'ad and it trembled H7460 יִגַּע yi·ga' he touches H5060 בֶּהָרִים be·ha·rim (in) the mountains H2022 וְיֶעֱשָׁנוּ ve·ye·'e·sha·nu so they may smoke H6225

The early church

"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. O earth, you were exulting in your good, to yourself you ascribed your fullness and opulence; behold, the Lord looks on you, and causes you to tremble. May He look on you, and make you tremble: for the trembling of humility is better than the confidence of pride....For it is God, he says, which works in you. For this reason then with trembling, because God works in you. Because He gave, because what you have comes not from you, you shall work with fear and trembling, for if you fear not Him, He will take away what He gave. Work, therefore, with trembling. Hear another Psalm: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling." If we must rejoice with trembling, God beholds us, there comes an earthquake; when God looks upon us, let our hearts tremble; then will God rest there. Hear Him in another passage: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? Even on him that is lowly and quiet, and who trembles at My Word." [Isaiah 66:2] "Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke" [Psalm 104:32]. The hills were proud, and boastful of themselves, God had not touched them: He touches them, and they shall smoke. What means the smoking of the hills? That they pray unto the Lord. Behold great hills, proud hills, vast hills, prayed not to God: they wished themselves to be entreated, and entreated not Him who was above them. For what powerful, arrogant, proud man is there upon the earth, who deigns humbly to entreat God? I speak of the ungodly, not of the "cedars of Libanus, which the Lord has planted." Every ungodly man, unhappy soul, knows not how to entreat God, while he wishes himself to be entreated by men. He is a hill; it is needful that God touch him, that he may smoke: when he has begun to smoke, he will offer prayers unto God, as it were the sacrifice of his heart. He smokes unto God, he then beats his breast: he begins to weep, for smoke does elicit tears.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 31–35

Man's glory is fading; God's glory is everlasting: creatures change, but with the Creator there is no variableness. And if mediation on the glories of creation be so sweet to the soul, what greater glory appears to the enlightened mind, when contemplating the great work of redemption! There alone can a sinner perceive ground of confidence and joy in God. While he with pleasure upholds all, governs all, and rejoices in all his works, let our souls, touched by his grace, meditate on and praise him.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 104 →

Spurgeon · Verse 32

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth. The Lord who has graciously displayed his power in acts and works of goodness might, if he had seen fit, have overwhelmed us with the terrors of destruction, for even at a glance of his eye the solid earth rocks with fear. He toucheth the hills, and they smoke. Sinai was altogether on a smoke when the Lord descended upon it. It was but a touch, but it sufficed to make the mountain dissolve in flame. Even our God is a consuming fire. Woe unto those who shall provoke him to frown upon them, they shall perish at the touch of his hand. If sinners were not altogether insensible a glance of the Lord's eye would make them tremble, and the touches of his hand in affliction would set their hearts on fire with repentance. "Of reason all things show some sign, " except man's unfeeling heart.

Read Spurgeon on Psalm 104 →

Cross-references

17

Topics

God Earthquakes Volcanoes