Psalms 74:13

You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

BSB

You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

KJV

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

ASV

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.

BBE

The sea was parted in two by your strength; the heads of the great sea-beasts were broken.

Original Hebrew

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The early church

Now therefore, O Asaph, amend yourself according to your understanding, tell us what sort of Salvation God has wrought in the midst of the earth. When that earthly Salvation of yours was overthrown, what did He do, what did He promise? "You confirmed in Your virtue the sea" [Psalm 74:13]. As though the nation of the Jews were as it were dry land severed from the waves, the Gentiles in their bitterness were the sea, and on all sides they washed about that land: behold, "You have confirmed in Your virtue the sea," and the land remained thirsting for Your rain. "You have confirmed in Your virtue the sea, You have broken in pieces the heads of dragons in the water." Dragons' heads, that is, demons' pride, wherewith the Gentiles were possessed, You have broken in pieces upon the water: for those persons whom they were possessing, You by Baptism have delivered.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 12–17

The church silences her own complaints. What God had done for his people, as their King of old, encouraged them to depend on him. It was the Lord's doing, none besides could do it. This providence was food to faith and hope, to support and encourage in difficulties. The God of Israel is the God of nature. He that is faithful to his covenant about the day and the night, will never cast off those whom he has chosen. We have as much reason to expect affliction, as to expect night and winter. But we have no more reason to despair of the return of comfort, than to despair of day and summer. And in the world above we shall have no more changes.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 74 →

Cross-references

11

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.