Psalms 93:3
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
Study Note
Study Note
The cosmic imagery of floods lifting up their voice and waves — repeated three times for emphasis — invokes the ancient Near Eastern mythological combat between the storm-god and the sea, familiar from Babylonian Enuma Elish and Ugaritic Baal cycle. Israel's poets do not dispute the power of the raging waters but assert in verse 4 that 'the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters.' The psalm's opening declaration 'the Lord reigns' (Yhwh malak) situates cosmic sovereignty as the framework within which natural power is relativized. Revelation 4:2-6 and 15:2 draw on the same imagery of 'a sea of glass' and the divine throne's transcendence over cosmic chaos.
Other Translations
The floods have lifted up, O Jehovah, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves.
Floods have lifted up, O Jehovah, Floods have lifted up their voice, Floods lift up their breakers.
The rivers send up, O Lord, the rivers send up their voices; they send them up with a loud cry.
Cross References
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow …
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, …
Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together