Psalms 135:7 · Bible study
Psalms 135:7 Commentary: God Commands the Clouds and Wind
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
See why the psalmist points to God's control of weather as proof of His power over all gods, and a reason for His people to sing.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God sovereignly controls weather as a sign of His power and a reason for praise.
- Key words: clouds (nĕśi’im), lightning (bĕrāqîm), wind (rûaḥ), treasuries (’ôṣārôt).
- Main debate: Whether ‘vapours’ or ‘clouds’ better translates nĕśi’im, and whether readings should be literal or symbolic.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over creation grounds worship and contrasts with powerless idols.
- Best use: A verse for praising God in awe of nature, and for teaching His control over both nature and history.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings with the rain. He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
KJV King James Version 1769
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who maketh lightnings for the rain; Who bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Causing vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, Lightnings for the rain He hath made, Bringing forth wind from His treasures.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; who maketh lightnings for the rain; who bringeth the wind out of his treasuries:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who made the great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El hace subir las nubes del cabo de la tierra; él hizo los relámpagos para la lluvia; él saca los vientos de sus tesoros.
Ele faz as nuvens subirem desde os confins da terra, faz os relâmpagos com a chuva; ele produz os ventos de seus tesouros.
Il fait monter les nuages des extrémités de la terre,
der die Wolken läßt aufsteigen vom Ende der Erde, der die Blitze samt dem Regen macht, der den Wind aus seinen Vorratskammern kommen läßt;
Hij doet dampen opklimmen van het einde der aarde; Hij maakt de bliksemen met den regen; Hij brengt den wind uit Zijn schatkameren voort.
Egli fa salire i vapori dalle estremità della terra, fa i lampi per la pioggia, fa uscire il vento dai suoi tesori.
Który czyni, że występują pary od kończyn ziemi; błyskawice i dżdże przywodzi, wywodzi wiatr z skarbów swoich;
сотворил светила великие, ибо вовек милость Его;
他使雲霧 從地 極 上騰，造 電 隨雨而閃，從府庫中 帶出 風來。
He makes the mists go up from the ends of the earth; he makes thunder-flames for the rain; he sends out the winds from his store-houses.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 135:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 135:7 displays Yahweh's sovereign control over weather as part of a larger argument for His unique deity. Barnes notes the wonder that God causes heavy vapours to ascend against gravity. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the Hebrew participles present these actions as ongoing, characteristic divine activity. Gill points out that nĕśi’im (vapours/clouds) refers to things lifted up, and he records Jerome's spiritual reading of clouds as prophets bearing doctrine. Yet the core consensus is that the verse grounds praise: the God who controls clouds, lightning and wind also controls history, as shown by the surrounding Exodus and conquest references. The parallel with Jeremiah 10:13 confirms this is part of a standard hymnody contrasting the true God with dead idols. Calvin sees the whole psalm as an exhortation to praise based on God's goodness and power. Thus the verse is not mere nature observation; it is a theological claim that every flash of lightning and gust of wind comes from God's treasuries.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God sovereignly controls weather phenomena as an expression of His power, and this is a reason for His people to praise Him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Translation of נְשִׂאִים (nĕśi’im) | The word means 'things lifted up,' referring to something raised from the earth. | Older translations render it 'vapours' (KJV, ASV), while most modern versions read 'clouds' (WEB, BSB). Both are lexically possible; the context (rain, lightning) strongly favors 'clouds.' |
| Connection to idol polemic | The verse is part of a contrast between the living God and dead idols (cf. vv.15, 18). | Some see the weather imagery as directly mocking Baal worship; others see it as a general affirmation of sovereignty that prepares for the later explicit polemic. |
| Interpretation of 'treasuries' | The term (’ôṣārôt) refers to God's storehouses, implying He has resources of power at His command. | Some take this literally as atmospheric chambers; others see it as a metaphor for God's wisdom and power in governing nature. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm is a liturgical composition, drawing from older biblical texts (especially Psalm 115 and Jeremiah 10). It was likely sung at the temple, as its address to 'servants of the Lord' who stand in His house suggests (v.2). The structure moves from a call to praise (vv.1, 3) to reasons: God's choice of Israel (v.4), His greatness in creation (vv.5, 7), and His mighty acts in history (vv.8, 12). The verse sits in the creation section, which contrasts with the idol polemic later (vv.15, 18).
In the ancient Near East, weather was attributed to specific gods, Baal for rain and storm. By asserting that Yahweh causes clouds to rise, makes lightning for the rain, and brings wind from His storehouses, the psalmist claims that Israel's God, not Baal, controls nature. The phrase 'from the ends of the earth' indicates comprehensive scope. The 'treasuries' language (also used for snow and hail in Job 38:22) pictures God as a king with vast resources. The Hebrew verb forms (participles: ma'aleh, 'oseh, motze) emphasize that these are ongoing, characteristic acts, not one-time events.
The parallel in Jeremiah 10:13 appears in a similar idol-contrast context, suggesting the verse was a well-known formulation. The autumnal rains in Israel, as Clarke notes, were often preceded by lightning and squalls, concrete evidence of God's provision and power. Thus the psalm weaves together creation, redemption, and providence as grounds for praise.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God Gathers the Clouds, He provides rain for the earth, showing His care.
- God Fashions the Lightning, He displays His power and majesty, often alongside provision.
- God Stores the Wind, He commands even invisible forces, holding them in reserve like a king with a treasury.
Five-point outline
- Divine Activity, The three participles show what God is continually doing.
- Universal Reach, “From the ends of the earth” means no place is outside His rule.
- Order in Power, Lightning comes for the rain, not chaos.
- Hidden Resources, The wind from His treasuries implies God has unsearchable reserves of power.
- Contrast with Idols, This verse sets up the later polemic: nature obeys God, but idols do nothing.
Illustration hooks
- A sudden thunderstorm breaking a drought: God’s timing and power intersect.
- Farmers scanning the horizon for clouds in harvest season: dependence on God’s provision.
- A strong wind that seems to come from nowhere: a reminder of God’s invisible but real control.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God control the weather today, including storms that cause harm?
- How can I see God’s sovereignty in everyday natural events?
- Why does the psalmist connect weather with the Exodus and salvation history?
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to consider God’s absolute rule over creation. As you discuss, think about how nature reveals God’s character and why the psalmist included it in a hymn of praise.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “causes the clouds to rise” teach us about God’s involvement in the natural world? (Observation)
- Why might the psalmist include weather in a psalm focused on praise? (Interpretation)
- How does the contrast with idols later in the psalm deepen your understanding of this verse? (Interpretation)
- In what ways do you experience God’s power in the natural world? (Application)
- How does this verse encourage you to trust God in circumstances beyond your control? (Application)
- What does it mean that God has “treasuries” for wind? (Interpretation)
- How does this verse connect to the psalm’s themes of election and redemption? (Synthesis)
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)
| Genesis 2:5 | No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground, |
| Genesis 2:6 | but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole surface of the ground. |
| I Kings 18:1 | After many days, Yahweh’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.” |
| I Kings 18:41 | Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” |
| I Kings 18:45 | In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. |
| Job 5:10 | who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields; |
| Job 28:25 | He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure. |
| Job 28:26 | When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder, |
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
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws on firsthand accounts of Eastern weather to explain that the verse describes the autumnal rains, where lightning and wind are sure signs of approaching showers. He suggests that the word for vapours should be translated clouds, and that these elements all come from God's treasuries.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the remarkable wisdom in God making vapors rise upward, defying the natural pull that draws everything downward toward the earth. He treats this as one of the most wonderful of God's works, and similarly sees the lightning and wind as resources God has stored and dispenses with purpose.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that the call to praise God here is not limited to the Levites but extends to the whole congregation. He finds the reasons given—God's goodness and his choice of Jacob—apply equally to all believers, not only to those who serve in the temple.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary explains that "from the ends of the earth" refers to the horizon where clouds appear, not to distant lands. The phrase "for the rain" means accompanying the rain, and "his treasuries" denote God's storehouses of natural forces, drawing a sharp contrast between Jehovah and powerless idols.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights how God controls the weather completely, bringing clouds from distant places and pairing lightning with rain. The distinctive image is the wind drawn from God's own treasures, portraying the elements as stored resources He releases at will.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to how the literal workings of nature—vapours rising, lightning and rain, wind from its hidden source—are all directly stored and brought forth by God from his own treasuries. He then offers a spiritual reading: the clouds may represent ministers of the word, lightning stands for knowledge, and the wind can picture the gifts and graces of the Spirit.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
God's choice of Israel is the first reason assigned for rendering praise; the next, His manifested greatness in creation and providence.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the call to praise is grounded in Israel's certain knowledge that the God who chose them is the God of gods. They clarify that "lightnings for rain" means God produces lightning to announce and accompany the rain, not that He turns lightning into rain. The "treasuries" refer to the fullness of divine power behind all natural phenomena.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats this psalm as a deliberate mosaic of earlier Scripture, noting it is almost entirely assembled from passages taken from other psalms and allusions to the law and prophets. He sees it as a late composition that weaves together these borrowed pieces into a unified call to praise the Lord for his works in nature and history.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that when the psalmist declares God's greatness, he does so from personal experience and conviction, not just observation. He contrasts the goodness of God, which we praise cheerfully, with the greatness of God, which deserves our awe-filled praise—something Christians tend to neglect. The psalmist also issues a holy defiance against all pretenders: the Lord is not merely above any god, but infinitely above all gods.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points to rain as a striking example of God's good providence. He notes that the rain comes from all parts of the earth, from one end to another, showing God's care reaches everywhere.