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Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Psalms 104:8

They go up to the mountains— They went up mountains, they went down vallies, to the place which thou hast founded for them. Here a noble image is lost in our translation, for want of considering that the sacred writer is describing the motion of the waters over mountains and in vallies, when, at God's command, they filed off from the surface of the earth unto the posts assigned them. Mudge. This psalm will gain great light by being compared with the first chapter of Genesis, and considered as a kind of comment upon it.

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See also Psalms 104:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 104:8. _THEY GO UP BY THE MOUNTAINS; THEY GO DOWN BY THE_ _VALLEYS_] Taking the words as they stand here, _springs_ seem to be what are intended. But it is difficult to conceive how the...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THEY GO UP BY THE MOUNTAINS ... - That is, when they were gathered together into seas. They seemed to roll and tumble over hills and mountains, and to run down in valleys, until they found the deep ho...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 104 Creation's Praise _ 1. The Creator (Psalms 104:1)_ 2. The foundations of the earth (Psalms 104:5) 3. His works manifesting His kindness ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CIV. THE GLORY OF THE CREATOR. Psalms 104:1. Yahweh's power in the heavens. He is clothed in the light which God made first (Genesis 1:3) before the heavenly bodies. He lays the foundation of His dwel...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HAST FOUNDED. didst prepare....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 104 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Creation Hymn. ANALYSIS It is difficult to frame an Analysis of this psalm. The course of thought and observation followed therein bears Some Resemblance to the Metho...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. THEY GO UP BY THE MOUNTAINS; THEY GO DOWN BY THE VALLEYS. The waters, tumultuously excited...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is a Ps. of Nature, celebrating God's glory as seen in His works both inanimate and animate. It is an expansion of the closing vv. of Psalms 103, and like that Ps. begins and ends with the phrase...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 90:106 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ *CREATOR GOD, KEEPING EVERYTHING ALIVE! PSALMS 104 Jesus said, "Are not two *sparrows sold for a farthing? But not one of them falls to the ground without your F...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (5–18) The work of the third day of Creation in its two great divisions. (1) The separation of the land and water (Psalms 104:5); (2) the clothing of the earth with grass, herbs, and trees (Psalms 104...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEY GO UP. — This translation is grammatically possible, but is inconsistent with the preceding description. It is better therefore to take the clause parenthetically, and to make hills and valleys t...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    יַעֲל֣וּ הָ֭רִים יֵרְד֣וּ בְקָעֹ֑ות אֶל ־מְ֝קֹ֗ום...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 104:1 LIKE the preceding psalm, this one begins and ends with the psalmist's call to his soul to bless Jehovah. The inference has been drawn that both psalms have the same author, but that is m...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE LORD'S WONDROUS HANDIWORK Psalms 104:1 The opening verses of this psalm appear to describe in sublime poetry the creation of the world. God is very great, because He created the heavens and the e...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Again we have a great song of praise commencing and closing with the same note of personal praise. While in the former the dominant note is that of the mercy of Jehovah, here it is that of His majesty...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Generations. Or from the call of Abraham. But this was to be understood if the Israelites continued faithful, (Deuteronomy xxviii.) or the promise regards the spiritual children of Abraham, who are b...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    All these are so many beautiful descriptions of the various works of God in creation. They need no comment; but we may scripturalise them in reference to the new creation in Christ Jesus, and find muc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 104, which celebrates Jehovah as Creator requires very few remarks. It will be noticed that it is occupied almost entirely with the earth. He is clothed with the glory of the heavens, which is...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEY GO UP BY THE MOUNTAINS, THEY GO DOWN BY THE VALLEYS,.... The Targum is, "they ascend out of the deep to the mountains;'' that is, the waters, when they went off the earth at the divine orders,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Ver. 8. _They go up by the mountains_] They run any way, in post haste, breaking through thic...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They go up by the mountains_ Rather, _They went up mountains: they went down valleys_, &c. They went over hill and dale, as we say; they neither stopped at the former, nor lodged in the latter, but m...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRAISE OF GOD FOR HIS WORK IN THE KINGDOM OF NATURE. The psalmist, probably David, as in the preceding psalm, celebrates the glory of God in the works of His creation and providence....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which Thou hast founded for them, literally, "Up rose mountains, down sank valleys to the place which Thou didst establish for t...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    THEY GO UP BY THE MOUNTAINS: Or, The mountains ascend, the valleys descend...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 Every object we behold calls on us to bless and praise the Lord, who is great. His eternal power and Godhead are clearly shown by the things which he hath made. God is light, and in him is no dark...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    In that first division of the waters from the earth, some part of them by God's command, contrary to their own nature, went upwards, and became springs in the mountains, and the greatest part went dow...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 104:8 over H5927 (H8799) mountains H2022 down H3381 (H8799) valleys H1237 place H4725 which H2088 founded...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    I trust that we have already felt something of holy enjoyment while our hearts and voices have been praising the Lord our God. Perhaps this Psalm may help to keep us in a praising state of mind. First...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: God's greatness, majesty and sovereign dominion celebrated. CHARACTERS: God, Psalmist, David. CONCLUSION: It is the joy of the saints that He who is their God is a great God who may be see...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm has no title in the Hebrew, but it is ascribed to David by the LXX, and by most of the Versions. It celebrates the works of God in the creation of the world, and in strains worthy of the ro...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not he removed for ever._ STABILITY OF NATURE ESSENTIAL TO PROSPERITY Earthquakes alone are sufficient to destroy the prosperity of any country....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O Lord my God, Thou art very great._ A HYMN OF PRAISE TO GOD IN NATURE I. The universality of God’s workings in Nature. 1. In the domain of dead matter. He is operating in the waters as they sail...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 104:1. The phrase “Bless the LORD, O my soul,” which opens and closes the psalm, shows that the psalm is about reasons for speaking well of God. This hymn of praise celebrat...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 104:5 On the third day of creation, God separated the land and the water. The dry land is therefore a safe and suitable place for its inhabitants. The description here is more ima...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This Psalm,” says Calvin, “differs from the last, in that it neither treats of God’s special mercies bestowed on His Church, nor lifts us to the hope of a heavenly life; but painting for...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION "THE psalmist, in a time of severe trouble, arising from the power of the heathen, seeks consolation in reflecting on the greatness of God in nature," So Hengstenberg, correctly. The main t...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And thus he begins the hundred and fourth psalm, Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with honor and majesty: You have covered yourself with light as with a g...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 8:5...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Go up — In that first division of the waters from the earth, part went upwards, and became springs in the mountains, the greatest part went downwards to the channels made for them....

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