I Chronicles 16:32 · Bible study
1 Chronicles 16:32 Commentary: Creation's Roar and Singing Praise
Hebrew · 3 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the psalmist call the sea to 'roar' and the field to 'exult'?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist commands the sea and field to praise Yahweh with their characteristic voices, thunder and exultation, showing all creation worships the King.
- Key words: יִרְעַם (yir'am / roar/thunder), מְלֹא (melo / fullness), יַעֲלֹץ (ya'alots / exult).
- Main debate: No significant debate; most interpret this as poetic personification calling creation to praise.
- Theological theme: Yahweh's kingship evokes universal praise from the entire created order, including chaotic elements.
- Best use: A call to worship that draws hearers into creation's song, suitable for hymns, liturgy, and teaching on creation care.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Let the sea resound, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it!
KJV King James Version 1769
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Roar doth the sea, and its fulness, Exult doth the field, and all that is in it,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all things that are in them.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Resuene la mar, y la plenitud de ella: alégrese el campo, y todo lo que contiene.
Ressoe o mar, e a plenitude dela: Alegre-se o campo, e todo o que contém.
Que la mer retentisse avec tout ce qu’elle contient!
Das Meer brause und was darinnen ist; und das Feld sei fröhlich und alles, was darauf ist.
Dat de zee bruise met haar volheid, dat het veld huppele van vreugde, met al wat daarin is.
Risuoni il mare e quel ch’esso contiene; festeggi la campagna e tutto quello ch’è in essa.
Niech zaszumi morze, i ze wszystkiem, co w niem jest; niech się rozraduje pole, i wszystko, co na niem jest.
Да плещет море и что наполняет его, да радуется поле и все, что на нем.
願海 和其中所充滿的 澎湃；願田 和其 中 所有的 都歡樂。
Let the sea be thundering with all its waters; let the field be glad, and everything which is in it;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Chronicles 16:32
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse calls the whole of creation to join in praise of Yahweh as King. Matthew Henry, reflecting on the psalm, notes the summons for 'all the earth' to sing. The verb for 'roar' (יִרְעַם, yir'am) means to thunder, the sea's most powerful voice. Ellicott's Commentary emphasizes the poetic freedom with which the psalmist treats creation, ascribing conscious praise to sea and field. The parallel structure, sea roars, field exults, shows that both the untamed waters and the cultivated land are included. This verse affirms that Yahweh's kingship evokes praise from every corner of creation, not just humanity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse summons all of creation—sea, field, and their inhabitants—to praise Yahweh as King, using powerful poetic imagery.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of 'roar' for the sea | All traditions see it as a call to praise, using the sea's natural power as its voice. | Some emphasize the sea as a symbol of chaos being tamed; others focus on its joyful roar as a fitting response to Yahweh's majesty. |
| Personification of creation | Christians agree the psalm uses poetic language to ascribe praise to non-human creation. | Debate exists over whether this is purely metaphorical or reflects a real, spiritual aspect of creation's relationship to God (e.g., Psalm 148: angels and elements). |
| Relationship to Psalm 98 | The verse closely parallels Psalm 98:7, 8, showing a shared liturgical tradition. | Whether 1 Chronicles 16 preserves an earlier form of the psalm or adapts it later is unclear; scholars hold different views on priority. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to a psalm David delivered when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15, 16). The Ark, symbolizing God's throne on earth, was placed in a tent on Zion. The surrounding verses (28, 36) ring with the refrain 'Yahweh reigns.' The psalm calls the nations, the heavens, and the earth to acknowledge him.
In the ancient Near East, the sea often represented chaos and danger, the place of Leviathan and storm gods. Israel's Scriptures regularly assert Yahweh's power over the sea (Psalm 93:4; Exodus 15). Calling the sea to 'roar' in praise turns its threatening voice into a doxology. The field, by contrast, evokes settled agriculture and blessing. Together they span the whole created order: wild and tame, violent and gentle.
The verb forms are imperative-like (volitive in Hebrew), a summons, not a description. The poet commissions all of creation to sound its praise. Ellicott notes the 'freedom of lyric treatment' here: the psalmist treats sea and field as living beings with voices. This is not animism but a bold poetic vision of a creation that reflects its Creator's glory.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The parallel in Psalm 98:7 is nearly identical, with minor differences in word order.
Reception History
This verse has been used in Jewish and Christian worship as part of the broader psalm of thanksgiving. The psalm appears in the ancient synagogue liturgy for the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot). In Christian tradition, verses 28, 36 have been adapted into hymns celebrating God's reign over creation. The summons for the sea to roar and the field to exult has inspired reflections on creation's praise, from the church fathers to modern hymn writers. The verse echoes in hymns such as 'All Creatures of Our God and King' (though not a direct quote). It continues to be read in lectionaries for Pentecost and Ordinary Time, reminding congregations that worship is not a human monopoly.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Sea Roars: Creation's Loudest Voice. The Hebrew verb ra'am means to thunder. The sea's power, storms, waves, depths, becomes an anthem of praise. Even what feels chaotic or threatening can worship the King.
- The Field Exults: Creation's Gentle Joy. The field represents quiet fruitfulness: grain, vines, flowers. Its exultation is a different song, steady and joyful, not thunderous. God receives praise from both storm and stillness.
- All Things Full: The Whole Created Order Praises. 'Its fullness' means every creature in the sea; 'all that is in it' means every plant and animal in the field. Nothing is left out. The call is universal.
Five-point outline
- The King arrives (vv.28, 31): Yahweh reigns, the world stands firm.
- The sea answers (v.32a): thunderous praise from the deep.
- The field answers (v.32b): joyful praise from the land.
- The forest sings (v.33): trees clap before the coming Judge.
- The people respond (vv.34, 36): thanksgiving and 'Amen.'
Illustration hooks
- The roar of waves during a storm, powerful and overwhelming, yet it can feel like creation speaking.
- A farmer watching a field of wheat ripen in the sun, quiet joy that seems to rise from the earth itself.
- A choir with both brass instruments (loud) and strings (soft), different voices, one song.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does creation really worship God, or is this just poetry?
- If the sea and field praise God, what keeps us from joining them?
- How can I hear creation's praise in my daily life, in my garden, at the beach, in a thunderstorm?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits inside a psalm of celebration when the Ark came to Jerusalem. The whole chapter is a song of God's reign. Notice how the psalmist commands the sea and field to praise, not asks, but summons. What might that mean for how we understand creation's role?
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Chronicles 16:28, 36 aloud. What words or phrases stand out to you?
- Why do you think the psalmist calls the sea to 'roar' rather than 'sing'? What does the Hebrew verb ra'am (to thunder) suggest about the kind of praise the sea offers?
- The field is told to 'exult.' How is that different from the sea's roaring? What does each part of creation contribute to the whole song?
- Verse 33 says trees sing 'before Yahweh, for he comes to judge.' How does the coming judgment become a reason for joy in this psalm?
- If all creation praises God, why do humans often struggle to do so? What silences our praise?
- How does this passage connect to Romans 8:19, 22, where creation groans for redemption? Can roaring and groaning both be forms of praise?
- How might you personally 'join' the praise of creation this week, by noticing, listening, or adding your own voice?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 93:4 | Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, Yahweh on high is mighty. |
| Psalms 98:7 | Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. |
| Psalms 98:8 | Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. |
| Psalms 148:9 | mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, |
| Psalms 148:10 | wild animals and all livestock, small creatures and flying birds, |
| Isaiah 44:23 | Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
3 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Let the sea roare, and all that therein is: Let the field be ioyfull and all that is in it.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the song in this account is not a verbatim record but an ideal composition, compiled by the Chronicler from Psalms 105, 96, and 106 to capture the authentic spirit of
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that this psalm was composed for public worship, not private devotion, and that its core charge is to broadcast God's deeds among all nations, not just Israel. He highlights the progression from Israel's covenant memory to a universal call, urging every people to give God the glory due His name.